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January 30, 2008
ANDOVER—Five accomplished alumni will showcase their work, Architecture after Andover: Study and Practice, at the Gelb Gallery in the Elson Art Center at Phillips Academy. A reception will be held on Monday, February 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. Displaying a range of approaches and possible directions within the field of architecture, the exhibition may be viewed until March 15, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Brought together by art teacher, architect, and painter Gail Boyajian, these leading edge alumni have worked on projects ranging from the Dewey Square Master Plan in Boston to an office tower in Mexico City. “I hope that our exhibition inspires visitors to think about design in new ways, specifically how it impacts every aspect of their lives,” said architecture student Jesse Seegers ’05.
“The projects they have completed in their professional lives and in their studies intrigued me,” Boyajian said. Along with their connection to PA, these men and women have another trait in common: “All are passionate advocates for the possibilities of design,” she added.
Cristina Mampaso Cerrillos ’04, Jeffrey Pena ’04, and Seegers ’05 were students of Boyajian. She has kept in touch with them and is impressed by their global perspective and innovativeness. Cerrillos has studied in Madrid and Tokyo. Pena recently returned from the American Institute of Roman Culture in Italy and previously interned in Boston and Japan. Concentrating on the creative intersections between architecture and music, Seegers studied at the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies. While there, he produced the piece that is on display at the Gelb Gallery. “If I hadn’t taken Gail’s architecture class, I don’t think I would have chosen this career,” said Seegers.
Though Boyajian was not teaching at Andover when Kate Larsen ’96 and Matthew Littell ’85 attended, she knew of them from their continuing connection to PA and interest in the arts at the Academy. As a teaching assistant for Boyajian, Larsen gained a different viewpoint on architecture and learning. “I really enjoyed watching the students engage in the design process. The most satisfying moment happens when they are able to listen to and understand feedback and respond with ideas and creative solutions of their own,” she said.
In Architecture after Andover, Larsen exhibits a piece from her thesis project: an investigation of the potential of a World’s Fair as a catalyst for change in the urban development and master planning of a mid-sized American city. “PA taught me how to work hard and to be self-motivated. In particular, I learned how to overcome challenges that seem impossible, which is a requirement for those in my field,” Larsen said.
Littell, a licensed architect, has served as a critic in Boyajian’s classes. Among several of his fascinating projects is the renovation of the Boston Athenaeum. Littell now focuses primarily on residential development and early-phase project planning, at Utile, Inc. in Boston.
“Many PA alumni excel in the architecture profession. Without a doubt, there’s the possibility of additional events like this one,” Boyajian concluded.
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