Michael Sorkin's early unbuilt provocations on view at Columbia

The exhibition 'People Cross Against the Light' at Columbia University's Arthur Ross Architecture Gallery showcases Michael Sorkin's early architectural proposals from the 1980s and 1990s, drawn from his archive donated by Joan Copjec. Curated by Bart-Jan Polman, it pairs Sorkin's designs with his writings, emphasizing his view of both as intertwined creative acts. Projects include the 1987 'Mass Movement' for Times Square, animal-like houses from 1993, a 1991 proposal for Church Street, and 'Tracked Houses' (1990) responding to Trump's Riverside South development. The show also features his urban design sketches for Governors Island and East New York. Sorkin's writings, displayed in vitrines and on walls, reveal his sharp criticism of figures like Philip Johnson, Peter Eisenman, and Robert Venturi. A symposium with collaborators including Kent Hikida, Andrei Vovk, James Wines, Thom Mayne, Vyjayanthi Rao, Deen Sharp, Ana María Durán Calisto, Teddy Cruz, and Fonna Forma honored Sorkin's legacy. The exhibition runs through June 26 but is hindered by restricted campus access due to security protocols.