Illustrious Architect Theoharis David is Celebrated in Sweeping Retrospective

Two Pratt exhibitions celebrate internationally renowned architect, professor, and alumnus

Elementary School, Lemesos, CyprusPratt is celebrating the work of renowned architect, alumnus, and longtime Architecture Professor Theoharis David by mounting two sweeping exhibitions on campus of his work.

Pratt's School of Architecture will present "Built Ideas: A Life of Teaching, Learning, and Action," an exhibition of David's models, photos, and concept drawings. An opening reception on March 1 will feature a talk by David with an introduction by architect Lebbeus Woods.

In addition, Pratt's Department of Exhibitions is presenting "An Architect Drawing," an exhibition of drawings and texts from David's architectural experiences, through September 28, 2012.

Theoharis David has been responsible for the design of sports stadiums, educational and medical facilities, religious structures, extensive residential complexes and private residences, and the creation of comprehensive master plans for major leisure and mixed-use development. His work as an architect and as an educator has been exhibited and published worldwide. He formerly chaired Pratt's Graduate Architecture Program and was faculty president of the School of Architecture.  

Cavo Greco Environmental CenterDavid is a fellow of The American Institute of Architects and the Institute for Urban Design, and serves on the boards of the Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Cyprus Cultural Foundation, and the International Congress of Modern Architects, of which he is a former president.

"Built Ideas: A Life of Teaching, Learning, and Action"

"Built Ideas" is free and open to the public and will be celebrated on March 1 with a lecture by David, titled "Talking About You," in Higgins Hall Auditorium at 61 St. James Place at 6 PM. The lecture will be introduced by visionary architect Lebbeus Woods and will reflect on David's 43 years as a teacher by examining the work of his former students, many of whom have gone on to become accomplished architects and teachers.

"Built Ideas" is curated and designed by Christoph a. Kumpusch, adjunct assistant professor at Pratt Institute. The exhibition includes 19 mostly realized works, including significant works in Cyprus such as sports stadiums and arenas, private residences, urban housing, educational facilities, and hybrid corporate structures. David's New York projects include religious buildings and a proposal for a Greek Orthodox Church at the World Trade Center site. 

"Built Ideas" is made possible in part by generous support from the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Cyprus, with additional support from the Dean's Office of the School of Architecture and the Department of Architecture at the University of Cyprus.

"An Architect Drawing"

Moscow"An Architect Drawing" will feature 55 drawings in four series: Roma, Petra/Jerash, Moscow/St. Petersburg, and the World Trade Center. The Roma series combines drawings from memories of Italy that relate to a specific place or event with descriptive text. The Petra/Jerash series includes ephemeral drawings that portray the passage of time in two Jordanian cities, bringing with it the erosion of memory and erosion by natural forces. The Moscow/St. Petersburg series represents Russia's past and present, including architectural artifacts of an imperial era that have been regilded and are now experienced as contemporary. The World Trade Center series, drawn on a bleak afternoon in December 2001, records a moment of mourning and a void that was filled with the kinetic architecture of reconstruction.

For more information, including gallery hours, click here.

Text: Amy Aronoff
Photos: Courtesy of Theoharis David, Montage E. Bozatli, Courtesy of Theoharis David