Lastest news...: by Patricia Combes-Brighton

High enrollment: Thanks to the leadership of our chair, D. Michael Hamner, our enrollment for the 2011-2012 academic year is very high despite the economy. Approximately 300 students are enrolled in our classes and most of them are already full.
An additional class: Due to high enrollment in the coming Spring, an additional course, ENV101: Foundation of Design I, was added to the schedule. D. Michael Hamner instructs the class.
Two new hires: James Kawahara was hired as our fifth full-time instructor. James is a licensed architect who brings years of experience to our department. Before being hired full-time, James was part-time in our department for several years. He graduated from California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. Gregory Kachoeff has just been hired as the Model Shop Coordinator (see below).
Welcome James and Greg!
Collaboration: D. Michael Hamner, Chair, has been actively working with OCC and Cal Poly SLO to set up some collaborative projects. He is also working on with SCI-Arc to develop and articualtion agreement.
Facebook: Our Department has now a Facebook page: ELARCHITECTURE. Please check it out and be our friend!
Competitions: This year ELAC Architecture students will again participate in two AIA competitions: 2x8 and 1:2, as well as the Design Village Competiton at SLO. Details will be posted as they become available.
Students Transfer: This year, three of our students transferred to USC, six to Woodbury University, and three to SCI-Arc.
Dates to Remember this semester (more to come):
February 2: Advisory Meeting
February 6: Start of semester
June 4: End of the semester
June 5: Scholarship Award Luncheon (tentative)
 
Model Shop Now Fully Functional: by Alexis Navarro

A full-time Model Shop Supervisor has been recently hired and the position will be now funded every semester. This is a significant milestone that in prior years only through grants was the Model Shop operable with a limited number of hours per week. The conception and development of a dedicated Model Shop has been ongoing during the past eight years with incremental steps year by year. Students have increasingly been developing and finishing their final projects with the power equipment and now with the use of a large laser machine. With the Model Shop and the assistance of the supervisorial staff, students have been able to produce full-size models of both construction examples and explore large scale design projects. .

Italy-Greece Student Trip 2012: by Alexis Navarro

Mr. Navarro accompanied thirteen students on a trip to Italy and Greece during the 2012 winter session. Significant architecture examples were visited in Rome, Florence and Athens as well as the ancient sites of Pompeii, Delphi and Olympia. This is the third consecutive trip our students have made which has had a continuous increase in numbers each year. Each trip to Europe has provided students with a remarkable opportunity to personally experience prominent examples of ancient and contemporary architecture often referenced in their architecture courses. The results from these trips have been evident by students acquiring a deeper sense of enthusiasm to continue in their pursuit of academic and professional goals.

ELAC Alumnus Return as Design Jurors: by Alexis Navarro

A number of former ELAC students who are now in the process of completing their university architecture degrees, have been returning as a group to participate in the Environmental Design 101 final presentations, during the past two semesters. These students include, Omar Ureta, Crystal Wong, Adrian and Cecilio Cortez, Javier Valladarez, Ron Hernandez and Shoji Moraga. ELAC students benefited from their critical insight and suggestions in the development of their design projects. We are very grateful to the alumnus group for their interest to contribute to the quality of education in the Department of Architecture.