Andrew Nathanson

Connecticut College '13

More About Me

I'm a 3-dimensional thinker with a passion for marketing/branding/social media strategy and campaign development.

I care about graphics and visual information design and advertising, but I make sure that messages and goals are on target and aimed just right.

More importantly, I photograph, make 3D models in SketchUp, enjoy history, I fundraise, I'm an architectural studies major and I'm an expert whistler.

I make terrible puns, too.

My Resume | Branding | Graphic Design | Built Design | Architectural Design | Photography | SketchUp | Press

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Floralia 2013 was the most epic and amazing, heartwarming and exciting birthday party I’ve ever had and will likely ever receive in the future. Please allow me to say thank you in the way I can best communicate my thanks

These are nothing short of amazing
micropolisnyc:

Today is the 100th anniversary of Cass Gilbert’s Woolworth Building, one of New York’s most beautiful structures, and at the time of its opening, the world’s tallest skyscraper. 
On this day in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button in the White House, igniting 80,000 incandescent bulbs in the new, 792-foot Gothic tower.
So how does the New York City skyline compare to that of other world cities, a century after the Woolworth opened? 
Using Yoni Alter’s “Shapes of Cities” design series (above) as a starting point, I put the question to a number of architects and experts, some with an obvious New York bias, a couple who’ve worked abroad and have substantial international experience:
Carol Willis, Founder and Director of The Skyscraper Museum: “The skyscraper is an American invention and now it’s an American export. Hong Kong is visually the most stunning, because it’s the most exaggerated in terms of density of construction and the dramatic contrast with the landscape. [But] I’m partial to New York. Looking at the Empire State Building gives me the most joy of any structure in the city. The Empire State Building still stands for the 20th century triumph of New York. The capital of capital.” 
Rick Bell, Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects NY: ”New York’s profile has evolved over time, an eclectic mix of structures that are recognizable, resilient and robust.  In architectural terms the excitement generated by our skyline here in NYC results from diversity of form, iconographic silhouette and sustainable aspiration. The product is the most loved skyline in the world, heralded by cinema and evoked by writers to symbolize hope and progress.”
Hisham Youssef, Principal at RTKL Shanghai and Co-founder of the Architectural Association of UAE: “I know one thing for sure, the view coming into Manhattan from JFK as I cross the Triboro bridge is un-matchable anywhere in the world. Dubai has its Burj Khalifa, but it does not quite have the same skyline…..yet. Shanghai (Pudong) has a very impressive skyline, and so does Hong Kong. And Asia knows how to play it up with all the LED, and lights on buildings. Hong Kong and Shanghai are among the best in the world, but do not share the same romance as Manhattan……until they have made many movies and built up this appeal, I think.”
Erik M. Ghenoiu, Graduate Architecture and Urban Design School, Pratt Institute: “A glance at [Yoni] Alter’s images suffices to show that in the New York of the last 100 years, [the urge to exploit high rental values] has consistently beaten out monumentality. It’s why even something like the Freedom Tower will turn out to be so regrettably boring… 
“No city currently leads the world as the new architectural hotbed. Dubai, Shanghai, and Shenzhen no longer excite as much interest in the design fields as they did ten or even three years ago, and European favorites like Berlin and Barcelona have more or less wrapped up construction for the moment, and they didn’t accomplish as much in architectural terms as we had all hoped.”
Check out the Skyscraper Museum’s exhibition “The Woolworth Building @100”
Zoom Info
These are nothing short of amazing
micropolisnyc:

Today is the 100th anniversary of Cass Gilbert’s Woolworth Building, one of New York’s most beautiful structures, and at the time of its opening, the world’s tallest skyscraper. 
On this day in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button in the White House, igniting 80,000 incandescent bulbs in the new, 792-foot Gothic tower.
So how does the New York City skyline compare to that of other world cities, a century after the Woolworth opened? 
Using Yoni Alter’s “Shapes of Cities” design series (above) as a starting point, I put the question to a number of architects and experts, some with an obvious New York bias, a couple who’ve worked abroad and have substantial international experience:
Carol Willis, Founder and Director of The Skyscraper Museum: “The skyscraper is an American invention and now it’s an American export. Hong Kong is visually the most stunning, because it’s the most exaggerated in terms of density of construction and the dramatic contrast with the landscape. [But] I’m partial to New York. Looking at the Empire State Building gives me the most joy of any structure in the city. The Empire State Building still stands for the 20th century triumph of New York. The capital of capital.” 
Rick Bell, Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects NY: ”New York’s profile has evolved over time, an eclectic mix of structures that are recognizable, resilient and robust.  In architectural terms the excitement generated by our skyline here in NYC results from diversity of form, iconographic silhouette and sustainable aspiration. The product is the most loved skyline in the world, heralded by cinema and evoked by writers to symbolize hope and progress.”
Hisham Youssef, Principal at RTKL Shanghai and Co-founder of the Architectural Association of UAE: “I know one thing for sure, the view coming into Manhattan from JFK as I cross the Triboro bridge is un-matchable anywhere in the world. Dubai has its Burj Khalifa, but it does not quite have the same skyline…..yet. Shanghai (Pudong) has a very impressive skyline, and so does Hong Kong. And Asia knows how to play it up with all the LED, and lights on buildings. Hong Kong and Shanghai are among the best in the world, but do not share the same romance as Manhattan……until they have made many movies and built up this appeal, I think.”
Erik M. Ghenoiu, Graduate Architecture and Urban Design School, Pratt Institute: “A glance at [Yoni] Alter’s images suffices to show that in the New York of the last 100 years, [the urge to exploit high rental values] has consistently beaten out monumentality. It’s why even something like the Freedom Tower will turn out to be so regrettably boring… 
“No city currently leads the world as the new architectural hotbed. Dubai, Shanghai, and Shenzhen no longer excite as much interest in the design fields as they did ten or even three years ago, and European favorites like Berlin and Barcelona have more or less wrapped up construction for the moment, and they didn’t accomplish as much in architectural terms as we had all hoped.”
Check out the Skyscraper Museum’s exhibition “The Woolworth Building @100”
Zoom Info
These are nothing short of amazing
micropolisnyc:

Today is the 100th anniversary of Cass Gilbert’s Woolworth Building, one of New York’s most beautiful structures, and at the time of its opening, the world’s tallest skyscraper. 
On this day in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button in the White House, igniting 80,000 incandescent bulbs in the new, 792-foot Gothic tower.
So how does the New York City skyline compare to that of other world cities, a century after the Woolworth opened? 
Using Yoni Alter’s “Shapes of Cities” design series (above) as a starting point, I put the question to a number of architects and experts, some with an obvious New York bias, a couple who’ve worked abroad and have substantial international experience:
Carol Willis, Founder and Director of The Skyscraper Museum: “The skyscraper is an American invention and now it’s an American export. Hong Kong is visually the most stunning, because it’s the most exaggerated in terms of density of construction and the dramatic contrast with the landscape. [But] I’m partial to New York. Looking at the Empire State Building gives me the most joy of any structure in the city. The Empire State Building still stands for the 20th century triumph of New York. The capital of capital.” 
Rick Bell, Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects NY: ”New York’s profile has evolved over time, an eclectic mix of structures that are recognizable, resilient and robust.  In architectural terms the excitement generated by our skyline here in NYC results from diversity of form, iconographic silhouette and sustainable aspiration. The product is the most loved skyline in the world, heralded by cinema and evoked by writers to symbolize hope and progress.”
Hisham Youssef, Principal at RTKL Shanghai and Co-founder of the Architectural Association of UAE: “I know one thing for sure, the view coming into Manhattan from JFK as I cross the Triboro bridge is un-matchable anywhere in the world. Dubai has its Burj Khalifa, but it does not quite have the same skyline…..yet. Shanghai (Pudong) has a very impressive skyline, and so does Hong Kong. And Asia knows how to play it up with all the LED, and lights on buildings. Hong Kong and Shanghai are among the best in the world, but do not share the same romance as Manhattan……until they have made many movies and built up this appeal, I think.”
Erik M. Ghenoiu, Graduate Architecture and Urban Design School, Pratt Institute: “A glance at [Yoni] Alter’s images suffices to show that in the New York of the last 100 years, [the urge to exploit high rental values] has consistently beaten out monumentality. It’s why even something like the Freedom Tower will turn out to be so regrettably boring… 
“No city currently leads the world as the new architectural hotbed. Dubai, Shanghai, and Shenzhen no longer excite as much interest in the design fields as they did ten or even three years ago, and European favorites like Berlin and Barcelona have more or less wrapped up construction for the moment, and they didn’t accomplish as much in architectural terms as we had all hoped.”
Check out the Skyscraper Museum’s exhibition “The Woolworth Building @100”
Zoom Info
These are nothing short of amazing
micropolisnyc:

Today is the 100th anniversary of Cass Gilbert’s Woolworth Building, one of New York’s most beautiful structures, and at the time of its opening, the world’s tallest skyscraper. 
On this day in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button in the White House, igniting 80,000 incandescent bulbs in the new, 792-foot Gothic tower.
So how does the New York City skyline compare to that of other world cities, a century after the Woolworth opened? 
Using Yoni Alter’s “Shapes of Cities” design series (above) as a starting point, I put the question to a number of architects and experts, some with an obvious New York bias, a couple who’ve worked abroad and have substantial international experience:
Carol Willis, Founder and Director of The Skyscraper Museum: “The skyscraper is an American invention and now it’s an American export. Hong Kong is visually the most stunning, because it’s the most exaggerated in terms of density of construction and the dramatic contrast with the landscape. [But] I’m partial to New York. Looking at the Empire State Building gives me the most joy of any structure in the city. The Empire State Building still stands for the 20th century triumph of New York. The capital of capital.” 
Rick Bell, Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects NY: ”New York’s profile has evolved over time, an eclectic mix of structures that are recognizable, resilient and robust.  In architectural terms the excitement generated by our skyline here in NYC results from diversity of form, iconographic silhouette and sustainable aspiration. The product is the most loved skyline in the world, heralded by cinema and evoked by writers to symbolize hope and progress.”
Hisham Youssef, Principal at RTKL Shanghai and Co-founder of the Architectural Association of UAE: “I know one thing for sure, the view coming into Manhattan from JFK as I cross the Triboro bridge is un-matchable anywhere in the world. Dubai has its Burj Khalifa, but it does not quite have the same skyline…..yet. Shanghai (Pudong) has a very impressive skyline, and so does Hong Kong. And Asia knows how to play it up with all the LED, and lights on buildings. Hong Kong and Shanghai are among the best in the world, but do not share the same romance as Manhattan……until they have made many movies and built up this appeal, I think.”
Erik M. Ghenoiu, Graduate Architecture and Urban Design School, Pratt Institute: “A glance at [Yoni] Alter’s images suffices to show that in the New York of the last 100 years, [the urge to exploit high rental values] has consistently beaten out monumentality. It’s why even something like the Freedom Tower will turn out to be so regrettably boring… 
“No city currently leads the world as the new architectural hotbed. Dubai, Shanghai, and Shenzhen no longer excite as much interest in the design fields as they did ten or even three years ago, and European favorites like Berlin and Barcelona have more or less wrapped up construction for the moment, and they didn’t accomplish as much in architectural terms as we had all hoped.”
Check out the Skyscraper Museum’s exhibition “The Woolworth Building @100”
Zoom Info
These are nothing short of amazing
micropolisnyc:

Today is the 100th anniversary of Cass Gilbert’s Woolworth Building, one of New York’s most beautiful structures, and at the time of its opening, the world’s tallest skyscraper. 
On this day in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button in the White House, igniting 80,000 incandescent bulbs in the new, 792-foot Gothic tower.
So how does the New York City skyline compare to that of other world cities, a century after the Woolworth opened? 
Using Yoni Alter’s “Shapes of Cities” design series (above) as a starting point, I put the question to a number of architects and experts, some with an obvious New York bias, a couple who’ve worked abroad and have substantial international experience:
Carol Willis, Founder and Director of The Skyscraper Museum: “The skyscraper is an American invention and now it’s an American export. Hong Kong is visually the most stunning, because it’s the most exaggerated in terms of density of construction and the dramatic contrast with the landscape. [But] I’m partial to New York. Looking at the Empire State Building gives me the most joy of any structure in the city. The Empire State Building still stands for the 20th century triumph of New York. The capital of capital.” 
Rick Bell, Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects NY: ”New York’s profile has evolved over time, an eclectic mix of structures that are recognizable, resilient and robust.  In architectural terms the excitement generated by our skyline here in NYC results from diversity of form, iconographic silhouette and sustainable aspiration. The product is the most loved skyline in the world, heralded by cinema and evoked by writers to symbolize hope and progress.”
Hisham Youssef, Principal at RTKL Shanghai and Co-founder of the Architectural Association of UAE: “I know one thing for sure, the view coming into Manhattan from JFK as I cross the Triboro bridge is un-matchable anywhere in the world. Dubai has its Burj Khalifa, but it does not quite have the same skyline…..yet. Shanghai (Pudong) has a very impressive skyline, and so does Hong Kong. And Asia knows how to play it up with all the LED, and lights on buildings. Hong Kong and Shanghai are among the best in the world, but do not share the same romance as Manhattan……until they have made many movies and built up this appeal, I think.”
Erik M. Ghenoiu, Graduate Architecture and Urban Design School, Pratt Institute: “A glance at [Yoni] Alter’s images suffices to show that in the New York of the last 100 years, [the urge to exploit high rental values] has consistently beaten out monumentality. It’s why even something like the Freedom Tower will turn out to be so regrettably boring… 
“No city currently leads the world as the new architectural hotbed. Dubai, Shanghai, and Shenzhen no longer excite as much interest in the design fields as they did ten or even three years ago, and European favorites like Berlin and Barcelona have more or less wrapped up construction for the moment, and they didn’t accomplish as much in architectural terms as we had all hoped.”
Check out the Skyscraper Museum’s exhibition “The Woolworth Building @100”
Zoom Info
These are nothing short of amazing
micropolisnyc:

Today is the 100th anniversary of Cass Gilbert’s Woolworth Building, one of New York’s most beautiful structures, and at the time of its opening, the world’s tallest skyscraper. 
On this day in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button in the White House, igniting 80,000 incandescent bulbs in the new, 792-foot Gothic tower.
So how does the New York City skyline compare to that of other world cities, a century after the Woolworth opened? 
Using Yoni Alter’s “Shapes of Cities” design series (above) as a starting point, I put the question to a number of architects and experts, some with an obvious New York bias, a couple who’ve worked abroad and have substantial international experience:
Carol Willis, Founder and Director of The Skyscraper Museum: “The skyscraper is an American invention and now it’s an American export. Hong Kong is visually the most stunning, because it’s the most exaggerated in terms of density of construction and the dramatic contrast with the landscape. [But] I’m partial to New York. Looking at the Empire State Building gives me the most joy of any structure in the city. The Empire State Building still stands for the 20th century triumph of New York. The capital of capital.” 
Rick Bell, Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects NY: ”New York’s profile has evolved over time, an eclectic mix of structures that are recognizable, resilient and robust.  In architectural terms the excitement generated by our skyline here in NYC results from diversity of form, iconographic silhouette and sustainable aspiration. The product is the most loved skyline in the world, heralded by cinema and evoked by writers to symbolize hope and progress.”
Hisham Youssef, Principal at RTKL Shanghai and Co-founder of the Architectural Association of UAE: “I know one thing for sure, the view coming into Manhattan from JFK as I cross the Triboro bridge is un-matchable anywhere in the world. Dubai has its Burj Khalifa, but it does not quite have the same skyline…..yet. Shanghai (Pudong) has a very impressive skyline, and so does Hong Kong. And Asia knows how to play it up with all the LED, and lights on buildings. Hong Kong and Shanghai are among the best in the world, but do not share the same romance as Manhattan……until they have made many movies and built up this appeal, I think.”
Erik M. Ghenoiu, Graduate Architecture and Urban Design School, Pratt Institute: “A glance at [Yoni] Alter’s images suffices to show that in the New York of the last 100 years, [the urge to exploit high rental values] has consistently beaten out monumentality. It’s why even something like the Freedom Tower will turn out to be so regrettably boring… 
“No city currently leads the world as the new architectural hotbed. Dubai, Shanghai, and Shenzhen no longer excite as much interest in the design fields as they did ten or even three years ago, and European favorites like Berlin and Barcelona have more or less wrapped up construction for the moment, and they didn’t accomplish as much in architectural terms as we had all hoped.”
Check out the Skyscraper Museum’s exhibition “The Woolworth Building @100”
Zoom Info
These are nothing short of amazing
micropolisnyc:

Today is the 100th anniversary of Cass Gilbert’s Woolworth Building, one of New York’s most beautiful structures, and at the time of its opening, the world’s tallest skyscraper. 
On this day in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button in the White House, igniting 80,000 incandescent bulbs in the new, 792-foot Gothic tower.
So how does the New York City skyline compare to that of other world cities, a century after the Woolworth opened? 
Using Yoni Alter’s “Shapes of Cities” design series (above) as a starting point, I put the question to a number of architects and experts, some with an obvious New York bias, a couple who’ve worked abroad and have substantial international experience:
Carol Willis, Founder and Director of The Skyscraper Museum: “The skyscraper is an American invention and now it’s an American export. Hong Kong is visually the most stunning, because it’s the most exaggerated in terms of density of construction and the dramatic contrast with the landscape. [But] I’m partial to New York. Looking at the Empire State Building gives me the most joy of any structure in the city. The Empire State Building still stands for the 20th century triumph of New York. The capital of capital.” 
Rick Bell, Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects NY: ”New York’s profile has evolved over time, an eclectic mix of structures that are recognizable, resilient and robust.  In architectural terms the excitement generated by our skyline here in NYC results from diversity of form, iconographic silhouette and sustainable aspiration. The product is the most loved skyline in the world, heralded by cinema and evoked by writers to symbolize hope and progress.”
Hisham Youssef, Principal at RTKL Shanghai and Co-founder of the Architectural Association of UAE: “I know one thing for sure, the view coming into Manhattan from JFK as I cross the Triboro bridge is un-matchable anywhere in the world. Dubai has its Burj Khalifa, but it does not quite have the same skyline…..yet. Shanghai (Pudong) has a very impressive skyline, and so does Hong Kong. And Asia knows how to play it up with all the LED, and lights on buildings. Hong Kong and Shanghai are among the best in the world, but do not share the same romance as Manhattan……until they have made many movies and built up this appeal, I think.”
Erik M. Ghenoiu, Graduate Architecture and Urban Design School, Pratt Institute: “A glance at [Yoni] Alter’s images suffices to show that in the New York of the last 100 years, [the urge to exploit high rental values] has consistently beaten out monumentality. It’s why even something like the Freedom Tower will turn out to be so regrettably boring… 
“No city currently leads the world as the new architectural hotbed. Dubai, Shanghai, and Shenzhen no longer excite as much interest in the design fields as they did ten or even three years ago, and European favorites like Berlin and Barcelona have more or less wrapped up construction for the moment, and they didn’t accomplish as much in architectural terms as we had all hoped.”
Check out the Skyscraper Museum’s exhibition “The Woolworth Building @100”
Zoom Info

These are nothing short of amazing

micropolisnyc:

Today is the 100th anniversary of Cass Gilbert’s Woolworth Building, one of New York’s most beautiful structures, and at the time of its opening, the world’s tallest skyscraper. 

On this day in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button in the White House, igniting 80,000 incandescent bulbs in the new, 792-foot Gothic tower.

So how does the New York City skyline compare to that of other world cities, a century after the Woolworth opened? 

Using Yoni Alter’s “Shapes of Cities” design series (above) as a starting point, I put the question to a number of architects and experts, some with an obvious New York bias, a couple who’ve worked abroad and have substantial international experience:

Carol Willis, Founder and Director of The Skyscraper Museum: “The skyscraper is an American invention and now it’s an American export. Hong Kong is visually the most stunning, because it’s the most exaggerated in terms of density of construction and the dramatic contrast with the landscape. [But] I’m partial to New York. Looking at the Empire State Building gives me the most joy of any structure in the city. The Empire State Building still stands for the 20th century triumph of New York. The capital of capital.” 

Rick Bell, Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects NY: New York’s profile has evolved over time, an eclectic mix of structures that are recognizable, resilient and robust.  In architectural terms the excitement generated by our skyline here in NYC results from diversity of form, iconographic silhouette and sustainable aspiration. The product is the most loved skyline in the world, heralded by cinema and evoked by writers to symbolize hope and progress.

Hisham Youssef, Principal at RTKL Shanghai and Co-founder of the Architectural Association of UAE: “I know one thing for sure, the view coming into Manhattan from JFK as I cross the Triboro bridge is un-matchable anywhere in the world. Dubai has its Burj Khalifa, but it does not quite have the same skyline…..yet. Shanghai (Pudong) has a very impressive skyline, and so does Hong Kong. And Asia knows how to play it up with all the LED, and lights on buildings. Hong Kong and Shanghai are among the best in the world, but do not share the same romance as Manhattan……until they have made many movies and built up this appeal, I think.”

Erik M. Ghenoiu, Graduate Architecture and Urban Design School, Pratt Institute:A glance at [Yoni] Alter’s images suffices to show that in the New York of the last 100 years, [the urge to exploit high rental values] has consistently beaten out monumentality. It’s why even something like the Freedom Tower will turn out to be so regrettably boring… 

“No city currently leads the world as the new architectural hotbed. Dubai, Shanghai, and Shenzhen no longer excite as much interest in the design fields as they did ten or even three years ago, and European favorites like Berlin and Barcelona have more or less wrapped up construction for the moment, and they didn’t accomplish as much in architectural terms as we had all hoped.”

Check out the Skyscraper Museum’s exhibition “The Woolworth Building @100”

jhermann:

gotitforcheap:

vinceborg2050:

effington:

popculturebrain:

collegehumor:

Music Videos Without Music: Thrift Shop

CollegeHumor teamed up with “Music Videos Without Music” to bring you the best non-music you’ve never heard. You definitely need to hear more of Mikolaj Gackowski’s work on the YouTube.

Who knew Macklemore minus the music equals experimental film art?

This is truly one of the greatest and funniest things I think I’ve ever seen.

this is ufcknig incredible

incredibl

this was a good 5 times funnier than I thought it would be 

if only they had combined this with a bad lip dub approach to the lyrics

Name: Andrew Nathanson

Class Year: 2013

Major: Architectural Studies

Hometown: Purchase, New York

First off, as a Senior, where do you find the time to be so involved on campus? Do you have any immediate plans after you graduate? If so, what are you most looking forward to?

It’s true, some people don’t think I go to class. I do, but I just try to make time for the projects I really enjoy. Google Calendar is my lifeline and I’m usually awake earlier than most. I am not set on post-college plans yet; I’ll have an architectural studies major, an enjoyment of event production, and an interest in marketing and branding strategy, so we’ll see what happens! 

It’s amazing that you have an independent photography project, CONNPiX. How did this project get started, and what, in your opinion, is it all about?

CONNPiX is a personal project that I started to accomplish numerous goals. First and foremost, I wanted to force myself to simply bring my camera out more. Additionally, it’s a chance for me to help capture my own senior year. It’s just an added bonus that I have this campus as a backdrop. When I was abroad in Rome during the fall of my junior year, I kept a similar blog, and I thought the idea could translate this year, as well. I’ve been flattered by the response CONNPiX has been getting. Future Camels have been finding it which is really exciting.

As a well-known student photographer and intern on campus, how does it feel to have some of your works published on the Connecticut College website, in the CC: Magazine, and in various College promotional materials and videos? Also, when did you first start getting interested in photography?

Photography for College Relations is, by far, one of the greatest opportunities I’ve had at Conn. I’ve been to events I wouldn’t have otherwise gone to… I’ve met trustees… I’ve been sort of behind the scenes with President Higdon… Some of my absolute favorite memories come from photo gigs, including my visit up the steeple of Harkess Chapel for Founder’s Day in 2011, as well as the various theater department shows and performances like Fusion. Having my photos published is a thrill. I never know what’s going to be in the magazine or on the website, so it’s a fun surprise. As for my history with photography, I just grew up with a camera nearby. Some people are artistic photographers, but I quite enjoy event/live action photography. My mantra is to take the shot until I get it right, not to use photoshop if at all possible. That means a theater show can get upwards of 1,000 images just so I can find the few that are perfect.

It appears you have won several awards for your photos! Back in February of 2011, two of your New London photographs were awarded 2nd and 3rd place in the LINCC Photography Contest! Also, in September 2011, your photograph of Connecticut College’s very own Harkness Chapel received enough votes to be placed on The Day’s 2012 New London Calendar. Wow, congratulations! Would you mind sharing with us at least one of your winning photos? 

The LINCC contest was part of the Centennial so it was very fun to have a few photos in the same exhibition as archival images which, to me, are fascinating. For those who voted in The Day’s contest and now get weekly spam because of it: I’m sorry!

Given your involvement in the Arts & Technology center, can you tell us a little bit more about your interests in graphic and visual information design, social media, and advertising?

My senior project for the Center for Arts and Technology is coming up in just a few weeks. In short, I have combined my interests in architecture, history, and event production to create a project on a massive scale: I’ve built a documentary-of-sorts about Cummings Arts Center which will be projected onto the Temple Green side of the building with two high-power projectors. It’s free and open to the everyone—Wednesday, April 24th outside Cummings, on loop between 8:30 and 10:30pm. Also, there’ll be a Cummings-shaped cake. 

What are some of the challenges you have faced as the Class of 2013’s Co-Chair of the Senior Giving Fund?

I view Senior Giving as a way to say thanks—to a professor, coach, department, program—by giving future students the opportunity to experience what we have experienced. It’s difficult to explain to seniors that their funds don’t benefit a specific person, be it an administrator or faculty member, but support the College as a whole. Often, we get competitive and try to get higher and higher participation, which is great, but I’m most proud of each meaningful gift.

In the fall of 2012, you became the founder of Project rePLAY; a campaign to replace and tune deteriorating pianos in dorm commons rooms at Connecticut College. After receiving 500+ student signatures and financial support, how did you eventually achieve your goal? 

Project rePLAY was a combination of luck and timing. In 2010, I mentioned to a Major Gifts Officer that perhaps an alum might be interested in restoring the pianos in the dorms since they hadn’t been tuned in years. Sure enough, an alumna and her husband actually helped restore and replace Steinway pianos for the music department. Since the “Steinway School” distinction means there can only be Steinways in the department, there were a few left-over, used pianos that were in great condition. We were able to start bringing those to the dorms, and the student show of support influenced SGA to help fund tuning and repair costs. There are more conversations to be had, but I hope that as pianos become available, we can move them to the dorms as replacements while keeping up tuning for all. I sincerely hope eventually the College will find a donor to endow the program! It would really show how philanthropy influences our student experiences in ways that we rarely notice.

Last year, you studied Architecture History at the Pantheon Institute in Rome, Italy. How was your study abroad experience? Did studying in Italy change or affect the way you perceive Architecture? Overall, what was the most rewarding aspect of your time abroad?

At first, I hesitated about studying abroad. I was concerned about “missing out” on life at Conn. I realized, though, that there are few times when you can just pack up and move across the world for four months—in the real world, I would have had to change my address, perhaps my citizenship, etc. I am certainly happy I chose to go. I had been to Europe just once before, and I savored the chance to travel both within Italy and around Europe. I studied architecture and art history and, by far, the most memorable experiences came from the Vatican where our professor was, for lack of the correct term, the head of restoration and preservation St. Peter’s Basilica  We had access to places few ever see, including attic spaces above the Basilica and below, into the Secret Archives made famous in Dan Brown books. At one point, we were only about five feet from the Pope!

In the architecture realm, my biggest realization came when thinking about relative age and preservation. In the U.S., anything that’s older than, say, 1920 might be considered historic. Anything from the 1800s is practically a monument! In Rome, I was living in a building constructed in the 1600 or 1700s but that meant absolutely nothing when the building next door is from the 1200s and the Colosseum is less than a mile away.

Clearly, you have been extremely involved on campus - and there are still so many more things you are involved in that aren’t mentioned here! Therefore, I ask, do you have any words of wisdom you’d like to share with your fellow underclassman? 
 
I admit, it looks like I do a lot of stuff. The most important part, though, is that I really care about the projects I find myself involved with. As long as you’re doing work you enjoy, it does’t feel tedious or difficult. Truthfully, there are days where I look forward to the meetings I have, and if you’re feeling that, I think it’s a good thing. I started photographing for College Relations in my freshman year and pretty much every project or job I’ve done since has grown out of that work or the people I met in Becker House, so be open to the new opportunities that get thrown at you unexpectedly.

http://www.hercampus.com/school/conn-coll/campus-celebrity-andrew-nathanson

connpix:

Flashback: Founder’s Day 2011
Today is Founder’s Day and the 102nd birthday of Connecticut College and this is one of my all-time favorite photos. I was lucky enough to climb the Harkness Chapel steeple to photograph the bell and view, and I’m excited to reprise the climb again today. 

Seriously one of my favorite Conn pictures in my time here.
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connpix:

Flashback: Founder’s Day 2011

Today is Founder’s Day and the 102nd birthday of Connecticut College and this is one of my all-time favorite photos. I was lucky enough to climb the Harkness Chapel steeple to photograph the bell and view, and I’m excited to reprise the climb again today. 

Seriously one of my favorite Conn pictures in my time here.

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