By: Jessica Hamilton
One of the most visually striking buildings on campus is the Aronoff Center for Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning. A standout within the hills of brick and metal buildings, Aronoff uses bright pastels and unique winding block shapes. The building was designed by Peter Eisenman, an accomplished architect who works around the world. Some of his other well-known works include The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Wexner Center for the Arts, State Farm Stadium, and City of Culture of Galicia. For DAAP, Peter Eisenman would create a building he described as a “rock concert in concrete.”
Most of his work is based on the architectural style of deconstructivism. This concept is mainly based on playing with form and volume, using asymmetrical geometry while still upholding the functionality of a space. You can often identify it by long stretches of uninterrupted material, abstract geometry, and fragmentation. At the time, Peter Eisenman was in many ways at the forefront of the deconstructivist style. His work was heavily featured in the MoMA exhibition Deconstructivist Architecture in 1988 which popularized the style. Yet, the style was still very new and its future was unsure at that point.
The Aronoff Center’s use of this style faced criticism. Fellow architect and critic, Adele Naude Santos, stated, “What astounds me is that a School of Architecture would pick an architect whose work is going to be so clearly defined at a point in time, knowing that would be the image of the school forever more.” Other criticism was drawn from the interior layout, with many first-time visitors finding themselves quickly lost due to a mix of improper signage, confusing levels, and a lack of windows. However, the central atrium with the DAAP Cafe dining option is a favorite of visitors. The space is lit by a large overhead window and is marked by the space’s unique floor plan.
The building is an outward expression of some of the creativity within. The University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning has various highly ranked programs, including the 5th best Visual Communication program in the nation according to College Factual. The architecture program has created many successful architects including Michael Graves, Ron Kull, and Erik Sueberkrop who have designed for UC’s campuses.
Eisenman kept this in mind when designing and constructing. The center was meant to breed creativity and nurture leadership. Functionally, the Aronoff Center also added an extra 128,000 square feet to DAAP. This included many much-needed facilities like a library, exhibition, and office space. This also alleviated much of the overcrowding in the previous buildings.
While the pastel green and pink Aronoff Center may appear to some as the entirety of DAAP, the college is made up of four buildings. The others are the Wolfson Center, Alms Building, and the DAA Addition. All 3 other buildings preceded Aronoff’s construction. Eisenman used this to form the shape of the building, as well as using the existing landscape as a reference. These two elements are often in conflict resulting in lots of the center’s unique shapes.
The project would begin in 1988, and finish in 1996. Aronoff continues to serve as home to the creative minds of tomorrow, enveloped in the designs of an innovative designer. Even at age 92, Peter Eisenman continues to create himself with architectural works that will inspire architects and influence style for decades.
Straight Links
https://eisenmanarchitects.com/Aronoff-Center-for-Design-and-Art-1996
https://eisenmanarchitects.com/Projects
https://www.archdaily.com/899645/what-is-deconstructivism
https://www.geblertooth.co.uk/post/principles-of-deconstructivism
https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/visual-communications/rankings/top-ranked/ https://daap.uc.edu/about/notable-daap-alumni.html
Image from: https://commons.wikimedia.org