UC Seniors Shaping a Gem for Their City Date: June 2, 2000 By: Mary Bridget Reilly Phone: (513) 556-1824 Archive: General News Seniors from some of the most well-respected design programs in the nation are sewing, soldering and sketching during their final student days to showcase what they've learned at the University of Cincinnati in an annual show for the city called "DAAPworks." "DAAPworks" will open from 5-8 p.m. on Monday, June 5. It will continue noon-9 p.m. Tuesday, June 6-Friday, June 9, and from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday June 10. The show, free and open to the public, will be held at the Albert B. Sabin Convention Center. The first thing visitors to the exhibit will see is the handiwork of all 43 graduating graphic design students. (UC's graphic design program has been rated the best in the country in surveys of professionals.) These students have created a large-scale panel display as well as Web site and coffee-table book telling the history of their college and the university, particularly focusing on the award-winning architecture to be found at UC. Other individual projects to be found at "DAAPworks" follow: A "modern chandelier," a sculptural chandelier that slowly rotates while producing a light show. The heat of the 300-watt bulb powers the movement of the chandelier while the passage of the bulb's light through candle-shaped glass sends crescents of colored light dancing along nearby walls and ceiling. Cutting-edge fashions that focus on flexibility and fun: pants, skirts and shirts that can be altered to any shape or size through a series of drawstrings criss-crossing the surface of the garments. A set of upright, narrow, cylinder-shaped fans that perform the function of ceiling fans but don t require installation. The fans rest on stands so they can be moved easily from room to room, in front of a window air conditioner or heating vent for improved distribution of cool or warm air. Architectural designs include an industrial site where all the walls are glass, and so, all the machinery functions are constantly visible and open to examination; a public bathroom for Venice Beach, California; and a graveyard for the Bronx, New York. Planning projects include case studies of suburban development in Forest Park and Symmes Township; growth management strategies for Lebanon, Ohio; a revitalization plan for Batavia, Ohio; and a light rail line to provide a strong east-west transportation connection in the city. One project, titled "Curtains Up!: New Life for Old Theaters," seeks to renovate and redevelop three local historic movie theaters in Over-the-Rhine and the West End The Empire at Vine and Liberty, the Imperial at Mohawk and McMicken, and The Casino at Linn and Clark streets. Planning student Adam Rosa's ideas include transforming Over-the-Rhine's Empire into a night club/concert venue as an extension to the Main Street entertainment district, and turning the Imperial Theater into a community center. Fine art students will exhibit a variety of works in painting, sculpture, fibers, printmaking, drawing and photography. For more information about "DAAPworks," call UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning at 513-556-4933.