Liberty Project, Liberty New York

Kathy Boyko, Vittorio's wife during the time I studied with him, has found me through this blog and made contact, sending me some images from Vittorio's Liberty Project, a complex shell structure outside the town of Liberty, in upstate New York, and a great photo of Vittorio climbing a sailboat mast.  I'm adding a few photos I shot when I visited the project, I believe it was in Summer 1978.

CLICK HERE to see more photos of the Liberty Shell in construction:

Roosevelt Island Project - 1975



Model from West

Plan of North Tower, parking structure, from East





Early in Vittorio's career at Pratt Institute, Sam Gordon, Lisa Elfenbein and Michael Thompson worked with Vittorio on a Project for Roosevelt Island.  Our project never reached completion, but perhaps formed a foundation for the work of others to come later.  Here it is in drawing and model form, published here for the first time, with great respect and admiration for our teacher, Vittorio Giorgini.

Sam Lisa and Michael





  Michael and Vittorio photographing the Roosevelt Island Project model.  Please CLICK HERE to see additional photos:

STUDENT WORK

Studying under Vittorio was the best thing I could have done. Lost in the hysteria of Deconstructivist era, or Achitalkture, as Vittorio liked to refer to this dogma of design, I didn't know what I was getting into when signing up for his class. I didn't sign up for my classes soon enough, and all the Columbia and Cooper Union type professors were taken up. Who should I choose? I recall seeing really "cool" images as far as Vittorio's work, so I decided to give it a shot. Well, day 1 of Vittorio, I learned that it was all about learning how to walk before you can run. Around 2 years ago, I began studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; something I have become passionate about. In visiting and shopping around a few Dojos, I recall seeing a sign at one school saying, "Check your egos at the door". Basically, the intent of the sign was to state that no one is superior to anyone else and that we are all here to learn; something so very true in Vittorio's class. It was refreshing and inspiring when taking Vittorio's class, because you only gained his respect through hard work. I recall other professors who during a critique would favor one student's work over another, because that student was better able at VERBALLY conveying his or her concept. What sort of nonsense is this? If I could have done it differently, I would have cut all the fat out of my curriculum and I would have taken Vittorio for all my years of design studio. I learned so much worthwhile information from him that I find very applicable in the real world. Sadly, with the very expensive Pratt tuition, could you believe Vittorio was the first person who truly taught me how to layout a floor plan and how to relate that plan to its section? As Vittorio would say, "Watta Peety" (What a pitty) Let's all try to keep his legacy going!

some bad photos of some good friends

The party at Sam's for Vittorio. Mar 19, 2010 Thanks to everyone for their stories about Vittorio. Maybe we should do this once every year!

Catching the Keys

Monier and I spent countless hours at Vittorio's studio working on the Rivercrane model. Every time we rang his buzzer the window above would open. Vittorio would peek his head out, and down would come the keys to his loft wrapped in yellow tracing paper to cushion the fall. As with most mundane things in life, Vittorio made it a challenge. I remember riding on the subway with him once and gesturing to him to take an open seat. He said, "No, thank you Jesse. I want to stand and practice my windsurfing skills." Sure enough, he stood with feet shoulder-width apart and proceed to "surf" the A-train, only grabbing the pole if he lost his balance. I myself took up this sport and still "surf" trains to this day (NOTE: Chicago trains are VERY hard compared to NYC). Catching the keys was no different. He always watched intently above from the window at who and how one caught the keys. Your first test before you even walked in the door. Over the months, we began to dread the "catch." Hiding in the doorway, so the other person would have to catch. God forbid you dropped the keys! I remember once when I stood silent (probably hung-over from last night) and reached out with one hand at the last possible moment and somehow caught the keys. I was greeted with the ever-ego-boosting, "Bravo, Jesse!" Tomorrow was another day; the opportunity to catch or miss what Vittorio dropped to us.

Cultural Center for Cooper Square, New York 1989

Composite of sketches Vittorio made while working with me on this project. The program of a cultural center was to revitalize a once empty site across from Cooper Union and adjacent to Astor Place. The main elongated building (octet-frame forming an inverted tetrahedron) was lifted above the site and supported by a massive concrete frame. Part quad-pod and buttress the frame touched the ground at two points and braced itself against the neighboring building altering the existing construction and rejuvenating the spaces within. A ground-scape replete with octa-frame extended over the streets and connected to pedestrian activity and the subway.

Proposal for the "Vittorio Giorgini Competition Series"

At the end of the gathering Friday in memory of Vittorio, discussion arose about maybe establishing a scholarship in his name.
I have an alternative suggestion:  To establish a series of annual competitions whose program would further the lineage of thought that he brought us into.  The entity that created and managed the competitions could select locations and challenges that further the work, and establish standards of rigor and process consistent with Vittorio's.
I spoke with Sam about this, and he likes it.
What say you?    Please comment below.

More photos from Nino

Teaching in Pratt Institute NYC (3 photos)

The Elder Generation of the Giorginis 1947

Walking Tall model

The Giorginis at Baratti in the 50's

Rivercrane Sketches

These are the only sketches I have that are primarily drawn by Vittorio regarding the Rivercrane project (looks like either Monier or myself have some scribbles on there, too).

Giorgini Sphere

The "Giorgini Sphere" was Vittorio's work extending the ideas of the Mobius Strip from a circle onto a sphere. Monier Barakat and myself worked with Vittorio and Haresh Lalvani on further studies of double-curved surfaces, especially relating to the Giorgini Sphere. We made a wax model of it, but I have no idea where it is (still looking for photographs of it). Of all the sketches of our work that I kept, I found these four pages by Vittorio. Visual notes of his conversation with us on the subject.

Visiting Vittorio's Studio

Monier Barakat and Jesse Robinson visit the studio after the completion of Rivercrane and we both have "real" jobs. I had moved to Chicago and Monier was still in NYC. I remember Vittorio complaining about his eyesight, but he was still teaching at Pratt. So, I guess these where taking around summer '95.

Wedding in Florence

When my wife and I decided to get married in Italy, immediately I picked Florence. Not only for the art and architecture, but for Vittorio. Finally, my soon-to-be wife would meet the man who had such an impact in my life. It was the 2nd of May in 2002, and we were married in the Palazza Vecchio. Walking to my wedding--down the Via dei Calzaioli--alone in my tuxedo to the smiles and cheers of Italians passing by was a thrill of a lifetime. After the ceremony, Vittorio remarked to me, "Jesse... I want you to know that I must like you a lot to come to this ceremony, well, yes it's not in a church, but still I do not feel very comfortable." I was honored indeed. What a day!

(Note: make sure and click "Read more" below to see all the photos)

Photo of Vittorio in 1998, from Caroline Gallois

More Photos from Nino

Some beautiful drawings by Vittorio, of the Saldarini House at Baratti, and a photo of "Vittorio with pipe" in '70-'71, around the time he came to teach at Pratt.
Click below to see more good times with Vittorio in Italy, with Nino, Caroline, Sam, Bean, friends and family:

That Loaf of Bread

The image that keeps recurring for me is a loaf of Italian bread from the Salumeria on Grand & Mott Streets.

The loaf is partially gone, and it sits on a cutting board, white side down, with a knife, some cheese, and maybe a sausage along side.

Next to the loaf is a bottle of red wine and some glasses.

Around the table, we are discussing something, passionately.

Vittorio, sitting, one leg over another, cigarette in hand, shaping the conversation.

Chris Pfaeffle - Giorgini Drawings

Sailing, a Passion Shared

Vittorio sailing with Sam, deivering a yacht from south Jersey to Manhattan.

Vittorio and Caroline

Vittorio's Retirement from Pratt Institute - 1996

A Farewell Party for Vittorio, thrown by some of his students and attended by many friends, at Sam and Bean's loft in New York, 1996.

Vittorio as a Young Man

From Nino's Family Album: