SPRING 2024 | 19 Weinstock Endowed Chair in Art and Architecture, the first from her department, which is now the Department of Art, Architecture and Design. It’s a position she held for 10 years and that gave her opportunities to expand her creative endeavors and forge connections with artists and activists nationwide. The exclamation point on Gans’ career came in Fall 2023, when she was honored with her first major retrospective in the Zoellner Main Gallery. “Reading Between the Lines,” which was accompanied by a substantive catalog with pieces written by family and friends, was an expansive, very personal show of sculpture, drawings and prints that explores family narratives, social issues and relationships. The opening reception became a tribute to Gans, with family, friends, colleagues and students recalling her influence on their lives. After graduating in 1981 from Lehigh with a Bachelor of Art in Architecture and Urban Studies, Ussler found her way back three years later. She had just received a Master of Architecture from Columbia University when an assistant professor of architecture, Paul Felder, invited her to work with him at his Easton architectural practice, The Architectural Studio, and assist him with teaching. It was the beginning of a 40-year career as a teacher and also as the owner of her own architectural practice. As Ussler worked her way from adjunct to professor of practice, she also grew a South Bethlehem architectural practice, Artefact, which specializes in historic buildings, major adaptive reuse projects of historic complexes and new buildings. Her professional work has been a boon for students studying architecture. She has been committed to providing experiential learning opportunities and connecting students with the community. “The practice experience has been an important part of my teaching pedagogy at Lehigh,” says Ussler. “I enjoyed bringing real community problems and opportunities into the classroom for students to study, analyze and design for.” Projects include one in the Fall 2023 semester, in which students designed prototypes for art display panels for the South Bethlehem Greenway (under construction in Spring 2024 semester), and another involving the design and construction of the Harmony Pavilion on the Greenway in 2012 with University Distinguished Professor Emeritus Norman Girardot. The New York Times wrote a story in the late 1990s about a student project addressing the reuse of the Bethlehem Steel site. “I really enjoy working with students,” says Ussler, “and seeing them evolve as they learn about architecture. You don’t know how much of an impact you have until you hear back from them.” Jessica Johansson ’13, an architectural designer and project manager, is one of many former students mentored by Ussler who took their lessons successfully into the world. “She doesn’t just teach,” Johansson says. “She gave us real-world applications and knowledge. She gave us tools we would carry into our careers.” Ussler helped with planning the uses of the large spaces when the art and architecture program moved in 2018 from Chandler-Ullmann Hall to Building C on the Mountaintop Campus, where there are enormous factory-like spaces for teaching, collaborating and making. As for the future, Ussler plans to continue practicing architecture at Artefact but will stay connected to Lehigh on community-facing projects the AAD department envisions. L I enjoyed bringing real community problems and opportunities into the classroom for students to study, analyze and design for. —CHRISTINE USSLER '81 Architecture CHRISTINE USSLER ’81 Christine Ussler ’81 has been committed to providing experiential learning opportunities for students. CHRISTINE T. KRESHOLLEK
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