Name: Taely Freeman Hometown: Princeton, KY Program: Master of Architecture
What is your best Weitzman memory? OR Why did you choose Weitzman?
My best Weitzman memories surround the events and lectures offered by the school! Mostly every Friday, Student Council sponsors a school Happy Hour where students of every department gather to chat, eat, and relax after a busy week. These events are always a blast and it’s a great opportunity to meet peers in other departments. The lecture series provided by each department every semester is also great! One specific memory would have to be the time when Flores y Prats joined us – I really enjoyed their presentation and perspective and remember feeling very inspired coming out of it.
One tip to help make the transition into grad school?
Spend time in studio! The collaborative culture here is one of the reasons I chose Weitzman. My peers and the faculty here provide a wealth of knowledge and skillsets that I have no doubt will equip me in my career for years to come, and I have learned so much by simply being present. I would definitely encourage taking advantage of the studio environment where some of the most valuable learning happens through conversation and the informal exchange of ideas.
Share your favorite project from Weitzman.
Title of Project : Reassemby Lines
Collaborator:Benjamin Oliver
Critic:Winka Dubbledam
TA: Jorge Couso
I have a few that are at the top of my list, but I would say one of my favorite studio projects that we just wrapped up this past semester is Reassembly Lines, done in collaboration with Benjamin Oliver, for the Wall of Discord studio taught by Winka Dubbledam and Jorge Couso. This proposal heavily relied on research surrounding the informal communities of Buenos Aires and how design could serve as a third actant – a relationship of parts that have agency not only on each other but on the surrounding barrio and its city adjacent. We had the opportunity to visit the barrios of Buenos Aires during travel week and fully immerse ourselves in its unique cultural and historical identity. Recognizing the community’s inventive use of salvaged materials and its informal economy, we were led to a proposal that introduces a system of transforming waste into opportunity, identifying a site that serves as a nexus for material reuse, economic growth, and community education. Through research and observation, this project suggests that Salvaged construction materials often seen as waste are reframed as participants that acupuncturally stimulate opportunity in the neighborhood by tapping into existing networks of building recycling and economic opportunity. This studio really challenged us to think critically about design’s role as an active agent in complex urban ecosystems, making it one of the most meaningful and impactful projects I’ve worked on. I also love to fabricate and we were able to prioritize and dedicate time to building a really beautiful physical model!
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