Introducing Hyphen, a new Penn State Stuckeman School's journal
In the first issue of Hyphen, we will address the concept of instability. Although architectural production has always necessitated a degree of fundamental confidence—or, arguably, even optimism—the fact remains that the basic conditions against which we must carry out our work remain in constant flux. Uncertainty, that is, is among the only certainties in life. We cannot ignore the profound instability of our present milieu: the looming proposition of a post-pandemic scenario, world economies in free fall, the rampant spread of misinformation, politically polarized societies, and myriad social and environmental injustices, to name but a few, represent a complex and often daunting map of action by which architects might aspire to rethink the scope of our discipline. These challenges have rendered the task of envisioning the near future all the more pressing and raised (or resuscitated) urgent and essential questions about the role of the architect.
We are excited to announce the launch of Hyphen, a new print journal edited by Ph.D. students of the Department of Architecture at Penn State’s Stuckeman School. In a crowded field of architectural publications, it is our aim for the journal to serve as a much-needed platform for speculation, experimentation, dialogue, and debate, bridging the divide between the specialized bodies of architectural knowledge that prevail not only in our department but also, increasingly, in the discipline at large.
Call for Papers
In the first issue of Hyphen, we will address the concept of instability. Although architectural production has always necessitated a degree of fundamental confidence—or, arguably, even optimism—the fact remains that the basic conditions against which we must carry out our work remain in constant flux. Uncertainty, that is, is among the only certainties in life. We cannot ignore the profound instability of our present milieu: the looming proposition of a post-pandemic scenario, world economies in free fall, the rampant spread of misinformation, politically polarized societies, and myriad social and environmental injustices, to name but a few, represent a complex and often daunting map of action by which architects might aspire to rethink the scope of our discipline. These challenges have rendered the task of envisioning the near future all the more pressing and raised (or resuscitated) urgent and essential questions about the role of the architect.
How will we live together in the future?
How will new materialities influence a contemporary (and future) understanding of construction?
How will we transmit and receive information?
How will changes in forms of organization and labor impact the built environment?
How will architecture interact with socially divided communities?
We invite students, faculty researchers, and practitioners in architecture and related disciplines to join us in exploring a range of themes and provocations with the determination, courage, and rigor our times urgently require. The submission deadline is September 15, 2022. Please see the brief attached for submission details. Please,submit your questions and papers to hyphen@psu.edu.
The Hyphen Editorial Team:
Farzaneh Oghazian, Ph.D. Candidate in Design Computing (DC), Architecture
Nicolás Verdejo, Ph.D. Candidate in Culture, Society, and Space (CSS), Architecture
Sana Ahrar, Ph.D. Student in Culture, Society, and Space (CSS), Architecture
Elizabeth Andrzejewski, Ph.D. Candidate in Material Matters (MM), Architecture
