Letter from the Editor

“ Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.”

— ARNOLD EDINBOROUGH

SECRETARY@AIABROOKLYN.ORG 718-797-4242 WWW.AIABROOKLYN.ORG

Connoisseur-ism

I’ve recently been giving some thought about what it means to be a connoisseur. In the dictionary, a connoisseur is described as: one who enjoys with discrimination and appreciation of subtleties. I found this definition not only charming in its description but also slightly different than what I thought a connoisseur is. My belief was that a connoisseur is a high-level expert in something, like wine or cheese, as opposed to being a person who is a member of the fan club. The idea that an expert can be born out of fascination got me to thinking about the role that curiosity plays in knowledge.

In thinking about my own education and experience, I started to wonder whether one weighed more than the other for me. While I’m a big believer in education (the price tag of my own is proof of this), I’m also a believer in the kind of education and knowledge that you gain through practical work. Although both have their merit and both are a typical path in life for many of us, even with my education and experience, I wouldn’t have considered myself a connoisseur of anything before reading that definition. The way that I see it, connoisseur-ism, or the act of being a connoisseur, doesn’t necessarily have to do with where you went to school or what you’ve accomplished in life, but rather what you choose to focus on and assign yourself to knowing. So, in conclusion, it seems that being curious might be the basis for being a true Connoisseur and quite possibly more important in life so that you’re never bored, never done learning and always seeking the beautiful experiences that may ultimately make you a connoisseur of life!

This issue is dedicated to learning, knowledge and to those people who are shaping the future of our profession. We have dedicated the AIA Brooklyn section to a Special Feature about the Brooklyn Architects Scholarship Foundation (BASF) and this year’s recipients of The Foundation’s scholarships. AIA Brooklyn is looking forward to working with The Foundation to build on this history and help push the vision.

We also have an inspiring interview with Pratt Institute Dean Harriet Harriss and Department Chair of Architectural Technology at New York City College of Technology Sanjive Vaidya about the tenacity with which they are leading two Brooklyn Schools of Architecture through a pandemic and into the future. My hope is that, as you flip through the pages of this issue, you learn something that you didn’t know before and that you become or remain curious about what the future of our profession will be.

TALISHA L. SAINVIL, AIA EDITOR IN CHIEF