What is the role of the structural engineer in her and his collaborations with architects and artists? Notable structural engineers from Ove Arup to Fazlur Khan have acted at times as consulting facilitator and brilliant technician and other times as lead designers. What critical concepts that can account for the creative contributions of the actors in key works of architecture? And what civic roles do engineers play in addressing the pressing needs of cities both in the climate crisis but also in the case of transformative events such as 9/11? This talk will review these questions from the perspective of the speaker’s participation in recent projects with architects and artists and design research to address the challenges of coastal resilience and adaptation.
Bio
Guy Nordenson is a structural engineer and professor of architecture at Princeton. He was the engineer for the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C., the International African American Museum, and Emmanuel Nine Memorial, both in Charleston, S.C. and oversaw the design and engineering of David Hammons’ Day’s End sculpture in the Hudson River in New York City. Nordenson is the author of books on climate adaptation and engineering design. He was a Commissioner of the New York City Public Design Commission (2006-16) and a member of the New York City Panel on Climate Change. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering.