Kamphoefner Award

The recent blog silence can only mean one thing - the semester is drawing to an end and studio work is closing in.  We do have another professor interview coming your way later this week and review documentation will kick in soon as well, but today we're looking back a month at the Kamphoefner Award.

Granted to a Masters of Architecture student in his or her final year of graduate studies, the Kamphoefner Award was established by the late Dean of the School and his wife to recognize and support the outstanding M Arch student of each class.  This year's Fellowship Jury consisted of Pat Rand, Roger Clark, and Georgia Bizios, who had the right to select the recipient and also recognize at least one alternate.  Extended to students graduating in the top one-third of their cohort, this year's nominees boasted a 3.82 GPA or better - the highest cutoff since the inception of the award!
This year's nominees were:

Ana Maria Drughi
Alexander Ellenbogen
Adam Flynn
Shawna Hammon
Joshua Stephens
Holland Ward

After a morning of deliberation, the Jury selected Shawna Hammon as the first place recipient and Ana Maria Drughi and Alexander Ellenbogen as second place recipients!

Congratulations Shawna, Ana and Xander!

AGSA Elections!

It's election season here in America, and we at AGSA aren't letting the politicians have all the fun.  It's time to vote in a new AGSA board! Below is our field of qualified candidates - it seems that the tightest (ie. only) race this year is for the coveted role of Communications/Media.  Check out the blurbs and be sure to cast your vote this afternoon during studio!

Communications/Media

Kevin Diamond

I am a first year looking to get more involved and have some leadership experience from my undergraduate years. I am interested in getting to know the rest of the design community at NC State outside of my studio. 

Nick Purdy

In life before graduate school, Nick was an event manager.  This is the really short way of saying he helped sometimes clueless people understand how to plan events, frequently translated communications between artists and the rest of the world, and occasionally herded cats.  While running the sound board for a concert.  In theory, this background may make him a suitable candidate for the Communications/Media position for AGSA.

Treasurer

Adam Ward

As your current treasurer, I have worked tirelessly to ensure that AGSA continues to thrive in these challenging economic times.  In recent weeks, European leaders have expressed optimism in the recovery of their markets and banks.  I strongly believe this newfound confidence is a direct response to my diligent work as your representative.  Now is not a time for change. (No se puede!) We need more of the same.  Reelect me as the AGSA Treasurer. 

Secretary

Patricia Chenery 

As a newcomer to the AGSA political arena I will seek to fill the large and hallowed shoes of our departing wizard of words, Holland Ward. I'm well organized, have fairly good grammar, and can type fast. Over my Christmas Break I intend to transcribe all of the episodes of Mad Men in order to further prepare myself for the demands of this position.

Vice President

Katy Liang

I am running for re-election as AGSA Vice President. I want to be able to continue to help keep all the studios connected and help bring you more events to get everyone a break from studio!

President

Julie Barghout

After completing a year of being the president of AGSA, I can honestly say that I loved it! Yes, there were times where things were bouncing off the walls, stuff was spilling off my plate, and studio took the back seat (shhhhh), but it was enjoyable and full of excitement nonetheless.  I would love and be honored to run again and be the President for last year of my graduate school career.  Vote for me! I want to continue to strengthen the student/faculty relationship and truly create a sense of community within our studios, department, and school.  I would love to continue to come up with new event ideas to give students a break from the stress of our projects and professors.  I can keep listing the many good things I would love to continue that comes with position, but most importantly, I would love to continue to represent the architectural graduate students here in the College of Design. So let's have another good year! 

Architecture + Landscape Mixer

A few weeks ago AGSA joined forces with our Landscape Architecture counterpart to organize a mixer between the two disciplines to foster feelings of camaraderie and fondness, and to also scout potential partnerships for the upcoming ULI design competition taking place at the beginning of 2013.   It was fun to meet over drinks at The Player's Retreat, the site of so much bonding/decompressing/wallowing for us architecture students.  Thanks, Landscape!  You guys are pretty awesome. 

Student Interview: Chelsea Sacks!

This week's interview is with Chelsea Sacks, an avid Penn State alum, proponent of pink and 3rd year in the Track III program.  Chelsea sat down with me during a break from grading ARC 432's cabin projects - hope you enjoy her interview!

QUESTION: What were you doing before you started grad school?

CHELSEA: I did 5 years at Penn State, took a year off and essentially regrouped.  During that time I was coaching and playing ice hockey.  When I started contemplating graduate school, I initially was looking at interior design programs, but my parents were big advocates for architecture - I'm glad I listened to their advice.  I also took a couple art classes to get my portfolio together.  

Q: If you could visit one piece of architecture, what would it be?

CHELSEA: I think that the opera house in Oslo, Norway that Snøhetta did is incredible;  I would love to see that one. 

What's a project you really enjoyed doing?

 In one of my international business classes in undergrad we did a semester-long case study of a company that’s only located in the US and designed a business model to take it abroad.  I studied the Cheesecake Factory and adapted the menu, the spaces, the restaurant layout to expand to the Asian market.  I conducted a lot of research on the customs and identity of my proposed international location and how one would mold the business so that it would be suited to that.

What's your favorite tool in the shop?

Probably the band saw; I use that thing all the time for everything, probably for things I shouldn't really use a band saw for.  

You were a varsity athlete at Penn State, what was the hardest thing about that?  The best?

I was in a leadership position on the team for 3 years, which actually was more of a babysitting job more than anything.  It was a challenge, especially as an underclassman.  Time management was also really difficult, but probably prepared me really well for architecture school.

The best thing was that I got to play hockey every day!  I miss that part.  

If you could work for any architect living or dead, who would it be?

There's an architect based in Westchester, Pennsylvania named Richard Buchanon,  he specializes in historic preservation, does a lot of work with barns, which I've always loved, and grew up around.  I’ve known him for a long time, he was actually really influential in my decision to come to grad school.  

If you could travel to any 3 places right now, where would they be?

1. Nashville
2. St. John, which is like my 2^nd home, but I haven’t been there in a while and I'm dying to go back.

3. Asia, my best friend just got back from Shanghai and her pictures and stories are amazing - I'd like to travel there at some point.

What's your favorite architectural book?
10x10 and the Green Studio Handbook.

If you could take any class outside of Architecture, what would it be? 

I would like to take a landscape architecture class.  I feel like it’s a component that we’re asked to think about but not given much direction with it, and it can really improve the design of a building.

How many pairs of cowboy boots do you own?

Oh man.  Currently I own 17.  And there’s a couple that could probably count as cowboy boots that I’m not including...When I design my house, I’m designing some kind of shoe rack for all my boots. 

Thanks so much, Chelsea!

Have a suggestion for a student or professor interview?  Email me at ncsu.agsa (at) gmail (dot) com.