Student Spotlight: Jennifer Smith, BArch - Track 2 MArch

Jennifer Smith took a moment away from her 15 credits (that's 5 seminars!) to sit down with us to talk about life as a Track II at NCSU. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia where her parents, sister, niece and brand new nephew still live, Jennifer received her BArch from Auburn University. While she has been in professional practice for the past six years, she has only four exams left to licensure! Just for fun we found out that Jennifer has a three-way tie for a favorite color: white, blue & green and dark chocolate is her favorite sweet...Lindt Truffles to be precise!

This brings us to some very important questions:

Why would someone so close choose to go back to school!?!?!?!

With that question, Jennifer laughed softly and responded, "Lots of reasons."

Presenting Jennifer Smith's top 3 reasons "Why I chose school over practice":

1. I am getting a Masters degree in only one year (3 semesters) and I didn't have to take the GRE!

2. Coming from practice to the design/build studio over the summer it was an easy transition to the theoretical world of education. Design/Build studio also allowed me to get to know a lot of the other students to expand my network, reduce isolation a Track II can experience in student life, and created an opportunity to learn and collaborate with other students from other tracks in their education.

3. Because Track II is set up as a thesis program, I am given the opportunity to work on a specific focus of my choice that I don't always get to pursue in practice.

"In short, Track II allows someone to take out one year to study your passion that is a rare and affordable opportunity that can be the beginning of a career path."

This leads us to our next question: What are you focused on for your thesis research this semester?

"I am studying Mid to Long term Housing after a crisis in cities: How Housing can Increase Resiliency. Where we build and place housing in the city."

Why did you choos NC State's SoA?

"This school offers an interdisciplinary education and communication as well as physical proximity. I found that the culture here is similar to Auburn so it was an easier adjustment and easier for me to blend with the culture. I value the creed that is preached here: Learning through making."

Thanks Jennifer for sitting down with us! We can't wait to see what you do next when you are in your studio semester!

2014 ReSpace Competition: Registration Ends Feb. 20

Joel Lubell, M.Arch Track III first year student at NC State, is also founder of the ReSpace Competition, in which designers imagine small spaces constructed with reuse materials. The winning design is built by Habitat for Humanity of Wake County. Joel worked as Deconstruction Manager for Habitat before founding ReSpace, and he was named Tar Heel of the Week by the News & Observer in 2012.

Joel Lubell, M.Arch Track III

This spring, 2014 Competition involves the design of a porch – a community gathering space that is central to southern culture. Designers are challenged to balance program, culture, and context while thoughtfully incorporating reuse materials. Registration ends Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014, and discounted student registration fees are $25. Visit the ReSpace website or follow ReSpace on Facebook for more information on how to get involved.

Student Interview: Sahar Golabi

For this weeks interview we are talking with one of our new 1st year Track 3 students, Sahar Golab. Sahar took a break from studio to sit down and talk with us about classes, her background, and a certain four-legged friend who's been seen around studio - hope you enjoy!

Q: Where are you from?
Sahar: Athens, Georgia

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself, whats your background? What did you study in undergrad?
Sahar: I went to the University of Georgia (UGA) for undergrad and studied Interior Design. I really liked it because the school is located close to downtown Athens; right in the thick of things. After graduating undergrad I came straight to graduate school, and I have a strong background in digital programs including Autocad, Revit, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Sketchup.



Q: What brought you to NC State?
Sahar: One of my undergraduate professors, John Byron, was an alumni and he highly recommended NCSU and told me about Dean Malecha. I also knew about some of the other highly regarded faculty at the school, including Paul Tesar, who I knew of because I referenced one of his books during my senior design project. I did apply to several other schools including Boston Architectural College, MassARCH, Georgia Tech, and Ohio State, but ultimately decided on NC State. 

Q: Why did you decide to go into architecture?
Sahar: In interior design we were taught how to do floor plans, sections, and elevations, but we were always told 'you need an architect to do it' and I wanted to be able to do it myself, have more control over my projects. It was a step up.

Q: What do you want to do with your MArch degree?
Sahar: Pass the AREs! I would like to intern in Raleigh because I like the city. It is a nice change of pace from Athens. Maybe after that somewhere a little bigger like Austin or DC.

Q: What kind of architecture do you want to practice?
Sahar: I really love sustainable architecture but also vernacular. Passive solar, something sustainable without having to use technology, where the sun is oriented, siting, stuff like that.... Smart Architecture.

Q: Who is your favorite architect?
Sahar: All of my professors. Sara, Oz, David, the Dean.

Q: So you have a dog... what's up with that?
Sahar: Fred. I have trained guide dogs for 3 years. He is a guide dog to help visually impaired people. My main job s to socialize him, teach him how to act around people. I had to go through training, there is a huge manual, and take a test. When they are under 6 months you have to teach them basic commands like sit, stay, etc.  Now I teach him how to find doors, stairs, elevators, things like crossing the street. 

Q: How long have you had Fred?
Sahar: About 14 to 16 months, I get to keep him for 2 more months. I usually keep the dogs for about a year, I train to socialize the animals and after that they go onto more specialized training.  

Q: Do you get another dog after Fred?
Sahar: I could, but there is studio. Studio is great for Fred because he's a great dog and he's older. If I got another I would start with a puppy and that would be crazy. 

Thanks for talking with us Sahar! Coming soon to the blog, updates on recent studio reviews, information about the start of the Fall AIA/College of Design Lecture Series, and our next professor interview. 

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.

Student Interview: Kevin Diamond!

Next up in our interview series is Kevin Diamond, a first year student hailing from Stewartsville, New Jersey.  Thanks for taking the time to talk with us, Kevin!


QUESTION: What were you doing before you started school?

KEVIN: Working for an architecture and engineering firm in Hickory, North Carolina doing design for military bases.  I was in charge of detailing.  It was a cool job, but didn't really offer opportunity for creativity, since the client was the military.  

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

Kevin: Chicken point cabin, by Tom Kundig. I really like how he engages the site and his choice of materials.  I also like the scale of the project and how he connects you to nature using industrial materials.  Really interested in how he makes industrial materials very normal and warm, one with nature.

Q: What's your favorite tool in the shop? 

Kevin: Oh man, the band saw.  That’s really the only tool I know how to use and I’m freaking awesome at it. 

Q: What was the last thing you cut on the laser cutter?

Kevin: A piece of plexi for my painstaking Charleston city model…

Q: What's a class you’re excited about taking in the future? 

Kevin: Structures.  That was one of my favorite classes at App State, everything I was exposed to then really interested me.  The structural side of architecture, the engineering side of it really interests me.  I can’t wait to learn about it.

Q: What's your preferred method of procrastination?

Kevin: Ah.  It’s very involved. It’s a whole process.  I stare off a lot and think of very unrelated things, I’m a day dreamer.  I sometimes just leave to try and find inspiration to motivate me to get back to do things.  While I’m gone there’s really no telling.  Sometimes I go home and play some music, which gets me back into thinking about order and creativity. 

Q: Do you have any hidden talents?

Kevin: I’m not sure it's a hidden talent, but I am a pianist.  I play piano at a hotel in Chapel Hill three hours a week.  It’s the perfect studio job because it doesn’t require that many hours and I'm doing something that completely relaxes me.  Piano gets me away from work, lets me take a step back and think about creativity, as I'm creating things audibly instead of visually.

Q: Auto-cad, revit or illustrator for plans?

Kevin: Auto-cad. 

Q: What's your favorite non-architecture book?

Kevin: The Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell. 

Q: Favorite architecture book?

Kevin: Pamphlet Architecture 16, Elizabeth Martin.  When I'm sitting on my porch, want quick inspiration, it’s there.

Q: If you could work for one architect living or dead, who would it be?

Kevin: Santiago Calatrava + Bryan McKay Lyons 

Thanks so much, Kevin!  

-AGSA

ps. Do you have a suggestion for the next student interview?  Write it in the comments or email us at ncsu.agsa@gmail.com!

Student Interviews: Julie Barghout!

Each month AGSA will interview two students and two professors and post the results here for all to enjoy.  We're hoping that these interviews will spark conversation and help connect us as a school which also uncovering some dirt on our fellow students and esteemed faculty.

First up is Julie Barghout, AGSA president and the last to leave any AGSA event (or studio).  Thanks Julie for letting us ask you these truly riveting questions!

Q. What studio project are you most proud of? 
Julie: I'd have to say it's a toss up between the two projects I did last semester, the Dyptic House and the Sub-Terra House.  Both were small houses, and I'm really proud of the level of detail we were able to accomplish with the designs.  I felt like we were really able to convey both the conceptual idea we were trying to emphasize alongside the construction details.

(Sub-Terra House, and Dyptic House for ARC 500, The Problem with the House, taught by David Hill)

Q. What elective outside of studio have you enjoyed the most? 

Contemporary Architectural History, taught last spring by Roger Clark.  It was a good way to connect my background knowledge from before school with lessons from various studios and finally understanding the theories behind each era.  I feel like after that class I have a solid understanding of the context and time for a lot of architecture and am actually able to identify and recognize it immediately.  The class gave me the sense of 'I’m growing, I’m learning, I have a set of resources to back up my designs'.  And Roger Clark is just an excellent professor!

Q. How many all-nighters do you average per semester?

Five.  Well, wait, what do you consider an all-nighter?  Not sleeping at all, or staying up until 7am and then getting 4 hours of sleep before studio?  Because you know 4 hours of sleep is close to 5, and 5 is close to a good amount. 

Q. Askew vs. Jerry’s?

Askew.

Q. Favorite method of procrastination?

Hulu+.

Q. Auto cad, revit, or illustrator?

Auto-cad and illustrator.  I start in auto cad and then bust some really good line weights in illustrator.

Q. Favorite non-architectural book?

Anything by John Grisham.

Q. Favorite architectural book?

Tom Kundig, Houses I and II.

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

Mies Van der Rohe.

Thanks, Julie!  Stay tuned next week for the first professor interview!