William Cooper Mack, Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture class of 2006, died on June 3, 2008 following a four-month battle with acute leukemia. A tribute to Cooper, as he was known to everyone at the School, was held on September 19 in the Arthur A. Houghton Gallery, along with the opening of an exhibition to celebrate his student and professional work.

The installation, by way of observation, was the result of the collaborative efforts of colleagues, family and friends who knew and loved Cooper or came to know him through his work. This included Raha Talebi (AR '05), the Mack and Talebi families, fellow graduates from the class of 2006, friends and neighbors from Rogers, Arkansas, current students and staffs of the School of Architecture, the School of Art, and the School of Architecture Archive. The tribute was attended by students, faculty, staff, and many alumni from the Cooper Union, as well as professional colleagues, extended family, and friends.