Teaching / Objects For The Age Of Obama—Salone Satellite 2009
This Advanced Projects course at SAIC is a mixed level studio that brings together graduate students and upper level undergraduates. SAIC's department of Architecture, Interior Architecture and Designed Objects was one of only two American schools to be invited to exhibit at Salone Satellite during Milan Design Week 2009. This Advanced Projects studio was focused on developing a project specifically for Salone and was co-taught by Helen Maria Nugent and Bruce Tharp.
The theme developed for the class: Objects for the Age of Obama: Change, Hope, Challenge, and Allure was relevant and timely as Obama is a Chicagoan and the Presidential race put Chicago in the spotlight. This playful theme also allowed for the development of a range of functional house-ware prototypes, each presenting from a distinct narrative linking the objects to the students' ideas about Obama, America and the Presidency.
SAIC's Objects for the Age of Obama exhibition was the only student work nominated for the prestigious Editors Award.
The project received a wide array of international press and were featured in print and web publications including Casa Grazia (print), Intramuros (print) O,Tineo (print). Fast Company (web) Domus (web), Reuters (web), Inhabitat (web), Otto (web), Dexigner (web), MocoLoco (web) and Core77 (web).
The wonderful student team included: Greg Bethel, Ming Chang, Patrick Fitzpatrick, Victor Fong, Chin-Yu Fu, Glenna Gallagher, Phillip Granke, Gabriel Hargrove, David Krell, Lynn Lim, Andrew Peerless, and Evan Walsh.
