Cats of Brutalism

Wednesday, July 21, 2021
6 pm EDT
A free virtual event via Zoom Webinar

In addition to the student team,  program guests include Gregory Delaney and Angus Fletcher. Gregory Delaney is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture at the University at Buffalo, where he teaches courses in architecture history, building and urban analysis, and studios in architecture and urban design. Delaney is dedicated to advancing student knowledge and criticality through on-site experiences and travel, running intensive domestic and study abroad programs. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University's Knowlton School, where he received both his bachelor's and master's degree

Dr. Angus Fletcher is a practitioner of story science, with dual degrees in neuroscience (BS, University of Michigan) and literature (PhD, Yale). His research employs a mix of laboratory experiment, literary history and rhetorical theory to explore the psychological effects—cognitive, behavioral, therapeutic—of different narrative technologies. His most recent book, "Wonderworks: The 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature" (Simon & Schuster, 2021) details the mental health and wellbeing benefits of over two dozen literary breakthroughs from ancient Sumer to the present day. It has been formally endorsed by medical and humanities faculty at Yale, Stanford, Oxford and Cambridge, and has been described by Dr. Martin Seligman, Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, as the work of a “polymath” who combines “a profound knowledge of world literature” with “a deep knowledge of modern psychology and of neuroscience." More info: https://www.angusfletcher.co/

Cats of Brutalism -- “your daily dose of cats and concrete” -- is directed by Emily Battaglia, Madelaine Ong and Michaela Senay; three Master of Architecture students at the University at Buffalo. Cats of Brutalism juxtaposes brutalist buildings with super-scaled cats as a means of introducing warmth, softness, and whimsy to the often-perceived-as cold, hard, and severe forms of brutalism. 

The pairing is intentionally absurd, but also fitting—the rough textures, complex forms, and often compartmentalized and/or aggregate massing of brutalism offers the ideal post for scratching, climbing, hiding, and perching, as cats do. As a response to the internet’s obsession with all-things-cats and cat-humor, the account aims to capture the attention of the cat-loving public, as well as the architecture and design aficionados, with a goal of involving the public in conversations about brutalism and the future of brutalist buildings.

The account originally started off as part of a studio project, advocating for brutalism, in collaboration with professors Gregory Delaney and Brett Doster. The studio focused on the past, present and future of a local brutalist building; the Earl W. Brydges Public Library in Niagara Falls, New York (1968-1974), designed by American architect Paul Rudolph (1918-1997). Learn more at www.catsofbrutalism.com

Westcott House Foundation’s mission is to preserve and interpret Frank Lloyd Wright’s Westcott House and inspire creativity and innovation through architecture and design education. The house opened to the public in 2005, following a major restoration. A community-wide effort led to a rescue of this remarkable example of Wright’s design from the brink of demolition. Since then, the site has served as a cultural resource, community hub & economic stimulator, attracting visitors from all over the U.S. and beyond. Learn more at www.westcotthouse.org.