COLLEGE OFARCHITECTURE

NEWSLETTERArchitecture

Community+Regional PlanningInterior Design

Landscape Architecture

Volume 7.2Spring + Summer 2011

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

FACT + MIN|DAYBEMIS INFOSHOPwww.factlab.org

Deans Office210 Architecture HallP.O. Box 880106Lincoln, NE 68588-0106

The University of NebraskaLincoln does not discriminate based on gender, age, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, veterans status, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. 2009, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved.

32

ContentsA STUDENT PUBLICATION

What do you do with this?

Deconstructing DesignTaylor Nielsen

A Studio CultureJustin Brouillette

Ecuador + ItalySabrina Tockook

ARCH NotesTom Laging

IDES NotesBetsy Gabb

LA + CRP NotesKim Wilson

UNO Program NotesRobert Duncan

Faculty NewsFaculty

Cunningham Medal2011 Finalists

Student EditorsJustin Brouillette Fifth Year Architecture Student

Taylor Nielsen Fifth Year Architecture Student

Sabrina Tockook Sixth Year Architecture Student

Faculty AdvisorsBetsy GabbStephanie KuenningDavid Karle

4

8

12

16

17

18

19

20

24

This is a QR-Code which is scannable with a smart phone camera.

They contain information such as a link to a website that we think is a valuable addition to the printed story.

We hope you will check it out!

Our hearts go out to the citizens of Japan as they suffer through a horrible environmental and human tragedy. Hurricane Katrina was a wake up call for the world in terms of how fragile and delicate the balance is between nature and human settlements. And then the tsunami devastated the communities throughout the Indian Ocean. Over this past year, the role and responsibilities of design professionals has once again been highlighted by the tragic events in Haiti, Chile, New Zealand and now Japan. All of these events are resulting from some of the most significant natural disasters of our time. Japan is an especially tragic, compounded, extreme example of environmental impact with a monumental earthquake, tsunami, flooding and fallout from a large nuclear power plant. Suddenly the entire world is once again watching and wondering about the environmental implications of such events on the future of human settlements.

Obviously, there is no real way to fully mitigate against these enormous and powerful forces of nature, however, it is time that careful attention is given to the fact that for the first time in human history our world populations are concentrated in our cities, and an increasingly significant number of our major cities are concentrated in the coastal regions of the world. As we

continue to build for an ever-increasing global population, we must truly rethink and redesign our approach to establishing a sustainable environment.

Specifically, we must reconsider our utilization of land, water and natural resources. These considerations are the focus of the new Water for Food Institute here at the University of Nebraska. We must also consider the impact upon rural communities through the Rural Futures Institute, which is another critical effort to explore the relationships between communities and the natural environment. The production of food and energy are indeed the subject of debate regarding water consumption, crop production, biofuels and the economics of world food supplies.

The investments in passive and green energy technologies are another critical area deserving full exploration in the utilization of alternative fuels as the concerns for fossil and nuclear-based energy sources are now under extreme pressure worldwide. Collaborative efforts such as the Net Zero Energy House project being constructed with the latest techniques and technologies by our faculty and Architectural Engineering hold promising futures. Land density and development models are also being explored utilizing the latest GIS and BIM

models are capable of infusing alternative energy and economic modeling into design efforts for future development.

In essence, we have the historic events and models telling us we must not continue to simply plan, design and build as we have in the past. Major efforts are underway worldwide to explore new cities, systems and structures utilizing new materials, transportation and communication distribution networks that hopefully will recognize the need and the reality of our potential for a truly sustainable environment. Our mission is to prepare future generations of professionals for the challenges ahead.

WAYNE DRUMMOND FAIADean, College of ArchitectureUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln

A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

WWW

News, Updates, Comments?PLEASE SEND TO:

Stephanie KuenningUNL College of Architecture232 Architecture Hall WestLincoln, NE 68588-0107skuenning2@unl.edu

Like us!

Did you know UNL-ARCH has an RSS feed?RSS

FACT + MIN|DAYBEMIS INFOSHOPwww.factlab.org

about the cover

32

ContentsA STUDENT PUBLICATION

What do you do with this?

Deconstructing DesignTaylor Nielsen

A Studio CultureJustin Brouillette

Ecuador + ItalySabrina Tockook

ARCH NotesTom Laging

IDES NotesBetsy Gabb

LA + CRP NotesKim Wilson

UNO Program NotesRobert Duncan

Faculty NewsFaculty

Cunningham Medal2011 Finalists

Student EditorsJustin Brouillette Fifth Year Architecture Student

Taylor Nielsen Fifth Year Architecture Student

Sabrina Tockook Sixth Year Architecture Student

Faculty AdvisorsBetsy GabbStephanie KuenningDavid Karle

4

8

12

16

17

18

19

20

24

This is a QR-Code which is scannable with a smart phone camera.

They contain information such as a link to a website that we think is a valuable addition to the printed story.

We hope you will check it out!

Our hearts go out to the citizens of Japan as they suffer through a horrible environmental and human tragedy. Hurricane Katrina was a wake up call for the world in terms of how fragile and delicate the balance is between nature and human settlements. And then the tsunami devastated the communities throughout the Indian Ocean. Over this past year, the role and responsibilities of design professionals has once again been highlighted by the tragic events in Haiti, Chile, New Zealand and now Japan. All of these events are resulting from some of the most significant natural disasters of our time. Japan is an especially tragic, compounded, extreme example of environmental impact with a monumental earthquake, tsunami, flooding and fallout from a large nuclear power plant. Suddenly the entire world is once again watching and wondering about the environmental implications of such events on the future of human settlements.

Obviously, there is no real way to fully mitigate against these enormous and powerful forces of nature, however, it is time that careful attention is given to the fact that for the first time in human history our world populations are concentrated in our cities, and an increasingly significant number of our major cities are concentrated in the coastal regions of the world. As we

continue to build for an ever-increasing global population, we must truly rethink and redesign our approach to establishing a sustainable environment.

Specifically, we must reconsider our utilization of land, water and natural resources. These considerations are the focus of the new Water for Food Institute here at the University of Nebraska. We must also consider the impact upon rural communities through the Rural Futures Institute, which is another critical effort to explore the relationships between communities and the natural environment. The production of food and energy are indeed the subject of debate regarding water consumption, crop production, biofuels and the economics of world food supplies.

The investments in passive and green energy technologies are another critical area deserving full exploration in the utilization of alternative fuels as the concerns for fossil and nuclear-based energy sources are now under extreme pressure worldwide. Collaborative efforts such as the Net Zero Energy House project being constructed with the latest techniques and technologies by our faculty and Architectural Engineering hold promising futures. Land density and development models are also being explored utilizing the latest GIS and BIM

models are capable of infusing alternative energy and economic modeling into design efforts for future development.

In essence, we have the historic events and models telling us we must not continue to simply plan, design and build as we have in the past. Major efforts are underway worldwide to explore new cities, systems and structures utilizing new materials, transportation and communication distribution networks that hopefully will recognize the need and the reality of our potential for a truly sustainable environment. Our mission is to prepare future generations of professionals for the challenges ahead.

WAYNE DRUMMOND FAIADean, College of ArchitectureUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln

A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

WWW

News, Updates, Comments?PLEASE SEND TO:

Stephanie KuenningUNL College of Architecture232 Architecture Hall WestLincoln, NE 68588-0107skuenning2@unl.edu

Like us!

Did you know UNL-ARCH has an RSS feed?RSS

FACT + MIN|DAYBEMIS INFOSHOPwww.factlab.org

about the cover

54

free hand drawing and other forms of graphic representation.

The course, Fundamentals of Design, is made up of a weekly, hour-long lecture in addition to the two blocks of studio meetings. The lectures are a significant component of the education process, as they correlate built work and speculative projects with the congruent abstracted studies. At times, the process and the end goal can be difficult for students to fully grasp. These precedent studies and discussions motivate the understanding of why. This is a key question that all students encounter at various times throughout their academic career. The infusion of theory into the design principles taught at this level promotes a heightened sense of inquiry creating potential for extremely meaningful design. An understanding of the potential significance for the reformatted

second year program can be revealed through a brief summary and exhibition of the series of projects. The description of the projects is, again, best prefaced by the first semester course syllabus:

During the semester there are a series of graduated problems which progressively add more variables and lead to a synthesis of skills in the final project which incorporates elements of the preceding problems. Studio projects will demonstrate students competency levels in concepts presented as well as in problem solving and presentation techniques.

Project one begins with an introduction phase in which each student creates a unique barcode, using information variables such as male or female and phone number digits. The barcode is used because it is a specific and predictable way in which a data set can become a visual artifact. During the second phase, students intervene into the context of the barcode to create a new reading. Each graphic manipulation focuses on issues of composition and response to context. Phase three introduces students to the potential of the section to determine the formal identification of the whole part to parcel, according the project brief. The original barcode is extruded in the form of a physical model, and the section planes are manipulated based on nodal points on the profiles, each move a response to the adjacent section. The project is beginning to investigate concepts of parametric design, in analog form. Parametrics can most simply be defined as the relationship between the parts within a system, states the brief. In the next phase, a horizontal contour map is created, representing the surface produced by the section profiles. Phase five of project one celebrates the unplanned in the design process. Twenty-five toothpicks are dropped onto the face of the site plan.

The goal is for the program not to be personality driven, but more objective driven Brian Kelly

DECONSTRUCTINGDESIGN

When Brian Kelly stands in front of his second year students after a review and tells them he really doesnt care about the final product they created, the students respond with a stunned look on their faces. Truth is, Kelly does care; he cares about process. The students will never again be asked to recreate the project (a vertically contoured chipboard

landscape, designed specifically to hold a cantilevered egg), but the abstracted conceptual ideas behind the exercise will influence design decisions throughout their academic and professional careers.

Assistant Professor Kelly was appointed the coordinators role in the development of the second year studio stages of the program. Upon receiving this position, Kelly spearheaded the reformatting of the second year curriculum. The faculty in the programs involved felt the need to develop a more cohesive curriculum for second year to assure students the best possible foundation design experiences, Kelly said. All parties involved collectively understood that faculty consistency in the second year program would play a major role in the improved education of the students. Along with Kelly, the fall 2010 sections were led by Betsy Gabb, David Karle and Peter Olshavsky. Additionally, there was a need for the philosophical ideals of the specific projects to build directly upon each other throughout the entire academic year. However, the content holds more significance than any particular faculty member. The goal is for the program not to be personality driven, but more objective driven, Kelly said. The major dilemma when structuring the criteria for the curriculum at such an early stage in the students design education is calibrating the balance and transition between abstraction and something architectural. The reformatted second year program utilizes a series of short abstracted projects containing components of key issues relating to design. Throughout the year, each of these projects builds upon the knowledge uncovered by previous iterations and ultimately results in an architectural manifestation. The first semester syllabus describes the course in this way:

Formal analysis and abstract design applied to the making of spatial and formal constructs with specific attention toward strategies of order and proportion. Focus on the process of design through organizational and graphic techniques derived from explicit relationships, physical and digital modeling, orthographic projection,

A Deeper Method of Thinking & MakingTAYLOR NIELSEN

Interim 2nd year project review

NCBD

S 20

11

54

free hand drawing and other forms of graphic representation.

The course, Fundamentals of Design, is made up of a weekly, hour-long lecture in addition to the two blocks of studio meetings. The lectures are a significant component of the education process, as they correlate built work and speculative projects with the congruent abstracted studies. At times, the process and the end goal can be difficult for students to fully grasp. These precedent studies and discussions motivate the understanding of why. This is a key question that all students encounter at various times throughout their academic career. The infusion of theory into the design principles taught at this level promotes a heightened sense of inquiry creating potential for extremely meaningful design. An understanding of the potential significance for the reformatted

second year program can be revealed through a brief summary and exhibition of the series of projects. The description of the projects is, again, best prefaced by the first semester course syllabus:

During the semester there are a series of graduated problems which progressively add more variables and lead to a synthesis of skills in the final project which incorporates elements of the preceding problems. Studio projects will demonstrate students competency levels in concepts presented as well as in problem solving and presentation techniques.

Project one begins with an introduction phase in which each student creates a unique barcode, using information variables such as male or female and phone number digits. The barcode is used because it is a specific and predictable way in which a data set can become a visual artifact. During the second phase, students intervene into the context of the barcode to create a new reading. Each graphic manipulation focuses on issues of composition and response to context. Phase three introduces students to the potential of the section to determine the formal identification of the whole part to parcel, according the project brief. The original barcode is extruded in the form of a physical model, and the section planes are manipulated based on nodal points on the profiles, each move a response to the adjacent section. The project is beginning to investigate concepts of parametric design, in analog form. Parametrics can most simply be defined as the relationship between the parts within a system, states the brief. In the next phase, a horizontal contour map is created, representing the surface produced by the section profiles. Phase five of project one celebrates the unplanned in the design process. Twenty-five toothpicks are dropped onto the face of the site plan.

The goal is for the program not to be personality driven, but more objective driven Brian Kelly

DECONSTRUCTINGDESIGN

When Brian Kelly stands in front of his second year students after a review and tells them he really doesnt care about the final product they created, the students respond with a stunned look on their faces. Truth is, Kelly does care; he cares about process. The students will never again be asked to recreate the project (a vertically contoured chipboard

landscape, designed specifically to hold a cantilevered egg), but the abstracted conceptual ideas behind the exercise will influence design decisions throughout their academic and professional careers.

Assistant Professor Kelly was appointed the coordinators role in the development of the second year studio stages of the program. Upon receiving this position, Kelly spearheaded the reformatting of the second year curriculum. The faculty in the programs involved felt the need to develop a more cohesive curriculum for second year to assure students the best possible foundation design experiences, Kelly said. All parties involved collectively understood that faculty consistency in the second year program would play a major role in the improved education of the students. Along with Kelly, the fall 2010 sections were led by Betsy Gabb, David Karle and Peter Olshavsky. Additionally, there was a need for the philosophical ideals of the specific projects to build directly upon each other throughout the entire academic year. However, the content holds more significance than any particular faculty member. The goal is for the program not to be personality driven, but more objective driven, Kelly said. The major dilemma when structuring the criteria for the curriculum at such an early stage in the students design education is calibrating the balance and transition between abstraction and something architectural. The reformatted second year program utilizes a series of short abstracted projects containing components of key issues relating to design. Throughout the year, each of these projects builds upon the knowledge uncovered by previous iterations and ultimately results in an architectural manifestation. The first semester syllabus describes the course in this way:

Formal analysis and abstract design applied to the making of spatial and formal constructs with specific attention toward strategies of order and proportion. Focus on the process of design through organizational and graphic techniques derived from explicit relationships, physical and digital modeling, orthographic projection,

A Deeper Method of Thinking & MakingTAYLOR NIELSEN

Interim 2nd year project review

NCBD

S 20

11

76

CONVERSATIONwith 2nd Year Teaching Assistant:

Erik Leahy

In your experiences in the second year studio, are the students able to recognize and take advantage of the connective relationships between each phase of the projects?

I think this is the point where they start [to] form those connections for themselves. Those who are able to form those connections gain a decided benefit.

In your opinion, what are the most significant traits that determine a successful 2nd year project versus an ineffective one?

An ability to find and successfully resolve a unifying concept to their design, which is clear and legible and brings an underlying foundation to their design. They need to be able to relate into this concept.

Which project in the curriculum did you feel was the most successful and influential overall?

The Wall Project (P2.2). It allowed the students to begin dealing with architecture without getting too into the issues of programming and purpose.

It allowed them to be tectonic and compositional in a way that

became layered and complex.

The ends, lines, and overlaps are recorded through a series of lines and crosshairs. This otherwise meaningless data is analyzed and considered for the final phase. In phase six, a structure is created within the site, designed to hold a cantilevered egg. This structure utilizes the properties of a post and beam system. The location of the structure is based upon the site analysis and directly responds to the surface condition. No glue may be used in the final model. This requires the students to investigate joinery and design sophisticated connections. To the naked eye, these final egg holding constructs may seem strange and distant from the realm of architecture. However, through the process of creation, important architectural issues are investigated (i.e. composition, site and structure).

Project two begins with an intensive site analysis of the area in and around the Sheldon Sculpture Garden in Lincoln, Nebraska. The students are presented with an opportunity to utilize knowledge gained in the abstracted site of project one and employ the added intellectual capital in the development of this real-world situation. Breaking down the study into two categories: inventory and analysis, students are divided into groups and create a presentation reporting their findings. The second and final phase critically questions the most standard component of the architectural discipline, the wall. To prevent a default approach to using the wall as merely a narrow divider of two spaces, this project expands the space of a line. In addition to performing the standard

function of separation and connection, students are presented with the task of adding simultaneous functions. This wall is positioned on the site analyzed in the previous phase. The main intention of this project is to investigate issues of tectonics and materiality, among others.

The second semester is defined by a focus on programming and how the process can inform and further the ideas examined during the previous semester. Project one exposes the students to program through a precedent study of a selected residential work. Through drawings, diagrams and analytical models, the students extract the aspects of the houses characterized by the design of performance specific space. This study looks at living as an event, which is used as an identifier and catalyst of modern space, according

to the project brief. Following this precedent study, project two returns to an investigation of the threshold condition; this time incorporating programmatic influences. The site is an infill space located in the Lincoln Haymarket District. The project brief states: Harvester will intentionally set up reciprocal conditions

that will encourage the harvesting of one program to feed the other.

Project three is the culmination of the entire second year design experience. The project requires the student to address all the issues dealt throughout the year, including site, structure, materiality, tectonics, program, context and representational techniques including orthographics, model making, paraline, lineweight, shadow projection and graphical composition. The design process begins with group analysis of a specific site determined by the studio instructor. Programs explored included a studio crash pad, columbarium, and farmers market/used bookstore.

Ultimately, the fundamental purpose of the second year program is to prepare students for subsequent years. Although second year only makes up a small section of a students academic career, this year occurs at a key time in the design thinking formulation. Comparable to the greater ability of children to absorb the teaching of foreign languages over adults, this curriculum has an immense opportunity for influence at this early developmental stage. In order to ensure the effectiveness of the content, Kelly desires to teach a group of his second year students later on, at the fourth year level. This presents an opportunity for the evaluation and calibration of the curriculum. As it stands, the systematic and interconnected projects of the current program are churning out dynamic student work. Both faculty and students welcome

Semester One Project Evolution

Project 1, Phase 6: (L)EGGsProject 2, Phase 2: POCHE

P1.1 Barcode Development 1/2 week

P1.2 Barcode Intervention 1/2 week

P1.3 Parametric Profiling 2 weeks

P1.4 Scan Lines 1/2 week

P1.5 Drop + Assess 1/2 week

P1.6 (L)EGGs 3 weeks

a more cohesive curriculum for second year to assure students the best possible foundation design experiences Brian Kelly

the challenge to create meaningful projects that not only satisfy the second year studio requirements, but also serve to enrich the work of upper level studios. The reformatted second year program puts the students in an optimal position to continue to improve their skills in future years and create a compelling portfolio of work.

Examples of first semester student work

76

CONVERSATIONwith 2nd Year Teaching Assistant:

Erik Leahy

In your experiences in the second year studio, are the students able to recognize and take advantage of the connective relationships between each phase of the projects?

I think this is the point where they start [to] form those connections for themselves. Those who are able to form those connections gain a decided benefit.

In your opinion, what are the most significant traits that determine a successful 2nd year project versus an ineffective one?

An ability to find and successfully resolve a unifying concept to their design, which is clear and legible and brings an underlying foundation to their design. They need to be able to relate into this concept.

Which project in the curriculum did you feel was the most successful and influential overall?

The Wall Project (P2.2). It allowed the students to begin dealing with architecture without getting too into the issues of programming and purpose.

It allowed them to be tectonic and compositional in a way that

became layered and complex.

The ends, lines, and overlaps are recorded through a series of lines and crosshairs. This otherwise meaningless data is analyzed and considered for the final phase. In phase six, a structure is created within the site, designed to hold a cantilevered egg. This structure utilizes the properties of a post and beam system. The location of the structure is based upon the site analysis and directly responds to the surface condition. No glue may be used in the final model. This requires the students to investigate joinery and design sophisticated connections. To the naked eye, these final egg holding constructs may seem strange and distant from the realm of architecture. However, through the process of creation, important architectural issues are investigated (i.e. composition, site and structure).

Project two begins with an intensive site analysis of the area in and around the Sheldon Sculpture Garden in Lincoln, Nebraska. The students are presented with an opportunity to utilize knowledge gained in the abstracted site of project one and employ the added intellectual capital in the development of this real-world situation. Breaking down the study into two categories: inventory and analysis, students are divided into groups and create a presentation reporting their findings. The second and final phase critically questions the most standard component of the architectural discipline, the wall. To prevent a default approach to using the wall as merely a narrow divider of two spaces, this project expands the space of a line. In addition to performing the standard

function of separation and connection, students are presented with the task of adding simultaneous functions. This wall is positioned on the site analyzed in the previous phase. The main intention of this project is to investigate issues of tectonics and materiality, among others.

The second semester is defined by a focus on programming and how the process can inform and further the ideas examined during the previous semester. Project one exposes the students to program through a precedent study of a selected residential work. Through drawings, diagrams and analytical models, the students extract the aspects of the houses characterized by the design of performance specific space. This study looks at living as an event, which is used as an identifier and catalyst of modern space, according

to the project brief. Following this precedent study, project two returns to an investigation of the threshold condition; this time incorporating programmatic influences. The site is an infill space located in the Lincoln Haymarket District. The project brief states: Harvester will intentionally set up reciprocal conditions

that will encourage the harvesting of one program to feed the other.

Project three is the culmination of the entire second year design experience. The project requires the student to address all the issues dealt throughout the year, including site, structure, materiality, tectonics, program, context and representational techniques including orthographics, model making, paraline, lineweight, shadow projection and graphical composition. The design process begins with group analysis of a specific site determined by the studio instructor. Programs explored included a studio crash pad, columbarium, and farmers market/used bookstore.

Ultimately, the fundamental purpose of the second year program is to prepare students for subsequent years. Although second year only makes up a small section of a students academic career, this year occurs at a key time in the design thinking formulation. Comparable to the greater ability of children to absorb the teaching of foreign languages over adults, this curriculum has an immense opportunity for influence at this early developmental stage. In order to ensure the effectiveness of the content, Kelly desires to teach a group of his second year students later on, at the fourth year level. This presents an opportunity for the evaluation and calibration of the curriculum. As it stands, the systematic and interconnected projects of the current program are churning out dynamic student work. Both faculty and students welcome

Semester One Project Evolution

Project 1, Phase 6: (L)EGGsProject 2, Phase 2: POCHE

P1.1 Barcode Development 1/2 week

P1.2 Barcode Intervention 1/2 week

P1.3 Parametric Profiling 2 weeks

P1.4 Scan Lines 1/2 week

P1.5 Drop + Assess 1/2 week

P1.6 (L)EGGs 3 weeks

a more cohesive curriculum for second year to assure students the best possible foundation design experiences Brian Kelly

the challenge to create meaningful projects that not only satisfy the second year studio requirements, but also serve to enrich the work of upper level studios. The reformatted second year program puts the students in an optimal position to continue to improve their skills in future years and create a compelling portfolio of work.

Examples of first semester student work

98

STUDIOCULTURE

The Studio Culture Policy. Students hear about the policy once a year when the College administrators send out a reminder email at the start of fall semester. The policy is placed in every studio pinned to the wall, only to be called upon in dire need of relief from loud music or seemingly unfair deadlines. Taken directly from the second paragraph,

The studio culture framework at UNL establishes a mutually agreed upon set of values that outline standards and expectations for a non-threatening design learning environment. Studio is a place governed by both students and faculty to preserve a good working environment, but what does this bureaucratic jargon mean to students? To contemporary students, studio culture means more than a document. Those words represent a camaraderie developed from years of seeing each other put to their wits end after their render fails or hard drive corrupts. Daily life as a whole for some students could be placed in this document - architecture school overtakes the importance of life as every alumni and parent soon finds out. Yet in some way, is this not the exact non-threatening learning environment we set out to protect? Are students and faculty familiar enough with the policy to know what to change if they could? The direct influences vary greatly by individual institution, but to be an accredited architectural school via the National Architectural Accrediting Boards (NAAB) requirements a school must, have a written policy regarding the culture of their studio environment. This is a broad requirement description because of the large variances in contemporary architectural education. The initial intent of the task force in 2000 was to research and offer a call to action, focused on the values of optimism, respect, sharing, engagementand innovation, furthering a mutual respect between students as colleagues and educators. Current students would have a hard time understanding what design school was like before the heralded Studio Culture Policy. Dean Wayne Drummond, FAIA, explained what we know as critiques formerly were a one-sided process. Whereas you couldnt question the professors, now it (critiques) is more of a dialog and review. Nearly every architectural student across America circa 2008 should have some knowledge of the policys worth and weight. So where did this policy come from? An article published in Crit,

What? Why?JUSTIN BROUILLETTE

ARCH

WEB

.com

The goal is to have both students and faculty write it, be engaged in it, and keep it up to date. In fact, we probably need to re-do ours now

Wayne Drummond

Second year students in the Barn

the bi-annual publication of the American Institute of Architecture Students, (AIAS) in 2001 by Quad Director, Brad Lunz, recounted the issues of contemporary design schools at the time, and some not so new issues. An excerpt:Presented with deadlines that are unachievable. Burdened with a disproportionate ratio of earned hours versus contact hours. The mentality that an all-nighter means dedication. Brandishing scars from X-acto blades like wounds attributed to heroic battles. Architecture schools have become the battlegrounds of survival. We are conditioned to believe that this is the manner in which the education of an architect is conducted. After all it has been this way for decades, why change it now?

An obvious need for change became clear at FORUM (the national AIAS conference) when a new business item was presented asking for help

creating healthier design schools from the Council of Presidents after the death of a student of architecture. The student, from Southern University apparently

died in a head-on car accident after pulling two-all-nighters in a row for a studio review. When writing the current UNL Studio Culture Policy, faculty members and student leaders went through no less than four drafts, Assistant Professor Peter Hind said. It came from the requirements of accreditation to disclose the way the school was handling personal safety, creativity, requirements and

annoyances. Nearly eight years after the inception of the first Studio Culture Policy (SCP) requirement by NAAB, one would like to think there has been great progress in the life of architecture students and educators. The findings by the Second Studio Culture Task force in 2007-2008 are suggestive of beneficial results for those involved. Eighty-five percent of administrators feel studio culture condition has been successful in fulfilling its mission to create a supportive environment within the program. The results are less defined considering students opinion on the matter. Michelle Morehead, a fifth year UNL Masters of Architecture candidate recently was selected for a National Architecture Accreditation Board (NAAB) visit as a student representative. At the school I visited every professor includes their studio culture policy in their syllabus and they use it for conflict resolution, Morehead said. Whereas here, I hear a lot of people who are having issues in their studios that our SCP is supposed to cover. Very few people know the policy exists and if they do know it exists, it provides no tools for them to utilize to resolve issues. One could assume that while beneficial, the typical student does

98

STUDIOCULTURE

The Studio Culture Policy. Students hear about the policy once a year when the College administrators send out a reminder email at the start of fall semester. The policy is placed in every studio pinned to the wall, only to be called upon in dire need of relief from loud music or seemingly unfair deadlines. Taken directly from the second paragraph,

The studio culture framework at UNL establishes a mutually agreed upon set of values that outline standards and expectations for a non-threatening design learning environment. Studio is a place governed by both students and faculty to preserve a good working environment, but what does this bureaucratic jargon mean to students? To contemporary students, studio culture means more than a document. Those words represent a camaraderie developed from years of seeing each other put to their wits end after their render fails or hard drive corrupts. Daily life as a whole for some students could be placed in this document - architecture school overtakes the importance of life as every alumni and parent soon finds out. Yet in some way, is this not the exact non-threatening learning environment we set out to protect? Are students and faculty familiar enough with the policy to know what to change if they could? The direct influences vary greatly by individual institution, but to be an accredited architectural school via the National Architectural Accrediting Boards (NAAB) requirements a school must, have a written policy regarding the culture of their studio environment. This is a broad requirement description because of the large variances in contemporary architectural education. The initial intent of the task force in 2000 was to research and offer a call to action, focused on the values of optimism, respect, sharing, engagementand innovation, furthering a mutual respect between students as colleagues and educators. Current students would have a hard time understanding what design school was like before the heralded Studio Culture Policy. Dean Wayne Drummond, FAIA, explained what we know as critiques formerly were a one-sided process. Whereas you couldnt question the professors, now it (critiques) is more of a dialog and review. Nearly every architectural student across America circa 2008 should have some knowledge of the policys worth and weight. So where did this policy come from? An article published in Crit,

What? Why?JUSTIN BROUILLETTE

ARCH

WEB

.com

The goal is to have both students and faculty write it, be engaged in it, and keep it up to date. In fact, we probably need to re-do ours now

Wayne Drummond

Second year students in the Barn

the bi-annual publication of the American Institute of Architecture Students, (AIAS) in 2001 by Quad Director, Brad Lunz, recounted the issues of contemporary design schools at the time, and some not so new issues. An excerpt:Presented with deadlines that are unachievable. Burdened with a disproportionate ratio of earned hours versus contact hours. The mentality that an all-nighter means dedication. Brandishing scars from X-acto blades like wounds attributed to heroic battles. Architecture schools have become the battlegrounds of survival. We are conditioned to believe that this is the manner in which the education of an architect is conducted. After all it has been this way for decades, why change it now?

An obvious need for change became clear at FORUM (the national AIAS conference) when a new business item was presented asking for help

creating healthier design schools from the Council of Presidents after the death of a student of architecture. The student, from Southern University apparently

died in a head-on car accident after pulling two-all-nighters in a row for a studio review. When writing the current UNL Studio Culture Policy, faculty members and student leaders went through no less than four drafts, Assistant Professor Peter Hind said. It came from the requirements of accreditation to disclose the way the school was handling personal safety, creativity, requirements and

annoyances. Nearly eight years after the inception of the first Studio Culture Policy (SCP) requirement by NAAB, one would like to think there has been great progress in the life of architecture students and educators. The findings by the Second Studio Culture Task force in 2007-2008 are suggestive of beneficial results for those involved. Eighty-five percent of administrators feel studio culture condition has been successful in fulfilling its mission to create a supportive environment within the program. The results are less defined considering students opinion on the matter. Michelle Morehead, a fifth year UNL Masters of Architecture candidate recently was selected for a National Architecture Accreditation Board (NAAB) visit as a student representative. At the school I visited every professor includes their studio culture policy in their syllabus and they use it for conflict resolution, Morehead said. Whereas here, I hear a lot of people who are having issues in their studios that our SCP is supposed to cover. Very few people know the policy exists and if they do know it exists, it provides no tools for them to utilize to resolve issues. One could assume that while beneficial, the typical student does

1110

not understand what the policy of their school consists of, nor that they can be a part of making changes for the better. While the policies are put in place for the betterment of the school at a given time, they are intended to be evolved with the change in technology, students, design methodologies and, of course, culture. The latter part of the latest AIAS Task Forces report gives a summary of the best practices and policies of the entirety of policies submitted to date (44 policies as of September 2007).

These findings are interesting because they discuss many relatable issues. There was a noteworthy discussion on anything SCP-related at an AIAS Grassroots Leadership conference in 2008. Students from across the nation had an intense conversation about the formation of their schools policies, many of which were specific instances of difficulties with their administration while trying to participate in the creation process. SCP was a new topic for many of the students who attended providing many interesting facts that have a large effect on schools across the nation. As much as any other subservient body of people, students also have had to join together and invent ways to validate their rights and needs. This was an exciting

conversation as many quickly realized the impact a few students made on an entire industry, a true bottom up effect.

What exactly creates a culture anyway? As a beginning design student, studio is an incredibly important factor of development. In studio, learning comes from peers at all times of the day. Informal 3:00 a.m. critiques are seemingly

as influential as the real thing. Yet, as design students progress, the physical place becomes less important. Is this a product of a great studio culture because it allows personal design maturity? Or maybe an example of studio culture failing to be a strong influence in the latter years of our program?

Studio has always been prescribed by the officiating professor; however, what if

students had the chance to create their own studio structure? Could vertical studio be more than just a continuation of undergrad studios? Students have the chance to review their current professor in every class but is a bubble sheet enough? Are any changes imposed from these reviews? Students need to begin asking themselves what is appropriate for 2012 and beyond. With the Studio Culture Policy, The goal is to have both students and faculty write it, be engaged in it, and keep it up to date. In fact, we probably need to re-do ours now, Drummond said. Without student guidance, the SCP has little effect.

Updating the policy is never finished. As much as everyone involved in writing their policy wishes the process to be a once-and-done event, culture and society are always moving forward with new ideas, technology and social habits. One such memorable issue from a student at a Grassroots conference combined technology and a social faux pas. More than one professor on a student critique panel was using their iPhone throughout reviews. This digital disregard of respect was something unimaginable a decade ago, yet now was a real issue.

Studio Culture narratives should have a much broader and robust life within their institution, other than their inclusion in the Architecture Program Report (APR) and review by the NAAB.

Creation of a Studio Culture narrative should be seen as an opportunity for self-reflection, assessment and growth. Schools should find their own collective voice though this process.

Studio Culture narratives should evidence cultural phenomena that are experiential/performance-based. Rules and regulations are neither experiential nor performance-based.

Studio Culture narratives should relate student educational experiences to the institutions broader learning cultures and pedagogical identity, as well as recognize larger support networks and resources available to students throughout the larger institution.

Broader focus should explicitly describe the relationship of the studio environment to the integration of practice settings and cross-disciplinary educational environments.

Studio Culture narratives should reveal the relationship of the studio experience to everything else students can and should engage as part of their academic and curricular experience.

Studio culture narratives should be accessible in language and format to their audience (concise, engaging, actionable, tangible), with particular recognition that the audience may include prospective students unfamiliar with design education.

The model and format of policies -- particularly for an audience of individuals who think and communicate graphically -- should be strongly considered as an opportunity to organize, clarify and reveal a particular studio/educational culture. Consider additional media to craft and communicate a Studio Culture narrative.

Studio Culture narratives may wish to relate broader contemporary issues or values within the profession and higher education to the particular approach toward academic instruction and exploration.

Specific and explicit focus should be given to the institutions development of professional and leadership capacities by way of their studio culture. This includes development of competent leaders and successful team collaborators.

12345678910

TEN BEST PRACTICES, GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS*

1. fifth year, Adam Posts desk box2. Grant Ronchis laptop stand

3. the environ of Fords vertical studio4. Krissy Harberts thesis review

5. work iterations *American Institute of Architecture Students, Toward an Evolution of Studio Culture

A NEW ENVIRONMENTStudios change every semester: the people, the professors and the items placed within. One such class which has changed the face of the Barn (third floor West) is Assistant Professor Chris Fords vertical studio. Typically basic design and visual literacy students populate the barn, but with changes in numbers, one section was free for the spring semester. Ford asked his students to create a different setting and make the Barn more appropriate for graduate-level students who long ago called this space second year studio. Responding to the call, students created an enclosure to better define the space. Other items included fifth year student, Adam Posts desk top safe-like box and Grant Ronchis laptop dock stand. Altogether this section of the Barn has taken on an entirely different feel as students art

making machines (Meta-matics) were made and are now stored

around the studio.

85% of administrators feel that studio culture condition has been successful or very successful in fulfilling its mission to create a supportive environment within the program. Administrative respondant

UNL-ARCH Studio Culture Policy Download PDF

I hear a lot of people who are having issues in their studios that our SCP is supposed to cover. Very few people know the policy exists, and if they do know it exists, it provides no tools for them to utilize to resolve issues.

Michelle Morehead 5th ARCH

1 2

3 5

4

1110

not understand what the policy of their school consists of, nor that they can be a part of making changes for the better. While the policies are put in place for the betterment of the school at a given time, they are intended to be evolved with the change in technology, students, design methodologies and, of course, culture. The latter part of the latest AIAS Task Forces report gives a summary of the best practices and policies of the entirety of policies submitted to date (44 policies as of September 2007).

These findings are interesting because they discuss many relatable issues. There was a noteworthy discussion on anything SCP-related at an AIAS Grassroots Leadership conference in 2008. Students from across the nation had an intense conversation about the formation of their schools policies, many of which were specific instances of difficulties with their administration while trying to participate in the creation process. SCP was a new topic for many of the students who attended providing many interesting facts that have a large effect on schools across the nation. As much as any other subservient body of people, students also have had to join together and invent ways to validate their rights and needs. This was an exciting

conversation as many quickly realized the impact a few students made on an entire industry, a true bottom up effect.

What exactly creates a culture anyway? As a beginning design student, studio is an incredibly important factor of development. In studio, learning comes from peers at all times of the day. Informal 3:00 a.m. critiques are seemingly

as influential as the real thing. Yet, as design students progress, the physical place becomes less important. Is this a product of a great studio culture because it allows personal design maturity? Or maybe an example of studio culture failing to be a strong influence in the latter years of our program?

Studio has always been prescribed by the officiating professor; however, what if

students had the chance to create their own studio structure? Could vertical studio be more than just a continuation of undergrad studios? Students have the chance to review their current professor in every class but is a bubble sheet enough? Are any changes imposed from these reviews? Students need to begin asking themselves what is appropriate for 2012 and beyond. With the Studio Culture Policy, The goal is to have both students and faculty write it, be engaged in it, and keep it up to date. In fact, we probably need to re-do ours now, Drummond said. Without student guidance, the SCP has little effect.

Updating the policy is never finished. As much as everyone involved in writing their policy wishes the process to be a once-and-done event, culture and society are always moving forward with new ideas, technology and social habits. One such memorable issue from a student at a Grassroots conference combined technology and a social faux pas. More than one professor on a student critique panel was using their iPhone throughout reviews. This digital disregard of respect was something unimaginable a decade ago, yet now was a real issue.

Studio Culture narratives should have a much broader and robust life within their institution, other than their inclusion in the Architecture Program Report (APR) and review by the NAAB.

Creation of a Studio Culture narrative should be seen as an opportunity for self-reflection, assessment and growth. Schools should find their own collective voice though this process.

Studio Culture narratives should evidence cultural phenomena that are experiential/performance-based. Rules and regulations are neither experiential nor performance-based.

Studio Culture narratives should relate student educational experiences to the institutions broader learning cultures and pedagogical identity, as well as recognize larger support networks and resources available to students throughout the larger institution.

Broader focus should explicitly describe the relationship of the studio environment to the integration of practice settings and cross-disciplinary educational environments.

Studio Culture narratives should reveal the relationship of the studio experience to everything else students can and should engage as part of their academic and curricular experience.

Studio culture narratives should be accessible in language and format to their audience (concise, engaging, actionable, tangible), with particular recognition that the audience may include prospective students unfamiliar with design education.

The model and format of policies -- particularly for an audience of individuals who think and communicate graphically -- should be strongly considered as an opportunity to organize, clarify and reveal a particular studio/educational culture. Consider additional media to craft and communicate a Studio Culture narrative.

Studio Culture narratives may wish to relate broader contemporary issues or values within the profession and higher education to the particular approach toward academic instruction and exploration.

Specific and explicit focus should be given to the institutions development of professional and leadership capacities by way of their studio culture. This includes development of competent leaders and successful team collaborators.

12345678910

TEN BEST PRACTICES, GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS*

1. fifth year, Adam Posts desk box2. Grant Ronchis laptop stand

3. the environ of Fords vertical studio4. Krissy Harberts thesis review

5. work iterations *American Institute of Architecture Students, Toward an Evolution of Studio Culture

A NEW ENVIRONMENTStudios change every semester: the people, the professors and the items placed within. One such class which has changed the face of the Barn (third floor West) is Assistant Professor Chris Fords vertical studio. Typically basic design and visual literacy students populate the barn, but with changes in numbers, one section was free for the spring semester. Ford asked his students to create a different setting and make the Barn more appropriate for graduate-level students who long ago called this space second year studio. Responding to the call, students created an enclosure to better define the space. Other items included fifth year student, Adam Posts desk top safe-like box and Grant Ronchis laptop dock stand. Altogether this section of the Barn has taken on an entirely different feel as students art

making machines (Meta-matics) were made and are now stored

around the studio.

85% of administrators feel that studio culture condition has been successful or very successful in fulfilling its mission to create a supportive environment within the program. Administrative respondant

UNL-ARCH Studio Culture Policy Download PDF

I hear a lot of people who are having issues in their studios that our SCP is supposed to cover. Very few people know the policy exists, and if they do know it exists, it provides no tools for them to utilize to resolve issues.

Michelle Morehead 5th ARCH

1 2

3 5

4

1312

Ecuador 2010

Last year Wilson took 12 students to the Amazon of Ecuador for 15 days. Coming from all different disciplines in the college, these students were working directly with the village and community to change the way the villagers were conducting business. Originally dedicated to agriculture, this village wanted to change its focus to eco-tourism. The goal was to develop a new master plan for the layout of the village, and focus on the peoples vision and direct issues. Essentially, establishing both the short and long term time frames together. Wilsons personal goal for her students was to try to condition them as much as possible. It is stressful but a learning opportunity, Wilson said. You impact individuals as well as yourself, even if there are no physical results within those three weeks.

The trip was extremely structured and scheduled. The overall experience was really life changing, and it actually makes me see how we live back in the states in a completely different way, Kristen Bender, third year interior design student said. Its different than the other study abroad trips I think because it

is the reality of a third world country smacking you in the face, unlike the leisure of being over in Europe for a semester of schooling. On location, there was hardly any personal or alone time since there were different things to see or work on at all times of the day. Daily interaction with the villagers, created a project for the students involved in the community

more than ever before. Andrea Koerner, sixth year architecture graduate student said, You had to listen to them. We didnt just come in and tell them what to do, they were involved in every step of the process. There was continual feedback with multiple meetings and presentations. Twelve seemed to work out as a golden number of participants, allowing for easy separation into groups, joint brainstorming and coming back together with a stronger concept. When asked what was gained from the overall experience Koerner said not being afraid to speak up, being forced to do something different. For Bender, I gained a different perspective on my life and not to take a single thing for granted. After the students departed from the Amazon, the village is now working on gaining the funding for the development that was designed. A large aspect is focused on education for the younger children in the village. Upon checking the current status, the land has now been cleared for the beginning development, and work will begin when more funding has been established. Summing up the trip can be expressed as an exceedingly intense three weeks that became almost overwhelming. These 12 students were in the heart of the Amazon, and a few were not fully mentally prepared for these extreme conditions and lack of amenities. The

ECUADORITALY

The College of Architecture presents multiple opportunities, in various countries, to study abroad. Students who decide to participate in traveling the world will be impacted personally, socially, educationally and professionally. Currently, study abroad destinations for the College of Architecture include; Dublin, Ireland; Hannover, Germany;

Clermont-Ferrand, France; London and China. Many students are unaware of the shorter summer excursions offered as well. Ecuador and Italy present two more chances for students to enrich their studies throughout the world. Both expeditions, Ecuador and Italy, have taken place during the first summer session of classes, leaving in the middle of May and returning the first week of June. From the ancient elegance of Europe to the tropical hands on Amazon, the students who took part in the classes last year clearly expressed how amazing and life changing the experiences were. While these summer classes are slightly altered from last year, improving personal skills in stunning environments is still a guarantee. Ecuador presents a completely different adventure in all aspects from other study abroad countries. Landscape Architecture Program Director, Professor Kim Wilson is in charge of the trip and has been taking students to similar locations for the past six years. Interestingly, she became involved in such a dramatic summer trip while teaching at Purdue. Wilson was involved in service learning projects where students were paired with a nonprofit organization to work and help the community. She discovered that the locations they were assigned were extremely similar to the areas where the students had grown up themselves. With this issue in hand, Professor Wilson wanted to take the students out of the comfort zone of the United States suburbs and increase the contrast between growing up in a privileged society to growing up in a much deeper disadvantaged area. The nonprofit organization, Verdo Milenio, helped find new locations and contributed to setting up the trips to underprivileged cities throughout the world. With preferred locations selected, Wilson began to take students on extreme expeditions annually.

Summer Excursions SABRINA TOCKOOK

If youre up for the challenge it is one of the most rewarding experiences.

Andrea Koerner

Group photo of villagers and students in Ecuador

UNL

Stud

y Ab

road

1312

Ecuador 2010

Last year Wilson took 12 students to the Amazon of Ecuador for 15 days. Coming from all different disciplines in the college, these students were working directly with the village and community to change the way the villagers were conducting business. Originally dedicated to agriculture, this village wanted to change its focus to eco-tourism. The goal was to develop a new master plan for the layout of the village, and focus on the peoples vision and direct issues. Essentially, establishing both the short and long term time frames together. Wilsons personal goal for her students was to try to condition them as much as possible. It is stressful but a learning opportunity, Wilson said. You impact individuals as well as yourself, even if there are no physical results within those three weeks.

The trip was extremely structured and scheduled. The overall experience was really life changing, and it actually makes me see how we live back in the states in a completely different way, Kristen Bender, third year interior design student said. Its different than the other study abroad trips I think because it

is the reality of a third world country smacking you in the face, unlike the leisure of being over in Europe for a semester of schooling. On location, there was hardly any personal or alone time since there were different things to see or work on at all times of the day. Daily interaction with the villagers, created a project for the students involved in the community

more than ever before. Andrea Koerner, sixth year architecture graduate student said, You had to listen to them. We didnt just come in and tell them what to do, they were involved in every step of the process. There was continual feedback with multiple meetings and presentations. Twelve seemed to work out as a golden number of participants, allowing for easy separation into groups, joint brainstorming and coming back together with a stronger concept. When asked what was gained from the overall experience Koerner said not being afraid to speak up, being forced to do something different. For Bender, I gained a different perspective on my life and not to take a single thing for granted. After the students departed from the Amazon, the village is now working on gaining the funding for the development that was designed. A large aspect is focused on education for the younger children in the village. Upon checking the current status, the land has now been cleared for the beginning development, and work will begin when more funding has been established. Summing up the trip can be expressed as an exceedingly intense three weeks that became almost overwhelming. These 12 students were in the heart of the Amazon, and a few were not fully mentally prepared for these extreme conditions and lack of amenities. The

ECUADORITALY

The College of Architecture presents multiple opportunities, in various countries, to study abroad. Students who decide to participate in traveling the world will be impacted personally, socially, educationally and professionally. Currently, study abroad destinations for the College of Architecture include; Dublin, Ireland; Hannover, Germany;

Clermont-Ferrand, France; London and China. Many students are unaware of the shorter summer excursions offered as well. Ecuador and Italy present two more chances for students to enrich their studies throughout the world. Both expeditions, Ecuador and Italy, have taken place during the first summer session of classes, leaving in the middle of May and returning the first week of June. From the ancient elegance of Europe to the tropical hands on Amazon, the students who took part in the classes last year clearly expressed how amazing and life changing the experiences were. While these summer classes are slightly altered from last year, improving personal skills in stunning environments is still a guarantee. Ecuador presents a completely different adventure in all aspects from other study abroad countries. Landscape Architecture Program Director, Professor Kim Wilson is in charge of the trip and has been taking students to similar locations for the past six years. Interestingly, she became involved in such a dramatic summer trip while teaching at Purdue. Wilson was involved in service learning projects where students were paired with a nonprofit organization to work and help the community. She discovered that the locations they were assigned were extremely similar to the areas where the students had grown up themselves. With this issue in hand, Professor Wilson wanted to take the students out of the comfort zone of the United States suburbs and increase the contrast between growing up in a privileged society to growing up in a much deeper disadvantaged area. The nonprofit organization, Verdo Milenio, helped find new locations and contributed to setting up the trips to underprivileged cities throughout the world. With preferred locations selected, Wilson began to take students on extreme expeditions annually.

Summer Excursions SABRINA TOCKOOK

If youre up for the challenge it is one of the most rewarding experiences.

Andrea Koerner

Group photo of villagers and students in Ecuador

UNL

Stud

y Ab

road

1514

produce a series of sketches and writings. On average, three pages of sketches with three sketches per page were done in one day. Normally the group would meet for dinner and a relaxing evening. Hiskey said when asked how the overall experience was, AMAZING! We were constantly surrounded by brilliant architecture, beautiful materials and a wonderful culture. It was the best thing I have ever done. Throughout our studies we learned about Rome and all the buildings and the architectural periods, but to experience them was awesome, Archie Carpenter, sixth year architecture graduate student, said.

Galapagos 2011

The Galapagos this year follows the same formal structure as Ecuador was, but is anticipated to reach another level. With help again from Verdo Milenio, Wilson was presented with the new location for this summer. Located in the Galapagos, the agenda is described as working to develop a needed network of community parks throughout the area. The work is expected to be just as hands on and intensive as last year; with similar weather and living conditions. Wilson continually enjoys how the culture of third world countries is so much different than our hard-line work in the United States. Go with the flow and see what happens, you never know how it will turn out, Wilson described. What

you can expect is to work in teams, gain service learning, and impact communities as well as yourself. Traveling around the same time frame as the previous year, the Galapagos trip will take place from May 8 through June 6. Benders first concern of the new location was, I think some this year are going into it thinking it will be a vacation. Through multiple group meetings for the participants, Wilson cleared this expectation from their minds. Students who truly understand what they are working towards and the environment they will be in can go in with the right mind set and succeed. Ultimately, leaving with an eye opening experience. Koerner described

the trip for all potential participants as physically and mentally demanding, but if youre up for the challenge it is one of the most rewarding experiences. This year the trip begins by landing in the city of Kito where a few days will be spent. The group will then travel to their Galapagos destination for ten days to be put to work. The end of the trip is a few days spent in Baos in the Andes Mountains. Leaving the students with three entirely different environments in a short amount of time. After receiving her three vaccinations for Typhoid, Diphtheria, and Hepatitis A, Sarah Hitchcock, fourth year Interior Design student, is anxious to get the trip started. Kim makes it really reassuring since she is so experienced with taking students to these exotic places. Hitchcock continued,This trip will be so different from anything Ive ever done before, and Im most excited to get to work with all the people. These trips, to Italy and Ecuador, allowed for completely different opportunities for the students in the College of Architecture. From learning and working in a third world country, to sketching the ancient architecture in the cities of Italy, the experience cannot be recreated. Both are open to students of all levels and disciplines in the college and will produce new friendships in a new work environment. So sign up, pack your bags and prepare for a the summer of a lifetime.

environment consisted of 95 percent humidity, multiple insects especially chiggers, little to no electricity, out houses, exterior showers, sleeping under mosquito nets, not being allowed to drink the water, and not knowing the language. Affects of the environment were wide ranging between the students, Koerner said, You never feel tired or hungry, (all you focus on is that youre)always thirsty, and then (on top of everything) you have to think! What a typical day consisted of cannot be compared to the daily activities of any of the students back home. The day would begin by being awakened to the rooster crowing at dawn and as Bender described, In the next hut you can hear the mens walkie-talkies going off about the day, Bodega, Bodega, Bodega!! After rising, a breakfast was in order. Meals were eaten in the dining room that would be transitioned into a studio space in between. After breakfast, the students would divide up in their respective jobs for the day, some would go interview, and others work on bum wad since there was no paper. Every aspect of work was extremely hands on. Work was basically done the entire day stopping only to take time for lunch and dinner. Dusk would hit around 6:30 at night and if more work needed to be done for the day the students would strap on head-lamps and continue to work until bedtime. Time was added into the schedule for recreational activities such as hiking, or playing soccer with the kids, all utilized in the process of acclimation. By the end of the trip, everyone had become comfortable and happy with the work that was accomplished. For Koerner of the 13 countries shes been to, Ecuador was by far the most beautiful and most unique.

Italy 2010

Last summer was the first trip to Italy for a drawing and sketching class. The class was taught Hyde Chair Brian Andrews. The development of an Italy trip actually came from the seminar Andrews instructed during the spring semester of 2010. Hours were spent every week reading and discussing the architects and architecture of Italy. 6th year masters student, Molly Macklin, brought up how a rich history of ideas and thoughts are rooted in Italian architecture. A great deal

of the College of Architectures education is learning about and trying to understand these thoughts, but never getting to actually experience the culture of what is taught. The desires from many of the Hyde chair students to actually walk through the streets of Italy and experience what was being taught in class sparked the idea to offer an opportunity for students to study abroad in Italy. A group of ten students participated and were taken throughout the country learning and enjoying drawing the architecture within their surroundings. Departing from the country on May 13, and returning on the 4th of June, two full days were not devoted to sketching, but personal sightseeing. The trip began in Rome and moved through Florence, Siena, Venezia, Vicenze Verona, Mantova, Como and Milan. The beginning of the trip

was, under no circumstances, what the students had initially anticipated. None the less, everyone was still in awe of the sights. Kelly Hiskey, sixth year architecture graduate student, explained how the first few days went. We arrived in Rome, without any of our luggage. We spent four days walking around in the pouring rain without clean clothes, umbrellas, etc. That did not stop me from having a good time. All I could think was, I am in Italy! A day in Italy would begin with a quick breakfast at the hotel. Afterwards, the group would meet at an arranged Piazza at 9:00 am. The entire group would explore the city, the architecture and Italys culture from the morning meeting time until around 6:00 at night. Sometimes so enthralled in the atmosphere the group would not even stop for lunch, taking more time to see as much of the city as possible. One to two hours would be spent at a given destination where they would

We were constantly surrounded by bril-liant architecture, beautiful materials, and a wonderful culture.

Kelly Hiskey 6th ARCH

Sketches done in Italy by: Donner, Christensen, Macklin, & Hiskey Working at night with headlampsPresenting work to the villagers

1514

produce a series of sketches and writings. On average, three pages of sketches with three sketches per page were done in one day. Normally the group would meet for dinner and a relaxing evening. Hiskey said when asked how the overall experience was, AMAZING! We were constantly surrounded by brilliant architecture, beautiful materials and a wonderful culture. It was the best thing I have ever done. Throughout our studies we learned about Rome and all the buildings and the architectural periods, but to experience them was awesome, Archie Carpenter, sixth year architecture graduate student, said.

Galapagos 2011

The Galapagos this year follows the same formal structure as Ecuador was, but is anticipated to reach another level. With help again from Verdo Milenio, Wilson was presented with the new location for this summer. Located in the Galapagos, the agenda is described as working to develop a needed network of community parks throughout the area. The work is expected to be just as hands on and intensive as last year; with similar weather and living conditions. Wilson continually enjoys how the culture of third world countries is so much different than our hard-line work in the United States. Go with the flow and see what happens, you never know how it will turn out, Wilson described. What

you can expect is to work in teams, gain service learning, and impact communities as well as yourself. Traveling around the same time frame as the previous year, the Galapagos trip will take place from May 8 through June 6. Benders first concern of the new location was, I think some this year are going into it thinking it will be a vacation. Through multiple group meetings for the participants, Wilson cleared this expectation from their minds. Students who truly understand what they are working towards and the environment they will be in can go in with the right mind set and succeed. Ultimately, leaving with an eye opening experience. Koerner described

the trip for all potential participants as physically and mentally demanding, but if youre up for the challenge it is one of the most rewarding experiences. This year the trip begins by landing in the city of Kito where a few days will be spent. The group will then travel to their Galapagos destination for ten days to be put to work. The end of the trip is a few days spent in Baos in the Andes Mountains. Leaving the students with three entirely different environments in a short amount of time. After receiving her three vaccinations for Typhoid, Diphtheria, and Hepatitis A, Sarah Hitchcock, fourth year Interior Design student, is anxious to get the trip started. Kim makes it really reassuring since she is so experienced with taking students to these exotic places. Hitchcock continued,This trip will be so different from anything Ive ever done before, and Im most excited to get to work with all the people. These trips, to Italy and Ecuador, allowed for completely different opportunities for the students in the College of Architecture. From learning and working in a third world country, to sketching the ancient architecture in the cities of Italy, the experience cannot be recreated. Both are open to students of all levels and disciplines in the college and will produce new friendships in a new work environment. So sign up, pack your bags and prepare for a the summer of a lifetime.

environment consisted of 95 percent humidity, multiple insects especially chiggers, little to no electricity, out houses, exterior showers, sleeping under mosquito nets, not being allowed to drink the water, and not knowing the language. Affects of the environment were wide ranging between the students, Koerner said, You never feel tired or hungry, (all you focus on is that youre)always thirsty, and then (on top of everything) you have to think! What a typical day consisted of cannot be compared to the daily activities of any of the students back home. The day would begin by being awakened to the rooster crowing at dawn and as Bender described, In the next hut you can hear the mens walkie-talkies going off about the day, Bodega, Bodega, Bodega!! After rising, a breakfast was in order. Meals were eaten in the dining room that would be transitioned into a studio space in between. After breakfast, the students would divide up in their respective jobs for the day, some would go interview, and others work on bum wad since there was no paper. Every aspect of work was extremely hands on. Work was basically done the entire day stopping only to take time for lunch and dinner. Dusk would hit around 6:30 at night and if more work needed to be done for the day the students would strap on head-lamps and continue to work until bedtime. Time was added into the schedule for recreational activities such as hiking, or playing soccer with the kids, all utilized in the process of acclimation. By the end of the trip, everyone had become comfortable and happy with the work that was accomplished. For Koerner of the 13 countries shes been to, Ecuador was by far the most beautiful and most unique.

Italy 2010

Last summer was the first trip to Italy for a drawing and sketching class. The class was taught Hyde Chair Brian Andrews. The development of an Italy trip actually came from the seminar Andrews instructed during the spring semester of 2010. Hours were spent every week reading and discussing the architects and architecture of Italy. 6th year masters student, Molly Macklin, brought up how a rich history of ideas and thoughts are rooted in Italian architecture. A great deal

of the College of Architectures education is learning about and trying to understand these thoughts, but never getting to actually experience the culture of what is taught. The desires from many of the Hyde chair students to actually walk through the streets of Italy and experience what was being taught in class sparked the idea to offer an opportunity for students to study abroad in Italy. A group of ten students participated and were taken throughout the country learning and enjoying drawing the architecture within their surroundings. Departing from the country on May 13, and returning on the 4th of June, two full days were not devoted to sketching, but personal sightseeing. The trip began in Rome and moved through Florence, Siena, Venezia, Vicenze Verona, Mantova, Como and Milan. The beginning of the trip

was, under no circumstances, what the students had initially anticipated. None the less, everyone was still in awe of the sights. Kelly Hiskey, sixth year architecture graduate student, explained how the first few days went. We arrived in Rome, without any of our luggage. We spent four days walking around in the pouring rain without clean clothes, umbrellas, etc. That did not stop me from having a good time. All I could think was, I am in Italy! A day in Italy would begin with a quick breakfast at the hotel. Afterwards, the group would meet at an arranged Piazza at 9:00 am. The entire group would explore the city, the architecture and Italys culture from the morning meeting time until around 6:00 at night. Sometimes so enthralled in the atmosphere the group would not even stop for lunch, taking more time to see as much of the city as possible. One to two hours would be spent at a given destination where they would

We were constantly surrounded by bril-liant architecture, beautiful materials, and a wonderful culture.

Kelly Hiskey 6th ARCH

Sketches done in Italy by: Donner, Christensen, Macklin, & Hiskey Working at night with headlampsPresenting work to the villagers

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the curriculum. We are also looking for someone to fill an urban design position and hoping this will be a personality that can effectively bridge the gaps between architecture landscape and planning. Peter Hind has become the IDP coordinator for NCARB and has been instrumental in getting students informed of the new standards by which students may begin their IDP records as early as after high school. We hope this new policy will enable students to work through the IDP process toward an earlier registration. Jobs for our graduates are picking up slowly; things do look better than last year. We had seven or eight firms interviewing for interns at our annual event. Rumor has it that several of our graduates have already secured a piece of their future as design professionals. Once again our Chicago trip for the fourth year studios was a success. We owe a great deal of that to the fourth year faculty but most importantly to Kim Clawson (BSAS 75) who has given his tireless support for the program helping us access Chicago offices and our alumni group. This spring the Tau Sigma Delta Honorary Society honored Kim for his Atlas-like efforts. He, of course, gave the students his wisdom of the ages in return. The spring semester I am confident will end with some great vertical studio and thesis projects to add to our way cool collection of student work.

As always spring semester seems to fly by with many activities and events. Third and fourth year Interior Design students traveled to Chicago in early March. In addition to

a tour of Oak Park and Millennium Park, they also visited a number of firms including SOM, Gensler, Suzanne Lovell, Perkins+Will: Eva Maddox Branded Environments, not to mention the Merchandise Mart. When visiting the Merchandise Mart, one student said, This is my version of Heaven. It was a busy time for all. Upper level students also completed service projects for the Colleges of Arts and Sciences Academic Grind coffee shop and provided conceptual design ideas for the Crete Community Center. The community of Crete and the Crete School System has come together to purchase the existing National Guard Armory and convert it to a Community Center serving both community activities and events and adult education. In addition, students also completed schematic designs for an update of the Champions

Club, adjacent to Memorial Stadium on the UNL Campus. The Graduate Program in Interior Design continues to grow as well. Over twenty-five students are currently enrolled and there are twenty-five applicants who would like to begin in the fall of 2011! Unfortunately due to lack of resources, not all the applicants can be admitted. The Program continues to offer courses in residence and online. ASID and IIDA again hosted a great Career Day for the Interior Design students. In addition to presentations by several young professionals from the area, Cheryl Durst, Executive Director of IIDA gave the keynote presentation. Everyone came away with renewed inspiration and enthusiasm. Thanks, too, to the many professionals who have supported the program through their participation in crits and hosting internships. Your support of the program is invaluable. If you havent done so already, please join the College of Architecture on Facebook! You will find information about the students and activities in the College and some terrific images as well.

PROGRAMNOTES

The first week in March I walked out into the Link and thought to myself this cant really be the College of Architecture. We are looking more way cool than I thought possible! A good half of our industrious faculty have been preparing for the two conferences we are putting on this spring and have coordinated an impressive chronological exhibition

of the design curriculum and our professional electives. This was all to impress our conference visitors, but it has impressed the program director as well. The exhibit is so well done I have been using it to enable prospective faculty candidates as well as high schoolers and their parents to visualize the extent and quality of our architectural education. The parametric design and beginning design conferences are clearly the high points for this semester. We need to thank Steve Hardy, Tim Hemsath (MArch 01) and Janghwan Cheon for their role as hosts and co-chairs to the parametric design conference. They have put in an incredible amount of extra effort fitting all the pieces of the conference together. Jeff Day and Nate Miller (MArch 07) gave keynote presentations and the conference was a great success by all measures. It has put Nebraskas program on the digital map. No less, the team of Peter Hind (MArch 00), Lindsey Bahe MArch (MArch 03) and Brian Kelly (MArch 99) are assembling the last few parts for this years National Conference on the Beginning Design Student. Instead of going to Cancun over break they staged a 12 hour sewing charrette to get 100 conference bags made from recycled billboard material. We have walked the recycling walk even reproducing a 19th century sweatshop. The futur