My Architecture Manifesto: “Architecture Shall Live On” by Architect @FrankCunhaIII #Architect #Design #Theory #AvantGarde #ilmaBlog #DesignTheory #Architecture
Posted: April 28, 2011 Filed under: Architecture, Design, More FC3 | Tags: Architecture, Deleuze, existential, FC#, NJIT, Perrella, The Fold, Theory 33 CommentsI was honored to be asked to write a “Dear Destin” letter in the memory of my friend and teacher, Stephen Perrella (RIP). For a son (Destin) to know and understand his father through his legacy and the remnants of what was left behind is challenging but without memories we cannot be human. Without Architecture one cannot truly appreciate life. Great Architecture is all around us. It is important for us to celebrate it each and every day. It is important for all of us to reflect and teach the young ones around us what it means to be alive. To inhabit a great space is to love and to live. To me, great Architecture is a gift to be cherished.
February 22, 2011
Dear Destin,
Your father Stephen Perrella is a special person who was gifted in many ways. To me he was a teacher, a friend, and a colleague. Most of all he was a theorist. He formulated, devised, calculated. He manipulated, transformed, and sculpted space. He was a weaver of space.
Before I begin I have to say that your birth changed Stephen for the better. You filled a void in his soul that no one else could. You enriched his soul and thirst for life. He lived each day for you. After you were born, Stephen was at peace with himself and transformed his pursuit from theory to the built.
Architecture design left un-built is not really Architecture, but merely a lot of ideas. You must build in order for something to be considered Architecture.
Architecture is the marriage of art and science of designing and erecting buildings and other physical structures. Architecture is a style and method of design and construction of buildings and other physical structures for human use.
Although more than a decade has past since I took his class I still hold his 4 principals of Architecture/Theory/Design close to me. Not a day goes by when I do not think about what he taught me.
Sign Structure Context Program
These four simple words are the devices that I use every time I design “space.” Although the meaning of these words evolves with the passing of time, these canons have passed the test of time.
The general (abbreviated) definitions are as follows:
Sign
In true Venturian spirit (1), our first lesson in Stephen’s studio was to examine signs along the roadway. The “image,” “face,” “aesthetic,” “look” of something created is the “Sign,” a modern day façade.
Like Filippo Brunelleschi before him, Stephen was interested in spatial theory. The Florentine Architect and Engineer Brunelleschi was the first to carry out a series of optical experiments that led to a mathematical theory of perspective.
When I design, and I think of Signage, I think of what one will see. How the Architectural object will be seen and remembered. It is important to consider this since Architecture is often considered an object someone looks at from the outside.
Structure
After that examination was complete, Stephen asked us to look at how the signage was structured.The structure itself becomes integral to the design of space and what I remember most was Stephen’s passion for the great philosophers like Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari (2). In particular I remember reading “The Fold: Leibniz and the Baroque,” but Stephen got me so excited that I bought every philosophy book I could get my hands on.
Context
As important as what something look likes or how it stands is to know how it is placed in it’s surrounding. This became the third study in Stephen’s studio.
I remember looking at information and flow of information from a theoretical standpoint and my view of what context could be. In today’s world, context changes (telecommunications for example). We studied Bernard Tschumi’s “Architecture and Disjunction” and learned about how program, context, image could be interchanged so that the design would be altered. For example, take an existing cathedral and adapt it as a parking garage. To think of Architecture as an object and then transform it’s context changes how the object is perceived, which leads me to Stephen’s final principle.
Program
By the chronological placement of this final study I have to assume that your father believed in “Function FOLLOWS Form” (3) although I can be wrong. At the time of teaching this class Stephen was not only “competing” with himself but with other Architects like Reiser and Umemoto. As you may know by now Stephen coined the term, “Hypersurface,” which was an archetype or typology of architectural production.
Once you put these four parts together to develop a system a unique theoretical work of Architecture can be created.
The system that is created to produce the design changes each time and the result is always different. This is a fantastic attribute in a world that longs for uniqueness and creativity. I have not fully realized everything that I want to realize in my young career yet, but I know that armed with the education your father gave me I can use these principals to produce wonderful Architecture.
I hope this brief recap is only the beginning and we can share more ideas on Stephen’s life one day soon.
Truly Yours,
Frank Cunha III, AIA, NCARB
References:
(1) Venturi, Robert, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour. Learning from Las Vegas: The Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1977
(1) Gilles Deleuze (18 January 1925 – 4 November 1995) was a French philosopher who, from the early 1960s until his death, wrote influentially on philosophy, literature, film, and fine art. His most popular works were the two volumes of Capitalism and Schizophrenia: Anti-Oedipus (1972) and A Thousand Plateaus (1980), both co- written with Félix Guattari. His metaphysical treatise Difference and Repetition (1968) is considered by scholars to be his magnum opus.
(3) “Form follows function” is a principle associated with modern Architecture and industrial design in the 20th century. The principle is that the shape of a building or object should be primarily based upon its intended function or purpose.
Some images of my third year studio project with Stephen (Spring of 1996 at NJIT SOA):
The shape of the movement of the Architectural form is informed by the mountains surrounding Las Vegas, NV.
The human Body and the Folds were examined for this project.
The elegance of the ballerina versus the vulgarity of the LV Strippers was analyzed.
Perhaps the Show Girl fits someplace in the middle?
If Twitter, Facebook, and Linked In existed, this project would emulate the feeling
of “plugging” into something greater than oneself. The Architectural space produced by
“the object” is informed by moving/experiencing the city following the rhythm of its context.
Can Show Girls and Strippers inform great Arhcitecture and spaces? Sure why not?
Architecture can be sexy and smart.

Information Flows thru the Strip Like a Cyclone or Tornado like an Information Hurricane carving space.
I guess there was a collective consciousness arising about social awareness and a social
consciousness because the idea here was that the occupants of the city of the future would all
contribute to the overall Architectural object. The building itself was comprised of the people who
inhabited it (kinda like those smart vechicles that plug in and chain up on the road to create
super-trains that create hierarchical domination over the less efficient vehicles on the road).
Does the Architecture inhabit the occupant or vice-versa?
The whole idea is that Architecture is NOT static. It moves with the flow of energy/information
and engulfs the occupants within it as it speeds through the city, plugging in from one space to another.
The result of the “carving” of space is that imprints are left on the existing hotels on the Strip.
The “old” Architecture is informed by the “new” spinning object (a bit like Zaha and Libeskind).
natural landscape of the mountains surrounding the Strip all inform the Architecture of the
City and inform the shape of the Hotel of the Future.
The hotel of the future exchanges information by moving throughout the Strip.

cease to exist and what is left over becomes the Architecture of the City.
Occupants “plug” into the Architecture by communicating with others. (Back then there was no
Very interesting Architecture! Thanks for sharing this. You might like to take a look at my blog that discusses schizophrenia and art at http://segmation.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/an-overview-of-outsider-art-www-segmation-com/. Thank you for allowing my comments.
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I will check it out ~ Thanks & Gratitude
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excellent post and illustrations..
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William, Thank you for the postive feedback!
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Thank you, Segmation. I signed up for your interesting blog and hope you subscribe to mine as well.
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really nice work!
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Michelle, truly appreciate all your love and continuous support!
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William, Thank You very much! Always appreciate reader feedback!
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Brilliant Frank, a beautifully written tribute to Stephen Perrella and superb visuals. He sounds like the teacher everyone wishes they had. Your work is so beautiful and moving. Thank you for sharing it.
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Thank you ~ Stephen is missed but his vision lives on….
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Frank, I had seen the letter the other day, as I had told you, absolutely beautiful. I did not however, notice the pictures…I’m glad I came back here. The photos are like candy to the eye. Your talent amazes me! Thank you for sharing
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Thanks ~ I’m flattered. Architecture is as much visual as it is experiential for the occupant.
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Given that architecture is not a biological life form, you could still argue the case that this is symbiosis in the true sense that both the structure and the humans are dependent on each other to function/exist/create. The social media of today just reinforces this I believe, and too bad it wasn’t around back then…
I hope Destin grows to an age to understand and appreciate the manifesto you have presented so eloquently.
Thanks for sharing this with me.
~cath
(@jonesbabie on Twitter)
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I think as time passes he will understand that his father’s spirit of designated architecture lives on….. Even if only in our hearts! 2013 is going to be great ~ Sending you lots of love, hope, peace, health, happiness and prosperity!
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Thank You, Laureen, We were very forunate to have many great teachers. But Don Wall, John Nastasi, Farnaz Mansuri, and Stephen certainly stood out.
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Rocktique, Thank You for re-commenting on my work! I always appreciate your valuable feedback. You are a great friend!
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Cath, That was very deep. I enjoy (and appreciate) our dialog and and am now following your blog: http://cjtittle.blogspot.com. I am looking forward to more thoughtful dialog.
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Frank,
The gift the Calvanico’s gave Destin was the most heartfelt gesture I could ever imagine. Thank you so much for your letter, and do hope one day you can sit down and begin to describe to Destin how Hypersurface affected your experience within architecture.
With much thanks,
Mary
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Mary, 2013 is going to be great ~ Sending you lots of love, hope, peace, health, happiness and prosperity! We wish you and your loved ones all the best and hope to meet you and see the house soon.
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Frank,
Very beautiful tribute. I really like the what you wrote about moving from idea to reality/ mere execution(in below quotes). This can be true for almost everything.
“Architecture design left un-built is not really Architecture, but merely a lot of ideas. You must build in order for something to be considered Architecture.”
Thank you.
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Thank you – how is YOUR blog going? 2013 is going to be great ~ Sending you lots of love, hope, peace, health, happiness and prosperity!
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Frank,
It was interesting to read about these four parts of devices that you use every time you design “space”. At the last device “Program”, “Function FOLLOWS Form”, it’s a witty statement. I accept the idea if you have already the “form” and adapt that to a “function”.
At the reference (2) you write (1).
I enjoyed to see the images.
Thanks for your contribuition to improuve my knowldge in Architecture.
Pedro
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Obrigado Pedro ~ 2013 is going to be great ~ Sending you lots of love, hope, peace, health, happiness and prosperity!
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I found this on Twitter and I am happy I clicked on the Link. This is amazing. Too many People do not realize how important Architecture is.
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It’s all around us ~ Thanks for taking time to read and comment! We truly appreciate it.
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Why I LOVE Architecture!!!
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Thanks for stopping by and reading our blog!
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I need to to thank you for this excellent read!
! I certainly enjoyed every bit of it. I’ve got you book marked to look at new stuff you post…
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Good day! I just want to give a huge thumbs up for the great info
you have right here on this post. I shall be coming again to your weblog for more soon.
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