Pratt Institute - Prattonia Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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- MIAMI HOTEL: The first post war senior class of 1946-47 is the largest ever to receive the degree of Bachelor of Architecture from Pratt Institute. Of the twenty-two seniors, eighteen are students who returned from duty with the armed forces to complete their studies. Here the men, matured by their absence from school, worked to achieve exceptional success under the inspiring leadership of Professor Olindo Grossi. Activities of the year were highlighted by class representation in school ac- tivities and by a fruitful department program. Bill Bigoney and Bob Stork, Chairman and Secretary of the senior class, worked closely with the newly chartered Institute Student Government Association furthering the architects’ support of student ac- tivities. Student attendance of lectures given by leading men in the profession provided an insight to current problems facing the profession today. One series of lectures sponsored by the New York Society of Engineers was so well attended that the Society bestowed an honor on the Department of Architecture and made the students: Associate Student Members of the New York Society of Engineers. Other lectures were offered by the Architect's League and the Brooklyn Chapter A.I.A. In addition, scheduled trips to building projects provided an opportunity to observe construction methods and the application of materials. Class design projects completed during the year gave the seniors an oppor- tunity to demonstrate their abilities. Sal Merlina led the demonstration by submitting 18

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Our scope of merchandising was broadened, per- haps because of the class sentiment that ''We'll go, even if we have to swim the Hudson. Now, we can look back gratifyingly on the weekly visits to Bamberger's in Jersey, where head buyers of the numerous departments discussed the relationship of consumer demands to our current work. With pride, we cite the vanguard of our class of 1947 who has already attained recognition as decorating consultant in Haynes De- partment Store. She is Jeanne Pouch, a February graduate. Other members of the class have plied their hand in the field through such affiliations as Bill Meek's association with ''Dan Cooper, and with Town and Country ; and the free-lancing of Muller, Keeling, Brand and Calkins. Trips to museums, Good Housekeeping Institute, and Parents Magazine helped us to keep abreast of the current market demands. Many a museum guard has been puzzled to hear an interior design student point out a Queen Anne leg with a Louis XIVth feeling. On the outside, our class has gained recog- nition through participation in competitions. In one contest, sponsored by Parents Magazine, Jane Cutton, Sally Rob, and Hank Keeling each received twenty-five dollar awards. Their prize- winning designs of a room for two teen-age girls were exhibited in the publication Calling All Girls. Il say old girl’ Jack Muller was awarded one hundred dollars for his design submitted in the Chicago Herald Tribune Contest for the design of an interior. In the years to come, when we shall be prin- cipally occupied with the fervor of the American way of life, we can recall with satisfaction the imbued impressions of our three-year sojourn in Pratt.

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the best judged design for the first project of the fall term—a parallel study of the: Minnesota State Veterans Service Building Competition. Caleb Hornbostel was the professional critic on this project. Around the Thanksgiving holiday, the architects took a paper vacation as they designed their Florida Resort Hotels. The prize winner illustrated in the adjacent panel was submitted by Roy Lent who won the twenty-five dollar prize sponsored by the design critic, Lloyd Morgan. In winding up the fall term, the architects demon- strated their abilities in interior design by collaborating on a town planning project which added a decorative veneer to the gallery of our third floor atelier. The two collab groups chairmanned by Herb Holmgren and Roy Lent submitted the outstand- ing designs as judged by a jury composed of distinguished members of the Brooklyn Chapter A.I.A. John Takeuchi, not to be outdone by the no show in the collab project, came back to cop a one hundred dollar prize in the Chicago Tribune's com- petition for Interior Designs. Although most of the seniors were occupied primarily with their thesis projects in the second semester, some of them entered the competition for a memorial library which was sponsored by the Brooklyn Chapter's Committee on Education. Dick Pfeiffer was awarded fifty dollars for his prize-winning design. Several sketch problems were included in the year's program. One of those, 19 architects You have brushed aside the difficulties of a broken up course of studies to set a very high standard for me to look for in succeeding classes. You are truly an outstanding class. ’ Olindo Grossi interior design What can be said about our Interior Design- ers? Never before have we had such a fine group and never before has there been such a fine co- operative spirit in both work and play. The quality of the work produced during this past year will always serve to stimulate the optimism we hold for the future. Konrad Wittman