NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID
ST. LOUIS, MO
PERMIT NO. 1256
CAMPUS BOX 1089
ONE BROOKINGS DRIVE
ST. LOUIS, MO 63130
http://samfoxschool.wustl.edu

SOMETHINGNESS:
WAYS OF SEEING AND BUILDING
July 11-29, 2011
Application Deadline: May 15

CityStudioSTL
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scales. This brochure is printed on recyclable paper manufactured
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and meets SFI fiber sourcing requirements.

CityStudioSTL
somethingness: ways of seeing and building July 11-29, 2011

Somethingness: Ways of Seeing and Building, a project of CityStudioSTL, is informed by Somethingness: Ways of Seeing and Building
the words and practice of visiting artist Theaster Gates, Jr., who will be in residence is open to anyone at the advanced
at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts and in partnership with the Pulitzer undergraduate level or beyond who is
Foundation for the Arts. During this intensive, 3-week design-build course, students involved with art, architecture, social work,
will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with Gates on a site-specific project or related disciplines.
in St. Louis’ Hyde Park that combines conversation, construction, and community
engagement. The cultural constructs of ritual, community, and race will inform all
Application deadline: May 15, 2011
work, inspiring projects that echo the history of the site, while addressing the needs
For more information and an application,
of the community through architecture, the arts, and social science. Students will
visit samfoxschool.wustl.edu/summer/
gain an understanding of design methods that arise out of cultural research while
xxx or call 314.935.xxx.
learning to translate small-scale design investigations into real, inhabitable spaces.

CityStudioSTL
JULY 11-29, 2011
THEAST E R GAT E S, J R .
Theaster Gates, Jr., is director of arts programming and lecturer
in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Chicago. His
creative practice encompasses a broad range of topics, including
installation, site specificity, appropriation, and master planning.
Using art as a tool for social change, he presents communities
with new ways of confronting challenging issues by presenting
them as invitations to engage difficult information creatively.
As a 2010-2011 Loeb Fellow at the Harvard University Graduate
School of Design, Gates concentrated on cultural development
in underserved communities and how relationships between
museums and other local cultural institutions can advance cul-
tural activities in communities. His work has recently been shown
in the 2010 Whitney Biennial; the Contemporary Arts Museum
Houston; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; and the
Museum of Contemporary Craft.
“I want to question, not by petitioning or organizing in
the stereotypical activist way, but by building and making
good use of the things forgotten.” Theaster Gates, Jr.
P ROJ E CT OV E RV IE W
Gates’ work as an artist, urban planner, and community organizer
will set the tone for this immersive studio in St. Louis’ Hyde Park
neighborhood. Students will explore the physical, cultural, and
spiritual characteristics of this site, focusing on the current condi-
tion of the location while learning to embrace the concept of miss-
ing elements and their impact on the design process. Emphasis
will be placed on the importance of a site’s history, and how that
history impacts the current community.
Working with Gates and master builder John Preus, students will
develop design proposals for built works that are informed by
the cultural programs and rituals of the communities, as well as
the architecture utilized by these activities. Questions of design
need and cultural relevance will be paramount—students should
be prepared to discuss notions of “temples” and how ideas about
“the sacred” play out in urban areas.
The studio will culminate with the construction of a built work,
which may include a creative space for young people, as well as
videos, installations, or sculptural works.
Weekly reading assignments, presentations, visiting speakers,
critiques, and field trips will supplement design-build work. All
students will be required to document and present their work at
the end of the program.
A BOU T SOM ET HIN GN ESS: WAYS OF SEEIN G
A N D BUILDIN G
This project is supported by the Sam Fox School of Design &
Visual Arts Endowment for Joint Projects with the Pulitzer
Foundation for the Arts. Through this partnership, the Sam Fox
School and the Pulitzer Foundation offer the opportunity for
interdisciplinary research and collaboration among students,
practicing artists, architects, curators, designers, and other pro-
fessionals, while furthering community activism and involvement
through art, architecture, and design.
A BOU T CITYS TU DIOS TL
CityStudioSTL is an initiative inspired by Design for Excellence,
the Sam Fox School’s 10-year strategic plan. Offered in part-
nership with Washington University’s Skandalaris Center for
Entrepreneurial Studies, this program will support a series
of community engagement and outreach projects in the city
of St. Louis over the next five years. (Do we recognize the
Wischmeyers?)
TU ITION & F EES
The tuition for Somethingness: Ways of Seeing and
Building is $3,000, and fees are $75. If a student with-
draws from CityStudioSTL after the program begins,
no portion of tuition will be refunded.
H OU S ING & MEA L S
If you decide to live on campus while attending
CityStudioSTL, you will stay in one of our secure, modern
residence houses with other members of Washington
University summer programs. These facilities are com-
plete with study rooms, kitchenettes, laundry facilities,
and floor lounges. A meal plan may be purchased by any
student—living on- or off-campus—and will allow you to
enjoy a variety of food choices while on the campus.
The cost of on-campus housing from July 11-29 is $650;
the estimated cost of a University meal plan is $350.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications must be postmarked or submitted
electronically by May 15, 2011.
Space is limited. Please send the following materials:
1. Completed application form. You may download the
form at: http://samfoxschool.wustl.edu/citystudiostl/
somethingness
2. A check, made payable to Washington University in
St. Louis, for a $35 non-refundable processing fee.
Applications and fees can be e-mailed or mailed to:
Belinda Lee
Coordinator of Special Undergraduate Programs
Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts
Washington University in St. Louis
Campus Box 1031
One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899
lee@samfox.wustl.edu
You will be notified upon acceptance to the program,
and a non-refundable deposit of $500, which will be
applied toward tuition, will be required to confirm your
admission.