a little bit of syracuse exhibit at everson museum of art

 

Drawing Architecture Studio collaborates with students from the Syracuse University School of Architecture to present A Little Bit of Syracuse — an artistic tableau showcasing the city through eighty hand-crafted models and an eighty-foot scroll drawing. The exhibition sheds light on the often-overlooked ordinary buildings that shape the fabric of the city’s daily life — restaurants, laundromats, grocery shops, and residences — and serve as the backdrop to the routines of Syracuse residents. Recognizable landmarks such as the Dunkin’ Donuts drive-through, CNY Jazz Central, and the Byrne Dairy Deli and Convenience Store are immortalized in the models. Even for those unfamiliar with Syracuse, a sense of familiarity arises as the models reflect the commonality found in American cities. On display at the I.M. Pei-designed Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York, US, the exhibition runs until December 31, 2023.

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all images courtesy of Drawing Architecture Studio

 

 

drawing architecture studio’s typological study of syracuse

 

In contrast to the grandiosity of iconic city structures, these everyday buildings provide a more authentic and finely textured urban experience. Drawing inspiration from Edward Hopper’s depictions of New York, where ordinary corners took precedence over landmarks, A Little Bit of Syracuse positions these background buildings as true ‘landmark buildings.’ Crafted on a 1:100 scale with basic materials like paper, cardboard, tape, thin wire, and metal mesh, each model was produced within a tight two-three day timeframe using a sketch-like approach. Embracing imperfections, such as glue marks and torn edges, adds value to these handmade models. The design team at Drawing Architecture Studio and Syracuse University School of Architecture further integrates everyday elements like air conditioning units, signages, utility poles, and trash cans to infuse the buildings with a sense of use, aiming to capture not just the architecture but the overall atmosphere of the urban environment.

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installation view of A Little Bit of Syracuse at Everson Museum of Art

 

 

The exhibition extends beyond physical models, incorporating an eighty-foot-long scroll drawing that draws inspiration from Jiro Taniguchi’s graphic novel The Walking Man and Chinese scroll paintings. Mirroring Taniguchi’s contemplative approach to everyday urban scenes, the scroll weaves together narrative threads like Urban Revival, Car Culture, and The Lifespan of Houses. Employing architectural axonometric drawings, the scroll achieves a mobile viewing effect reminiscent of traditional Chinese scroll paintings. These everyday Syracuse buildings are woven into a continuous drawing space with diverse viewpoints, and changes in scale provide a strong sense of spatial depth. Through editing techniques similar to film montage, the mundane urban scenes take on a dynamic and changing narrative rhythm.

 

A Little Bit of Syracuse transcends traditional typological studies of urban spaces. Drawing from artistic creation methods, it combines real-world objectivity with personal sensibilities, utilizing architectural models to tell visual stories. The result is a study of Syracuse’s everyday architecture and urban space that is both objective and artistically collective.

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Drawing Architecture Studio collaborates with students from the Syracuse University School of Architecture

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the exhibition sheds light on the often-overlooked buildings that shape the fabric of the city’s daily life

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a sense of familiarity arises as the models reflect the commonality found in American cities

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crafted on a 1:100 scale with basic materials like paper, cardboard, tape, thin wire, and metal mesh

 

 

a little bit of syracuse by drawing architecture studio x syracuse architecture 4
A Little Bit of Syracuse transcends traditional typological studies of urban spaces

a little bit of syracuse by drawing architecture studio x syracuse architecture 5
everyday elements like air conditioning units, signages, and trash cans to infuse the buildings with a sense of use

a little bit of syracuse by drawing architecture studio x syracuse architecture 6

a little bit of syracuse by drawing architecture studio x syracuse architecture 9
the scroll employs architectural axonometric drawings

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the scroll achieves a mobile viewing effect reminiscent of traditional Chinese scroll paintings

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on display at the I.M. Pei-designed Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York, US

 

 

project info:

 

name: A Little Bit of Syracuse
designer: Drawing Architecture Studio (Li Han, Hu Yan), Syracuse Architecture (Sarah Bannan, Jose Raul Hernandez Brito, Jenny Le Meng Chen, Honey Serah George, Zhirun Huang, Sanskruti Kakadiya, Ryan Parks, Victoria Vardanyan, Fei Xiong, Andrew Xu)

exhibition: Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York, US

dates: — December 31, 2023
photography: Hector Shengxuan Yu 

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: ravail khan | designboom