02-13-2013

February 13, 2013

To:  The Cooper Union Community
From:  President Jamshed Bharucha
Subject:  Retirement of Anthony Vidler as Dean

I write to inform you that after twelve years of distinguished service as Dean of the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture, Anthony Vidler, will retire as dean, effective June 30, 2013. Dean Vidler will retain his position as a tenured member of the faculty.

Dean Vidler is the second dean of the Irwin S. School of Architecture and arrived as Acting Dean in 2001 and subsequently appointed Dean in 2002. Over the past twelve years, Dean Vidler has worked with the faculty and administration to develop the technologies and courses demanded by the contemporary profession, while preserving the heritage of a school that has always valued the potential of design and critical thinking. With faculty and student representation, Dean Vidler led a comprehensive examination of the professional curriculum that resulted in broadening the History sequence to include the study of significant works of architecture outside the western canon and to examine the exchange of ideas between western and non-western cultures across time.  He also brought landscape and landscape urbanism to the fourth year design curriculum. Dean Vidler led the faculty in its development of the curriculum for a Master of Architecture II graduate program and with registration with the State of New York, the first class was accepted in 2009.

A prolific scholar, Dean Vidler greatly expanded the range of pedagogy in the School of Architecture through 20 new adjunct appointments, partnerships for lecture series, symposia and exhibitions with New York’s most important institutions of design and architecture.  He brought critically acclaimed exhibitions to Cooper Union, presenting the work of major architects, including Louis I. Kahn, Robert Slutzky and Lebbeus Woods, among many others.  

During his tenure as dean, Vidler was named Educator of the Year by the AIA New York Chapter and in 2011 was awarded the Architecture Award by the The American Academy of Arts and Letters.  In 2012 he was honored with the Centennial Award by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture. Please join me in expressing our gratitude and good wishes to Dean Vidler as he embarks on the next stage of his scholarly and professional endeavors.  He has made transformative changes to the School of Architecture, which is now poised to excel in this new century.  Prior to the dean’s retirement, I will announce the appointment of an Acting Dean for the 2013-2014 academic year.