out of frame: Letter from the Editor 2021-22

out of frame is a student-edited platform supported by MIT Architecture. Angela Loescher-Montal (M.Arch 2023) has begun her term as the out of frame Editor for 2021-22. Read her letter to the MIT Community, as well as highlights from summer posts, below. 

Dear MIT Community and beyond,

I am filled with humble delight and bubbling excitement stepping into the role of Editor for out of frame this upcoming academic year (2021-2022). It is a particular honor to take over the position after the dedicated, hard work of the editors who have come before me. I would like first and foremost to thank our most recent editor Ana McIntosh for her unwavering perseverance and commitment. 

As we transition back into in-person learning (my fingers and toes remain crossed!), one of the first questions that emerges is how out of frame can adapt to better serve an in-person format. It was, after all, a COVID-baby-- an attempt by students, and for students, to keep us connected as we scattered across the globe.

In all honesty, answering this question in this period continues to make me feel slightly uneasy. It feels like it should be increasingly stable, yet the air is filled with lingering uncertainty. Despite the “new normal” spreading across the US, there are still many who are suffering both in the US and abroad. 

Amid this lingering uncertainty and increasing busy-being that comes with starting a new semester, I hope that above all out of frame can continue to serve as a space of intimate and safe reflection. From cooking to process-based experiments all the way to thoughts on urban experience, out of frame exists for you. Even as we move back on-campus, out of frame remains a digital platform that is here to mediate your personal discovery and outward ambition. It can allow you to explore thesis ideas, apply for funding, or just as importantly, get you one step closer to becoming the next top chef! My intention for this upcoming year is to continue the family-like spirit from which this platform emerged and provide a space for students to explore personal and professional interests. Out of frame is here to create a living archive of your work-- a record of your thoughts and achievements in challenging and busy times.

With this, I very much look forward to continuing to support students through Out of Frame, and encourage students across MIT SA+P (Architecture, CRE, DUSP, Media Lab), to submit proposals for our upcoming fall 2021 column cycle. 

Yours truly,

Angela Loescher-Montal
out of frame Editor 2021-2022
August 18th, 2021

Recent highlights from posts on out of frame. To browse full posts, visit outofframe.mit.edu.

Childbirth of Some Sort: Daisy Zhang (M.Arch 2023) describes what she learned and shares a photo essay as part of her Spring 2021 furniture class. Her column, Through the Lens of explores ways of seeing through photographic narrative.

Portfolio Agency: Zhifei Xu (M.Arch 2022) shares “A Quick Comment on Portfolio Agency,” the first in a three-part opinion piece series that critically reflects on the architectural discipline and pedagogy through the lens of portfolio agencies.

A Cooking Machine: Hairuo Sun, computer engineer and MIT affiliate, shares the nitty-gritty behind-the-scenes for her personal project designing a cooking machine. Check out her post describing her hardware components and selection process as part of her column, Stories of Food & Tech.

You vs. Computer: The last of five posts exploring digital “excavation” through video, audio and visual media, Karyn Nakamura, Art and Design Major (4B), shares “You vs. Computer,” a project she designed to physically outrun her computer to make it crash.

Image Credits

01 Courtesy of Angela Angela Loescher-Montal. Letter from the Editor: New Beginnings 2021-22.

02-03 Courtesy of Daisy Zhang. Childbirth of Some Sort.

04 Courtesy of Zhifei Xu. A Quick Comment on Portfolio Agency.

05 Courtesy of Hairuo Sun. A Cooking Machine.
06 Courtesy of Karyn Nakamura. You vs. Computer.