Rice University’s School of Architecture hosted a launch event to unveil “Cite 104,” the latest edition of Cite: The Architecture and Design Review of Houston, and to celebrate the publication’s 40th anniversary Nov. 15 at Basket Books & Art.
“We are thrilled to bring this commemorative issue of Cite to the Houston public, celebrating both the history of the journal and all the bridges between our school and the city that it helped build,” said Igor Marjanović, the William Ward Watkin Dean of Rice Architecture. “I am grateful to all those who contributed to Cite both historically and now — their voices will allow us to not only look back but also look forward and re-imagine what a school journal and a Houston design review might look like in the future.”
Cite was established in 1982 by Rice Design Alliance (RDA), the community engagement program of Rice Architecture founded in 1972 by the school’s first dean, David Crane. The magazine has been an architecture, engineering and design community anchor and a unique platform for Houston, connecting scholarship with public advocacy around critical urban, societal and environmental issues.
The anniversary issue was guest edited and designed by Reto Geiser, associate professor and co-director of undergraduate studies at Rice Architecture. It reflects on the legacy of Cite and RDA — as well as Houston’s current moment in time — with more than 200 pages of insightful and engaging content.
Geiser also curated a special exhibition to highlight the rich history of Cite through the decades. The display includes images from pivotal moments, covers and photographic works by Leonid Furmansky, Paul Hester and Marianne Mueller, which are featured in “Cite 104.” These images, both past and present, represent some of the most recognizable spaces and places of Houston. The exhibition is on display at Basket Books & Art through Dec. 10.
The first part of “Cite 104” contains an illustrated oral history with founding RDA members and people involved with the production of the magazine over the years. This section is indebted to a seminar course titled “Houston Talks,” taught by Geiser in which Rice Architecture students interviewed several of the members who shaped RDA and Cite. The second part of this anniversary issue is dedicated to a renewed look at Houston along three thematic subsections that include visual contributions by such artists as Jamal Cyrus, Marianne Mueller, Thomas Struth and Vincent Valdez.
Along with conversations, criticism, field notes, historical case studies, projects conceptualized but never built and essays covering challenges like homelessness and affordable housing, “Cite 104” reflects on a culture of excess and tackles urbanistic, environmental and infrastructural issues. The magazine is a collection of 50 contributions including those by Curtis Davis B.A. ’75, Judith K. De Jong, Peter K. Haff, Joy Horak-Brown, Scott Austin Key M.Arch. ’13, Jeffrey S. Nesbit and Enrique Ramirez.
Additional information and a link to purchase “Cite 104” can be found here.
