DAISY AMES

I was able to opt out of the required theory course for the second year M.Arch I students since architecture theory was my undergraduate major. This opened up another elective for me, which can prove to be a slippery slope because there is a ton of politicking involved in the lottery system at YSOA (not diplomatic at all) and second years are rarely granted priority in the competitive courses. The professors have to know who you are and then rank each applicant based on who they want in their class. Then in conjunction with that ranking, we rank their course, and get matched “by a computer.” I got into both my top two choices which were really competitive. I am in Dean Robert A.M. Stern’s intimate seminar, Parallels of the Modern: The New Tradition, after having to write two essays, and Victor Agran’s small class on Drawing and Architectural Form. I couldn’t be more excited! 

I just had my first lecture course: Modern Architecture and Society, taught by Kurt Forster in Hastings Hall. He wanted us to just sit back, relax and have him talk us through the story of architecture, rather than be a maniac note-taker. He began the class saying, “this is supposed to be a class you enjoy, and want to come to… it’s important to refine these jumbled up facts in your head into clear and logical modes of transition so you can understand them intellectually.” (something of that nature) Professor Forster is a master lecturer and his pencils-down “policy” was really effective because he presented the material in such an enthusiastic, lively, and witty way. I’m looking forward to that!