PreGrad Portfolio

8/6/2019 PreGrad Portfolio

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/pregrad-portfolio 1/23

alexan stulc

34 east 7th street apartment 1f

new york, new york 10003

212.203.1793

[email protected]

cooper union school of architecture

class of 2010



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alexan stulc 2 alexan stulc 3

The rst design project in my tenure at Cooper Union was an investigation of buoyancy relative to architectural

space and form. Given the site, an unidentied expanse of sea, we were to create a vessel for a single inhabitant.

My project focused on the isolation inherent in such an existence. Alone at sea, faced with the uncertainty of

the surrounding landscape, how would begin to relate to the only tangible reference available? The vessel is

composed of two distinct sections, a covered portion to the rear provides shelter, while 55 feet away, the bow rises

in front. This distance is the minimum length for a shout to travel and reect back to its source. The monolithic

gurehead serves as both a visual locator and aural reassurance. Architecture becomes the seafarers companion.

00° 00’ 0” N 00° 00’ 00” W

alone at sea

Spring 2006

Professors D.Gersten

A.Romme A.Titus S.Wines




The intersection of 34th Street and Broadway in New York City is in

constant ux. The ebb and ow of vehicles and pedestrians continue

from street level down to the subway below. The various tangents of

movement carve a niche within the city’s fabric; a plateau of uninterrupted

mass that extends down to manhattan bedrock. Above, there is an odd

mass of empty air, a remnant of Broadway incongruity with the grid. As

movement carves out the cities canyons, the leftover areas are points of

stasis; a moment of composure for the continual traveler. This is a place

for people to stop and interact. It is unprogrammed space to rest, neutral

space for people to engage. The leftover pieces of the city’s aberrations are

used to house the uncanny experience; the moment of personal exchange.

chance encounter

40° 45’ 1” N 73° 59’ 16” W

Spring 2007

Professors P.Eiora C.O’Donnell G.Zullianni




the thirty-fourth street subway station is a nexus of circulation beneath

the streets of manhattan. Playing host to lines of infrastructure within

the city and to outlying regions, the stream of human trafc through

this triangle is nearly continuous, whether above or below grade.

the project brings physical form to the disparate ows of trafc

moving across the site. it provides a locus the temporal inhabitant

may adopt as a guide, it imposes itself as a temporary home. it is

a place for the storage of things, a repository for personal affects

its openness is a catalyst for encounter. it provides a framework

upon which relationships may be constructed, or reconstituted.

with the enormity of trafc through this site the element of chance

is very much present. this is a place for chance encounters.



alexan stulc 9

42° 20’ 53” N 71° 2’ 33” W

variations and themeThe Boston Institute of Contemporary Art, by architects Diller Scodio + Renfro, is located in the Seaport District

of South Boston. The culmination of a semester l ong analysis resulted in the construction of three models based

on the perceptual distortions experienced through the building’s visitors. In doing so, the concurrent theme

running throughout its spatial progression is revealed. Despite disparate programmatic elements necessary

for the functioning of a contemporary museum, the architect’s are able to establish an omniscient sense of the

harbor beyond, providing a continuous reference point throughout the work. The implications of this exercise

are meant to question the nature of an architectural space transformed by the action of vision and movement.

Fall 2007

Professors F.Davis E.O’Donnell

S.Rustow M.Young

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reconstitution of digital models into

perspectively distorted re-readings

rst, digital models are constructed of key component moments within the museum that contribute to the overall ethos

of the place. the relevant spaces are then cut from the model in its entirety, producing fragments cut specically to the

angles of our visual range.

once disengaged, the pieces are then projected unto a at surface through perspectival distortion. this produces a two

dimensional image akin to that which would be seen by the eye. the distorted projections are then re-read as measured

axonometric drawings. this provides information from which a physical model can be built. throughout each space

though, the focal point remains as a framed vi ew of boston’s harbor. reconnecting the building with its locus.

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This project is for a contemporary museum of sculpture, located

across from the northwestern corner of Madison Square Park, in

New York City. This location provides for two signicant feature to

be considered; the veritable wall of facades against the open green

of the park, and the idiosyncratic fragments of city block resulting

from the diagonal cut of Broadway across the Manhattan grid. In

tandem with the conditions established by the site, the additional

premise of light as a distinct architectural element entered into

the project. The complex sprawls over two blocks, intersected

by East 25th Street. Back of house and gallery functions are split

into two portions, separated by an outdoor art space. Circulation

is achieved via enclosed bridges spanning across the site.

dark to light

40° 44’ 28” N 73° 59’ 23” W

Spring 2008

Professors F.Davis S.Rustow M.Young

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l i g h t - d a r k c a t a l y s t . t h e t h r e s h o l d

b e t w e e n g a l l e r y a n d a u x i l i a r y s p a c e s

o p p o s i t e t o

t h e h e a v y

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h e

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r k

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b u i l d i n g .

a u d i t o r i u m b e n e a t h t h e m a i n g a l l e r y s p a c e

initial site massing models. cardboard and white board

visitors enter from the north, thesunken ground level gallery is

accessed via a narrow glazed corridor,

drawing the patron through the urban

fabric as they enter the museum. oncein the gallery mass, the surrounding

metropolis is blocked by the heavy

western wall. only the park is seen

through the glazed eastern facade.

visitors move upward betweengallery oors through staircases

puncturing through each plate.

amenities are located in the initial

building mass, necessitatinganother pass through the western

corridor. the experience is that of

moving from dark to light, and back

once more.





urban acropolisTrinity church, by architect Richard Upjohn, was completed in 1836 atop the highest point of land in lower

Manhattan. For nearly half a century its towering spire and cross was the highest point throughout the city

superseded only by a new generation of skyscrapers spreading throughout the island. The church is anked

on both sides by landscape of gravestones, a small island in a sea of concrete and asphalt. Due to the grade of

the site, a retaining wall caps the plot’s rear, towering fourteen feet above the adjacent sidewalk. Working within

the tradition of basilica architecture, a second tower was constructed opposite the original spire. Additionally,

the existing retaining wall was opened to t he street below, forming a secondary chapel to serve the public.

Fall 2008

Professors R.Duffy D.Lewis

D.Sherer P.Schubert T.Tsang M.Veledar

40° 42’ 28” N 74° 0’ 44” W




plan showing the mirrored bell tower, connected via an extension

of the gothic nave onto the adjacent street. each point on the

plan represents a headstone located within the churchyard.

the central axis of the church is stepped to accommodate the

fourteen foot change in grade from front to rear. the alter itself

is thus suspended in the air. beneath, a pool has been placed.




sense of place

35° 45’ 53” N 82° 15’ 55” W

This project proposes a new blacksmithing studio for the Penland School of Crafts, located in the Blue Mountains of North Carolina. The studio

is sited south of the main campus; on one side the line of woods, an open meadow on the other. Its proximity to surrounding structures affords a

measure of seclusion while still maintaining a dialogue with its neighbors. By design, the studio absorbs the vernacular modes of building relative to

both the area and program. It position and axis are meant to both activate the large expanse of land to its north, and draw in the surrounding forest.

Spring 2009

Lyceum Fellowship Competition




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architecture of nature

nature of architecture

36° 3’ 35” N 114° 46’ 35” W

Lake Mead is the United State’s largest reservoir. Located along the border between Utah and Arizona, its presence is due to the construction of

Hoover Dam in 1936. The dam, a miniscule aberration strategically placed within a rocky desert landscape, realized a body of water spanning over two

hundred square miles. The lake, because of this particular genesis, presents us with two realities to consider. First, formally, given the irregularity of

the terrain, what are the consequences and possibilities of the introduction of a virtually at plane extending over a hundred miles in either direction?

Two, ecologically, how are we to understand or j ustify the creation and maintenance of such a large body of water in the heart of an arid desert?

Spring 2009

Professors D.Agrest T.Leeser M. Panteleyeva

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t h e p r o j e c t p r o p o s e

s a t y p o l o g y f o r d e s e r t f a r m i n g a l o n g t h e d r a m a t i c t o p o g r a p h y o f t h e l a k e

m e a d q u a d r a n g l e . r

a t h e r t h a n t h e a d d i t i v e p r o c e s s o f f o u n d a t i o n s t o s t r u c t u r e , m u c h o f t h e d e -

s i g n i s b a s e d o n t h e a c t o f c u t t i n g i n t o t h e r o c k f a c e . w h i l e s e e m i n g l y d e s t r u c t i v e ,

t h i s p r o c e s s

o n l y e x p e d i t e s t h e

n a t u r a l p r o c e s s o f e r o s i o n t h a t i n i t i a l l y f o r m e d t h e l a n d s c a p e .

t h e c u t s a r e

l l e d w i t h w a t e r d u

r i n g w e t m o n t h s , a n d p r o t e c t t h i s s u p p l y f r o m

e v a p o r a t i o n d u r i n g d r y s e a -

s o n .

t h e s t a b i l i t y o f t h i s w a t e r s o u r c e a l l o w s f o r t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a g r i c u l t u r e ; h y d r o p o n i c f a r m -

i n g w a s s p e c i c a l l y

c h o s e n f o r i t s e c o n o m y r e l a t i v e t o y i e l d . w h i l e o n e s u c h i n t e r v e n t i o n w o u l d

n o t g e n e r a t e a n y h a r v e s t o f n o t e , a s e r i e s o f t h e s e s t r u c t u r e c o u l d g e n e r a t e f a v o r a b l e r e s u l t s .

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e d i -

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v e t o w e r s u p p o

r t t h e h y d r o p o n i c l i n e s r e a c h i n g d o w n i n t o t h e c r e v i c e . s u n l i g h t e x p o s u r e m e

a t e s t h e s p e c i c

l o c a t i o n o f c r o p s a l o n g t h e l i n e .

d e t r i t u s f a l l s f r o m t h

e p l a n t i n g s i n t o t h e r e s e r v

b e l o w ,

b r e a k i n g d o w n i n t o a d d i t i o n a l n u t r i e n t s f o r t h e p l a n t s a b o v e .

t h e f o u n d a t i o n s o f e a c h t o w

c o n t a i n s t h e p u m

p i n g m e c h a n i s m t o

c i r c u l a t e w a t e r t o t h e p l a n t s , a s w e l l a s s t o r a g e a r e a s f o r h

v e s t . a c c e s s i s p r o v i d e d v i a t h e a d j a c e n t f a c e o f t h e c u t , w h e r e a r a v i n e a l l o w s f o r v e h i c u l a r a c c e




In the past century, our methods of waging war have encompassed an enormous shifting of paradigms. Reciprocated by the

modes of cultural development, martial strategy has encountered a growing divide between the technological necessities

of modern combat and the doctrines that have been in place for the past thousand years. My thesis rst provides an

account of these advancements through the consideration of two sets of criteria. First, through the categorization of the

temporal and scalar manifestation of defensible systems relative to the urban targets, we can document the intersection

between methods of technology and destructive technology through the lens of architectural planning. Within, we nd the

simultaneous expansion and dematerialization of the prototypical city wall to the point of global conict deterrence. This

point is the cold war, the hinge upon which militaristic doctrine pivots i nto the digital age. The second account provides a

survey of urban territories, beginning with the Second World War, and the strategies used to attack and defend city centers

– the “heart of operations.” The two studies I have incorporated from the mid 20th century demonstrate the tactics of

battle between two equally supplied and staffed belligerents. In these cases the war being fought is symmetrical, in that

there is no quantiable advantage at play. In contrast, the Battle for Grozny – part of the First Chechen, demonstrates the

conditions of ghting asymmetrically. This conict was of special import to the United States Government in contending

with the increasingly pertinent issue of unbalanced combat, in that the size and capabilities of the invading Russian army

was similar to that of America. The staggering defeat the Russian Troops faced exemplied that battleeld superiority

could be gained not only through technology, but through tactical use of the built environment. Unfortunately today we nd

ourselves tied to an ongoing urban campaign with no discernable end in sight. The streets of Baghdad, initially rocked by

American ordinance over six years ago, are stil l within the throes of a concurrently unfolding occupation and insurgency.

It is difcult t o evaluate this conict in the same light as the previous events examine due to its chronological proximity.

Our sources of information are most denitely tainted under the auspices of various political bodies, we cannot accurate

gauge what is indeed going on, and how it may ultimately factor into global history. Nevertheless, it does meet the criteria

previously established – it must be contended with. Furthermore, its location in the present establishes Baghdad as the

most immediate study in the knot of culture, war, cities and technology. But our distance from the subject, and the terrain

itself, neither allows for an adequate understanding nor an adequate discourse that I believe is deserving of this subject

. Instead, I plan on drawing form this events and the previous to establish what is to come in the following months.

radical plasticitythesis project

fall 2009

Professors H.Eber, U.Grau, D.Turnbull

walls5

F OR T

“Forticationscanbedenedasthe deliberateerectionofphysical

structuresintendedtoprovideamilitaryadvantagetoadefenderand

impede,orotherwisedisadvantage,anattacker…Giventhevariousim-

portantdefenserolesthatciteshavealwayspossessed,itisnotsurprising

thattheideaoffortifyingcitiesisasoldastheideaofthecityitself…The

wall s21

R ADA

“Thattheobjectof Britain’sairwaragainstGermanybecamethe

destructionofhercitiesdidnotcomeaboutastheresultofa carefully

thoughtoutplan;itcameaboutinthesamewaythattheBattleofBritain

andlatertheBlitzhadbeenforcedontheLuftwaffe.Bothcameasthe

resultofanunforeseenmili taryandtechnicalsituation.Withoutlong-

rangeghters-andthedelayinbringing themintothepictureisitsown

walls6 walls7



TI F I CAT I ON

yg y

incidenceofurbanforticationhasvariedoverspaceaswellasthrough

timeinresponsetoconditionsbothinternalandexternaltothecity.”(G.J.

Ashworth,WarandtheCity,London:Routledge,2001)Forticationsmay

beisolatedintotwotypologicalmodelsgiventheproliferationofgun-

powderchargedballisticsinthe17thcentury.Aspowerandaccuracyin-

creased,thedesignandplacementoffortiedwallstransformedtomeet

thedefensiveneedsnecessitatedbytechnologicaladvancement.Earlier

fortiedcitiesneededsimplytopreventescaladebyimplementingabar-

riersuitedtofendofenemyattacksforthedurationofagivencampaign.

Weaponscameintheformofhandheldstrikingimplements,aswellas

mechanicallydrivenprojectilelaunchers.Acity’sdefensivecapabilities

wereaproductofsite,construction,andration;theonlystrategyinplay

wasthatofoutlastingtheenemy.Forticationdesignitselfcamesecond

continuedupkeepandsufcientpersonnelassignedtoitsfunctioning.

Whenplanningafortiedwall,theselectivearrangementandconcen-

trationofringpositionsaswellasitsstructuralvulnerabilitydetermined

performanceintheeld.The technologicalimprovementinartilleryin

thelatterhalfofthe17thcenturyinturnbredanincreasedinvestmentin

forticationscience.Asprojectilerange,accuracy,andpowerincrease

designerspursuedmeanstodistancethevitalcomponentsofthecity

fromenemyre.Thedevelopmentofincreasinglycomplexstructuresex-

tendingbeyondthecitywallspresentedagrowingseriesofbarrierstobe

crossedbeforeadecisivepenetration.Thesestructureseventuallydevel-

opedintoisolatedoutlyingforts;eachanodeinasweepingdefensenet

properlyspacedtorangeofweaponryinuse.

AR rangeghters andthedelayinbringingthemintothepictureisitsown

story-massivedaylightattackscouldnotbesustainedandtheprecision

ofaimthathadbeenassumedwouldprevailduringthedaywasnever

reached.Withoutnavigationaltechniquesthatpermittedblindbombing

withaccuraciescomparabletothesizeof afactoryonlyareabombing

couldbedoneatnight.Translatedintopracticaltermsthismeantthat

thetargetswouldhavetobeofcitysize...ThusinphaseoneoftheGreat

RadarWardefensiveradarhadeliminatedbyitsmereexistencethe

possibleselectivedestructionofGermanindustrialtargets,leavingcities

theonlythingtheAirForcecouldhit-andalltoooftenthebomberseven

missedthem.”(L.Brown, Radar HistoryofWorldWar II:Technicaland

MilitaryImperatives,London,InstituteofPhysicsPublishing,1999:279-280.)

Followingadvancementsin sm a l l a r m s a nd a r tillerytechnology,

theincorporationofaeronauticinnovationsinto themilitarysphere

necessitatedareconsiderationof traditionalformsofdefensible

architecture.Theintroductionof thebomberairplanedeliveredan

unprecedentedcombinationof rangeandpower,simultaneously

disengagingtheactofdestructionfromsubjectiveto objective.The

traditionalmorphologyforticationhasbeen dissolvedintothatof

theelectromagneticeld;combatisdistancedfromthedestruction

ofpersonneltofacilitatethe demolitionofobject-targets;buildings,

neighborhoods,andnallycities.Likethecrenel ationsofearlierfortresses,

radarsreliedongeometricaptitudeinordertogenerateaconsistent

barrieracrossagiventerrain.Informationfromindividualtowerswould

beltered,organized,andsortedinanefforttodeterminetheposition,

speed,direction,altitude,andsizeofanyincomingformation.Integrated

withradiotechnology,achainofcommandcouldbe formulatedto

absorbtacticalinformationandswiftlydecimateittointerceptingforces.

walls8 walls 9

Therstrearms,thehandcannonofthefourteenthcentury,lackedaspecicmecha-

nismforanyofthesethreefunctions[fueling,ignition,guidance].Asmoothboretube

servedastheonlyguidancemechanism,sothattherestoftheprocessdependedon

humanmarksmanship.Thefuelingfunctionwasalsoreducedtoaloadingprocedure,

eithermuzzleorbreechloading,andtoheuristicknow-howaboutgunpowderbehav-

ior.Intheearlyhandcannoneventheignitionmechanismwaslacking.Thegunner

hadtousehislefthandtolightthefuse,whichobstructedanyfurtherdevelopmentof

thisformofweapon.Thenin1424,therstmechanicaldeviceforringtheweapon

makesitsappearance.Ti llthenthedimensionsofthehandgunhadbeenlimited

becauseitwasessentiallyaone-handweapon...Theotherhandhadofnecessity

tobefreetoallowthelightedslowmatchtobeplungeddowntothetouch-hole.A

considerationofthiswi llshowthatearlyhandgunshadtobeweightyincomparison

totheirboreiftheywerenottorecoiloutofallcontrol.Barrellengthwasalsolimited

byconsiderationsofconvenienceanditwasnotuntilthetrigger-acting“serpentin”or

cockholdingthematchwasinventedandappliedthatthegunnerhadtwohands

toaimandsteadyhispiece...theapplicationofanger-operateddevicetorethe

piecemaybetakenasthepointwherethetruegundevelopsoutofitsrudimentary

stageasahandcannon.Itbecomesamatchlock.”(M.DeLanda,War intheAgeof

Intelligent Machines,NewYork,UrzoneInc.,1991:26.)

walls 24 wall s25

“Ascreamingcomesacrossthesky.Ithashappenedbefore,butthereisnothingto

compareittonow.Itistoolate.TheEvacuationstillproceeds,butit’salltheatre.There

arenolightsinsidethecars.Nolightanywhere.Abovehimliftgirdersoldasaniron

queen,andglasssomewherefarabovethatwouldletthelightofdaythrough.Butits

night.He’safraidofthewaytheglasswillfall-soon-itwillbeaspectacle:thefallofa

crystalpalace.Butcomingdownintotalblackout,withoutoneglintoflight,onlygreat

invisiblecrashing...Fartotheeast,downinthepinksky,somethinghasjustsparked,very

brightly.Anewstar ,nothinglessnoticeable.Heleansontheparapettowatch.The

brilliantpointhasalreadybecomeashortverticalwhiteline.Itmustbesomewhereout

overtheNorthSea...atleastthatfar...iceeldsbelowandacoldsmearofsun...What

isit?Nothinglikethiseverhappens.ButPirateknowsit,afterall.Hehasseenitinalm,

justinthelastfortnight...it’savaportrail.Alreadyanger’swidthhighernow.Butnot

fromanairplane.Ai rplanesarenotlaunchedvertically.Thisisthenew,andstillMost

Secret,Germanrocketbomb.“Incomingmail.”Didhewhisperthat,oronlythinkit?

Hetightenstheraggedbeltofhisrobe.(T.Pynchon,Gravity’sRainbow,UnitedStates,

VikingPress,1973:3,6.)

walls13

T R E N CH

“Whenthesmallarmwascapableofbei ngredonlyaboutoncea

minute,thiszone(ofinfantryattack)couldbecrossedwithcomparably

littledifculty...Hencearosevastditches,theelaboratearrangement

ofankdefensethe‘caponiers’,countlessgalleries,etc.,ofthevarious

systemsofFortication.Themodernriehasrenderedalltheseexpedients

absolutelyunnecessaryinthefuture.Theintensityofrewhichasingle

lineofmencannowdeliveruponagivenareaexceedsenormouslythe

maximumformerlyattainablebythecombinationofeveryconceivable

systemofcross-anking...Thereisnoarmsopotentinitsinuenceon

allquestionsoflanddefenceasthemagazinerie.”(MajorG.S.Clark,

Fortication: Itspast achievements,recent developmentsandfuture

progress, London,Murray,1890:105.)

“Atrst,therewillbeincreasedslaughteronsoterribleascaleastorender

itimpossibletogettroopstopushabattletoadecisiveissue.Theywill

tryto,thinkingtheyareghtingundertheoldconditions,andtheywill

learnsuchalessonthattheywillabandontheattempt.Thewar ,instead

ofbeingahand-to-handcontestinwhichthecombatantsmeasure

theirphysicalandmoralsuperiority,willbecomeakindofstalemate,in

which,neitherarmybeingabletogetattheother,botharmieswillbe

maintainedinoppositiontoeachother,butneverbeingabletodelivera

nalanddecisiveblow.Everybodywillbeentrenchedinthenextwar;the

spadewillbeasindispensabletothesoldierashisr ie...”(Major-General

H.Essame,‘TheNewWarfare,’ HistoryoftheFirst WorldWar, England,

Purnell,1970:Vol3,1181.)

FromtheendoftheFirstBattleofYprestothefallof1918,theWestern

FrontconsistedofalineoftrenchsystemsstretchingfromtheNorthSea

southtotheSwissborder.TheprincipalbelligerentswereGermanytothe

East,againstFrance,theUnitedKingdom,andtheUnitedStatestothe

West.Betweenthetwosideslayastretchoflandsaturatedwithland

mines,barbedwire,andcorpsesofthoseunfortunateenoughtobestuck

within.Thisbarrenlandscaperemainedlargelyimpenetrableuntilthe

introductionoftanksinthelaterstagesofthewar.

walls16 walls17

“Themilitarymindof1775wasnotaccustomedtotheideaofprecision.Therewas

nonickyideaofhittinganindividualaimedatifhewasmorethansixtyyardaaway.

Snipingorsharp-shootingwasunknown,orperhapslookedonasbadformandlikely

toaddtothehorrorsofwar.Musketryrewasabodyofredirectedatanopposing

lineorsquarebeforecloseconictwiththebayonet...Theleadingprojectileweapon

ofthepastwastheshaftarrow,apiercingprojectilewhichmadarelativelyclean

puncturewound.Thecrossbowquarrelwasblunter,shorterandheavierthantheight

arrowandithadagreaterstr ikingenergyatnormalranges.Theshockeffect...must

havebeengreaterandthewoundsthereforemoredangerous.thebulletnotonly

possessedthisqualityofheavyshockeffect,butalsohadnopiercingpoint.Itsimply

punchedaholeandcarriedintothewoundfragmentsofarmor,clothingandthelay-

ersofmaterialthroughwhichithadpassed.“(H.B.C.Pollard, AHi storyofFirearms,New

York,LenoxHill,1973:9,19.)

“Atthesametimeartillerytechnologywasimproving,advancesinsmallarmstechnol-

ogyalsooccurred.Riedrepeatingarmsmadesmallgroupsofinfantrymuchmorele-

thal.Smallarmstechnologyradicallychangedinfantrytactics.Inanurbanarea,these

developmentshadtheeffectofturningindividualbuildingsmannedbysmallgroups

ofsoldiersintominiaturefortresses.Groupsofbuildingsbecamemutuallysupporting

defensivenetworks…Additionally,thelethalityofinfantrymeantthattheintegrityof

theurbandefensewasnotbrokenbyabreakofthewalls.Defendersnowhadthe

capabilityofdefendingeffectivelythroughoutthedepthoftheurbanenvironment.”

(LieutenantColonelLouDiMarco,USArmy,“AttachingtheHeartandGuts,UrbanOp-

erationsThroughtheAges;20)

walls32

wall

1. SeealsoFortication,Industry,Siege,Technology.Perimeter

ofcentralizedcommunitystructures;predatingcontemporarymodesof

urbanorganization.Industrialization,creatinganinuxoftheruralpopu-

lationintometropolitanareas,expandedthecityedge.Thelineofthe

perimeterwallbecameazoneinitself[seeVienna].Coupledwithtechno-

logicaladvancesinweaponry,thecitywallbecameobsolete.“Forsev-

eralhundredyearsaftertheMiddleAges,citypopulationswererelatively

stable,buturbanpopulationsbegantoincreaserapidlyinthelate18th

century.Thewalledcitiesbegantoexperiencesignicantcrowdingand

suburbsofthecitybegantoexpandbeyondthecitywalls,makingtheef-

fectivenessofthewallsquestionable.”(LieutenantColonelLouDiMarco,

USArmy,“AttachingtheHeartandGuts,UrbanOperationsThroughthe

Ages”;19)

2 . S eea ls oC i ty . D es pi t e i t s ultimatedemise,thecitywallcan

remainingrainedwithintheurbanfabric.

war

1. SeealsoBody.“Thisiswhatwardoes.Wartear ,warrends.War

r ipsopen,eviscerates.Warscorches.Wardismembers.Warruins.”(Susan

Sontag,“TheTellingShot,”GuardianReview,February1,2003;4-8).The

scaleofwarfareoscillatesbetweencontinentsandbodies.Whatremains

istheintenttoincapacitate,violently.Shockisvitaltoasuccessfulcam-

paign.

2 . S ee alsoHouse,Weaponry.“…theclassicalClausewitzian

[CarlvonClausewitz,PrussianauthorofVonKriege]denitionofwarfare

asasymmetricalengagementbetweenstatearmiesintheopeneldare

over.Warhasenteredthecityagain–thesphereoftheeveryday,thepri-

vaterealmofthehouse…”(MisselwitzandWeizman,“MilitaryOperatio ns

asUrbanPlanning,”Territories.Berlin,KWInstituteforContemporaryArt,

2003;275-86)

walls10

city

1. City-as-target,Cityasasiteofcatastrophe.Alargescale

tragedyinthemaking,fromnaturaldisasterstogeopoliticaltargeting.

“Thedensitiesofpopulation,materialgoods,andwealthhavemadecit-

ies,fromtheirinception,simultaneouslyagivenculture’sgoal(futureand

potentialgloryrealized)andvulnerability(futurepotentialdestructionof

theculturesperceivedtrajectory).”

“ I nt h ee ar liestsecularworkintheWesternintellectualtradi-

tion,theIliad,Homerevocativelycapturestheinescapabledualityofthe

citybyexploitingthepunintheGreekwordkredemnon,whichmeans

bothveilandbattlement.WhenAndromachewatchesfromthewallsof

Troyasherhusband,Hektor ,isdraggedindeathbehindAchilles’chariot,

sheremovesherveil.Bothsheandthecityareundonebythefailureof

theveil/battlementtoprotectandbyitssuccessesinattractingunde-

siredattention.(RyanBishopandGregoryClancey,“TheCity-as-Target,

orPerpetuationandDeath”,Cities,War,andTerrorism:TowardsanUrban

Geopolitics,MA,BlackwellPublishing,2003;55)

bomb

1 . “ Wh at a gifttobeabletosowdeathuponsleepingtowns”(Le

Corbusier,LaVilleradieuse,elementsd’unedoctrined’urbanisme

pourl’equipementdelacivilizationmachiniste.Boulogne:EditionsDe

L’ArchitectureD’Aujourd’Hu,1935;8-9).Theculminationofdestructions

broughtaboutmyaerialwarfarewasthecompletedemiseoftraditions

citiesandtheemergenceofmodernutopias.VilleRadieusewentbeyond

the“machineforliving”ideologyintothepsychologicaltraumafacing

muchofEuropefollowingtherstworldwar;theneedtorecongurecities

tobothdealwiththeirowndemiseandprevent[seefootingsofMarseilles

Block]futurecasualtiesviadefensivearchitecturalplanning.Theairplane,

alreadyaniconoftechnologicaladvance,alsobecamethecatalystfor

anambitiouswaveofmodernistarchitectureandurbanism.Traditional

citycentersofnarrowstreetsandbuildingswereclearedinaday,allow-

ingthelightandairlledurbanblocksofmodernutopianism.Seealso

illustrationsfrom“HereComesTomorrow”,byJohnMansbridge.

walls27MI S S I L E

“Thissi tuationof‘mutuallyassureddestruction’(ortheacronymMAD)

wasopenlyarticulatedinthelate1960s,onceboththeUnitedstatesand

theSovietUnion(andtheirmilitaryallies)hadboththenuclearstockpiles

andso-called‘triad’ordeliverysystems-mannedbombersplusland-

basedandsubmarinebasedinter-continentalballisticmissiles(ICBMs)-

capableofsurvivingarststr ikesufcienttoclaimaguaranteed‘overkill’

uponeachother.Itisnotclear ,butusuallyassumed,thatthedestruction

whichismutuallyassuredisahighpercentage(80-90percent)orthe

settlementsofthecombatants,togetherwithunspeciedworld-wide

effects(whichareincidentaltothetheory).Themutual ityisitselfthe

guaranteeofstabilityinthisphilosophyofdeterrence.Animplication

ofthisisthatattemptstodefendtargetedcities,inanyofthebynow

traditionalways,ispotentiallydangerous-asitlessenstheassuranceof

destruction,unbalancesthenuclearstand-off,andthuspresentsone

oftheothersidewithaso-called‘windowofopportunity’forengaging

ina‘winnable’exchange.Againstthisconclusionthatalldefense

ofcitiesagainstairattackisnowimpossible-provocativeofthevery

preemptiveattackitseekstodefendagainst,andanactofaggression

initself-mustbesetthreedevelopmentsthathavebeenapparentsince

theMADscenariowasrstconceptualizedasthebasisofsuperpower

defencepolicy.First,solongastechnicalrenementsinthedestructive

effectivenessoftheairweaponkeepspacewiththecreationofdefense

facilitiesorplans,thenthestrategicbalanceisnotupset-andthisisvery

largel ywhathashappenedinthehistoryofcivildefenceinthepost-war

world.Second,thereductionofallarmedforcestoacombinationof

small-scaleconventionalforcesandmassivenuclearstr ikecapability

wassupplementedlaterbythedoctrineof‘exibleresponse’,and

subsequentlyinthemid-1970sbythatof‘countervailingforce’.Inthelatter

doctrineanescalatingscaleofmutualdestructionmakesthedefense

ofcitiesagainstsmaller,moremanageableattacksmorepossibleand

protable.Thi rd,theexistenceofthenuclearsuperpowerstand-offhas

notremovedthethreatoflesstotallydestructiveconventionalairattacks

oncitiesoutsidethesuperpowerhomelands(aswasdemonstratedin

BaghdadandBasrain1991).Indeedsuchastand-off,itcanbeargued,

makessurrogatewarsofthissortmorelikely.(C.J.Ashworth,War andthe

City,NewYork,Routledge,1991:145-146.)

walls15 walls30 walls31

“ICBMdefenseisbyfarthemost-discussedBMD[ballisticmissiledefense]mission.The

strategicgoalofsurvivableICBMsiswidelyshared,albeitwithvaryinglevelsofurgency.

ProposalstodefendICBMsevokelesscontroversythandefenseofothertargets:deny-

ingtheopponentadisarmingrststrikeisuniversallyrecognizedasstabilizing,whereas

attemptingtodeprivetheopponentoftheultimatesanctionofdestructiveretaliation,

asincitydefense,isoftenchallengedaschimericalordestabilizing.ICBMdefenseis

alsoregardedtechnicallyasthemostpromisingapplicationofBMD,sincecompared

withdefenseofcities,itisarelativelymodestgoalandthetargetsarewelldenedand

subjecttothedefender’scontrol.“(A.BCarter,D.N.Schwartz,BallisticMissileDefense,

Boston,MassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyPress,1984:122.)a

walls18

bomb

2. SeealsoTower.“Thethreatofattackfromtheairdemands

urbanchanges.Greatcitiessprawlingopentothesky,theircongested

areasatthemercyofbombshurlingdownoutofspace,areinvitationsto

destruction.Theyarepracticallyindefensibleasnowconstituted,andit

isnowbecomingclearthatthebestverticalconcentrationswhichoffer

aminimumsurfacetothebombsand,ontheotherhand,bythelay-

ingoutofextensive,free,openspaces.”(SiegfriedGideon,S pace,Time

andArchitecture,Cambridge,Mass:HarvardUniversityPress,1941;543).

Gideon’spostulationhasbeenultimatelyrepudiatedbytheeventsofthe

September11thattacksonNewYorkCity.Warhasreduceditself;these

arenolongerthebattlesofsovereigns,butofcultures.Combatantsare

virtual,personal;wenolongerinltratecities,buthomes.

technology

1 . S ee al so Globalization.“Eversincethetwilightof

theColdWar,defenseintellectualsandstudentsofpoliticshavebeenat-

tempti ngtocometotermswithwhattheydescribeas‘therevolutionin

militaryaffairs[RMA].’Inthemostgeneralterms,theRMAreferstothe

anticipatedtransformationofcombatdemandedbytheinventionof

increasinglycomplexandnearlycyberneticbattlesystems.”(DanielBer-

trandMonk,“HivesandSwarms”,EvilParadises,NewYork,TheNewPress,

2007;264)Monkgoesontoobservethedifcultyinassessingthepace

ofwarfare’sadvanceasitreachesthelimitofreexiveinsightintohistori-

caltypologies.Ournearestbenchmarkaretheadvancesmadefollowing

theonsetofthecoldwar;theadventof‘smart’weaponrysuchascruise

missilesandstealthtechnology.Unfortunately,ascombatantshavetrans-

formedfromnationalentitiestoclustersofinsurgentgroups,hightechnol-

ogyweaponryhasbeenobviatedbysuperiortacticali nformation.

Radical Plasticity is concerned with the dematerialization of urban structures in respect to the desctruction-

reconstruction intrinsic to urban combat. the rst portion of my research chronologically locates specic points

over time when the role of the city wall has undergone a paradigm shift. As weapons technology has improved,

defensible stratigies for urban areas have had to reasses their strategies and methods. Development of extended

range and power in respect to projectile ballistics has in turn necessitated the expention and fragmentation of

the prototypical city wall to mediate this force. Concurrently, independantly evolving political structures have

simultaneously absorbed and inuenced the progression from a central to dematerialized body of power.

War is no longer waged between soviergn nations, but between disparate parties lacking physical territory.


cities52 cities53cities44 cities45



cities56 cities57

SHI’A

Over t ime, Sh i ’asbecamea dis tinctcol lectionofsects ,al i kein thei r

recogn i tionof ‘Al iandh isdescendantsas the legi timateleadersof

theMuslim community.Althoughthe Shiites’convictionthat the‘Alids

shouldbethe leadersofthe Islamicworldwas neverfullled,‘Alihimself

wasrehabilitatedasa majorheroofSunniIslam,and hisdescendantsby

Fatimah—whoisveneratedamongSunnisandShi’as alike—receivedthe

courtesytitlesofsayyidsandsharifs.

Sh i i teshavecome toaccountfor rough lyone-tenthof theMus l im

populationworldwide.ThelargestShiitesect intheearly 21stcenturywas

theIthnaAshariyyah,whichformedamajorityin Iran,Iraq,Azerbaijan,and

Bahrain.Thesect alsoconstituteda signicantminorityineastern Saudi

Arabiaandthe otherArvavabstatesofthe PersianGulfregion,aswell as

inpartsof Syria,SouthAsia,and easternAfrica.TheIthnaAshariyyahwas

thelargestShiitegroup inLebanon,and Shiitesinthat country,aswellas

inIran andIraq, wereamongthemost vocalrepresentativesof militant

Islamism.SmallerShiitesectsincludedthe Ismaliyyah,whoformedthebulk

oftheShiitecommunityin partsofPakistan,India,and easternAfrica,and

theZaydiyyah,wholivedalmostexclusivelyinnorthwesternYemen.Various

subsectsofShiismwerealsofoundin otherpartsoftheMuslimworld.

EncyclopediaBrittanica

SUNNI

TheSunn is recogn izethe r s t fou r caliphsas Muhammad’s r igh tfu l

successors,whereastheShiitesbelieve thatMuslimleadershipbelonged

toMuhammad’sson-in-law,‘Ali,andhisdescendantsalone.In contrastto

theShi’as,theSunnishavelongconceivedof thetheocraticstatebuiltby

Muhammadasanearthly,temporaldominionandhavethusregardedthe

leadershipofIslamas beingdeterminednotbydivine orderorinspiration

butbytheprevailingpoliticalrealitiesoftheMuslimworld.Thisledhistorically

toSunniacceptanceof theleadershipof theforemostfamiliesofMecca

andtotheacceptanceof unexceptionalandevenforeigncaliphs,solong

astheirruleaffordedtheproperexerciseofreligionand themaintenance

oforder.TheSunnisaccordinglyheldthatthe caliphmustbea memberof

Muhammad’stribe,theQuraysh,butdevisedatheoryof electionthatwas

exibleenoughtopermitthat allegiancebegivento thedefacto caliph,

whateverhisorigins.Thedistinctionsbetweenthe Sunnisandothersects

regardingtheholdingofspiritualandpoliticalauthorityremainedrmeven

aftertheendoftheCaliphateitselfin the13thcentury.

EncyclopediaBrittanica

“Formydad’sgenerationbeingSunniorShia, itwasn’tabout politics.Andit certainlyspawnsnoviolence.It meantcelebratingsomereligiousholidays

differently.Mydadand hisfriends,manyofwhomareglad tobeAmericansnow,grewupin anationthathad justchangedhandsfromOttomantoEnglish.

TheBritishhadcrowneda manfromMeccaArabiaasthe newIraqiking.Theywerethinkingaboutself-determination,notreligion.Itwasn’tuntilthecivilwar

inLebanonthatI beganhearingthetermsSunniandShiitewithany regularity.NewscoveragefocusedontheChristian-Muslimdivide,andaMuslim-Muslim

divide.ButthewarinLebanonwas reallyalongthelinesofprivilege,notpiety.Peoplewho werebetteroffhadaccessto power,bothpoliticalandelectric.

Theirroadswerepaved.Inthe poorerneighborhoodsthathappenedtobe mostlyShiite,blackoutsandpotholeswerea wayoflife. Itwasreally awarfor

equalopportunityandrights underthelaw.With20/20 hindsight,weseea similarstoryinIraq.Saddam Husseinconsolidatedhispowerbysettingpeople

againsteachother,offeringprivilegeandprosperitytotheSunnisandpoverty andpersecutiontotheShi’as.Here inAmerica,theSunniShi’adivideis anon-

starter.Surepeoplemaybe awareoftheirbackgroundsandtraditions.There’sanannualShiaconvention.Andinsomemosquesifyoulookclosely,you’llsee

peopleprayingsidebyside.SomewiththeirhandsfoldedacrosstheirbelliesSunnistyle,andsomewiththeirarmslooseattheirsides,Shi’astyle.Butthere’sno

frostinessbetweenthem.ButinIraqthree yearsafterSaddamHusseinwastoppled,hissectarianlegacyislikea poisonthatgetsmoretoxiceveryday. It’sfed

andspreadbyterroristsfromwithinandwithout.It’s aggravatedbythepresenceofforeigntroopsincludingourownAmericansoldiers.Sectarianhatrednow

threatenstheunityofa peoplethatinmy dad’sdaywereproudand eagertobejustplainIraqis.Today itlookslikethepoison ofsectarianismhasinfecteda

nation.AndifIraqsplinters,thewinnerswillbe theterrorists,whoeversecurestheoilelds,and thelegacyofSaddamHussein.”

AnisaMehdi 02.03.2006

MILITARY

1-Directorateof Military

Intelligence

2-MinistryofDefenseNational

ComputerComplex

3-MinistryofDefense

Headquarters

4-MuthenaMilitaryAireld

5-NewIraqAirForce

Headquarters

6-Iraqi IntelligenceService

Headquarters

7-ArmyStorage Depot

8-RepublicanGuard

Headquarters

9-SRBMAssemblyFactories

10-MinistryofIndustryand

MilitaryProduction

11-Iraqi IntelligenceService

RegionalHeadquarters

12-NationalAirDefense

OperationsCenter

GOVERNMENT

1-SecretPoliceComplex

2-NewPresidentialPalace

3-Baath PartyHeadquarters

4-Government

ConferenceCenter

5-MinistryofPropaganda

6-GovernmentControlCenter

7-PresidentialPalace

CommandCenter

8-PresidentialPalace

CommandBunker

9-SecretPoliceHeadquarters

COMMUNICATION

1-TelephoneSwitchingStation





6-TelevisionTransmitter

7-CommunicationRelayStation

8-CommunicationRelayStation

POWER

1-ElectricalTransferStation

2-ElectricalPowerStation

3-Ad DawrayOilRenery

4-ElectricalPowerPlant

TRANSPORTATION

1-AshudadHighwayBridge

2-RailroadYard

3-JumhuriyaHighwayBridge

4-Karada HighwayBridge

cities48 cities49

“TheChechensusedtheurbanterraintotheiradvantagebyfunnelingtheRussianarmoredcolumnsintokillzones. Firsttheleadandtail vehicles

wouldbedestroyed,effectivelytrappingtherestofthevehiclesinthestreet.ThiswouldbedonebythebestChechenRPGgunners,ofwhomthere

werenotmany.They wouldthenleavetheimmediateareasothey wouldnotbekilledinthe ensuingbattle.Thentheless-experiencedgunners

woulddestroytherestoftheRussiancolumn.InthiswaythebetterRPGgunnerswouldnotbeatmuchrisk.Thesnipersandmachinegunnerswould

suppressanysupportingdismountedinfantrywhileRPGgunnersdestroyedthevehicles.Inthismanner,theywouldbeableto destroytheRussian

armoredcolumnspiecemeal.TheChechenslearnedquicklyhowbesttousethebuildingsof Groznyasdefensivepositions.Theyfoundthatthe

maingunsoftheRussiantankswereunabletoelevateenoughtoreupontheupperoorsofthebuildings,orlowenoughtoreuponthebasements.

TheChechensalsolearnedthattheRussianswereindiscriminateabouttheiruseofresupport,andwould callinartillerystrikesonany building

fromwhichshotswerered.TheChechenswoulduseonlythemiddleoorsofbuildings,therefore,andmaintainedsafeareasinthebasements.In

thisway,theycouldstayofftheroofsand awayfromtheindirectreoftheRussians.Toadd tothecanyon-likeeffectofthestreets,theChechens

boardedupandblockedoff allground-oorentrancesandwindowsofthe buildings.Thus,whenanambushwassprung,theRussiandismounts

wereunabletotakecoverinsidethebuildings.”(S.McCafferty,‘LessonsLearnedfromtheBattleofGrozny,1994-1995’WestPoint,NewYork,2000:13)

MAY 1 1945 MAY 1 1945APRIL29 1945 APRIL30 1945




40° 45’ 23” N 73° 59’ 24” W

nets sales center

Summer 2007

Domingo Gonzales Associates

Lighting details for construction document submittal. Drawn by

Alexan Stulc under the supervision of Domingo Gonzales.

alexan stulc 40

dutchess countyPresentation drawing of Dutchess County Residence, designed by

Allied Works Architecture, for their forthcoming monograph. Part of a



41° 45’ 36” N 73° 45’ 0” W

residence

Summer 2008

Allied Works Architecture

Scale model, approximately four foot square, for the Dutches Country

Residence designed by Allied Works Architecture. Architecture was

constructed of laser cut acrylic sheet wi th paper and wood accents.

Topography was made from layered sheets of cardboard topped wi th

joint compound, sanded and painted to nish. Built in collaboration

with Bjorn Lund Morgenson .

series of drawings revised and reformatted for publication.

PreGrad Portfolio

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