Recap: Architect Elizabeth Diller on MoMA and the Shed – Columbia University

On November 11, 2019, Elizabeth Diller, a cofounding partner of Diller, Scofidio + Renfro and the recipient of the first MacArthur Foundation fellowship awarded in the field of architecture, spoke to a standing-room-only crowd on campus about the completion of two of New Yorks most recent high-profile building projects, the latest expansion of the Museum of Modern Art and the opening of the Shed, the multi-arts center in Hudson Yards.

Amale Andraos, dean of the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, which hosted the event, introduced Diller and noted theastonishing impact of her firms work.

DS+R, an interdisciplinary design studio that integrates architecture, visual arts and performing arts, has shaped what it means to be a cultural institution today and for the future, as well as reimagined how we interact with these institutions and how we understand their role in urban public space," Andraos said, adding that the firm'swork is more than buildings. "The practice has creatively probed the boundaries of architecture as a discipline" and "has a remarkable capacity to visibly render material, the constant question we pose ourselves as architects, which is where to draw or build the line.

In her talk, Diller compared the Museum of Modern Art withthe Shed, both of which are in midtown Manhattan, six avenues apart and 27 streets north-south from one another, yet they couldnt be more different, she said.

After Dillers presentation, Andraos asked her if designing projects in her own city, New York, is different fromworking in other places. Diller answered that there are a lot of architects whoparachute into other cultures,and they need to be sensitive to the fact that culture isn't global. However, she said,"it would be bad if we just worked in our own backyard, we need to import and export talent, but theres a huge learning curve.

Andraos then asked Diller if she thought architecture schools should teach students about entrepreneurship and how to create business plans.

The key, Diller said, was to keep everything in balance. She suggested that students should be willing to do something youre unqualified to do because it could be your best work."

But Diller conceded that being an expert in everything is impossible. "We used to think architects weregeneralists, but were specialists who find the right collaborators. Architecture is not independent and autonomous; its part of everything else. So, figure out how to make the right alliances to have your voice heard.

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Recap: Architect Elizabeth Diller on MoMA and the Shed - Columbia University