Designlife magazine, Fall 2015

The Magazine of the NC State University College of Design

FALL 2015

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IN THIS ISSUE Dean’s Message

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Commencement Address

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Within Formal Cities

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Turning Negative into Positive

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A Place to Prowl

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500-Mile Pilgrimage

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Sesa Wo Suban: Change or Transform Your Character

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Design Style: A2W — Tell Me A Story

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Teaching the Future of Design

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Design Influence

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Building Energy Toolkits Build More than just a Curriculum

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Design Notes

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Design Scene

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Design is Life

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Designlife Fund

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In Memoriam

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Things We Like

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Design Works

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COVER: The inequality of São Paulo is depicted in this view of the Paraisópolis favela.

Photo Credits: Abe Dreschsler and Brian Gaudio

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“Within Formal Cities” is a project that documents and shares housing and infrastructure stories from five South American cities. It was developed by two alumni who are hoping to infuence the next generation of architects and designers to respond to complex issues of social equity.

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Design/Build Summer Studio provides real-world experience for an interdisciplinary team of designers who were exposed to many challenges and learned how to come together to find thoughtful and effective solutions.

After the tragic loss of a beloved member of our Design family, the response has been overwhelmingly positive with the outpouring of passion, determination, and commitment to make a difference.

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The inspirational pilgrimage of a student who intentionally walked 500 miles and the people, places, and experiences that will have lasting influence on him as a designer and a person.

A transformational experience by a student who participated in the Ghana International Studio, and conducted an investigation into social equity that has the potential and promise of providing honest renewal for the designers and users involved.

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Behind the scenes: A colossal collaboration by students to produce the acclaimed A2W show and the skills and friendships that resulted.

The Design Lab for K-12 Education provides students fun and interactive opportunities to develop their design thinking skills that will prepare them for the the future.

Stay in the loop on what’s new and what’s happening by visiting the digital version of Designlife at: design.ncsu.edu/designlife 3

Dean’s Message

“Chaste and Serious Play”:

Public Interest and Social Equity in Design

“Get Action”

Marvin J. Malecha, FAIA, DPACSA, Dean

The role of public interest and the commitment to citizenship as an essential aspect of an advanced education has been a matter of interest and discourse across the centuries. It should be no surprise that this issue has been much debated among design educators.

It is interesting to consider the relationship between the act of design and the desire to be relevant in the core outcomes of the design action. From Plato’s Republic to contemporary writers considering the future of innovation, this dialogue has been rich; it has been no less so at NC State’s College of Design.

This aspiration was reflected in the School of Design’s very first publication, The Bulletin, written by Professor Louis Mumford. Subsequently the work of Professor Henry Sanoff led a national and international discourse on the takepart methodology and the social ramifications of design. Today, through the continuing work of Professor Georgia Bizios, the College is a leader on the subject of public interest internships. This continues through the new faculty appointments committed to the mission of public interest. New faculty member Bryan Bell has been leading and developing new initiatives, education, and awareness into the idea that design plays a key role in examining the socialeconomical, environmental, and functional needs of the design process. The question posed to us is how we enter the public interest and social equity imperative into the magical moment when work and play coincide in the design experience. Ancient Greece provides inspiration. “Athenians instead should embrace ‘chaste and serious play,’ which would inculcate ‘orderly habits’ and teach them to be ‘serious citizens’.” Mark C. Carnes offered this interpretation of Plato’s Socrates in the Republic in a Chronicle Review article in the context of a discussion on the real meaning of play in the learning experience. Serious Play author Michael Shrage of the MIT Media Lab connects playing and modeling, prototyping, and simulations. Louis Mumford offers another perspective regarding the preparation of individuals that could be described as the serious 4

citizen in 1950. “On the technical side, we plan to raise to a higher level the traditional disciplines of the artist, the builder, the engineer; but equally essential to this process is the effort to make the young architect a good neighbor, a good man, alive to all his moral and social responsibilities.” More recently in the publication Bridging the Gap, Professor Georgia Bizios, along with Katie Wakeford, writes, “When we consider the need for community service and the benefit that service-learning can provide, the importance of making a publicservice ethic pervasive in our schools becomes apparent.”

Addressing public service in design education demonstrates the relevancy of design to the most pressing grand challenges before society, connecting the strengths of design inquiry to scientific and humanistic inquiry. This joining of thought processes teaches the interconnectedness of disciplines and encourages individuals to seek beyond themselves to find resolution to complex issues.

More importantly, it makes clear that the strongest designs are not only aesthetic explorations, but rather, great design earns that designation by making people’s lives are better. This approach teaches design thinking, connecting design thought to a way of approaching life, pursuing new knowledge through design inquiry, seeking out innovation and problem resolution, and committing to the testing of knowledge through iteration and application. It is the realization of ideas that the opportunity for a connection to public interest and social relevancy is made.

A commitment to this philosophy is what truly makes a great design school.

The tradition of sponsored studios within the College of Design has included community-based activities ranging from environmental and social advocacy

The College of Design’s 2014 Design/Build Summer Studio project focused on the designing of a pole barn for Benevolence Farm, an organization dedicated to helping women returning from prison transition successfully back into their communities. In providing stable housing and training for gainful employment during their transitional living program, the organization hopes to provide participants time and space to make real, impactful changes in their lives. Students had the opportunity to collaborate with these women and learn about their needs and use of the barn structure, allowing them to incorporate the feedback into their design process, changing not only what they were designing, but who they were designing for.

to industry-sponsored projects. This tradition has blossomed into design-build This enables students not only to investigate the deep reasons for a product by programs in the School of Architecture and the Department of Landscape understanding the desire of people and the relationship among differing people Architecture that provide facilities for non-profit organizations and develop and cultures, but also imagining the drivers of change. This connection is vitally environmental solutions for the NC State campus and community. The range important as we prepare individuals to lead the design professions. Recognizing of projects addressed by architecture students and faculty include a shelter for the legacy of teaching serious citizenship as an essential aspect of design is the Benevolent Gardens, a floating classroom for the Durham Public School System, mission statement of the College of Design: “We teach students to design for and a sculptural overlook for the North Carolina Art Museum. Most recent, the life.” It is reflected in our efforts at branding the message of the College as the interdisciplinary project of architecture and landscape architecture collaborated result of designing in life, designing for life, and designing life. The results of with the College of Veterinary Medicine to construct a wild carnivorous animal generations of students have undertaken a commitment to compose meaningful husbandry shed. Landscape Architecture students and faculty have undertaken lives. This spirit truly reflects the American contribution. No less an American a series of design-build projects on icon than Teddy Roosevelt expresses the NC State campus that have made “ There is no better expression of ‘chaste and serious this assertion: “Do things; be sane; significant impact not only in the don’t fritter away your time; create, play’ than the commitment to ‘get action.’ This improvement of pedestrian scaled act, take a place wherever you are and spaces, but also in water management be somebody; get action.” There is no commitment has been and will continue to be and environmental sustainability. better expression of “chaste and serious the essential spirit of the College of Design at play” than the commitment to “get User experience design (UX) has action.” This commitment has been and NC State University.” inspired the work of the departments of will continue to be the essential spirit of Graphic and Industrial Design and Art + Design. Through these projects, often the College of Design at NC State University. We are vested in the commitment conducted in collaboration with the College of Engineering, students address that all design begins with the dance of life. To be a designer is to be fully awake. the experience of individuals through rapidly advancing technology utilizing It is a sensation that is as stimulating as a blast of fresh air and as intimidating as new forms of applications and interactive media. In addition, industrial design a blowtorch. The design life is given meaning by enhancing life. It is the reason students and faculty are navigating the design of products through ethnography why I chose to enter the design profession and why teaching is so intimately and ethogaphy. The designer must begin by understanding the cultural context connected to this commitment. We are all practitioners and teachers of design, in which they are operating. Innovation is then sparked by understanding the whether in a school setting, in practice, or as vital citizens. We have important underlying relationships of particular people and forces that inspire new ways. contributions to make.

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Letter from the Editor

Designlife™ is a publication of the NC State University College of Design through the Office of Development and External Relations.

Designlife magazine is made possible through funding by donors to the Designlife Fund. The Designlife Fund inspires design excellence by advancing design thinking and design literacy for everyone.

Designlife is distributed to alumni, friends, and Designlife donors. We welcome your feedback and invite submissions via email to: collegeofdesign@ncsu.edu To receive news updates throughout the calendar year, please subscribe to Designlife online by visiting: design.ncsu.edu/designlife MARVIN J. MALECHA, FAIA, DPACSA Dean of the College of Design

JEAN MARIE LIVAUDAIS Assistant Dean for External Relations

CARLA ABRAMCZYK Executive Director of Development

MONIQUE DELAGE Director of Communications and Marketing Editorial Director, Designer

CRAIG MCDUFFIE [‘83 BED-GD] Design Mentor

SARAH HARDISON Student Designer, Junior in Graphic Design Program

MEGHAN PALMER [’09 BA] Digital Content + Social Media Specialist Contributing Writer, Editor

DAVE DELCAMBRE [’05 M.ARCH] Contributing Writer

P. JORDAN BAKER [’12 BA, Intended ’15 MA] Contributing Writer, Student

Julie M. McLaurin, AIA, LEED AP President, Designlife Board

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am excited about my inaugural issue of Designlife magazine and the theme of Public Interest and Social Equity, which is the thread that has pulled together many of the stories, features, and people within its pages. NC State University prides itself on the mission and vision of diversity, individuality, respect for others, the acceptance and inclusion of all no matter the race, religion, sex, political affiliation, or other characteristics which define an individual. The College of Design further emphasizes this belief by encouraging the understanding that our differences are a way for creativity to be heightened and go beyond standard boundaries. The College of Design teaches innovation, collaboration, and encourages all of us to look at the world with an awareness and sensitivity to social, economic, political, cultural, and behavioral issues.

We teach Design for life.

I have had the pleasure of meeting with many of the individuals who have shared their experiences and journeys that are retold in the features within this issue. These stories are powerful, entertaining, and provide a glimpse into the culture and environment of the College that make it so special. Learn why an architectural student trekked for 500 miles in Spain (page 16) and how this experience confirmed his passion as a designer.

There are many stories of alumni whose commitment to the College of Design and to giving back has made a difference in their lives and to the students that have or will benefit from their generosity (page 24 and 33).

There are two articles written by students who have traveled abroad to expand their understanding of the world and how design can influence change in a positive way. Both of these stories showcase the importance of understanding design through global and regional studies and promoting healthy and sustainable lifestyles through human-centered design (page 9 and 18). Find out about several members of our faculty who have inspired and mentored countless design students, challenged the definition of commitment, and whose accomplishments and accolades are just a small sampling to the unprecedented level of expertise for which the College of Design is known (page 26-27).

This magazine is the accomplishment and collaboration of many unique and talented individuals. Many thanks to all who have helped make it possible. This is a first: having the magazine worked on by a student who was mentored by successful alumnus, and having students write, in their own words, how their experience has influenced them. Thank you for taking the time to read about the amazing students, accomplished faculty, and prominent alumni that make the College of Design an expansive collection of knowledge, character, talent, and a destination for the development of Design for life.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy this issue of Designlife magazine.

Monique Delage

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on social media.

Find us on Facebook (NC State College of Design), Twitter (@ncstatedesign), Instagram (@ncstatedesign), and LinkedIn (NC State University College of Design). Use #designlife and #ncstatedesignlife.

STAY CONNECTED Designlife stories happen every day. Stay in the loop on what’s new and what’s happening by visiting the digital version of Designlife at: design.ncsu.edu/designlife. All year long, we will be sharing additional stories, and accomplishments from students, alumni, friends, and Designlife donors.

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Commencement Address

by Tim Allen

Tim Allen ’99 BAD, ’02 MID giving the spring commencement address.

Good afternoon, dean, chairs, trustees, alumni, faculty, honored guests, friends, and families.

But first and most importantly, congratulations to NC State’s College of Design Class of 2015!

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am honored to be here with you today. Each of you has boundless creativity at your fingertips; making, breaking, and remaking are built into your DNA. You have been trained to direct that creativity towards solving huge challenges. And let me tell you — the world needs you!

You are graduating into a world marked by complexity, breathtaking speed, mixed with a dash of disruption. The world needs you as creative thinkers; confident, not easily rattled by uncertainty, communicators with clarity and acuity. You are risk-takers with all of the capabilities of a designer.

Because of these talents, you have the gifts to be able to make real what has not yet been imagined and to manifest what has not existed previously.

That gift is special — unique to you. Your curriculum was like no other curriculum at NC State. Your classes were like no other classes. Your projects were like no other projects. Thankfully, your parents are like no other parents!

They have nurtured and supported your efforts to be a creator for a purpose.

The problems that we face cannot be solved by doing the same thing. They must be solved by creativity. In that way, a creative life is always unfinished

— exquisitely so. Even as you complete your degree, your work remains wonderfully incomplete.

The world will want your life to go from point A to point B with an air of false confidence and formulaic assurance. As you know from the many hours of toiling in the studio, a linear process is not the best way to come to an innovative or compelling solution. Linear thinking can often lead to mediocre, commonplace solutions. It can also lead to getting your feelings hurt on crit day! Ask Chandra.

In order to reach an original, insightful, revolutionary design (or life), you have to go down blind alleys, uncover new information, connect disparate thoughts. You have to SHOCK YOURSELF and sometimes even scare yourself.

When was the last time that you were scared? Think about it. Take a moment.

I’m not talking about being slightly panicked or worried. I’m talking about genuinely being frightened. What did you feel? How did you deal with the event or moment?

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Most likely you are thinking of a time when you were placed in an unfamiliar predicament.

It seems like there are limited options of when you were frightened. You can’t think clearly, you become overly selfconscious, and it’s difficult to make productive decisions. For me, at the College of Design, it was when I first arrived in freshman design fundamentals studio. I felt unsure, self-conscious, and pretty unproductive.

My first “crit” was an abomination. I didn’t know if I was cut out for all of this “design” business. What was I doing in this studio with all of these “real designers”? They didn’t act like me, and they certainly didn’t look like me. I was really a fish out of water.

It was at that point when I received one of the greatest pieces of advice I’ve ever had the fortune to come across. Assistant Professor of Art + Design Kathleen Rieder spoke to me after that first “crit” experience. She just pulled me to the side. She said, “You know the anxiety that you’re experiencing is natural. Fear and uncertainty can ruin you or be your best ally. Embrace your fear. Seek out ways to step into the unknown. It is the single best way to grow as a designer.”

Boy, that was my moment of clarity. Up until that point in my life I had done a pretty good job avoiding situations where I felt uncertain and afraid. The thought that what I felt was not only natural but HEALTHY was pivotal for me. I soon learned to befriend and channel my uncertainty, and it led to huge leaps in my evolution as a designer. Since then, I have actively sought out ways to place myself into the unknown. Each time I’ve done it, it’s been no less frightening. Each time has also been no less rewarding.

From understanding and attempting to master corporate politics at IBM, to inventing new software with design legends at Adobe, to working the hardest that I’ve ever worked for Nike at R/GA in New York, and now to shaping the future of one of the most dominant businesses in the world with Amazon.

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Mortarboard by Jeanette Myers [‘15 BGD 2015].

I wish I could tell you that it wasn’t difficult or that it got easier with every step. Nope.

Each new arena was terrifying, and I had the same feelings of intimidation, alarm, and uncertainty — each and every time.

However the difference (each time) was that I was knew that the fear could be harnessed to drive my creative growth. I was equipped with the foundation that I could use that angst, ambiguity and the unfamiliar to fuel new solutions, to frame new approaches and to develop new opportunities. I encourage you to do the same.

Scare yourself! Leap into the unknown. Fear, shock and beauty can flourish side-by-side. Travel to the edge of your capacity, to the edge of your ability, sometimes even to the edge of your understanding — then dare to take one giant leap forward.

Of course, the bigger the leap the stronger the platform needed to leap from.

In order to successfully leap, you need to be spring-boarding off of a solid foundation. I, myself, am very fortunate that my true foundation has been the unflinching support of literally the most beautiful woman in the world: my wife, Utaukwa Allen. Along with your cherished friends and family, you, too, have a solid platform to leap from: the strong foundation & training that you’ve received at the College of Design.

You’ve reached this joyous moment through countless hours in the studio, honing your craft, growing, and discovering. You’ve already taken some fantastic leaps forward. You’ve pushed through creative, personal, and psychological boundaries. Hopefully you have reached the very edge of your capacity. Now it’s time to take your next giant leap into a new unknown. Embrace it!

The world needs your genius, your passion, and your love for design!

Again, congratulations to NC State’s College of Design Class of 2015!

Within Formal Cities:

Sharing Stories and Designs from Informal Settlements

By Abe Drechsler [’14 B.Arch], Associate AIA Photos: Abe Drechsler and Brian Gaudio

s Duda Traveling Fellows, Brian Gaudio [’14 B.Arch], Associate AIA, and I ventured to South America to study how cities respond to the growth of informal settlements and how designers can effect change. We wanted to know: how can designers address the tremendous challenges associated with informal housing? What can we learn from previous solutions? How can these lessons make a positive impact?

In Lima, Santiago, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Bogotá we interviewed over 30 architects, urban planners, and city officials to learn more about the global housing crisis. We explored informal settlements and design projects to see first hand the efficacy of these programs, and if they had resulted in any positive change.

It was especially exciting to compare the architects’ vision and perception with the realities of construction. While we only visited projects in South America, the design solutions we researched have the potential for worldwide influence. Our goal is to share these designs and stories to help inform future generations of designers as they face some of the world’s most challenging problems.

While South America’s urban population boom is coming to an end, other portions of the globe such as sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia are just getting started. This rapid urban growth, along with income inequality and lack of adequate housing, directly leads to the development and expansion of informal settlements. By 2050, an estimated one-fourth of the global population will live in informal settlements (slums, shantytowns, or favelas) with little access

to clean water, sewage systems, or electricity. As one of the most urbanized regions in the world, South America became a crucible for the development of informal settlements in the mid-twentieth century. Faced with extreme population growth, cities were forced to address the issues that came from mass urbanization. Since then, cities have had time to develop and implement solutions and observe the results. We chose to travel to the cities listed above because we wanted to learn from and document their successes and mistakes.

Throughout our time at NC State, Brian and I shared an interest in Public Interest Design. When we learned about the Duda Travel Fellowship, we immediately began collaborating on our proposal. The inaugural fellowship, administered through the College of Design’s School of Architecture, was made possible by Turan and Linda Duda as a way to give back to the architecture community. We worked together to research and write our proposal and were thrilled to receive the fellowship shortly after graduation. Brian and I worked tirelessly for several months planning our trip: coordinating travel arrangements, reaching out to our networks, and researching cities and projects.

During this time that we developed the brand, “Within Formal Cities.” Wanting to capitalize on the tremendous opportunity presented to us through the Duda Fellowship, we expanded our initial budget by raising an additional $7,000 via online crowdfunding. Rather than only experiencing the architecture for ourselves, we pursued a goal to film and develop a documentary. This film 9

would allow us to share our experiences and insights. While it has been no small undertaking, developing the film has been extremely exciting and rewarding.

To date we’ve spent many hours reviewing film, translating interviews, and editing footage. Of course we owe a great deal of gratitude to all the volunteers who have made this possible, especially our film editors at TA Films (Charlotte, NC) who have spent far more time in the studio than they, or we, would like to admit.

such as ELEMENTAL, whose La Renca Housing project provides owners with one-half of a quality house rather than 100 percent of a substandard one.

Owners can invest and fill out the rest of the structure or shell that the architects design. Professor Tapia also recommended several projects in town that we had not yet heard of but were able to research and visit later that week. He led us to other contacts within the university and provided many resources that we took home with us and studied.

Our process for working has also been an exciting one. With the help of multiple online collaboration tools, we have completed almost all of our research, preparations, and editing despite working in separate states and countries since graduation in 2014. There has certainly been a learning curve, but we have grown to appreciate the experience as we’ve learned to adapt and find the best ways to communicate.

We also met and interviewed Carlos Medellín, a design director at Equipo de Mazzanti in Bogotá. He took the time to explain his firm’s philosophy and design approach: one that advocates open program spaces and allows for a variety of activities. He explained their focus on creating meaning beyond the physical structure, which in turn changes the minds and behaviors of the community and has the potential to transform entire neighborhoods. You could feel his passion when he spoke. The projects of Equippo de Mazzanti that we visted were impressive. One in particular, Hope Forest, served as a clear example of how architecture can transcend raw materials and become a symbol for a community that needs inspiration. Once crime-ridden and home to drug trading and gang violence, the area of Hope Forest has since become a gathering point for the community. The new structure became a point of pride for community members who appreciated its abstract beauty. They started taking care of the space, and the negative activities that previously occurred there have diminished or ceased.

Since returning from the sevenweek journey in the fall of 2014, we’ve presented our work on multiple occasions. We’ve each given multiple lectures and presentations and held exhibitions in Biloxi, Mississippi and Raleigh, NC. Our exhibition in Raleigh accompanied our evening lecture for the School of Architecture and AIA Triangle Lecture series. This annual Duda Travel Fellowship Lecture is one we hope to see continued far into the future. It was a wonderful opportunity to fulfill the Dudas’ wishes of sharing our experience by allowing us to present to professors, students, and peers.

Furthermore, in June 2015 we gave an online webinar to the AIA Housing Knowledge Community where we reached a national audience interested in housing policy and design. In September 2015 we released and published our official trailer for Within Formal Cities, and we hope to have the final film completed by Spring 2016.

While the film contains many lessons we hope the audience will take away, we are most excited to share the personal stories of the people we met along our journey. Many of the most influential and helpful people we ran into serendipitously. Take, for example, Professor Ricardo Tapia at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile who offered us a complete lecture on the history of informal settlements in Santiago. We seemingly stumbled into his campus office and discovered a wealth of knowledge that helped inform our research and exploration. His excitement was clearly visible as he bounced around the classroom, drawing diagrams on the whiteboard, all while we filmed and took notes. He explained the concept of incremental housing, popularized by firms

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Our hope is that stories like these, along with images and video of the projects and cities, will provide inspiration to current and future architects. The role of an architect is changing and evolving, and the world will require creative solutions to the problems facing informal settlements. As design professionals, we have a moral obligation to work on these global challenges and an incredible opportunity to show our value by doing so. We believe this is a win-win situation where we can expand the scope and value of our profession while serving those with basic unmet needs. We agree with Nuno Patricio, architect in Rio de Janeiro, as he eloquently summarizes, “There are some things that are common to everybody, like the access to water, education, and health. One of the other pillars of these common rights is the right to the city, the right of having a house to live, the right of a habitat, an environment, a health environment.”

We are looking forward to sharing perspectives and experiences like these with our documentary. As the globe continues to urbanize and more populations are forced into informal settlements, we hope that the stories and design projects we have captured help inform and inspire the next generation of architects and designers.

TURNING NEGATIVE INTO POSITIVE

By Meghan Palmer Photo Credit: Waad Husein

n February 6th, 2015, Razan Abu-Salha and her First Year Studio classmates took a day trip to Christian Karkow’s metalworking foundry for a hands-on look at the casting process. Students saw a demonstration in bronze casting and then had an opportunity to tour Clearscapes and other architecture firms in downtown Raleigh. For many of the first-year students, including Razan, it was an exciting and eye-opening experience that put real-world perspective on a design fundamental they had previously only discussed in the studio.

Karkow, an Assistant Professor of the Practice in Architecture who co-taught the First Year Studio (D 105) with Assistant Professor Sara Queen, used the visit as part of a larger lesson about the complexities of designing a mold for a casting.

Castings can be a “mind-bender,” as Queen described them. “It’s kind of like drawing backwards in a mirror.” Students ponder a core question: “How do I make the inverse of what I eventually want to make? How do I make the negative of the positive?”

“That’s a pretty complicated process,” Karkow explained, “to think about how to build a shape in reverse, pour something into it, and let it harden.” But Razan, he noticed, was thrilled by the hands-on experience. “She didn’t stand back and watch. She was game. She was really game.”

Waad Husein [BEDA sophomore], one of Razan’s studio classmates and close friend, remembered well how intimidating it was to learn a new skill like casting.

“Sometimes I would just get frustrated with myself, which prohibited me from producing,” she said. “However, Razan was extremely patient with figuring out ways to master these skills. She never once sighed, and she was very determined to learn and to produce quality work with strong concepts and fine craft.”

The foundry visit came on the heels of an epiphany Razan had experienced the day before in the studio. After waiting patiently for Karkow to answer the questions of her peers, she posed a question of her own: a proposal on how to design the potential mold for her casting. “She turned into this really engaged designer,” as Karkow recalled. “She proposed a way to design this mold first, then asked what I thought about it.”

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Razan Abu-Salha (center) and Waad Husein (right) spend some time with friend Safah Mahate (left) at Deah Barakat and Yusor Abu-Salha’s wedding.

Many students take the opposite approach, which involves inquiring about the method first. But by proposing her own idea first, Razan gave Karkow an opportunity to gauge her understanding of the process and reframe her question in a different manner. According to Karkow, it was a unique feature about Razan that led to a “lightbulb moment.”

“A space for reflection” was the topic of the project the studio began the week of Razan’s death. Students were tasked with creating a stereotomic (or solid) structure that represented a space for meditation. No religious or faith-based motif was required, but several students chose to use the project as an opportunity to learn more about Islam, the faith that Razan practiced.

The following week, on February 10, 2015, Razan, her older sister Yusor AbuSalha, and her brother-in-law Deah Barakat were shot and killed in their Chapel Hill apartment.

That urge to delve deeper into something unfamiliar may have been sparked when the studio attended the funeral for the three slain victims. Held on a soccer field on NC State’s campus, nearly 6000 people attended. “We were all so impacted by it,” Queen said. “To get in rows with someone you did not know and touch shoulders with them and physically pray. I think that spurred people to learn more about the tenets of the faith and then how their architecture encourages a certain set of rituals that prepare you for a mindset to engage that faith.”

It was an event that rocked the community, including members of Razan’s First Year Studio, who longed to find meaning in the senselessness of their classmate’s murder. But beyond the shock, outrage, and grief it provoked, it gave the students an opportunity to reflect on the dichotomy of life’s fragility and resilience. They sought a safe space where they could share these reflections together, to create something positive out of the negative. As Queen recalled, “they didn’t want to leave the studio. They just sat on the couch for a couple days and told stories.” Not just about Razan, but about their College of Design observations and experiences as a whole. “They really bonded through that.”

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Razan’s family was present at the final review of the project, giving them the opportunity to view some of the stereotomic structures that explored elements of Muslim faith – such as places where ceremonial washings could take place or solar orientations for daily prayers. For Karkow, watching the students explain their projects to Razan’s family was astounding.

Dean Malecha presented the Wings on Wings Award to Dr. Mohammed Abu-Salha in honor of “a very special young woman and a family that has taught us all how to deal with grief.”

“I think the respect went both ways,” Karkow said. “The students were thrilled to have learned, and the family connected with the studio and Razan’s classmates.”

Queen agreed. “For the students to be able to speak about what they learned and then how they tried to create a space—it was pretty moving.”

Razan, Yusor, and Deah’s legacies left a lasting impact on the community, as well as on the College of Design. The Our Three Winners Scholarship is an endowment NC State created in their honor, and to-date it has received close to $300,000 in donations. It will be awarded yearly to six students, two in the College of Design. This year’s recipients were Charlie Eaton [BEDA junior] and Nicole Adam [BEDA sophomore], two of Razan’s studio classmates.

For Charlie, finding out he received the scholarship was a surprise, but because he knew Razan personally through the studio, the award had sentimental and personal value. “I’m grateful,” he said, and even though he and his studio peers will graduate and leave the College in a few years, he believes the scholarship is a powerful way to keep her memory alive. “Along with it, I hope there will be some education about her and her life.”

According to Dean Marvin Malecha, receiving money in someone else’s memory or honor comes with an obligation to know why, but in the case of Razan and her family, the reason won’t be difficult to discern. “You don’t have to dig very deep to find out that this is in memory of a very special person,” Malecha said. “The scholarship will keep that alive forever and ever.”

But Razan’s legacy is by no means the scholarship alone. It is also her memory and her impact on the people who knew and worked with her.

The people who sought to take the negativity of tragedy and shape it into a reflection of something positive.

“I think a lot of good and bad came out of Razan’s death that made us all question the world around us,” Queen said. “There are a lot of contradictions that happened through the event that life is all about and design is all about.

There’s a lot of beauty in that pain of exploring that with the students.”

Photo Credit: Mindful|Photography

“We’re taught that design is this immortal thing,” Karkow reflected, “and I’m beginning to see the mortality that each of us as individuals play in it. Our design is really important. So are our lives, and our communities, and our families.”

Razan’s good friend Waad experienced it in her own design process. “I’ve noticed that our presence isn’t defined by our physical being, but by the things we do that help keep our memory alive—the things that we do to change and benefit the lives of others.

Razan has left the legacy of selflessness and kindness in this world. Inshallah (God willing) we can explore together again Jannah (in Heaven).”

Waad also experienced it in her personal life. About two weeks after Razan’s death, she decided to start wearing a hijab. “It’s something I had been meaning to do for a while, but I could never find the courage. Razan taught me that you can thrive in whatever you do no matter what you believe in or where you come from, and I’m proud to represent a part of my identity while doing so.”

While there are lingering questions in the motive behind Razan, Yusor, and Deah’s murder, there is little denying that it has brought forth the opportunity to develop understanding and respect for a faith that is foreign to many of the students here at the College. Dean Malecha believes that the best way to overcome bias and prejudice is to encourage people to understand one another and the issues they may be facing.

“That’s what we’re doing here at the college,” he said. “We’re teaching students to design to resolve issues, whatever they may be.”

13

A Place to PROWL

By Monique Delage and Jordan Baker

What can be accomplished in 10 weeks with 18 students, four architectural professionals, five college professors, $25,000, and an abundance of talent and determination? You would be amazed. In July 2015, the Design/Build Summer Studio, which included a mix of interdisciplinary students and educators, had the opportunity to take on this challenge.

The summer studio was a collaboration between the Architecture and Landscape Architecture departments of the College of Design. The two came together to design and build a new structure for the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM).

Over the past five Design/Build studios – led by Randall Lanou, LEED-AP, MCGP, and partner at BuildSense – students have created structures around Raleigh and local communities for a variety of clients. This project presented a special challenge, however, as it was the first attempt at an interdisciplinary collaboration. The planning and preparation of this studio was a two-and-a-half-year endeavor initiated by Associate Professor Fernando Magallanes, MLA, PLA, ASLA, from the College of Design and Dr. Michael Stoskopf, DVM, PhD, Dipl, ACZM, from CVM.

Teaching Animal Unit (ZTAU). The location would be used to construct a wild carnivore animal husbandry shed to facilitate the growing research and curricular interests of the CVM ZTAU faculty.

Design/Build studios are intense and ambitious. Their objective is to provide an unprecedented opportunity for students to have real-life experience to learn

Realizing the inevitability of the growth and expansion of the CVM, the two professors sought to develop a cohesive master plan that would provide a balanced mix of land uses and lessen infrastructure demands. Magallanes and Stoskopf also hoped to conserve the character of the land and develop it to meet human and animal requirements in the face of future growth. Magallanes took this opportunity to create a semester-long curriculum that allowed students to participate in the preparation of the master plan. Intent on providing a unique learning experience, Magallanes worked with graduate landscape architecture students through independent study courses to research and select a location that would provide optimum benefits and minimal impact for the Zoological 14

Photos: William Sendor

and understand in concrete terms the concepts taught in lecture. This is what makes the Design/Build summer studio interesting. “I hoped to get experience performing project management on an architectural project,” Anne Zipper, a graduate Architecture student in the College of Design, later explained. “We do a lot of design work in our studio classes, but we don’t typically have the opportunity to perform other roles that exist in the field, like construction administration or project management.”

The project goal was to design and build a 400- to 600-sq. ft. structure that incorporated a broad list of parameters – some known and some yet-to-bediscovered. For the first part of this 10-week theory-to-practice course, the students divided into several teams for rapid-fire brainstorming. “Funneling down these ideas, we chose teams and had the weekend to design a structure based on the requirements of the square footage; a [site] plan, renderings; perspectives, a scaled model and a life-sized model of a 3-axis mock-up and floor plan,” said Josh Leab, a master’s student in Landscape Architecture. Once submitted, the designs What began as came under the scrupulous eyes of College an experiment of Design professors and professional archihas become an tects brought in to collaborate. The theme expectation due to ultimately selected incorporated elements of a 19th century, Southeastern style of ar- the spirit and passion of the amazing chitecture called dogtrot – thus the design was referenced “wolf trot.” As the structure teaching team. developed and took on a more complex shape with the addition of the roof, the team felt it looked like a wolf on the prowl – head low with shoulders up. From then on, the project became known as “Wolf Prowl.”

“

”

With the design of the structure completed and turned in for approval, the team of students got down to the dirty work. “We actually dug holes,” Leab recalled.

While some dug, others welded and tied rebar to create the footings of the structure; still others mixed cement on-site, manufactured columns and posts, and even went so far as to make custom windows. And despite the hilly nature of the Vet School’s acreage, the team never altered the land. “We did not want to simply flatten the land and eliminate the grade,” Magallanes said. “There were purposeful placements of stones and a retaining wall to maintain the site’s character.” Once this groundwork had been laid, the construction began. The build, however, required a deliberate importation of materials to the site. The CVM has sensitive Bio-security issues that require strict protocol for accessing the site.

All the supplies needed to fit in the back of a pick-up, and each truck that entered had to undergo a tire cleaning process. Despite these limitations, the team worked as a cohesive unit, and within a matter of weeks, they had erected the impressive ZTAU structure.

The last two pieces of the ZTAU, the pathway and the entrance doors required extra attention. The team put a painstaking amount of effort into creating the pathway for the ZTAU. “There was a lot of time spent on grading the land in order to maintain a certain grade,” Magallanes explained.

“The materials used were also considered in the event someone with a cane or wheelchair need access.” Yet, as this team can now attest, even the slightest error in measurement can lead to a total overhaul. “The original solution wasn’t working,” Magallanes said, “and we needed to fine tune it and solve it.” With that in mind, the team tore out the original pathway leading up to the ZTAU and laid another.

With the frustration of the pathway behind them, the team turned to the pièce de resistance: the entryway doors. Staying true to their desire for ecological equilibrium, the team repurposed wooden barn doors and scrap metal to create a stunning entry to the ZTAU. Etching the likeness of a wolf into the metal beams, they then added them as an inlay into the old wooden doors. “They became the jewel of this project,” Magallanes said with pride.

Though at the end of the 10 weeks the dirt may have washed away, the experience stuck with those involved. “It was an emotional thing that we all built,” Currin said. For him, it was “a big moment that this structure was complete and the client was happy. A great moment.”

Robin Abrams, FAIA, ASLA, and Head of the School of Architecture, has lauded the passion of students and faculty involved in the program. It was she who first encouraged and pursued the acceptance for the implementation of the Design/ Build studio projects amoug faculty. “What began as an experiement has become an expectation due to the spirit and passion of the amazing teaching team.”

Even for the professors, the Design/Build studio has become about much more than the final structure. When asked what he enjoys most about the yearly experience, Randy Lanou quickly responded, “It’s the students. They are fiercely driven, smart, and invested. It is fun to work with people like this. The projects are extraordinary, and it’s because of the students.”

15

El Camino de Santiago, a student’s 500-mile pilgrimage to the acclaimed cathedral and resting place of St. James made possible through the Noble McDuffie Study Abroad Scholarship; reflections of

By Monique Delage architecture, culture, personal insight and what scholarship has meant to him.

li Simaan [’15 M.Arch]: has always had a keen interest in history and adventure. In fact, Simaan spent much of his free time researching stories that pose opportunities for travel and expeditions.

“It’s exciting and exhilarating to experience places that are new to me. The opportunity to be exposed to something for the first time is part of the excitement. It is an awakening experience and brings a new sense of emotion and feeling – the opportunity for something new and wonderful to happen is always there,” he states. In his research, he stumbled upon an article that listed the “Top 10 Treks to Consider,” which included “El Camino de Santiago,” a 500-mile pilgrimage to the acclaimed cathedral and resting place of St. James.

El Camino de Santiago, meaning The Way of St. James, is a network of routes that leads to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in the northwest highlands of Spain. Believed to house the tomb of the apostle St. James, the cathedral draws thousands of pilgrims who walk or bike the many historical routes annually. While some participate as a spiritual quest, others undertake the journey simply as tourists with an interest in culture, beautiful vistas and adventure. It seemed like a perfect trip for Simaan.

Simaan came to the College of Design with a Bachelor in History and a Masters in Renewable Energy from Appalachian State University (ASU). While at ASU, he participated in an assistantship with Chad Everhart [’98 BEDA, ’03 M.Arch], 16

Eli Simaan posing by an 800-year-old chestnut tree in the village of Triacastela.

an alumnus of the College of Design, on a project entitled, “Farmitecture.”

Through this assistantship, Eli was part of the team that researched and documented a 369-acre farmstead, willed to ASU by the late Beulah and Reeves Vannoy. The students measured, sketched, and rendered 3D models of the property, allowing them to study and understand the vernacular and vulnerable structures of the area. The goals of this research were to augment historical preservation and to learn more about the building processes and integrity of these historic structures. This experience and the influence of Associate

Professor Everhart were the reasons Eli decided to come to the College of Design to pursue a Masters in Architecture.

“ I knew that when I took out my sketch pad, I was going to make a new friend.”

“History and architecture have such similarities and parallel purposes, and I believe they complement one another,” Simaan explains. “I truly believe that the history of something gives me insight into the cultural reasons something is there; a particular type of building in a certain area gives you cultural context of why that building is there (especially when it is unique to an area).”

Last year, he learned of the Noble McDuffie Study Abroad Scholarship. The scholarship, created by alums Linda Noble and Craig McDuffie, provides students with the opportunity to pursue other types of educational training or intense inquiry that are not part of a traditional, classroom based learning experience.

Simaan quickly realized that this could be a great opportunity to achieve his goal of trekking in Spain’s mountainous landscape. After Simaan submitted his essay and completed the application, he was grateful to learn that he was selected as the recipient. Until recently, hiking the Appalachian Trail had been his most alluring trek. But now he would have the opportunity to be a peregrine (pilgrim) on a trek that tens of thousands of people have experienced for more than a thousand years. His journey through the culture, history, architecture, and the religious experience of El Camino de Santiago was finally underway.

The route Simaan chose, called the “Camino de Santiago Frances” (The French Way), starts on the French side of the Pyrenees, and constitutes the most widely traveled path of the pilgrimage. For 30 days, Simaan walked the 500 miles that began in France and lead him through quaint towns, vast farmland, mountainous terrain, paved roads, and cobblestone and dirt pathways. His daily treks ranged from 18 km (11.25 miles) to 42 km, which is equal to a marathon (something he accomplished on the last day of his journey).

Simaan started his pilgrimage with no predetermined notions or ideas of what he would experience but with the realization and hope that it was going to be inspired. Open to what lay ahead and the many opportunities that would present themselves, and with only a backpack filled with the bare essentials, Simaan started his trek alone. “The language barrier and being in a new country with no organized itinerary or tour guide was at first a bit overwhelming,” he states. “Then I met others who were in similar situations, and I relaxed.” Some of the most amazing aspects of this journey were the people he met and the memorable moments this created. “One day I went to a famous café in Pamplona – a place that Earnest Hemmingway often visited – and I just walked up to some people who were sitting and asked if I could join them.”

There was always someone new to meet. People of every age, background, ethnicity, and belief take part in this pilgrimage. “While I was walking, I came to the realization that this journey was a metaphor to life. If you look at it carefully, people from everywhere are taking part. Everyone proceeds at their own pace, in their own manner. There is no discrimination of who, how, or what. Everyone goes on the journey of life and learns the importance of understanding that nobody has it easy, everyone faces difficulties and individual challenges. You realize that, at some point, you need help. It may be that you need food, shelter, or just directions. All of this has made me appreciate the human existence more.”

In the evenings, Simaan would journal his encounters and sketch in order to capture the memories and experiences. “Drawing is a universal language, and it was amazing that every night when I was sketching, people would approach me to see what I was doing. My sketches were not great, however everyone was very encouraging and I could sense that they were able to understand what I was trying to capture. I knew that when I took out my sketch pad, I was going to make a new friend.”

Every day brought a new adventure and an opportunity to learn. Simaan met with locals, tourists, and pilgrims while taking in the beauty of the land. Even the food provided a glimpse into the characteristics of the culture and way of life. “I learned to appreciate the differences that make everything special.

These experiences were unique exposures to people and how they think. As an architectural student, I saw so many things that I would not get to see without this (scholarship) opportunity. These experiences are going to stay with me and probably influence me as a designer.” As a designer, Simaan realizes that it’s the sensitivity and understanding of the landscape, the people, the purpose, the use, and the availability of local materials that can make something great. He feels that he now has a better understanding and a broader sense of awareness that others may take for granted when working on a design project.

So what does one takeaway after completing a 500-mile journey in the course of 30 days through the historical and cultural beauty of Spain? Simaan thinks about this, crosses his arms, takes a deep breath and exhales. His facial expression is peaceful and he says, “My one big take-away from this amazing experience that will be with me for the rest of my life is this: scholarship is a daily opportunity and you can expand your world and your thinking by just keeping your eyes and mind open to new things. Walking the route of ‘El Camino de Santiago’ offered more experiences than I can express today, but I do believe that going beyond your comfort zone and thinking about the challenges and differences of others is an aspect that is crucial to the process of design.”

17

By Manpreet Kaur, [’13 BAD, Winter ‘15 MLA]

he Ghana International Studio recently won the 2015 Student Honor Award for Community Service and Award of Merit in Communications from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), which is one of the highest levels of recognition within the field of landscape architecture for students. The jury noted, “this kind of project has a transformative impact on students as much as those served.” Design is transformative. Transformative for the spaces, lives, and futures with which it is connected. Most often the greatest adaptations are those that address the most basic human and civic rights, access to resources, and opportunities.

As designers, we are very aware and familiar with creating change. However, focusing in, how familiar are we with transforming areas of design with social equity in mind; in providing the most basic of needs, access to resources, and opportunities to all user types?

Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture Kofi Boone, ASLA, has recently led two investigations into social equity: the Ghana International Studio in the summer of 2014, and a seminar on environmental and social equity taking place 18

this semester. Both of these investigations into social equity have the potential and promise of providing honest renewal for the designers and users involved.

The Ghana International Studio’s mission was collaborative design with the Mmofra Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to advocating children’s needs in contemporary Ghana. The Foundation envisions a sustainably designed, child-focused park and center in Accra, called “Playtime in Africa.” Ghana is rapidly urbanizing, and there are no purpose-designed public spaces for children outside of school property. A very formal model is present in Ghanaian education; children have few opportunities for developing imagination and creativity. Kids, however, will be kids, and children create their own playtime and spaces, which gives cause for concern in an unsafe urban environment.

The first portion of the studio required a deep dive into uncovering significant lessons on Ghanaian culture, tradition, craft, and process by visits to various cities and villages in Ghana. The studio then delved into an intensive period of action project development by working with Ghanaian stakeholders, including

children, in the development of prototypes for play experiences to be tested and improved through the Playtime in Africa site. Design students engaged in design build, schematic design, and advocacy tools for the Playtime in Africa site and the Mmofra Foundation. The interdisciplinary studio aimed to provide a space that was safe and allowed for imaginative play – as well as physical and cognitive development – in innovative and culturally significant methods for all young children in Accra. Field study provided students with knowledge on what the young population lacked as a result of modernization and urban expansion. The students involved with the project hoped to connect Ghanaian children to their culture’s traditions, but also to allow them to develop a dynamic set of skills in order to take part in their changing world.

From the designer’s lens, while engaging in fieldwork, design exploration, and construction, it was necessary for students to break out of their boundaries and comfort zones. It was in this physical and mental mindset that they could observe rich cultural heritage and pursue understanding and its application to the design project. Engaging in fieldwork and design, I observed class perceptions in Ghana that were different than those of the US. Process and craft is strongly valued in Ghana, which I saw from the craft villages to the construction of a washroom shelter students helped to create.

Engineers designed an innovative, low-flow composting toilet, organized its construction, and then built it. Ghanaians do not categorize between white collar and blue-collar work. Everyone is an integral part of the community and its success; all skill sets are respected. Throughout both of these experiences, I observed the need for designers to consider a community’s resources before imposing their own viewpoints and bias.

Part two of this social equity investigation is a seminar on Environmental Social Equity and Design. It questions the role of design thinking in the built environment and how it can link growth and development to effect positive and collaborative social change in marginalized communities in order to improve social equity. The seminar is utilizing tools, such as lectures by professionals exploring the facets of social equity; case studies dealing with the environmental, social, and economic aspects of social equity; and small-scale inquires with community members and organizations in Durham, NC, as hands-on studies to better understand the issues “ Social equity is an incredibly complex and steps in attaining social equity.

Social equity spans wide arrays of users and settings, from providing equal access to space amongst all age groups – especially children and the aged­– to providing equal opportunities to all, regardless of race or sexual orientation. For a designer, it goes even deeper in the way that we engage with a community. The design users are the experts and the designer is helping them find their vision and bring it to life.

Photos: Kofi Boone

issue, which one needs to approach from Social equity is an incredibly complex issue, which one needs to approach from multiple angles in order to multiple angles in order to understand.” understand. As a student who is taking both courses, I found the Ghana studio was an experience that not only allowed me to better understand a particular culture, but also the systems that frame social equity. Briana Outlaw, a second year master’s student in landscape architecture who enrolled in both courses, stated, “Social equity is not one sided, it needs to be viewed through history, economy, policy, land issues, culture, innovation, and human needs amongst other elements. Once we understand it through diverse lenses, we will be able to arrive at the root of the problem and better understand the community we are serving and the complex world in which we live.”

NC State Study Abroad offers more than 265 programs from around the world, covering a wide variety of interests, experiences, and educational opportunities.

Programs can range from one week to a full academic year.

The College of Design offers specialized opportunities in Prague, Czech Republic, or Ghana, Africa, to create, explore, and develop a better understanding of the world and how design influences life. A new summer program is now also available in coordination with the Royal School of Needlework in London, UK. These opportunities are impactful, providing students invaluable international experience that promises to provide life-long benefits.

• Annually, 60% of the College of Design student population participates in the Study Abroad Program; this is 40 times higher than the national average.

• Last year, College of Design students collectively received

almost $15,000.00 in financial aid and scholarships towards Study Abroad participation.

• 95% of students polled stated that study abroad experiences had a lasting impact on their worldview.

• Study Abroad is a requirement for undergraduate studies at the College of Design.

19

Style

By Monique Delage

For the past fourteen years,

the College of Design’s Art + Design department has celebrated the achievements of student work in the area of fashion at its annual Art2Wear (A2W) event. This student-organized runway show highlights fashion, costume, and wearable sculpture designed by College of Design students and invites the participation of students from the College of Textiles. These events feature unique creations that explore the boundaries of innovation and technical skills that student designers have learned. This year’s event opened by featuring two collections of former Art2Wear Alumni Designers Sarah Cannon and Sydney Smith; followed by nine Art2Wear Designers: Marina Pappas, Morgan Cox, Lisa Hoang, Georgia Hobbs, Jamie Morrison, Rachel Bridge, Bethany Faulkner, Emma Ptak, and Sarah Ellis Clark.

“Tell Me A Story” was the theme of the 2015 show. The real story, however, is not the culmination of the actual fashion show, but rather the collaboration of efforts by more than 70 people. To make the show a success, student volunteers participated in numerous committees, including Hair & Makeup, Photography, Public Relations, and Social Media.

A2W 2015 was the pinnacle of a yearlong effort by many individuals from different disciplines who possessed diverse abilities, perspectives, and ideas that made this phenomenal night possible. Innumerable hours, unsurpassed dedication, and tremendous contributions from everyone came together with an ambitious vision and brought the show to life. From the dramatic white runway to the black velvet grand drape, the inspiring collections by talented designers made their appearance before an audience that came expectating to be mesmerized and entertained.

Justin LeBlanc, Assistant Professor of Art + Design and faculty advisor and executive producer of the show, reflects on the massive undertaking. “The 20

Tell Me a Story: students put so much work into the event. A fashion show is not easy—it is a lot of work. This is a great opportunity to prepare them [students] for the future and to showcase their talents,” he says. “You start planning next year’s event as soon as the previous show concludes.” LeBlanc is no novice to the behindthe-scenes frenzy of producing a runway show, having worked with designers such as Alexander McQueen and Nick Cave in his early career, where he gained firsthand experience. His influence on A2W is evident in the show’s impressive exposure and acclaimed success of the past several years.

Amanda Casper [’15 BAD], one of this year’s Student Directors, recalls many pivotal moments that made the event so impressive, connecting to each of the designers, committee heads, and staff who worked tirelessly to make it all happen. “Working with a lot of people, crazy schedules... You have to be flexible and supportive of each other. We are all working towards the common goal. It feels like a family,” she says. “With A2W, there are so many moving parts, such as the smaller venues and lectures that lead up to the big event; all must work in unison. You need to understand everything in order to make sure it runs smoothly.”

Photos: Mallory Short

The Tale of Producing an Iconic Student Fashion Show The ultimate goal of a runway show like A2W is to deliver an experience. The audience needs to be entertained and feel the energy and passion that has influenced the designers and their collections. Casper believes that the end result is to impact lives and make memorable experiences.

people throughout the planning, development, and execution of the show is a critical responsibility.

As director, Casper needed to be available and cognizant of what was happening behind the scenes at any given moment. It was a balance of many roles and responsibilities that she took very seriously. She recalls that on many evenings, she would get to bed well after 2 a.m., crash for a few hours, and begin again. All the while, she was completing her senior year.

Yes, it takes a full year to produce the A2W event, each successful production is a product of the last. Organizers and volunteers learn to take those elements that worked well and emulate them the following year.

“You can’t start from the ground up. You build upon what has been done. All the sleepless nights and countless hours matter; you learn from everything,” says Casper. She has shared her many experiences and best practices with Anahid Telfeyan [’16 BAD], the Student Director for 2016. Casper believes that Telfeyan can learn from her strengths and weaknesses and apply those to her tenure. “I am constantly amazed at how often I use the skills and experiences garnered through my participation in A2W over the past several years. Skills such as organization, collaboration, sensitivity to others, and listening – these are useful no matter the discipline you are in,” she shares.

Due to the complexity and demand of the role, Casper invited Bianca Harris [15’ BAD], to share in the duties, improving efficiencies and allowing better oversight and communications. Understanding that, at some point, everyone needs to accept help from others was an important life lesson. She reflects on the importance of utilizing the talents of the committee chairs she so carefully selected: “Each brings a unique perspective and understanding of what can be done, how to do it, and ways to improve the outcome. You need to know when to let go,” she says appreciatively. She knows that it takes an enormous amount of talent, time, and respect for others to produce a fashion show.

“It’s more of what goes into it (the show) than what comes out of it. What comes out of it is amazing. I believe you get what you put into it,” Casper firmly states. The actual runway show may last two hours from start to finish, but the total calculation of volunteer hours is colossal. Think about the number of people and the number of hours it takes to get even the smallest things accomplished. Casper was diligent in her efforts to make sure that everyone felt appreciated. “You need to make personal connections with people, encourage them, and let them know how much you appreciate their time.” Motivating

Next year’s theme is Obsession. As Justin LeBlanc sees it, “Obsession and its interpretations are broad: obsession with pattern, cutting, with anything that they (designers) put their minds to. As designers, we are already obsessive.”

The A2W 2016 event is scheduled for April 22 at the Talley Student Union Ballroom.

21

Teaching the Future of Design

By Meghan Palmer

Design thinking doesn’t start the moment students step onto a college campus their freshman year.

T

he Design Lab for K-12 Education, an institution of the College of Design, seeks to help students get a better understanding of the thought process involved in problem solving through design before entering the college environment. It accomplishes this through programs like Design Camp, Weekend Workshops, Teacher Professional Development Workshops, School Field Trips, and Open Studios.

design disciplines that typically use these lenses: architecture, landscape architecture, industrial design, art + design, graphic design, and design studies.

“We start with building a broad understanding of design thinking and get more specific from there,” said Rice. “Students enjoy working on real-world problems, deciding what kind of interventions will fit best. They come up with some great multidisciplinary solutions.”

Giving pre-college students exposure to design thinking improves their skills across all disciplines. It gives students the stepping-stones to excel both academically and in their future careers. “As young people mature, the issues they encounter in the 21st century aren’t necessarily finite,” said Julia Rice, Director of the Design Lab. “Many of the problems students will face in their future careers will be abstract. Understanding design thinking is a great tool set for students to approach these kinds of problems.”

This summer the Design Lab held its annual Design Camp, a series of weeklong camps for middle and high school students that provides an in-depth and hands-on look at design. Each year, Design Camp uses a theme to give students a way to approach design using a topic with which they’re already familiar. “The theme really functions as a bridge that allows students to use what they know while learning a new way of thinking and creating – the design process,” Rice explained. Previous Design Camp themes have included “2050: the Future”– which had students pondering the problems people would encounter several decades from now – and “The Olympics”– which gave students the opportunity to tackle the issues a community faces when hosting this monumental event.

Programs in the Design Lab apply design thinking and the design process within the context of design problems or projects. Design Lab programs for younger students start with designing through a broader lens – exploration of the environment, the study of objects and applications, and the presentation of information through communication. High school students begin to investigate problems from within the practical and cultural context of the 22

This year’s theme was “Food and Sustainability.” Students have a lot of experience with food in their own lives, but many were not familiar with food deserts or the problems people living in those areas encounter in obtaining and sustaining

“Design is not just making things beautiful, but also useful for people.” fresh food. Many had not thought about the importance and impact of packaging and transportation of food in the modern day. “We want them to think about people in other communities,” said Andres Tellez (PhD in Design candidate), who co-taught the Design Explorations Middle School Camp with Susan Wasilewski. “Design is not just making things beautiful but also useful for people.”

Wasilewski, who is also a long-time member of the Design Lab’s Teacher Advisory Group (TAG), has over 20 years of experience teaching the design process. “It’s important that Design Explorations Camp Staff: (L–R) Instructors Andres Tellez and Susan Wasilewski; Counselors Lisa Bogart, Bri Williams, we as teachers know how to teach students to make decisions Zoe Winton, and Caroline Towns; Camp Coordinator Nick Purdy and think and do,” said Wasilewski. “Our goal with design thinking is to give them a problem-solving tool – to think in a non-linear way College of Design and the understanding teachers have of design and the design with creative exploration. The most rewarding thing for me is seeing a student process,” said Rice. As it turns out, there is a huge demand among teachers to finally come to a discovery through that,” she said. understand not only teaching about design, but also teaching through design.

As the Design Lab plans to offer more programs for teachers on design and Building on previous teacher programing, the Design Lab began offering how to use design projects to teach subjects like math, science, reading, and Teacher Professional Development Workshops in 2015. Graphic Design even history, it looks forward to magnifying its impact on students by engaging Professor Emerita Meredith Davis led the first workshop, entitled “Making their teachers.

Design Work in the Classroom.”

“We saw that our pre-college and outreach programs were making a big impact on students, but we saw a gap between what we are able to offer here at the

A high school design camper presents her project to her teammates.

The design process can be an eye-opening experience for parents as well.

After attending Design Camp, one parent reflected that her daughter “makes observations about objects and processes that aren’t well-designed, and that’s exciting for me to see in her. I love the fact that she is learning that she can shape her environment and her experience in it. I think design thinking is a critical skill to develop, regardless of the eventual field you might go into as an adult.”

The help of the design community at large is critical for the Design Lab to sustain affordable access to design education. “We strive to offer the highest quality K-12 Design Education experiences possible.

We also want to make sure that we can offer these experiences to students regardless of their financial situation,” said Rice. Every year, the Design Lab waives thousands of dollars in fees for students in need of financial assistance. Scholarships, such as the Marvin and Cindy Malecha Dream Scholarship Fund, can help students needing financial support experience programs like Design Camp and reduce the cost of programs for teachers. Rice says, “We’re a small initiative on campus, but we have a long history and have made a huge impact on a lot of lives over the years. So in supporting the Design Lab, you know that your contribution will go a long way.”

23

Influence Chuck and Marjorie Flink: Influence for the Future of Landscape Architecture

By Dave Delcambre

s a youth, Chuck Flink, FASLA, PLA, [’82 BEDLA] was accustomed to spending a lot of time outside. “I grew up in the outdoors; my Mom and Dad saw to that,” Flink recalls.

“Our entire world was outside and we probably spent more time outdoors than we did indoors. We were out from sunup to sunset.” With this sort of early enthusiasm and appreciation for outdoor activity, it’s easy to understand how Flink could go on to establish a career as one of the leading recreational trail designers at work today.

to do.” The venture was not without its twists and turns, however. Flink vividly recalls a story from 1989 when two National Geographic writers on assignment to write about the burgeoning greenways movement arrived at his doorstep. They were “looking for the grand old man of greenways,” said Flink, and, since he was only in his late 20s at the time, he recalls with a chuckle, “I was not him.”

While working for the public interest has long been a source of inspiration for Flink, he readily admits that the challenges that come with leading one’s own firm are distinct from his College of Design responsibilities. The daily reality Though he’s now renowned in the field of greenway design as a founder and of knowing how to effectively work with your client base is always present, as principal at Greenways Incorporated, which is the obligation that comes with balancing their expectations. “Clients is now affiliated with Alta Planning + Design, are very different, since they have to worry about the bottom line,” Flink remembers that at first it took a little The College of Design Flink describes, “whereas academia is about the process of learning and time for him to learn how to navigate the acquiring tools and knowing who you are as a designer.” He considers was so influential. profession. He recalls how, as a transfer his thoughts for a moment, weighing them carefully before continuing, It’s one of the reasons “In the private sector, it’s about the practical application,” he says. “You undergraduate student from Missouri, he I feel so strongly didn’t immediately find his place in N.C. State have to be able to think and move fast and be very efficient with the University’s landscape architecture studios. about the educational way you’re delivering design services.” The unique seasoned experience “I came out of the Midwest and didn’t really that Flink brings as both a veteran business professional and design experience.” have a background in design at all, so the entrepreneur is what distinguishes his professional perspective as well as program definitely shaped me,” Flink said, his contributions to the academic environment. his voice brightening at the recollection of when things began to click. “The Though he would like to be able to devote more of his time to teaching, Flink’s College of Design was so influential. It’s one of the reasons I feel so strongly about other professional commitments place significant constraints on his schedule. the educational experience.” In particular, the tutelage he received from faculty Currently he is the Project Director for the Wolf River Conservancy’s $40 million members Lewis Clark and Randy Hester paved the way for Flink to develop his Greenway Project in Memphis, Tennessee, which will occupy a major portion own voice in design which he now shares with others through his teaching in the of his time extending into late 2018. The project grew out of Flink’s involvement Landscape Architecture Department each spring semester. “I’m fortunate to be with the Walton Family Foundation’s Razorback Regional Greenway in Northwest able to teach here and work with students, which is a great joy for me,” he said.

Arkansas, a successful planning effort that led the Conservancy to seek him out “You have a chance to give them that confidence and the tools to solve problems. to help realize its own decades-old vision. Flink is clearly excited about the Wolf It’s a very rewarding thing for me to be involved with helping them.”

River concept. “It’s a fascinating project from a lot of different perspectives,” Striking a balance in the field of practice is something that Flink has been keenly he says. With some 20 miles of greenway trail extending from the Wolf River’s aware of throughout his career as a landscape architect. “When I graduated in 1982, intersection with the Mississippi River and downtown Memphis to Germantown, there was a big recession, so it was tough for a couple of years to get my footing and Tennessee, the Wolf River Greenway Project is notable, including the large amount realize what it would take to be an accomplished professional,” Flink remembers, of private funding supporting the cause. Among the exciting aspects of the project though his patience would eventually pay off. “In 1986, when I formed Greenways is the variety of communities and people the greenway will serve. “What’s really Incorporated, it was an amazing thing,” he says, “because I was able to catch a wave fascinating is where it goes,” Flink points out, noting that the greenway will go of interest in greenways, trails, and the outdoors – everything that I really wanted “through some neighborhoods in North Memphis that have historically been

“

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underserved from any sort of investment point of view.” As he continues, it becomes apparent that Flink has thoughtfully considered the role his work in Memphis may have for the greater good of the community. “There are significant challenges in accomplishing the project, but the rewards are also very significant when it’s done,” he said. “We firmly believe that it will be a catalytic project and spur additional investment in neighborhoods and parts of the community that really need it.”

For the couple, it’s a chance to give back in a very direct way, to help NC State University and the College by giving future landscape architecture students and faculty a chance to succeed.

While the Wolf River Greenway will undoubtedly involve considerable work coordinating the design and construction issues that always come up on a project of this scale and complexity, “I like to tell people that probably the least challenging aspect of this project is building the trail,” Flink says with a broad smile. “Because there are so many other things we’re taking on –social issues, economic issues, health and wellness, safety and security – there are just so many other topics.” He goes on, clearly energized by the scale and robustness of the effort, “We’ve been challenged by the funder to look at the long term engagement results of this, including job creation and business incubation.” For Flink the project really becomes holistic, striving to “lift all the boats in these neighborhoods so we can have positive socio-economic benefit from this project. When you layer that into a project like this, it becomes about a lot more than just where we put the asphalt trail.”

Reflecting on projects like Wolf River and his career as a whole, Flink is forthright and points out his own surprise about how it has all occurred. “The whole experience has just been amazing.” Flink said. “I always had this sense of my career as this sort of accidental tourist.”

He pauses a moment before continuing with a self-imposed question,” You know, ‘Did you have this specific plan?’ No, I could never have envisioned it. In fact it’s been an evolutionary journey.” As he speaks, it’s apparent that Flink is a landscape architect who has spent careful deliberate time considering his approach to the profession as well as what the future might bring for greenway design. “The one thing I’ve tried to do with my company and with the whole notion of greenways is to enable it continue to grow, expand, and change,” he said.

“Greenway design can’t continue to be what it was in the ‘70s, ‘80s, or ‘90s. It has to continue to morph and evolve, and that’s what I think is so fantastic.”

This sense of growth and change also strikes a chord in Flink’s outlook on professional practice and academic endeavors in general, stoking an idea of giving something back in a way that can bridge both worlds. It’s a very strong notion for Flink and is, in fact, what has driven Chuck and his wife Marjorie to earmark a future multilevel estate gift to the College of Design that will support graduate landscape architecture student fellowships, a faculty endowment fund, and a landscape architecture departmental enhancement fund. For the couple, it’s a chance to give back in a very direct way, to help NC State University and the College by giving future landscape architecture students and faculty a chance to succeed.

“When it comes to our gift to the College,” Flink said in describing what he and his wife have planned, “we know that the economics now are very different than the days when we were in college and that both the faculty and the students need that support. It’s really the motivation behind our deciding to make the gift to the University.“ One thing about Chuck Flink’s contributions to his profession is certain: the path to the future looks bright indeed.

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Influence Retirement of Charles Joyner You would be hard pressed to find a College of Design faculty member who has worked on a wider variety of public interest projects over the years than Professor Charles Joyner. He is a founder of Design Camp and active participant in NC State University’s Africa Project, engaging students to participate in the Art + Design Study Abroad Program in Ghana, West Africa that he helped establish. He was co-founder of the independent Seesaw Studio in Durham for young people and an exhibiting visual artist with gallery shows highlighting the connections between between African-American and Ghanaian cultures. As his teaching career progressed, Joyner continued to explore new directions, including the implications of digital technologies in the design studio. He exposed his students to emerging areas ripe for intellectual exploration and engaged them to thoughtful design approach of objects while giving careful consideration to their social context.

Most notably, Joyner’s broad interests allowed him to unite two seemingly disparate communities that loom large in his background: the rural North Carolina of his childhood and his West Africa travels. “What’s striking is that he’s had such a profound and deep impact while in Ghana,” remarked Associate Professor Kofi Boone, who has frequently taught with Joyner abroad over the past 10 years. “He is a Ghanaian when he’s over there,” Boone said. “It’s remarkable being there with him and how he touches people from the highest reaches of administration down to local little kids.”

It’s Joyner’s openness and affability that helped him encourage students to study abroad and take on new challenges. “He’s really championed immersing people literally into places that are completely different than what they’re used to,” Boone notes. “When students come back from Ghana, they do see things differently and feel empowered to not let differences prevent them from developing Charles Joyner (right) with Kofi Boone relationships and reaching out.“They have real world experiences now as far as having a conversation with someone who is totally different. I know that was one of the main reasons he started the Ghana program.” Joyner’s experiences in West Africa also invigorated his visual art explorations of the iconography of that nation, coming to full fruition in displays of his work in gallery shows throughout the Southeast and West Coast of the United States.

Joyner spent time at NC State University maintaining a balance between teaching, research, scholarship, and outreach. He has left an invaluable impression on students who are now making a difference in their communities. Joyner will soon be stepping away from the workload that has defined his career for 39 years at the College.

Retirement of Georgia Bizios There’s no doubt that Professor Georgia Bizios, FAIA, has built her social, designoriented practice from a multidisciplinary perspective. As the leader of a successful Durham-based architecture firm, Bizios, along with her current staff of six professionals, has completed residential and sacred architectural projects at all scales and for widely varying clients. Yet, her architectural success has only been one aspect of her professional life. She has long been a vital and effective educator in the College of Design’s School of Architecture and has balanced academia with professional practice.

Now entering phased faculty retirement, Bizios sees the next few years as an opportunity to more fully engage with her practice in a way she hasn’t always been able to do while Georgia Bizios with Charles Joyner. balancing the demands of a full-time teaching load. “Through my teaching career, I have practiced, and for the last twenty-five years, I have had a focus on residential work in the Triangle area.

That involvement was part-time,” she says, “but it enhanced my teaching because I made the two relate. I taught studios that focused on small projects and the pragmatic aspects of architecture so the courses could complement the offerings and the curriculum at the graduate level.” Though this work was often modest in scale, Bizios

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was nonetheless convinced small projects could still have a big impact. “We educated many people about what architects do and the practice of architecture.” Bizios integrated chances for students to work with real clients within her courses. “Part of my responsibilities at school includes engaging with community partners in our state.

I would say that I had a significant number of students who had an opportunity to be involved with real clients and community partners on realistic projects, and it allowed them to offer something to the public good while complementing their curriculum.”

About ten years ago, Bizios began to focus on extension and community engagement in the area of affordable housing issues and public interest projects. She began her Home Environment Design Initiative, focusing on issues related to improving housing conditions and home design. “I tried to partner with nonprofits and social groups like the Lumbee and offer students the opportunity to work with these groups, develop workshops with the community and address the issues they faced in renovating buildings or providing better home designs for their constituents. With the Lumbee, for instance, the process of having community and student involvement was positive, and it resulted in a number of built homes.” In the Spring semester of 2014, Bizios led a funded, experimental studio/practice course that focused on public interest projects and incorporated professional internship credit in addition to the academic and client experience component. This was due in large part to new architectural internship regulations, which are more accommodating to the realities of today’s economic climate. After a career distinguished by success in both practice and the university, Bizios can still easily move back and forth between the two even as she looks ahead.

“My practice informed my teaching and I was one of the few faculty members that maintained an active practice,” she recalls. But the energy in her voice shows she is ready to embrace a new chapter.”

Retirement of Meredith Davis The Influence of a Curious Mind

Influence that Matters

Professor Emeritus Meredith Davis had an early start in her career working in public education. Her first job after her early art history and education studies was working as a middle school art teacher.

But it was later, while studying design at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, that Davis became focused on the bigger picture: immersing herself in a team that developed a model public school curriculum that incorporated environmental concerns, communications, and design as integral endeavors. Not only did the effort forge a direction for her future collaborative academic work, but the synergy also instilled a sense of commitment and a work ethic for Davis that continues to this day.

Dr. Chris and Mrs. Odile Gould are life-long educators who firmly believe that education can make a monumental difference in one’s life. “I’m a great believer in public education,” Dr. Gould said. “I attended public schools, my wife attended public schools, and one of our daughters went to NC State and the other to UNC Chapel Hill. Public education has served us well.”

Davis came to Raleigh from Richmond, and she remembers how her time there was consumed by the struggle of balancing teaching and running her own firm. “I went probably a year and a half without a day off,” she recalls. Seizing the opportunity to make a mid-career change, she accepted a position at the College of Design, which offered her a chance to refocus on research and writing. It was during her first ten years at NC State that Davis became active nationally, editing journals and serving on various professional boards. She sees that work as a privilege. “It was a lesson for me as far as getting out of your institution and figuring out what else is going on in the rest of the world. It can only benefit what you’re doing.”

When Davis talks about her dedication to her work, it’s easy to get a sense that her commitment drives her motivation.” It’s hard to turn that (drive) off,” she says. “It’s not a case where you get up in the morning and say, ‘OK, now I’m in the work world, and at five o’clock you shut that off.’ I Meredith Davis (center) with Dr. Chris and Mrs. Odile Gould. don’t do well when I have nothing to do.”

In addition to their enthusiasm for education and the arts, the Goulds give high priority to philanthropic endeavors.

Dr. Gould’s primary interest has become undergraduate scholarship support. They hope that by giving, they can encourage the success of many students in varying disciplines who stand to benefit from grants and scholarships made possible at NC State by such donations. “It’s compelling to reach the students who never thought of going to college —to help them get in the door and have a chance to see how they can perform. There’s so much opportunity here.”

It is apparent that Davis sees one aspect of her personality as fundamental to her success. “I think I’m curious,” she said, describing the source of her drive, dedication, and passion. “I’m interested in things that are too big to tackle as a project and how you make big changes in education and raise questions in design that are at the heart and core of practice, rather than momentary trends or fads. I like those things that require a lot of collaboration from many people,” she adds.

In terms of the influences on her teaching career, Davis is quick to point that this multifaceted approach and the broader topic of the interdisciplinary nature of design education has long been a keen interest of hers, extending back to that student team at Cranbrook. “I guess it’s the collaborators that I have the greatest respect for,” she said. “Teaching design is very different than teaching other disciplines. You’re in a collaboration from the beginning. I have had to sit down with each student, get into their head, and work with them to achieve something that’s going to be successful. It’s always a kind of coaching relationship, not standing in front of a class lecturing because you know more than the people sitting out there in the room.”

By Monique Delage

Most recently, the Goulds established a scholarship endowment in the College of Design in honor of Dr. Meredith Davis’ retirement. In addition to being a nationally prominent figure in graphic design, Davis has been an outstanding educator and mentor for more than a decade at the College of Design. Her former students include the Goulds’ daughter Annabelle, now an associate professor of design at the University of Washington. They realize that there are many similarities between the path that Annabelle has taken and Davis’ own professional course. As educators themselves, the Goulds appreciate that their daughter has taken up this challenge.

“We are hoping that this scholarship will provide design students who otherwise might not stick with their education the opportunity to continue. Everyone is trying to make it through school, and financial support to a student who is struggling can go a long way,” said Dr. Gould. “Keep them in the program so that we can expand their talent, and possibly they can have a career like my daughter. Student support is a big thing for the College of Design. I think the College is the jewel of NC State that sometimes gets lost. It is important to maintain a stimulating group of students.”

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By Dave Delcambre

Building Energy Toolkits

Build More than just a Curriculum

As anyone with school age children can attest, getting young students engaged in their school’s learning environment can sometimes be a challenge. But this didn’t deter Dr. Traci Rider, PhD, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, BD+C, GGP, with the College of Design and her colleague Dr. Meg Blanchard from NC State University’s College of Education. Partnering with teachers in the Nash-Rocky Mount Public School system and independent study students from the College of Design and Engineering Department, the pair collaborated on an innovative outreach platform aimed at teaching middle school students new science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills.

To initiate the program, the group first held a training day for the teachers.

As Rider recalls, “We showed them the equipment and what it could do and a schedule for retrieving and returning information. Then they took the kits back and scheduled them into their regular weekly exercises.” Interacting with students was also a significant component of the project for the NC State students as well. “Part of the process was also to go out and talk with the students about STEM careers and we took both College of Design and Engineering students out and made presentations.” The program was a hit with middle schoolers and teachers alike. “They all said they wanted to do it again this year,” Rider said.

The idea was to provide

As Rider describes it, the grade choice was a deliberate The next step for the Building Energy Toolkit program students a tool set that one. “In middle school, students are at that leverage point is a proposal Rider intends for a similar STEM program would allow them to of getting engaged in STEM fields,” she said. Sensing a in Durham County. The concept is to broaden the data explore and compare certain tremendous collaborative opportunity to work both for out to school system facility managers. “Once we get all physical properties of their the tool kits out to the teachers, then the data can come the public interest and to help young people gain new perspectives, she became interested in developing the school environment, such back, not just to us, but also to the energy manager for ability of middle school students to take measurements as air quality, temperature, the County. That information can then plug back into of their building, enabling them to be ‘citizen-scientists.’” humidity, and light intensity their operational loop,” Rider explained, detailing the This allows students to understand “what their built potential for an even broader impact in the community. in specific school rooms environment means and how it affects how they operate “The middle school students will understand more in different types of spaces,” Rider said. Nash-Rocky throughout different seasons. about their environment and building science issues,” Mount was advantageous not only because the setting she describes, “and their findings will also then go back allowed students to have hands-on classroom experience in building into the maintenance loop to help the district develop better schools.” science and design, but, as Rider noted, it also offered the opportunity for “outreach to a nearby county with students at risk in an under-served area.”

Thanks to funding from the Dominion Foundation’s K-12 Educational Partnership, Blanchard and Rider developed lesson plans built around ‘Building Energy Toolkits’ – small containers complete with thermometers, gauges, monitoring devices, and data trackers – to hand out to the students.

The idea was to provide students a tool set that would allow them to explore and compare certain physical properties of their school environment, such as air quality, temperature, humidity, and light intensity in specific school rooms throughout different seasons. Also to measure and record the exhaust emissions at bus drop off areas. According to Rider, “The students got very interested in gathering the data and understanding the measuring.

They used the readings from the tools to better understand energy use, light levels, and temperature in the classroom during periods when no one was there, and see how the different readings compared to the differences in the weather outside.”

Notes Randolph (Randy) Hester, FASLA, FCELA, [’69 BLA] was awarded the ASLA Community Service Award for 2015.

Hester a former professor of the College of Design was recognized for his contribution and commitment to landscape architecture and his pro bono service to the community. This award was bestowed to William L. Flournoy, FASLA, [’69 BS, ’72 MLA] in 2014. Both are distinguished alumni.

Chandra Cox, Head of the Department of Art + Design is part of the Visual Narrative Cluster, which received the honor of being selected for the Chancellor’s Faculty Excellence Program. Additional NC State faculty include: Matthew Booker, R. Michael Young, Sandria Freitag, Paul Fyfe, Anthony Harrison, Hamid Krim, Edgar Lobaton, and Jonathan Ocko (deceased January 2015). Visual narrative is a central mode of understanding the world around us, playing a key role in how we make sense of our experiences, how we communicate them, how we share our culture, how we understand its history and future trajectory, and how we explore hypothetical worlds that might have been or might emerge. As narrative has expanded into digital media, new possibilities arise for the creation and analysis of powerful visual narratives.

Professor Thomas Barrie, AIA, Director of Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, received an Outstanding Extension Service Award and was inducted into the NC State Academy of Outstanding Faculty Engaged in Extension.

The JC Raulston Arboretum was ranked eighth in the nation of the 50 Most Stunning University Gardens and Arboretums by the website Best Masters Programs.

Assistant Professor of Architecture Sara Glee Queen [’02 BEDA] was elected as one of four TH!NK Faculty Fellows across the University tasked with implementing NC State’s Quality Enhancement Plan.

Cannon Architects was named Firm of the Year at the 2015 AIA NC Conference.

Principles Susan Cole Cannon, FAIA, LEED AP, [’78 BEDA] and Roger Cannon, FAIA, LEED AP, [’79 M.Arch] have a combined experience of over 56 years in the field of architecture and together represent a wide range of design projects and completed buildings over a 28-year period. Both are Professors of the Practice in the College of Design School of Architecture. Professor Emeritus Roger Clark, FAIA, has worked closely with this firm for many years on several award-winning projects.

Susan recently completed the College of Design Master Plan Study. The purpose of the plan was to analyze the current space utilization of the College and to project its future growth needs over the next 15 years. It also addressed approaches to future growth and phasing options to remain competitive with peer institutions.

A student team advised by faculty member Kofi Boone, ASLA, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, won a 2015 ASLA Student Honor in Community Service Award and a Student Award of Merit in Communications for their work with the Ghana International Design Studio: Playtime in Africa. The student team included: Jared Kaelin, Assoc. ASLA; Briana Outlaw, Student ASLA; Manpreet Kaur, Student ASLA; Rachel Wilson, Assoc. ASLA; Todgi Dozier, Student ASLA; James Mitch Caldwell, Student ASLA. The studio was comprised of immersive studies within a range of Ghanaian settings that highlighted issues impacting Ghana life. Traveling through Ghana uncovered themes of culture, tradition, process, and craft. The Mmofra Foundation (Client) envisioned a sustainably designed, child-focused park and center in Ghana which inspires creativity, fosters play, and educates through hands-on discovery.

Assistant Professor of Art + Design Marc Russo [’11 MAD] received the Pixie Platinum Award in Animation for short film “Cacophony” and the Certificate of Excellence in Animation from the 3rd Annual Delhi International Film Festival, New Delhi, India.

Designlife at: design.ncsu.edu/designlife

Frank Harmon, FAIA, Professor in Practice, was awarded the 2015 AIA NC COTE Award for his design of the NC Center for Architecture and Design in downtown Raleigh. Harmon designed the building to meet LEED Platinum standards – the highest LEED certification – as well as AIA Committee On The Environment (COTE) goals, which include regional appropriateness and the use of regionally available materials, land use and site ecology, sustainable materials and methods of construction, reduced water usage, and increased energy efficiency.

Wendy J. Miller, RLA, FASLA, [’86 MLA] was selected as one of 37 members to the 2015 Class of Fellows of the American Society of Landscape Architecture.

Fellowship is among the highest honors the ASLA bestows on members, and it recognizes the contributions of these individuals to their profession and society at large based on their works, leadership and management, knowledge, and service. The new class of Fellows will be recognized at the 2015 ASLA Annual Meeting this November in Chicago. Miller was also awarded the 2015 ASLA NC President’s Council Award.

Douglas Hall, AIA, [’86 BED, ’88 B.Arch] and Jeff Trussler, AIA, [’87 BAD, ’87 M.Arch] leadership from BBH Design, received the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Community Appearance, which recognizes outstanding new contributions to the character, environment, and appearance of the City of Raleigh. BBH Design was presented an award for the Healing Place Bus Shelter in the category “Public Facilities and Spaces.”

Dean Marvin Malecha, FAIA, DPACSA published Being Creative: Being a Creative, a monograph developed for use in the Design Thinking curriculum. The publisher was Kendall Hunt. He also published Meditations, Ruminations, Instigations, a collection of essays from across a 40-year career in higher education.

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Notes Adam Gebrian, who since 2013 has been on the architecture faculty at the Prague Institute, was named “Young Architect of the Year 2015” in the Czech Republic. He graduated with honors from Faculty of Architecture in Liberec (2006) and also from the postgraduate course SCIFI at SCI-Arc in Los Angeles thanks to the Fulbright Scholarship (2008).

His project for Dubai was exhibited at the 11th Biennale in Venice (2008).

Associate Dean and Professor of Landscape Architecture Art Rice received the 2015 Jackson Rigney International Service Award. The award recognizes the distinguished contributions of faculty or staff members for the promotion of international understanding and service to the university and/or to the international community over the course of their career.

Louis Cherry, FAIA, LEED AP, [’83 M.Arch] Principal Architect of Louis Cherry Architecture won a 2015 AIA Triangle Design Award in the Residential Category. 516 Euclid Street, Raleigh was part of the 2015 Residential Tour during the AIA NC Conference and is Cherry’s personal home.

Emilie Williams [03’ BID] was recently recognized as associate design director for kitchen and bath faucets; she leads all design projects for that category with Ignite USA. Williams formerly served as senior designer for the Contigo and AVEX brands. Previously, Williams spent eight years as lead industrial designer at Delta Faucet and senior designer at the Masco Corporation.

Ellen Weinstein, AIA, [’86 B.Arch] and Ken Friedlein, AIA, [’95 B.Arch] of Weinstein Friedlein Architects won a 2015 AIA NC Award of Merit for the Durham Central Park Cohousing Community project, known as “Durham Coho.”

David McCall [‘10 BID] lead designer with Ford Motor Company, recently completed the redesign of the ‘16 Mustang GT. This redesign marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic racecar and was a high-profile project for both Ford and the entire automotive industry.

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Victoria Adesanmi [’13, BID] completed the Pensole: Adidas Earn Your Stripes Program as a color, material, and finishing designer. For the duration of the program, she worked conjunctly with Adidas to create the color material palette and story for Spring/Summer 2016 line, specifically for track athlete Ajee’ Wilson.

An NC State student team won the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) Unit Design Competition. The team included undergraduate architecture student, Andrew Nance and current masters in architecture students Olta Kapinova, Rhian Lord, and Sahar Golabi. They proposed a new landscape paver called the “Y-Block.“ As part of the competition, the NCMA sponsors the top three teams to travel to the NCMA’s mid-year meeting in Park City, UT.

Heather Rowell [’03 M.Arch], Assoc.

AIA and Design Principal at CONTENT Architecture, received a 2015 AIA Houston award for residential Architecture. The project, Casa Lobo, was a collaboration between CONTENT and the homeowner to create an affordable, well-designed solution using the economy of metal building components. Situated in Houston’s energized East End, the single level house is lifted off the site to accommodate the owner’s hobby as a mechanic below while gaining privacy for living above.

Sadie Red Wing [intended ’16 MGD] won the Coyne Family Foundation Award through the 2014/2015 Worldstudio AIGA Scholarship. She is a member of the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe in Fort Totten, North Dakota. She would like to use her graphic design knowledge to help Native American regions communicate on a greater scale and improve the lives of the Sioux.

Affiliate faculty member Dr. Traci Rider [’10 PhD] taught an interdisciplinary LEED Lab with the NC STATE Campus Sustainability office, focused on assessing the sustainable operations of Nelson Hall. The course won a City of Raleigh Environmental Award for Institutional Innovation.

Melissa Henao-Robledo, ASLA, [‘06 MLA] was recently named to the City of Austin (TX) Design Commission and was also the winner of the Capital Metro and the Austin chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Bus Stop Shelter Design Competition. The bus stop will be transformed into a collection of flower-like awnings to shade transit riders from the sun. The design is dubbed “Mi Jardin.”

The shape of the bus stop was inspired by Latino culture, and it will not only shade and shelter the riders, but it will also collect rainwater and serve as a harvesting system to irrigate the native and adapted landscape.

Raleigh [ ] space won a Sir Walter Raleigh Award for its creative public environment. Located at the corner of Hargett and Salisbury streets, adjacent to Deco Raleigh. Raleigh [ ] space is a small, urban, public environment occupying the area of two parallel parking spaces. Team included: Designers and Fabricators Bob Massengale [‘05 BLA, ‘14 MLA] and Tyner Tew [‘14 MLA]; Professor Carla Delcambre, PLA and Robby Layton, FASLA, PLA, PhD Candidate; Graphic design and branding by yellowDog:creative, Julie Schmidt [94’ BED] and Alison Rogers; Kickstarter. Empire Hardhat Construction, Choate Construction and DECO Raleigh were also on the team.

Melissa Henao-Robledo, ASLA, [‘06 MLA] and Courtney Hinson, ASLA, [’07 MLA] participated in the American Society of Landscape Architects Diversity Summit. The key focus areas for the 2015 summit were raising general public awareness (with an emphasis on minority parents), early exposure to the profession, and mentorship, with special focus on strategies for recruiting students in grades K-12 to the profession and establishing successful MLA programs. Henao-Robledo was also recognized for her achievements in promoting minorities to the profession through the Latinos in Architecture and DesignVoice committees of the AIA.

Mary Louise “Lou” Jurkowski, FAIA past Designlife Board member, received the F. Carter Williams Gold Medal Award, which is the highest honor presented by the AIA NC. It is awarded to an individual in recognition of a distinguished career of extraordinary accomplishments as an architect in memory of Raleigh architect F. Carter Williams, FAIA.

Notes Associate Professor of Graphic Design Helen Armstrong, was a speaker at the AIGA 2015 Design Conference in New Orleans. Armstrong works as principal of her company, Strong Design. Her work has been recognized by Print and HOW magazines and highlighted in several design publications.

She also serves as the co-chair of the AIGA Design Educators Community Steering Committee and is on the editorial board of Design and Culture.

Matthew Henning Griffith, AIA, [‘02 M.Arch] and Erin Sterling Lewis of in situ studio in Raleigh, currently serving as Professors of Practice in Architecture at the College of Design, won a 2015 AIA Triangle Honor Award for residential project, “A house named Fred.” They also won two AIA NC Merit Awards for Residential Design for their “Clark Court” and “Stoneridge” projects.

Braxton Hinkle [’14 BEDA, ‘16 M.Arch], Marty Needham [’14 BEDA, ‘16 M.Arch], and Gabriele Seider [’17 M.Arch] passed the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Associate Exam. Passing this exam demonstrates a solid understanding of green building principles and practices. This credential exemplifies a commitment to the green building movement and is a professional accreditation.

Beth Faragan [’15 MLA] was elected as the 2015 National Student Director for the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA). As student representative on the national board of directors, Beth brings issues of student interest to the attention of the CELA Board to facilitate support of landscape architecture students through activities of the annual CELA conference and other scholarly outlets. Faragan was the only student selected from across the country.

Meredith West [’13 BAD] won the High Cotton Collegiate Paisley Design competition.

Ten finalists were chosen, and through a public vote, West was selected for top honors.

Her design was incorporated into High Cotton’s spring bow tie collection and is available for purchase.

Associate Professor Andrew A. Fox, PLA, ASLA, University Faculty Scholar, Park Faculty Scholar, and Community Engaged Faculty Fellow, received a 2015 Case Study Investigation (CSI) Research Fellow throught the Landscape Architecture Foundation. The Design/ Build Studio, led by Fox, integrates a full-range range of planning, site design, and construction strategies to serve our campus. Built on an overall ethic of community, the program’s efforts advocate for sustainability and artistry in the creation of enduring designs that are socially, environmentally, and contextually appropriate.

Funding since inception 5 years ago is in excess of $175,000. The 2015 ASLA NC Award: The Artists’ Back Yard Project was awarded First Place in the 2015 Best Innovative BMP Outside the Watershed by the Chesapeake Stormwater Network.

“Preventing Obesity by Design” (POD) is an on-going comprehensive project addressing prevention of early childhood obesity through built environment design and management, healthy nutrition, physical activity, and professional development. Developed by the Natural Learning Initiative under the leadership of Professor of Landscape Architecture Robin Moore, Honorary ASLA, and Dr. Nilda Cosco, PhD. POD works on three scales – Wake County, NC, statewide, and in other states – and collaborates with higher education institutions, early childhood education, landscape design, and childcare providers and regulators. NLI received awards from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, the John Rex Endowment, the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Logan Free [’15 MLA] was chosen as a U.S. Presidential Management Fellow (PMF), a prestigious, governmentwide fellowship program designed to assist federal agencies in cultivating potential future leaders in the management of public policies and programs. The twoyear program provides opportunities for leadership and management development and prepares fellows for a permanent job with the federal government. Receiving more than 8,000 applicants, this highly competitive program normally offers 200-300 positions. Logan was hired as a PMF Landscape Architect for the U.S. Forest Service, working for the Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources (RHVR) staff unit in the Washington office.

Professor and Department Head of Graphic Design and Industrial Design Tsai-Lu Liu was a keynote speaker at the 8th International Conference on Planning and Design (ICPD) held in Tainan, Taiwan earlier this year at National Cheng Kung University.

The conference is a biennial international forum designed for the dissemination and exchange of up-to-date research in industrial design, architecture, and urban planning.

2015 NCASLA Award of Excellence in Analysis and Planning for “Shedding [b]Light” which responded to an international competition confronting urban vacancies and blight in New Orleans was awarded to several faculty members. Project team included: Andrew Fox, PLA, ASLA (Team Leader), David Hill, AIA, Sara Glee Queen [’02 BEDA], Kofi Boone, ASLA, and Traci Birch, PhD, AICP (ECU). The team used an operative mapping process to synchronize current and future urban policy, land use patterns, and natural system dynamics identifying where the challenges and opportunities of re-purposing vacant land are most efficiently aligned and suggesting different typologies of responses to citywide vacancy.

Meredith Smith [’15 M.Arch] received a 2015 ASLA NC Student General Design Award of Excellence: Woodser Huts, Pro-Active Recovery Community Structures (instructors Andy Fox, PLA, ASLA and David Hill, AIA).

A student team wins 1st prize in the NCMCA Sigmon Memorial Scholarship 2015 as part of ARC 432 Masonry Design Lab, led by Alumni Distinguished Professor of Architecture Patrick Rand, FAIA. The team included bachelor of architecture students Maggie Allen and Emily Schulte, and fifth year architecture students Gillian Tai Scott and Yujie Cui. Richard C. (Dick) Bell, FASLA, FAAR, [’50 BLA] is the Design recipient of the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award by the NC State Alumni Association. The awardees have excelled in their careers, made a difference in their communities and given back to their alma mater.

Sharon B. Glazener [’79 BEDL] accepted the award on her father’s behalf at the Evening of Stars Gala.

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Scene

Capstone Senior Exhibition and Reception for Industrial Design.

Brian Shawcroft with students after his lecture on the history of drawing. Shawcroft provides a yearly freehand drawing competition award for architecture students.

Steve Schuster (2015 Designlife Award Winner) with Julie McLaurin (Designlife Board President) and 2016 Designlife Award Recipients Charman Driver and Frank Thompson (CAM Raleigh Board Chair and Emeritus Chair respectively) and Dean Marvin Malecha.

Photo: Kara Meyer

First-year design students took a field trip to Jerry’s Artarama and received assistance with buying design supplies through the First Year Mentoring Program.

The Student Design Council’s tribute to Dean Marvin during its recent Free Expression Tunnel painting event.

It really is just fun and games at the College of Design! Ask these students from D104 First Year Studio.

AIAS booth at Packapalooza. The best ideas start on a napkin!

The annual Back-to-School BBQ, sponsored by Designlife Fund with support from Empire Eats.

Designlife board President Julie McLaurin of O’Brien/ Atkins Associates, which was the main sponsor of the Designlife Gala, welcomes guests.

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Alumni gather at the Alumni + Friends reception during the IDSA International Conference 2015 in Seattle.

For additional stories, galleries, and fresh news visit the digital version of Designlife at: design.ncsu.edu/designlife

Designlife Award recipient Steve Schuster talks with Gala sponsor Tim Clancy of Clancy & Theys Construction Company.

Making the Future Brighter!

Earlier this year, Distingushed Alumnus Rodney L. Swink, FASLA, [‘77 MLA] and his wife, Juanita Shearer-Swink, FASLA, established the Rodney Swink and Juanita ShearerSwink Landscape Architecture Graduate Student Endowment.

The endowment supports unrestricted funding for students pursing a master’s level degree or higher in Landscape Architecture (LA) here at the College of Design. The Swinks have a passion for giving back and believe this gift is an important way to help cultivate successful future landscape architects. “We would have done this sooner if we could have afforded it,” says Swink. “Juanita and I have been thinking about this for a long time. We always thought that it would be great to give back. We’ve done some giving in the past, and it was just a matter of time before we had the means to do something substantial.”

When pressed about the goal for this endowment, Swink did not hesitate. “There is a need in our LA program for support. Specifically, we need to expand our ability to attract and retain students. Our competitors have really good scholarship opportunities, so when prospective students are looking, they see what type of scholarships are available, and this endowment will hopefully make a difference. “The Swinks created the endowment to encourage under-represented students to come to the College of Design.” My concern is that each year, the University admissions requirements for GPA has risen. I worry about the students who are on the edge that don’t meet this GPA standard. I hope we don’t get too far ahead trying only to attract the ‘brightest of the bright,’ but look at these underserved students and give them a chance.

We need to remember this and make a plan so that we don’t overlook these students. They really are ‘diamonds in the rough.’”

Rodney is an alumnus with an undergraduate degree in Economics and a master’s in Landscape Architecture and was an NC State Fellow, the precursor to the Caldwell Program. Not the average alumnus, Rodney has participated in or currently works as a member of numerous boards and committees within the University system, including the College of Design Leaders’ Council, Landscape Architecture Advisory Board, vice chair for the JC Raulston Arboretum Board of Advisors, and he was also the 2004 recipient of the College’s “Wings on Wings” award. To say that Rodney is committed to the success of the University is an understatement.

Most everyone characterizes Rodney as someone who is committed to his work and a great mentor who is always

Is Life

By Monique Delage

willing to encourage students. A former national president of the American Society of Landscape Architects, he possesses great leadership and a passion for realizing the potential and responsibility of landscape architects in society. Asked about his passion, he states, “A great question and I’ve never thought about it. I’ve just been active in stuff, and it just seems like the appropriate thing to do. I am a fortunate guy. I would feel remiss not sharing that with other people.” And he does share. As a faculty member here at the College, Rodney inspired students

Designlife Board of Directors Julie M. McLaurin, AIA, LEED AP [President] Obrien/Atkins Associates, P.A. Donald O. Tise, Jr* [Vice President] Tise-Kiester Architects Jennifer H. Attride, AIA* Clark Nexsen Paul D. Boney, FAIA LS3P Associates, Ltd. Scott Cutler Clancy & Theys Construction Company Steve Davis* Steve Davis Design Turan Duda, FAIA Duda|Paine Architects, LLP Douglas Hall, AIA NCARB* BBH Design Greg Hatem Empire Properties, LLC Daniel A. Howe, ASLA Kenneth Luker, AIA Perkins+Will Matthew Mara* General Shale

Rodney Swink and Juanita Shearer-Swink

Matthew O. McConnell* McConnell Studios

and opened a dialogue with them about what it means to be a landscape architect and the responsibilities it encompasses. “As landscape architects, we have training that allows us to intervene and support social justice, social equity, and community improvements. I think this is part of our responsibility. Back when I was working here with Randy Hester, FASLA, CFELA, [’69 BLA] who has always been a ‘populist designer’ – a designer of the people – he had a great understanding as to what this meant, and this just makes sense to me. To be able to work with those that may not have the voice or the understanding of the system. To intervene on their behalf, to be the voice of the system for them,” he candidly states.

Craig McDuffie McDuffie Design

Rodney and Juanita are motivated by their passion for the landscape architecture profession and feel confident that their gift will make a difference not only to students, but to the success of the College. “I do hope that others will be inspired to do something to support the program.

‘If Rodney and Juanita can do this, perhaps we can too.’ It doesn’t have to be a full-fledge scholarship – it can be any level of commitment – but any support is helpful. Let’s make it better.”

Emily B. Walser, ASID, LEED AP* Steelcase

Justin S. Miller* Deja Mi INC Vansana Nolintha Bida Manda Laotian Restaurant Roula Qubain, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C Moseley Architechts David Ramseur RPA Design PC George Stanziale* STEWART Cheryl C. Walker Gantt Huberman Architects

Frank J. Werner Oldcastle Kimberly Wicker* Coaly Design PC Terry Yeargan* DPR Construction *

New Member

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THANK YOU! Listed below are donors to the College of Design (individuals, firms, companies, and foundations) who contributed $100 or more between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015. The list includes in-kind donations and planned gift commitments. Please accept our deepest apologies for any errors or omissions. $1,000,000+ Marjorie Strauss Flink and Charles A. Flink II*

$250,000+ Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC Foundation John Rex Endowment Estate of Chizuko Y. Kojima

$20,000 - $30,000

The American Institute of Architects Harriet Cooper Curtis W. Fentress Dr. and Mrs. Christopher R. Gould Kevin Rafferty Mary Anne Howard and Steven D. Schuster Juanita Shearer-Swink and Rodney L. Swink Fred M. Taylor Holly and Paul Tesar

$10,000 - $15,000

Ace Products Group David Allen Company Linda and Turan Duda Kathy Gruer Images of America Tess and Bill L. O’Brien RCI Foundation Research Triangle Foundation Betty J. Trent and Jeffrey Lee Barger*

$5,000 - $9,999

Adams an Oldcastle Company Sandra and John L. Atkins III ColeJenest & Stone PA Empire Eats Catering LLC Jane and Richard E. McCommons Linda Noble and Craig McDuffie Optricity Corporation J. H. Purvis, Jr. WhiskyTree, Inc.

$2,500 - $4,999

AVMetro Carla and Bernard Abramczyk Balfour Beatty Construction Lisa and Thomas Barrie Bida Manda BMH Architects J. Brooks Breeden Clark Nexsen Cline Design Associates Don Collins Concord Hospitality Danis Construction Company Davidson & Jones Steve Deaton DHM Design Duda|Paine Architects LLP Royce M. Earnest Paul H. Falkenbury Polly R. Hawkins Catherine Hayes Dorothy and Robert Haynes

Highwoods Properties, Inc Christine L. Hilt Christine M. Hoeffner Betsy and William Hood Linda Jewell and Raymond Freeman II Ann and Gene Jones Karen V. Larsen Morningstar Law Group The Nags Head Inn Inc. Olin Partnership, LTD April and David Parker Parsons Brinckerhoff Rodgers Builders Inc Carolyn and Daniel L. Solomon Surface 678, PA Patty and Walton R. Teague Patricia and John Tector David K. Tester Cynthia and Thomas Trowbridge Larry K. Walters Creative Urban Environments Withers & Ravenel

$1,000 - $2,499

Robin F. Abrams AIA North Carolina Eastern Section AIA Triangle L. Franklin Bost Martha and Paul Braswell Karen and Gene Bressler Choate Construction Company Civitas Clancy & Theys Construction Company Jeanette and William H. Dove Ellen Cassilly Architect, Inc. General Shale Brick Richard J. Green HH Architecture, PA Loretta Shaia and Daniel Howe Irwin E. Jones Rayford W. Law Cynthia and Marvin Malecha Tracy and John Martin Julie M. McLaurin Steven Miller William G. Monroe, III Eugene R. Montezinos Moore Cosco Associates, LLC New Kind LLC Wade L. Nutter Ann and Irvin Pearce Katherine and Richard Peele David Ramseur J. Patrick Rand RATIO Lisa and Stephen Robertson Miriam K. Rosenblum Thomas H. Sayre William Singer Eric B. Smith Ms. Sherri Stevens STEWART Kim M. Tanzer Tise-Kiester Architects, P.A. Tallman Trask Janice and Charles Travis III Michael Tribble Katherine White and Thomas

Urquhart

Michele and John Vernon Barbara and Douglas Westmoreland

$500 - $999

AVMetro Carla and Bernard Abramczyk Balfour Beatty Construction Lisa and Thomas Barrie Bida Manda BMH Architects J. Brooks Breeden Clark Nexsen Cline Design Associates Don Collins Concord Hospitality Danis Construction Company Davidson & Jones Steve Deaton DHM Design Duda|Paine Architects LLP Royce M. Earnest Paul H. Falkenbury Polly R. Hawkins Catherine Hayes Dorothy and Robert Haynes Highwoods Properties, Inc Christine L. Hilt Christine M. Hoeffner Betsy and William Hood Linda Jewell and Raymond Freeman II Ann and Gene Jones Karen V. Larsen Morningstar Law Group The Nags Head Inn Inc. Olin Partnership, LTD April and David Parker Parsons Brinckerhoff Rodgers Builders Inc Carolyn and Daniel L. Solomon Surface 678, PA Patty and Walton R. Teague Patricia and John Tector David K. Tester Cynthia and Thomas Trowbridge Larry K. Walters Creative Urban Environments Withers & Ravenel

$250 - $499

Harry Bates G. A. Belanger Lesley P. Bender Bret C. Bowman C.T. Wilson Construction Co., Inc. Benjamin B. Cahoon Kim and Rich Caldwell Alexander Carter, II Coaly Design PC Randolph R. Croxton Donna P. Duerk Judith S. Ellenzweig Fay Block Materials William L. Flournoy, Jr. Donna W. Francis Allison and Scott Garner Lani and Warren Ginn Suzanne and W. Easley Hamner Sheila A. Herron Edward K. Hodges

Evelyn F. Hoyt Kenneth R. Hubbell Steven A. Hurr David N. James Jenkins Peer Architects PA Matthew D. Kavanaugh Thomas S. Kenan, III Steve Knight Rhoda and Thomas Lawrence Tsailu Liu Edward Lui Lysaght & Associates PA Mark V. McDonald Charles L. McMurray David T. McQueen Steven S. Medlin Rebecca H. Mentz Gary Eugene Mertz Joseph R. Michael, Jr. Robert G. Miller Patricia Parker and Alan Nagle Nutter & Associates One On One Design Robert S. Peterson Poetzsch Architecture PA Mary Hoffman and O. Earl Pope, Jr. Chihiro and Lynn Powell Claire and John Rodgers Carrie W. Shebelson Smith Sinnett Architecture Melba and J. Ray Sparrow Troutman Sanders LLP Frank J. Werner Leslie and Marshall Wilson Fiona and Scott Wolf Justin Wong Barney Woodard, Jr. Rosemary and G. Smedes York

$100 - $249

Advanced Building Products, Inc. Ogden O. Allsbrook, Jr. Steven E. Arnaudin Joseph P. Arnold Billy A. Askey E. W. Baker, Jr. Garian D. Baker Kimberly M. Barb Wendy Miller and James Barefoot Julie H. Barker John D. Barnes Stephen Bell Douglas M. Bennett Benjamin D. Benson Graham S. Billingsley Alan C. Billingsley Georgia Bizios Alan D. Bolzan Donald L. Branch Kelly and Bruce Branson Chris E. Brasier Brodie Contractors Brooks B. Bunn Lydia D. Burns Peggy J. Callaway

Darwin Joseph Campa Anthony E. Capponi Virginia G. Carboy H. Clymer Cease, Jr. Citylink Construction LLC Doug Clouse Concept Masonry Sally Cone Joseph A. Courter, Jr. Belk Architecture ARDA Joseph A. Cox R. M. Craun, Jr. Philip Crawford J. Scott Crowe Nancy and Reginald H. Cude Custom Brick Company Inc Meredith J. Davis Matthew E. Davis Marlys A. De Alba Design Development Design Source Courter Architects, P.C. William H. Dodge Downtown Knits LLC Sarah D. Drake Thomas P. Duffy Terry B. Eason Bertram Ellentuck Ronald R. Engleman, Jr. David W. Evans Keith Everett Sallie T. Everette Samantha A. Everette Jerry D. Fink Fred S. Fonville Leslie J. Fowler Laura R. Fry Brooks H. Gage Rachel L. Gamage Matthew I. Gilbride Katherine S. Gill Frank B. Golley Gontram Architecture Edmund J. Gontram, III Susan and Raymond Goodmon III Elizabeth R. Gratzek J. Michael Grubbs Matt Hale Halvorson Design Partnership Inc. Gayle C. Hargett Kevin E. Hart David E. Harwood Orrin R. Haywood, Jr. Molly Hester Andrew J. Heymann G. Bonson Hobson, Jr. Karen L. Hobson Bud Holland Katherine E. Holloway Benjamin William Hood Howard F. Ostrout, Jr. & Associates LLC Humphrey Creative Co. Ltd. Douglas Hurlbert Rebecca S. and Brady L. Hurley

Brian C. Jenest Jeanette H. Johnson Joyner Masonry Works Inc Rebecca T. Kalsbeek Nancy R. Katz Lynda B. Kay Richard E. Kent Rebecca R. Knowe Sue Koenigshofer Koontz Masonry Meri C. Kotlas Anne Marie Kramer Albert P. Lamachio Erik T. Larsen Samuel F. Lebowitz Sarah R. Linden Julia Weiner Long Kenneth Luker Christopher D. Mahoney Bruce M. Maness Marc L’Italien Felix D. Markham IV B. Kenneth Martin Rebecca Mayfield Daniel A. McCanless, Jr. Robert W. McDaniel James W. McKay Jr. Marica McKeel Mary A. McKinney Julie G. McVay John M. Meachem, Jr. Ed Mekalian Robert W. Mello Elizabeth Mary Michaels Nancy Hughes Miller Emily Therese Millette Monk, LLC Jack E. Monroe Monty Montague Courtney J. Moore Martin T. Moore T. Edwin Moore Glenn Morris Kenneth M. Mull Lynn C. Nash Janet C. Nutter Sydney Grace O’Hare Harold L. Ogburn Mark W. Olszowy P & D Architectural Precast Palmetto Brick J. J. Peterson Philip Crawford Landscape Architect Fair K. Pickel William Parrish Pierce Pinnacle Masonry, Inc. Wallace and Bill Prestwood William F. Pritchard Progeny LLC Kennie Protasewich Nicholas J. Pyros Artemis Pyros Roula and Joseph Qubain The Honorable Joe Sam Queen James T. Quinn

John E. Ramsay, Jr. K. C. Ramsay Anna Regensburger Donald J. Rethman Mark S. Reyer Richard L. Rice Jr. Jeffrey S. Rideout T. B. Ridgeway, Jr. Byron L. Rivenbark Roanoke Cement Eric D. Romanos Nicholas W. Romanos Robert L. Sams, Jr. Mark A. Sangiolo Walter B. Sawyer Michael K. Schley Jeffrey H. Schoellkopf Richard F. Seggel David J. Segmiller Marie T. Senecal Jim W. Sherrer, Jr. Angela D. Sherrill Ernest K. Sills Thomas G. Sineath Michael Smith Kirk Thomas Smith John Hardee Spain Kenneth D. Stafford Steve Davis Design A. Wayne Stogner Glenn M. Suttenfield System 7 Sales LLC Heather H. Taylor Joseph R. Teal Frank D. Thompson Elias J. Torre Pamela B. Townsend Triangle Brick Company George B. Vest Chad M. Volk Mary C. Wakeford Elaine M. Walker Lloyd G. Walter, Jr. Benjamin M. Ward Christy White Benjamin Whitener Whitman Masonry Judith Law Williams Warren R. Wilson Jr Julia L. Wilson Amy C. Wise Virginia C. Woodruff Mike Woollen *Planned gift commitment

Students helping with our Annual Giving may be calling you. Your support is making a difference. Please visit online giving at: design.ncsu.edu/give

1

In Memoriam

SAVE THE DATES 2016 Designlife Award Gala honoring Charman Driver and Frank Thompson of CAM Raleigh.

Saturday, April 23, 2016 6:00 p.m.

Bay 7, American Tobacco Campus Durham, NC design.ncsu.edu/designlife-gala Thank you to our 2015 Designlife Gala sponsors: Main Sponsor:

O’Brien/Atkins Associates Entertainment Sponsor:

ColeJenest & Stone Floral Sponsor:

Walt Havener, Surface 678 Dessert and Coffee Sponsor:

Clancy & Theys Construction Company

13th Annual Urban Design Conference March 18, 2016 design.ncsu.edu/urban

William Keating Bayley [’74 BPDV] 4/23/1948 -11/09/14. Bill earned a Bachelor in Product Design, and, after a brief stint with the News & Observer, he was hired by the College of Design in 1975 as director of the Multi-Media Lab, guiding faculty and students through several changes in technologies through his nearly four decades with the College. He was awarded entry into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by the Governor of North Carolina for his service to the state. Bill met his wife and best friend of 40 years, Dana Davis, at the College of Design. Together they enjoyed road trips, movies, concerts, theater, art museums, dance lessons, and spending time with family and friends. They were both active with the Design Guild at the College of Design. Since retiring, Bill found joy in his grandkids, adopted a hobby of racing cars at Virginia International Raceway, explored his world with drone aircraft, and tinkered with 3-D printing. In April of 2015, the College of Design officially designated the William Keating Bayley Information Technology Laboratory in his honor . Bayley is remembered for his dedication and commitment to the College and for leaving a lasting legacy of service to design students. (Story on Bailey in Designlife Winter 2014 issue.)

John Edward Fels [’88 MPD, ’94 PhD] Sept. 16, 1948 - Jan. 12, 2014. Born in St. Louis, Fels married Vicki Smothers in 1969 and received his BA in architecture from Washington University in 1970. In 1975, he became a professor in the Cartography and Geographic Information Systems Programs, School of Natural Resources, Sir Sandford Fleming College, Lindsay, Ontario. In 1987, he relocated to Raleigh, NC and earned his MPD and PhD at North Carolina State University. Upon receiving his PhD, he became a Research Associate Professor with the College of Natural Resources, GIS Faculty. He was the author of the North Carolina Watersheds Map, 1997, and co-authored the widely acclaimed book, The Natures of Maps: Cartographic Constructions of the Natural World, 2008.

Angela M. Lord [’77 BEDN, ’92 M.Arch], 61, of Raleigh NC, passed away on August 11, 2015, surrounded by her loving family. She was born in August 1954 in Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England. She moved to North Carolina in 1968. After graduating from Millbrook High School, she received two degrees from the NC State College of Design. Lord worked at several architectural firms before returning to NC State Design and Construction Services.

Gloria Janeen Smith [’69 BED] passed away August 23, 2015, in Seattle. She was 69 years old. Gloria began her education in the NCSU School of Design where she gained lifetime friends. She subsequently earned a planning degree from UNC-Chapel Hill, then worked several years with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in New York City. She spent most of her professional life on the City of Seattle Planning Commission staff, where she participated in the city’s waterfront redevelopment and countless housing development projects.

Please support Designlife online at: design.ncsu.edu/give This is your opportunity to help shape the life of a student, who like you, has a love of design and the drive to make a difference in the world.

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NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID RALEIGH, NC PERMIT NO. 2353

CAMPUS BOX 7701 RALEIGH, NC 27695-7701

Heather RB Washburn [‘98 BEDA, BID,’99 B.Arch] and Erin Bartlett [‘01 BID], sisters, run Calico Creates studio in Chapel Hill and churn out creativity that expands all design disciplines. Handmade and incorporating bright, bold colors, their jewelry is created from recycled, cloth-backed vinyl sourced from a dental chair manufacturer. Calico Creates repurposes common materials, transforming them into beautiful creations. Visit Etsy.com and look for CalicoCreates under Jewelry.

Chris Clearman [‘10 BID] is founder of Matador, a thriving startup in the heart of high-tech Silicon Valley.

Matador Pocket Blankets are ideal for concerts, picnics, parks, beaches, festivals, and more.

Water repellent, puncture resistant, lightweight, and durable, Matador Pocket Blankets will keep you clean, comfortable, and dry on all your adventures. Available at www.MatadorUp.com

John Widman [’84 BID] has been designing custom, handmade ukuleles, electric banjos, and solid-body and chambered electric guitars for almost two decades.

All instruments are made using the finest custom components and select tonewoods. His approach is to build each and every instrument like he was building it for himself.

This is an art, a craft, and a passion. www.WidmanCustomElectrics.com

Design Works

Things We Like

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Product design for Thermador ® brand residential ovens by Ethan Evans [’14 BID].

“Don’t Worry, It’s Welded” is the clevely named outdoor sculpture built by alumni Michael Batts, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP, [’02 MLA] and Derek Blaylock [‘10 MLA].

Graphic mural from the “Bubble Pop” series of digital paintings by Associate Professor of Art + Design Patrick Fitzgerald, installed in the state-of-the-art fitness center of Stanhope Student Apartments.