UG3
UNDERGRADUATE STUDIO
ARCH 432 - FALL 2024COORDINATOR
Jacob ComerciPROFESSORS
Jacob Comerci, Craig Borum, Olaia Chivite Amigo, Angela Cho, Dawn Gilpin, Francesca Mavaracchio, Malcolm McCullough, Keith Mitnick, Cyrus PenarroyoThe Postal Service
The United States Postal Service has played a critical role in the early development of the U.S., establishing a communications infrastructure that connected cities, towns, and remote settlements. In its early years, the USPS promoted literacy, education, and commerce while enabling civic discourse. It provided an affordable and reliable means for people to stay connected, regardless of distance.
Today, the USPS remains the most widespread government agency, with the largest fleet of trucks and the most brick-and-mortar locations across urban and rural America. However, its role has diminished significantly. The rise of digital communication, e-commerce, and electronic payments has drastically reduced reliance on traditional mail. Since 2006, the Postal Service has been unprofitable, facing competition from private couriers, internal inefficiencies, and regulatory constraints. This decline is reflected in post office architecture, where older buildings conveyed permanence and civic identity, while newer ones are often smaller, more generic, and cheaply built.
For architecture students, the post office presents a multilayered design challenge: balancing logistics and security with public-facing operations, integrating with the larger postal network, and reimagining its role in civic society.