MA in Urban Design Programme Leader

My teaching responsibilities stretch across the whole School of Architecture with current focus on the MA in Urban Design (MAUD) und undergraduate Humanites courses.

I coordinate and teach in the MAUD design studio; teach Urban History and Theory to PGT students; co-coordinate and part-deliver the 3rd year lecture course Urban (Hi)stories; supervise PhD, March and 3rd year dissertations. Until recently I also ran the MArch Design Studio 9 (Security; emPOWERment; Consumption), and mentored MArch Live Projects.

I am working within a number of research areas that have one underlying and combining dominator – they are all concerned with a critical investigation of the production of architecture, cities and the urban realm. This spans from a) research into the experimental production of architecture through exhibitions and installations; b) research into the readings and mediation of cities; c) research into the just development of cities and our urban environment. All three areas find direct entry into my teaching within the School of Architecture.

I am also a member of the Research Centre AGENCY that is concerned with 'Transformative Research into Architectural Practice and Education'.

Current Research Projects

Urban (Hi)stories (with S. Walker)
This is an ongoing research and publication project originating from the Urban Histories lecture series in Year 3 of the School of Architecture at the University of Sheffield. The project aims to challenge the narrow definitions of cities that continue in circulation within architectural education and practice.

The project is engaged with transforming the ways in which, or the tools with which, both citizens and architects might understand cities more broadly. It investigates hereby the dialectic between alleged subjective and objective, of the position of the amateur and the professional, and tests the portrayal through former against the orthodoxy of the latter. It does this through a concrete investigation and portrayal of world-wide selection of city case studies (including Berlin, Tokyo, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, Rome, Las Vegas, Lagos, or Mumbai).

The project is currently in the stage of developing a book proposal. The current lecture series (2010/11) has include a range of new city-case-studies to broaden the scope of the project. One paper has already been presented at the conference Metropolitan Desires, University of Manchester; a second has been accepted for presentation at the conference Portrait of the City, University College Dublin.

Otto Steidle – Urban Architect
This research project is based on my previous extensive collaboration with and work on the German architect Otto Steidle (1943-2004). Otto Steidle has been one of the most influential German architects in the last 3 decades of the 20th century with a vast range of projects, from housing, to offices and educational buildings as well as urban master plans.

Previous publications and exhibitions have been characterised through a very personal engagement with and of Steidle. This current research tries to evaluate Steidle's oeuvre and his contribution to the development of German, and European, architecture with a critical distance and aims to produce a long overdue monograph that helps to positions Steidle and his work within contemporary architectural history and introduces his work to an audience beyond Germany and Central Europe.

2009, IBL GRANT, Cilass - University of Sheffield, for: ‘Theory Forum 09’, Total Grant: £3,930, jointly responsible together with D. Petrescu, T. Schneider and S. Walker.

2008, Culture 2007, European Union, for: ‘RHYZOM – trans local cultural production’, Overall project budget: Euro 380,000; Sheffield budget: Euro 46,500, joint PI for Sheffield part with C. Cerulli, D. Petrescu and T. Schneider for AGENCY

2007, ACCESS into Architecture, Scottish Executive/The Lighthouse, for: ‘SHIFTS – Projections into the Future of the Central Belt’, total budget £117.500, sole PI, participating research and design practices: Cadell2, Collective Architects, GRAS, vD&B

2007, SIX Cities, Scottish Executive, for: ‘Glasgow is Made by Us’, total budget £52.750, leading PI, collaborating PIs/research hand design practices: After the News, Do Architecture, erz ltd., NORD

2006, Culture 2000, European Union, for: ‘PEPRAV - European Platform for Alternative Practice and Research on the City’, Overall project budget: Euro 190,000; Sheffield budget: Euro 22,000, joint PI for Sheffield part with D. Petrescu and T. Schneider

2005, Innovation Fund, The Lighthouse/Scottish Executive, for: ‘On the Edge’, £5,000, joint grant holder with A. Atlee and T. Schneider on behalf of the workers co-operative G.L.A.S.

2004, Innovation Fund, The Lighthouse/Scottish Executive, for: ‘Tales between Two Cities’, £4.700, sole grant holder and PI

2003, Innovation Fund, The Lighthouse/Scottish Executive + British Council, for: ‘Unser Berlin / Our Berlin’, £8,000, joint grant holder with A. Atlee and T. Schneider on behalf of the workers co-operative G.L.A.S.

2002 and 2003, Scottish Arts Council, Professional Development Fund, total £1,000, sole grant holder

2002, Innovation Fund, The Lighthouse/Scottish Executive, for: 'glaspaper – learning and education', £5000, joint grant holder with A. Atlee and T. Schneider on behalf of the workers co-operative G.L.A.S.

2001, Lottery Funding, Scottish Arts Council, for: ‘Urban Cabaret’, £8,675, joint grant holder with A. Atlee and T. Schneider on behalf of the workers co-operative G.L.A.S.

Tingting Han: ‘Conservation Plans for Historical Areas in China’ (First Supervisor)

Hassan Khalifehei: ‘A New Sustainable Future for Isfahan, Iran’ (Second Supervisor)

Member of the Sheffield Urban Think Tank. SUTT is a collaborative venture involving the Sheffield City Council, Integreat Plus, Creative Sheffield and the two Sheffield Universities. SUTT is part of the Academy of Urbanism´s UniverCities initiative.

Member of the editorial board for the forthcoming RIBA Publication “Sheffield – Shaping the City”.

Books- in Print (authored/co-authored)
Kossak, F, Noël, D. (2002) Portrait de Ville: Hambourg. Paris: Institut français d'architecture. 72

Books- in Print (edited/co-edited)
Kossak, F., Petrescu, D., Schneider, T., Tyszczuk, R. and S. Walker (eds.), (2009). Agency – Working with uncertain architectures. London: Routledge. 178

Kossak, F., (ed.), (2007) Shifts – Projections into the Future of the Central Belt. Glasgow: The Lighthouse. 176

Kossak, F (ed.),(2007). Glasgow is Made by Us. Glasgow: The Lighthouse. 18

Kossak, F., Petrescu, D., Schneider, T. and IYO (eds.) (2007). Live Projects and Alternative Ways of Practice: The Live Project ‘Live Project’. Sheffield: Agency Research Centre. 36

Kossak, F, (ed). (1994). Otto Steidle – Bewohnbare Bauten/Structures for Living, Zurich: Artemis. 152

Steidle, O., von Gagern, V. and Kossak, F., (1993). Architectural. Munich: Nazraeli Press. 144

Book Chapters– in Print
Cerulli, C., Kossak, F. Petrescu, D. and Schneider, T. (2010). ‘Agencies of Live Projects for a (trans)local cultural production’, in aaa/RHYZOM (eds.), Trans-Local-Act, Paris: aaa

Kossak, F., Petrescu, D., Schneider, T., Tyszczuk, R. and S. Walker (2009). ‘Agency: working with uncertain architectures’, in: Agency: working with uncertain architectures. London, Routledge: 1-18.

Kossak, F., (2008), ‘Exhibiting Architecture: The Installation as Laboratory for Emerging Architecture’ in Chaplin, S. and Stara, A. (eds), Curating Architecture and the City. London: Routledge. 117-128

Kossak, F. and T. Schneider (2007). ‘G.L.A.S.’, in: aaa/PEPRAV (eds), UrbanAct – a handbook for alternative practice. Paris: aaa. 130-141.

Kossak, F., (2007), ‘Thinking about Berlin’, in: Tyszczuk, R. (ed.) Architecture and Interdependence: Mappings and Explorations by Studio Six. Cambridge: Shed. 88-93.

Kossak, F., (2006), ‘Urban Cabaret’, in: Hayden, F (ed), Temporary Urban Spaces. Basel: Birkhäuser.

Steidle, O., Kossak, F., Möller, H. and T. Schneider (2001). Unity and fragmentation. in: Paris olympiques. Twelve architectural and Urban Planning Projects for the 2008 Games. Paris, Le Moniteur. 158-67.

Schneider, T., Kossak, F., and Atlee, A., (2000). ‘Study of the consequences of the single detached house’, in: Mandrelli: Citta’ Terzo millennio : International Competition of Ideas. Venezia, Marsilio Editori. 348-351.

Kossak, F., (2000), ’Gebrüder Frank - Chronologie auf einen Blick’, in: Kossak, A. (ed.), (2000). 75 Jahre Wohnungsbau - 75 Jahre Frank, Hamburg: D. Niedecken / Firma Frank. insert

Kossak, F., (1999), ‘La Natura del Luogo’, in: Imperadori (ed.), Insieme - Premio Studio 1999, Milan: Maggiogli. 21-22

Kossak, F., (1994), ‘Structures habitables’, in: Goulet (ed.), Fênetre sur cour, Paris: Ifa. 7-10

Kossak, F. (1994), 'Konzepte Passiver Klimaregulation', in: Oswalt (ed), Wohltemperierte Architektur. Heidelberg: Müller. 45-48

Kossak, F., (1994), 'Bewohnbare Bauten/Structures for Living', in: Otto Steidle. Zurich: Artemis. 7-12

Kossak, F., (1993), 'Architektur aufspüren/Going to architecture', in: Architectural. Munich: Nazraeli Press. 127-137

Kossak, F. and Oswalt, P. (1992) ‘Intelligent Bauen / To build intelligently’’, in: Oswalt, (ed.), Wohltemperierte Architektur / Welltempered Architecture, Berlin: Aedes. 3-5

Book Chapters– in Press
Kossak, F. (2011). ‘Productive Exhibitions – Looking backwards to go forward', in: Hale, Hanks, Macleod (eds.), Museum Making: Narratives, Architectures, Exhibitions. London: Routledge

Edited Journal
Cerulli, C. and Kossak, F. Agency and the Praxis of Activism, field:journal, Volume 3, issue 1 (December 2009)

Refereed Journal Articles – in Print
AGENCY research group (2009). ‘Review Article. Before and After AGENCY’. Footprint (4): 113 122.

Non-Refereed Papers, Reports & other Publications – in Print
Kossak, F., Petrescu, D. and T. Schneider, (2006). “Reflection on IYO and its role in PEPRAV.” IYO(1). 34. [article]

Kossak, F. (2005), Tales between two Cities – a small guide, Glasgow: The Lighthouse. 16 [exhibition catlogue]

Atlee, A., Barber, J., Kossak, F. and Schneider, T. (2005). 'The Preliminary Charter of Oppositional Architecture'. AnArchitektur (14). 66-67. [article]

Kossak, F. with GLAS, (2005), 'On the Edge', glaspaper 09/2005, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 9-16 [photo essay]

Kossak, F., (2005), 'On Heritage', glaspaper 09/2005, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 7 [article]

Kossak, F., (2005), 'Retour de Voyage dans les Capitals de L’Europe de l’Est', Archiscopie 48/March 2005, Paris: Institut français d'architecture. 19-21. [article]

Délisse, C. (ed), (2005), ‘With or Without Building’, Future Academy Edinburgh Symposium, Discussion Transcript. [http://www.mythic-beasts.com/~gram/edinburgh/Architecture_Symposium.pdf]. [discussion transcript]

Kossak, F., (2004), New Gorbals – Renouvellement urbain à Glasgow. Archiscopie 42/été, Paris: Institut français d'architecture, 26-27. [article]

Kossak, F., (2004), 'Die Stadt als Detail – Gedanken zur Architektur Otto Steidles', Detail 6/2004, München: Institut für intern. Architektur-Dokumentation. 638-639. [article]

Kossak, F., (2004), 'Otto Steidle, 1943 – 2004', Archiscopie 40/April 2004, Paris: Institut français d’architecture. 19-20. [article]

Kossak, F., (2004), 'Albert Dock - Liverpool, glaspaper 08/2004, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 11 [artwork/article]

Atlee, A., Kossak, F., and Schneider, T. (2004), 'Spaces of Labour, Orte der Arbeit', glaspaper 08/2004, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 2-3 [editorial]

G.L.A.S. (2004), 'GlasWar', product Issue 9, April 04. 29-34 [artwork]

Kossak, F. (2003), 'Homes from Heroes', glaspaper 07/2003, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 24-25. [art work/article]

Kossak, F. (2003), 'girl with grenade ...', glaspaper 07/2003, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 3. [art work]

Kossak, F. (2003), 'Total War' glaspaper 05-06/2003, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 21. [article/art work]

Kossak, F. (2003), 'Fortress Europe', glaspaper 05-06/2003, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 7. [article]

Kossak, F. (2003), 'Embedded Architecture', glaspaper 05-06/2003, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 6. [art work]

Kossak, F., (2002), 'It's PFI ... And Bust', glaspaper 04/2002, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 10-11. [article]

Kossak, F., (2002), 'The Value of Architecture Centres', glaspaper 04/2002, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 18-19. [article]

Kossak, F., (2002), 'Thomas Hirschhorn's Bataille Monument', glaspaper 04/2002, September 2002, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 20-21. [article]

Kossak, F., (2002), 'Glasgow – Demolition', glaspaper 03/2002, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 18. [artwork]

Kossak, F., (2002), 'Passage through a De-Industrialised City', glaspaper 03/2002, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 14-15. [artwork]

Kossak, F., (2002), 'Cedric Price on Delight', glaspaper 02/2002, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 8-9 [interview article]

Kossak, F., (2002), 'Welcome to Fortress Europe', glaspaper 02/2002, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 10. [article]

Kossak F. and Schneider, T. (2002). 'Rosie Kane: I hope the Motorway will never be built.' glaspaper 02/2002, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 14-15. [interview article]

Kossak, F., (2002), 'Urban Cabaret - a résumé', glaspaper 02/2002, Glasgow: G.L.A.S. 22. [article]

Kossak, F., (ed),(2000), Otto Steidle: Neue und unbekannte Projekte. Augsburg: Architekturmuseum Schwaben. [exhibition catalogue]

Kossak, F. (1997), 'Project X', Der Architekt, 4/97. 'Krieg und Frieden – Zerstörung und Wiederaufbau'. 234-236. [article]