We are delighted to share that a pedagogical model by former lecturer and Emeritus Fellow, Lorna McNeur,has been acquired by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York for its permanent collection.
The model, created in 1976 during Lorna’s first year of architectural study at The Cooper Union, is her interpretation of the Nine Square Grid Project —a foundational design exercise developed by architect and philosopher John Hejduk. This iconic teaching tool introduces students to the core principles of architecture, including spatial design, materiality, structure, and construction.
Lorna’s model has long been recognised for its clarity and depth. Hejduk himself once remarked that McNeur created “the quintessential nine square grid solution,” after which he felt the project no longer needed to be taught. Its inclusion in MoMA’s collection stands as a powerful recognition of both her insight and the project’s lasting relevance within architectural education.
Lorna McNeur was the first full-time female Lecturer in this Department, where she taught from 1989 to 2005. Her academic focus included architectural design studio, and lectures on the history and theory of urban public space and garden design. She remained affiliated with the Department of Architecture until 2009 and worked as a consultant for the Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment(IDBE) programme until 2019—marking over 30 years of teaching and research at Cambridge.