ARC 605- Material Culture Studio (Re-Assembling the City)- Dennis Maher

This studio will realize a full-scale design/construction project in relation to work taking place at Assembly House 150 (AH150) in downtown Buffalo. The course is led by AH150 founder/director Dennis Maher. Students in the course will work alongside the team at AH150 on a special build project—increasing their understanding of materials and gaining techniques of craft while learning through hands-on making. In the process, students will interact extensively with the Assembly House site as a learning environment and will engage with stakeholders that comprise the AH150 community, as well as with the surrounding city of Buffalo. Themes of the studio include: the collective imagination, the city as an archetype, traditional vs. contemporary craft, collage/assemblage techniques, and time/change in architecture.

Assembly House 150 is an immersive experiment in art, architecture, craft, and community that is sited within an 1860’s era former church in Buffalo, NY.  The former church provides the setting for a continuously evolving 3D collage of architectural fragments, sculptural environments, models, and other artifacts—built in collaboration with tradespeople, designers, artists, students, apprentices, and others.  Participants in Assembly House 150 skill-building programs work on the renovation and adaptation of the church and on other creative projects while acquiring skills in the construction arts.  www.assemblyhouse150.org