Deadline: March 6, 2009

Although by definition, IP refers to intangible objects—ideas, expressive forms, marks of identity—governance of the tangible and intangible are increasingly intertwined. The Institute and the SSRC invite proposals to generate new knowledge about those boundaries and interconnections, especially as they affect the organization of public space and public life.

The solicitation covers a wide range of possible inquiries, from the saturation of public space by copyrighted images; to the spatial and social organization of counterfeiting and piracy; to the changing function of libraries, newsstands and older models of circulation of knowledge and information goods; to the redesign of public spaces, institutions, and services in function of privatized information flows.

The VAI-SSRC New York Prize Fellowship prioritizes work that brings together social scientists with architects and designers in an effort to cross-fertilize these often distinct forms of knowledge production and public engagement. A strong interdisciplinary approach and active engagement with contemporary urban public life and the built environment are the primary requirements for the prize.

Fellowships support independent projects in a range of formats – such as workshops, roundtables, installations, and symposia. Awards include project funding up to $10,000, stipend, work and gallery space at the Institute, and publication in the Institute’s annual series Projects in Public Architecture. Fellows will pursue projects in a multidisciplinary workshop environment amidst architects and other spatial practitioners, and actively participate in the Institute’s activities and programs. They will also be part of the SSRC community and Public Sphere program, and will be encouraged to both draw on and contribute to that collective project.

Information & Application Guidelines: Van Alen Institute