NewSchool of Architecture and Design Sweeps Cal Poly Design Village Competition

NewSchool of Architecture and Design Sweeps Cal Poly Competition

Students Earn Top 3 Prizes in Design Village 2010

SAN DIEGO, Calif.—May 3, 2010—Student teams from NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD) earned three of the five awards at the annual Cal Poly Design Village competition in San Luis Obispo. It was the third time in the last four years that NSAD teams came home with the top prizes. Fifty-five teams representing 20 California colleges and universities competed at the April 16-18 event.

The overall theme was “Landfill Luxury,” and all entries had to be built of 80 percent found items. Teams were required to design and make structures that reflected the theme in any of the five categories, and organizers used living conditions during the Great Depression as examples. In particular, they cited Central Park when it was a depression-era enclave of families living in hand-made shelters of found, and often stolen, items.

NewSchool’s structures won “Best Overall Design,” “Jury Favored Structure Design,” and “Most Habitable Structure Design,” continuing NSAD’s distinction of winning in at least one category each year since 1995.

“The fact that we excelled again at Design Village is a tribute to the creativity and skill of the students and their faculty leadership,” said Dr. Steven Altman, president of NSAD. “This is always a grueling competition where students cart their structures a mile into a canyon, assemble them, and then live in them for a weekend.” The NSAD faculty advisor was Hussein Munaim, who led teams in all of the winning years.

Aside from the hike into the canyon, challenges included:

• Any carrying devices had to be incorporated into the structure and propelled by human power.
• No power outlets were provided, and gas-powered generators were prohibited.
• Because of the dry brush and windy conditions, fires of any kind were forbidden, including stoves and lanterns.
• Teams were required to sleep in their structures the first and second nights.
• Restrooms were available at the Cal Poly field house nearby and accessible by walking, biking, or shuttle service.

Entries were judged on craftsmanship, sustainability, design quality, public response on site, and suitability to the theme.

Best overall ( KEK’D)       
Crystal Keeran, Elena Klinnert and Caterina Echols

Most habitable ( the Hollywood hangar)
Branden Nash, Daniel Ordonez, Max Mcilwee, Timothy Smith and Joao Costa

Jury Favored (Hobo Erectus)
Devin Way, Allen Bennett and Omar Castell

About NewSchool of Architecture and Design
NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD), founded in 1980, is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). ACICS is a national accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. NSAD, with more than 480 students, offers accredited professional architecture degrees at the bachelor’s and master’s level. For more information, visit NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD), founded in 1980, is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). ACICS is a national accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. NSAD, with more than 480 students, offers accredited professional architecture degrees at the bachelor’s and master’s level. For more information, visit http://www.newshoolarch.edu/.