A Reflection on the Inaugural ‘T’ Space Fellowship 2017

Earlier this year, the Steven Myron Holl Foundation launched its inaugural ‘T’Space fellowship for students and young professionals, and it was a great success.
Following a competitive application process the five selected fellows were invited to take on a 25-day intensive studio project, entitled “Rural Compression,” in Rhinebeck, New York. The task: design a chapel (of no specific denomination) with seating for 20 people.  Throughout the studio, fellows lived in the “Fellows Cabin” on the 30-acre T2 Reserve, partaking in design critiques, pin-ups and conversations with instructors and invited professionals, as well as regular excursions to notable artistic and architectural destinations including Storm King Art Center and the Philip Johnson Glass House.
On August 2nd, 2017, the five fellows presented their work to a panel of critics that included Thom Mayne, Michael Bell, Stan Allen and Steven Holl, among several others. With a small graduation ceremony at the Ex of IN house, also in Rhinebeck, these five individuals carry a new spirit into the world.  Below, a reflection on the 2017 ‘T‘Space Fellowship from Steven Holl.
Quality before Quantity: A Reflection on the ‘T‘Space Fellowship 2017
'When a work reaches a maximum of intensity, of proportion, of quality of execution, of perfection, there occurs a phenomenon of ineffable space’ – Le Corbusier
We believe in the phenomenal powers of architecture. Today, architecture has the potential to put essences back into existence. Space and Light are like Sound and Time in music. A poetic idea can achieve astonishing qualities in music as well as architecture.
This first fellowship embodies the mission of the ‘T ‘Space project that started 7 years ago, in 2010. To Unite: Architecture, Art, music and Poetry To Reflect: as an alternative to market driven art. To Experiment: with collaborations and hybrid combinations. To Commission: new works. Renew: nature & human connection.
This effort at a new, 21century synthesis of the arts emerges at a time in architecture dominated by developer-architect profiteers milking urban real-estate. In place of values of bigness – in place of the ridiculous value of architectural offices achieving enormous size – we hope for future alternatives of quality before quantity. – Steven Holl, 8/4/2017
Congratulations to the 2017 fellows!
ASHLEY MORGAN Practicing Architect, Master of Architecture, Washington University ’13 ¦ San Francisco, CA
BILLY WONG Graduate Student of Architecture and Lighting Design, Parsons School of Design ’18 ¦ New York, NY
HAOTIAN XU Practicing Architect MSAAD, Columbia University ’15 ¦ New York, NY
MENG WANG Undergraduate Student of Architecture, Southern California Institute of Architecture ’19 ¦ Los Angeles, CA
RAN HUO Graduate Student of Architecture, Harvard Graduate School of Design ’19 ¦ Cambridge, MA
And a special thanks to the talented team of critics and instructors: 2017 Critics: Thom Mayne, Michael Bell, Stan Allen, Matthias Neumann, David Leven, Daisy Ames, Christian Wassman, Anthony Titus, Marisa Kefalidis, Dimitra Tsachrelia, Eirini Tsachrelia, Christoph Kumpusch, and Steven Holl.; Instructors: Eirini Tsachrelia, Christoph Kumpusch; SMHF Educational Programs Director: Dimitra Tsachrelia ; Assistant: Jacobo Mingorance Arranz
Applications for the 2018 Summer Architecture Fellowship will open again in April. ‘T’Space is a project of the Steven Myron Holl Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. www.tspacerhinebeck.org