Hello again!

This blog is the most special one because I am officially graduated! This past Saturday was the commencement ceremony for all the graduates of College of Design. Did I mention that I was one of the student speakers? It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime moment. After the speech, I took a shameless selfie from the stage as a keepsake. Here is the photo for you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The University of Minnesota and the College of Design have given me so much in the past four years. I learned to appreciate and love all types of differences including knowledge, ideas, age, background, etc. I was able to create lifelong friendship and even lifelong mentorship. Not to mention the leadership skills, social skills, Knowing what I know now, the University of Minnesota will still be my first choice of school.

It is sad to say that this will be my last blog. However, there will be student bloggers who will consistently update blog this summer.

Farewell,
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

Final Week is officially here. Rapson Hall, home of the architecture and landscape architecture majors has been super busy in the past few days. Master degree students and undergraduate students are presenting their works non-stop. It is definitely my favorite time of the semester because all the works that your peers and your teaching assistant (TA) have been working on are up on display. You get to see the result of their interest. There are many wonderful projects being presented. One of the classes in the BDA program presented their concrete modular variation. The full-scale project was installed outside Rapson Hall. Not to mention many master degree projects that students have been working through blood, sweat, tears, and it definitely show their commitment and care.

Meanwhile, my students at my internship at the homeless emergency housing also completed their art installation. Our program is called D3 which is a design-based teens program that blends the teen interests' with a community need and builds relevant projects around that need. For example, the bird installation in the lobby of People Serving People was created around the need for more meaningful visual element at PSP. The teens based their design off the idea of PSP guests being part of a larger community, flying in a V-formation toward a more stable and hopeful future. The 200 birds were hung up one by one and are now in the lobby of People Serving People.

Last, my commencement ceremony is this Saturday, May 18th at Mariucci. I will be one of the speakers as well. So, feel free to stop by!

See you next blog!

Beau S.

Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

Final week is approaching. I have less than a week to prepare myself for the last week of my undergraduate degree. The feeling is unreal. Because everyone have so much going on their plates in terms of projects, test, papers, and reviews, I decided to take a little break and recharge myself. Last week, my friend and I went to the Science Museum. Conveniently, our campus has MANY bus routes pass through. This allowed us to take public transportation directly from school to the Science Museum at a very low cost compare to a taxi or driving there. Another advantage that I have to mention is the student discount that you will get when carrying the University of Minnesota ID. We got a great discount rate for being a student. The Science Museum is not the only place you are able to use your ID to take advantage of student discount...or even free admission in most cases. Be sure to check out all the fun things around town such as theaters, restaurants, sport events, or even concerts.

It was nice to take a little time off of our busy schedules to do something fun and recharge ourselves during the crazy time like this. Make sure you take care of yourself and do whatever necessary to keep a healthy mind and body, whether it is visiting the Recreational Center, or University Counseling and Consulting Services, or any other resources we have for you. Good luck with your finals!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

This week, I was honored to be part of the 2013 Multicultural Celebration of Achievement. This event was a special celebration for the students of color who are graduating as class of 2013. There are students from all colleges at the University of Minnesota, including master degree candidates and Ph. D candidates. It was a truly emotional and inspiring event. Many of the students shared a similar experience of being the first-generation college student. The feeling of seeing your peers competed higher education, what is known to be unachievable to their parents, was beyond words. I am proud of all of them. College was a hard journey for everyone at the event, but we all have made it. Getting a college degree is not only the achievement of the graduating students, but it is also the achievement of everyone in their family who did not have a chance to attend college. It is a pretty big deal for many.

We received a stole, Ghana traditional hand-woven stole to wear at our graduation. The stole was design to represent the multicultural and the unity of all. It is a reminder for us to wisely entering the world and create great changes. I cannot wait to wear it as part of my gown during graduation!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

The end of the last semester of my undergraduate is approaching...with less than three weeks of class! It is nice that I do not have to ride the wave and stress out over finding jobs, applying for schools, or finishing projects. Everything is in place in terms of jobs, internship, and grad school. I officially finished with all my architecture class. The only thing left I have this semester is an art studio. So, my semester is ending in a very calm way.

This past week, I visited a class taught by a former instructor, Tom Oliphant. It is a furniture design class, one of the design minor courses. Having a minor is a great way to expand your knowledge to other discipline you are interested in. Students in this class have been working very hard in the past couple weeks designing and making a pair of chairs. We also have guest critics who are professionals practicing furniture and industrial design. Hearing from the professionals was always an enlightenment experience.

This is what I love about the College of Design. Every time there is a review going on, regardless of my enrollment in the class, I can always ask the instructor if I can visit as a guest and listen in on what students are doing. The graduate thesis works are always interesting. It is a great way to learn about other projects people are working on and to network!

See you next blog!

Beau S.

Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

I hope you are all enjoying this snowy Minnesota weather. I cannot believe this is happening during the month of April. At least the weather is making me feel like this sweet senior year is not yet to be over soon. On that note, I still forgot to purchase my cap, gown, and tassel for the commencement ceremony. The facebook page "Meanwhile in Minnesota" has some humor to spread.

Today, an architecture student group Freedom By Design (FBD) is hosting a silent auction event in the courtyard of Rapson. Because FBD is a non-profit student organization aiming to help the individuals with low-income and disability in our community. All the works that students do for the clients are free of charge to the clients. This means that the group solely relying on fundraising as a way to support the work we do.

This silent auction event is the 6th annual art auction event for Freedom By Design. I donated quite a few of my pieces to the event. The committee and volunteers did an amazing job of hosting the event and advertisement of the event. The public is bidding on many amazing artworks by local artists, students, and faculty. What a great way to be part of something great! I really hope that they made a lot of money to help those in need. I bid on a few amazing pieces, and I hope to win them all!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

This week I will give you the reason why the University of Minnesota is the place to be. Besides the part that we have wonderful resources, ranked among the top universities in the nation, and located in the land of nice people, we are officially the healthiest city in the U.S.!

Minneapolis is ranked the "Healthiest City in the U.S." by Forbes Magazine.

"Minneapolis residents breathe clean air, prioritize exercise and keep their weight down, supported by a city that was among the first to add bike trails and ban smoking in public places. If you live in Minneapolis-St. Paul, you and your neighbors are less likely to have cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and asthma and are more likely to be in excellent or very good health. (It helps that you're less likely to smoke and more likely to walk or bike to work -- in the summer, at least). "Minneapolis has lots of open spaces, parks, and walking areas, and you see people walking everywhere," Thompson says. The twin cities do their part by setting aside a high percent of the city as parkland, offering plenty of ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, dog parks, golf courses,and recreation centers. How do Twin Cities residents keep up their commitment to fitness during the area's notoriously cold winters? Snow sports and "lots of fitness centers," says Thompson.

I can only confirm this statement. We have our expanded Recreational Center that will be completed in 2014 and it is free for students! You will also find parks and over 10,000 lakes to enjoy year round. There are also bike lanes everywhere on campus and in the city. If you prefer not to own a bike, there are a bike-share option such as Nice Ride. Students are also get great discount for Nice Ride subscription as well and there are Nice Ride stations throughout our campus. Very convenient.

Or if you are thinking about other types of transportation, we have over 90 bus routes run through our campuses everyday. U of M students can get a U-pass, a $97 bus pass that allow you for unlimited rides for the whole semester. You will be spending approximately less than a dollar per day for this commuting option. Great way to be sustainable for your wallet and for the environment!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

It is less than two months until graduation! One blog length is not enough to describe how excited I am, so I am going to make it short and say that I am super excited. I got all my cap and gown ready, but I still manage forgot to purchase the tassel...I must have been too excited.

Let's take this sweet moment to recap this senior year together. I started the year with being an Orientation Leader, welcoming the Class of 2016 to the University of Minnesota. It was one of the best experience I have ever had in terms of leadership involvement. I learned so much from the position especially about social justice! Not to mention the friendship I made with other Orientation Leaders. I highly recommend that you find involvement outside classroom. There is not a single thing I regret about being involved during my four years here. There are more than 700 student groups on campus for you to choose from!

Currently, my internship at a homeless shelter is going great. I am using design as a way of thinking to end homelessness. Many challenges, but I would never trade this experience for anything. Also, I am still enjoying my Research Assistant position with the Center for World Heritage Studies. Everyday at work was an eye-opening. There are so many things I have never know about the World Heritage Sites and all the works that was behind it in order to establish a site. I now have many random facts to tell people. For example, there are only one flight to Kiribati (an island country in the pacific ocean) every two weeks. So, if you want to visit this place, you better plan ahead!

The future, however, is not unknown. I got accepted to the MFA 3D Design program at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. It is where the well-known designers and architects such as Eero Saarinen, Ralph Rapson, Charles and Ray Eames, and Florence Knoll went to school! I love the U and Minneapolis, but I think this is the time that I go out and explore more cities. So, it seems to be the perfect time to say goodbye to Minneapolis. Come to the U, and you will understand why it is so hard to leave!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

I have been mentioning the Public Interest Design Week for the past several months. Thank you for waiting so patiently, this blog entry is dedicated to PID Week just for you all!

I attended the PID Institute on Thursday and Friday. It was one of the most inspiring events in my life. There were so many people from all around the country, who are doing public interest design work all over the world. I get to learn about projects in places like Kenya, Indonesia, and Detroit. the most important knowledge I gained from this institute was how to start a public interest design project and how to get those who are outside the design discipline to join you. People still see public interest design as a separate type of design, when in fact it should be part of every design project we do. We should design for the people, not for the profit. There were also many important people at the event. There were Michael Kimmelman who is the New York Times architecture critic, Liz Ogbu who is an award-winning designer and my role-model, Bryan Bell who is the founder of SEED and Design Corps, and John Cary who is the founder of publicinterestdesign.org. This Friday at the College of Design, students will be holding a discussion on how us, the students, can start public interest design project in our community. If you happen to be nearby Rapson Hall this Friday, be sure to check it out!

See you next blog!

Beau S.

Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

One of the architecture student groups that I involve with is having a fundraising event. This group is Freedom by Design, which I mentioned in my older blog. Freedom by Design is a group of design students who go out and create a moderate design structure for disabled, low-income individuals in our community. It is putting our knowledge into real world by helping those in needs. Because everything that Freedom by Design does is free to our client, fundraising is the only source of income for the group. This year, the group will be hosting the 5th Annual Art Auction "The Fine Collection." More detail of the date and time will be posted at later time.

I spent my spring break making artwork and jewelry for the auction. All proceed goes toward helping our clients. So, I hope that you will be able to attend the event and auction off some artwork when the time comes. Join their facebook group for more photos of the past projects and info.

Also, the Public Interest Design Week is HERE! I am the happiest I could be. I will be attending the Public Interest Design Institute workshop and attending the guest speaker event: Liz Ogbu. I will spill out a little detail for now that the name tag is super fancy. I hope this gets you excited. Hold on tight! I will update you on all the details next week!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

This past week in my BDA workshop, we had a chance to video skype with a professor from Harvard University who is also the author of "Creating Innovator", Tony Wagner. It was a very casual conversation about education, how we can create the culture for innovations, and the future of education and design.

This past Monday was really bitter sweet for me. That is because it was the last day of my last architecture class! What a great four years. I cannot ask for a better college experience. I am so glad I chose the U of M, no regrets. The best part is that my last project was super fun. I mentioned a couple weeks ago about my project to redesign the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. We recognize that traditional classroom and lecture hall setting was not an effective way of learning. Our goal is to create a new type of learning environment that supports collaboration, innovation, and create great leaders for the future. We propose our design to architects who are working in the Educational Design field of architecture, current Humphrey School of Public Affairs students, and classmates. Below are the picture from the final review. Being at the College of Design and the University of Minnesota was the best thing that ever happened to me. It shaped and defined my view as a designer in this diverse and changing world.

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

Last week I promised you all that I will write about the Dean's Reception that happened on February 23rd, 2013. The wait is over, you can find all the insights and updates here. We invited admitted Class of 2017 students to visit College of Design. There were tours to both McNeal Hall (home to our Apparel Design, Graphic Design, Housing Studies, Interior Design, and Retail Merchandising programs) and Rapson Hall (home to the Architecture and Landscape Architecture programs.) The students get to meet and chat with the Dean Tom Fisher, professors, current students, and alumni over lunch. Meeting over food is always a good idea. The most exciting part will have to be visiting all the facilities and studios. Students had the chance to try our Virtual Reality Lab, Digital Fabrication Lab, Imaging Lab, W.L. Hall Workshop and both the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Design in Architecture studios. Moreover, it was a beautiful day to tour the U of M campus.

The highlight for me was speaking to some of you throughout the day. I got to know so many families, learn about your interests and what you bring to the College of Design. Besides all the amazing facilities in the College of Design, many more developments around the U of M will finish within this upcoming year as well. This includes the new expansion of the Recreational Center, the Light Rail Transit, the new student housing. What a great time to be a gopher!

1. The Light Rail Transit animation

More photos from the Dean's Reception, click here!
See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

As I mentioned in one of my previous blog that the College of Design will be hosting the first ever Public Interest Design Week during March 19th -24th. There will be people from all over the places. It sure will be the largest gathering of people who are involved with public interest design. The best news is that the University of Minnesota students can now attend events for free! This is the best thing that happened to me in a month. There will be tons of great speakers, designers, policy makers, architects, educators, and students from across the country. What a great networking opportunity! So, what exactly is public interest design? It is a movement that intersect design with services. This includes, but not limited to affordable housing, education, social issues at hand, etc. It is a MUST ATTEND event. Register here: http://pidweek.eventbrite.com/ I hope to see you there!

Also, I was part of the Dean's Reception last Saturday. It was nice to see some of you at the event. We had a presentation about each program at the College of Design. The best part was talking to prospective CDes members and getting to know some of you and your parents. I really enjoyed learning about what you all are interested in and looking forward to at the U. If you were unable to attend the event, but still have some questions, please feel free to contact me anytime. I will write about the Dean's Reception in details next week. Get excited!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

My class ARCH 3250 Creating a Culture of Innovation: the Link between Environment and Learning is doing something very exciting. We will be redesigning the learning spaces to better support the education. We have been discussing and researching about the ineffective of traditional classrooms and lecture halls. Let's think about this. How much information do we actually absorb or how much fun do we have when sitting in classroom where you cannot move out of your seat or chat. Not everyone learn the same way. Some people prefer quiet environment, some people prefer louder environment. Some people prefer discussion, some people prefer working alone, and some people want both. This raises a very important question of how can we serve all types of learners and support they way they learn and still flexible enough to be able to adapt to any new technology that will happen in the next decade.

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

I started my internship a month ago as a Social Design Intern at People Serving People (PSP). People Serving People is a homeless emergency housing with the emphasis in providing a broad range of on-site programs to help the families with jobs, housing, etc. I had the privilege to be working with an educational organization and a design studio in Los Angeles for a project at PSP. Our project is to create a new program for teens at PSP. We hope to use the design methodology that us, designers, are familiar with. We call it D3 which stands for Dream It, Design It, Do It. It has been implemented in Los Angeles and the results are extremely positive.

This is the first time that D3 will be implemented in the setting like homeless emergency housing. We hope that we can empower the teens because they are the ones who could potentially break the homeless cycle their parents are living in.

You may wonder how this is relates to architecture. As a designer, it is important that we realize the capability of design and its potential. Who knows, I might be designing a new facility to support this unique D3 program at PSP because the current facility was not design for that. Architecture is much more than designing buildings and design is much more than creating objects. It is invisible architecture and design. We provide these teens with the tools that they can apply to their lives. I am so glad that the unique architecture and design knowledge I have been gaining from the BDA program allows me to think outside the box. It was not hard for me to find the connection between design, homelessness, and social change.

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

Last week, I had a chance to visit Leonardo's Basement, an innovative educational organization. It was our field trip for one of the BDA workshops, ARCH 3250 - Creating a Culture of Innovation: the Link Between Environment and Learning. We look at new ways to create learning environments that will foster the individuality and creativity of every student. This means that the old traditional classroom setting with rows of table and teacher standing in front of the whiteboard is no longer relevant. It is bringing architecture to the changing world and think about how we can prepare ourselves and the future generation for the ever-evolving technology.

The moment I stepped into the space, I was amazed by the amount of random stuff ranging from glitters to mechanical piece inside a grand piano. The only instruction we had was to create an environment for learning for kids that were there. We can use anything that is available in the space. This freedom of making and doing is also applied to the kids. I saw kids using saw, climb up and down to get the stuff they want without any fear. What a wonderful way of teaching! I love how they just let the kids take risks and learn from mistake rather than preventing kids from making mistakes and hurt themselves a little.

At the end, we have "Professor Wes" who is about 8 year-old, critique our design of the space. He told us what he likes and what we can work on. For example, "I think the bubble wrap floor would be nice" -Professor Wes. I can only agree to that comment.

Last thing before I leave: the Dean's Reception is coming up. I hope to see some of you there. I will also blog about this after the event!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

http://www.justinzsimsphotography.com/

Hello again,

I am beyond excited because the Public Interest Design Week is coming up! What is Public Interest Design? Well, let me sum it up for you. It is using design as a method of making the world a better place and by helping others through the things we can, such as architecture and design. If it helps, you can think about emergency shelters, affordable housing, etc.

The College of Design is a proud host of the first, ever, Public Interest Design Week during March 19-24. This week is full with good stuff, great speakers, amazing projects, and many more. The best thing is, it will be in Minneapolis! At the College of Design! Right at Rapson Hall! Moreover, students can attend at a very discounted price, and even free for some events. There is no excuse not to attend.

It is a big deal. People are coming from all over the country and around the world for this event. This is a must attend for us. There are many things you can do as an architecture students relating to public interest design. Our graduate students have done some work in Haiti, the B.D.A. program also have some courses relating public interest design. We also have several student group on campus such as Freedom By Design, doing great works for our community. It is important as a designer that we all take responsibility in creating the world a better place. Be an architect with a good heart!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

The weather in Minneapolis has been unkind lately. However, it did not stop students to come to Rapson on the first day of class (yesterday!) It was nice to see Rapson hall filled with wonderful and familiar faces again.

Recently, I got a job offer as a Social Design Intern. I will be working with a design firm, an educational institution, and a homeless emergency housing to develop new strategy program for homeless teens. It is design meets education meets homelessness. The best job I could ever ask for. You may wonder how architecture is related to my job as a Social Design Intern. First, I have to destroy any misunderstanding that architecture degree means building buildings only. There are a lot more to architecture and design than just pretty buildings. Second, I am using what we all designers are familiar with...design thinking process, and incorporate with other needed areas in our community such as education and homelessness.

Before I go, I will leave you with an inspiring video from a well-known designer, Emily Pilloton, about the importance of design education and the changing world. Enjoy!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

Is your relationship with College of Design FBO*?

In case you are not aware, College of Design is everywhere on the internet. MySpace may not be one of them, but you can be sure to find CDes on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and of course, CDes website. I also hope you no longer own a MySpace account.

Social Network is a great way to connect with College of Design family. I am following the College of Design on all sites, facebook, linkedin, youtube, and twitter. After a long day with your relative's baby pictures or instagram photos online, let me tell you how nice it is to see updates about your peers, your professors, or design news. It is refreshing! There are also updates about lab hours, and changes students need to know. It is a great way to be informed in addition to emails. LinkedIn is another social network that is specialize in professional networking. As you will hear many more times, networking is really important. So, start now! Besides the student blogs you are reading, there is also D@MN blog for stories of students, alumni, and faculty.

To get on the list, follow the links below:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UofMDesign
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uofmdesign
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=908907
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/umndesign
D@MN Blog: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/design/designatmn/

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.
*FBO = Facebook Official

Hello again,

I proudly present the BDA studio in its most complete stage. With all the hard work of every party involved, our studio is now looking more beautiful than ever. It all started with the wonderful, forward-thinking BDA Director who recognized that the traditional architecture studio does not fully serve the needs of the unique BDA curriculum. Last year, a small number of BDA students, including myself, were part of creating the new learning environment that is suitable for the variety of design works produce by BDA students. We worked on paper, created model, built full-scale cardboard prototype to test the design, and the final design is built with plywood. Check out my older blog for information about this transformation.

We recently had the BDA Open House to celebrate this exciting completion with all the supporters who are behind the success of the BDA Studio Re-built. There were many talented professionals attended. It was great to have conversations with professionals in architecture and design about what we have done, and how we arrived to the final design of our studio. I found out that many of them are working with projects that are similar to the Re-built BDA project. They called it an Innovative Learning space projects. Sounds pretty fancy, right?

I hope you will have a chance to visit us and be part of the College of Design family!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

It's officially 2013! Happy New Year to you all. A couple months ago, I had a chance to be part of Step Into the Picture promotional photo-shoot with the Office for Student Engagement Program. University of Minnesota highly encourages its students to be involved outside classroom. There are plenty of opportunities for you such as internships, student organizations, study abroad, employments, volunteer, leadership positions, etc. The list is endless. With over 700 student groups on campus, there are everything to match any types of interests you may have. I have been involved with several students organizations in the past, including American Institute of Architecture Students, Freedom By Design, and Thai Student Association of Minnesota. I was also employed by Housing and Residential Life as a Community Advisor. As you can see, my involvement did not limit to only architectural-related topics.

Being involved has taught me many things: time management, social skills, professional skills and most importantly friendship. The reason we encourage you to be involved is everyone who walks into classroom will walk out with the same information. Involvement will be the one thing that sets you apart from the crowd. The university is a big place, but you can make it smaller by finding the place where you belong. I definitely feel the sense of belonging because I was involved and I would advise you to do the same. There are many pictures waiting for you to step into. I did!

See you next blog!
Beau Sinchai
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

I just turned in my last final online. So, now it is time to plan activities for winter break. The first thing on my list is to visit an exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. There is a visiting exhibition that people cannot stop talking about: China's Terracotta Warriors. Not to mention that college students get the lowest admission rate with college ID. How can I miss this? The next thing on my list is going to see Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater. It is a perfect time for that. I wrote about the Guthrie in one of my past blogs. Minneapolis ranks number second in the U.S. for the highest theater seats per capita. I have no option, but to take advantage of all the resources around me.

The list is still going, but I think it is better to recap the best moment of finals week. I had a review for my BDA workshop, Furniture Design, last week. We had four weeks to design and create a piece of furniture for our own home. I chose to make a floor table because I do all my works on the floor. Here is the result:

It is a single line metal leg with single sheet hardwood table top. Height can be adjusted when tilting at angle. One of my critique said the table was very poetic in the way the metal leg and table piece married together. I think that comment was very poetic.

I hope you are finishing up with your finals as well. Good luck with all the things in life and happy holidays!!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

Final week has officially started. Several classes in the architecture programs already have their final reviews going on. So, what is final review? Think of it like a final, but with you presenting what you have done, what you have learned, and your greatest work from that particular course. Most of the design courses will test your knowledge and your ability during the semester by "reviewing" your project. Students will most likely be faced with a review than a test or a paper. It allows students to get feedback from their peers, instructors, and even professionals in the field you are studying.

I snapshot a view of Rapson Hall during final review week for you. It was definitely the liveliest time of the semester. Every space in the courtyard was occupied. I visited several reviews, listening to people explaining their projects and what they have been working on. It was super interesting and inspiring. The type of projects ranged from landscape architecture, to architectural photography, to furniture, and much more. Every review also have professionals in that particular field visiting and giving feedback to students. I had a review this past Monday for my furniture design class, and we have real furniture designers from company like Blu Dot as our guest critiques. Nothing is better than having these "big deal" people look at your project and talk about your project.

The final week is still going on and I cannot wait to be inspired by all of the talented design students. I hope you are as excited as I am.

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

The temperature has been up and down lately and it makes me think about escaping Minnesota during winter. My plan is about to come true because I just submitted my study abroad application! The destination is Venice, Italy. This program will occur during the month of May, so I will have to bear this Minnesota weather in the meantime. Even though May is not really winter anymore, this plan still sounds amazing.

I chose Venice for many reasons. First, I am already familiar with Asian culture and American culture. I want to explore the European culture. Second, Venice is a city on water where car is not the primary mode of commuting. Third and the most important reason, Venice has a long history of architecture and establishment. It is the perfect place to study the changes in culture, history, landscape, and architecture through buildings. Not to mention that it is one of the prettiest places on earth.

There are so many learning abroad opportunities here at the University of Minnesota. Check out the Learning Abroad website for more information. You can choose to do study abroad, volunteer abroad, intern abroad, you name it. I chose to study abroad during the month of May because it works best with my schedule. You can choose to do a semester long, year long, January term, or May term like I did. Have fun exploring the world!

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

It's crazy to think that the end of this semester is less than a month away. On that note, I think it would be a good idea to show you one of the project I recently completed for a class. I talked about a furniture design class I am taking and how we are going to "pimp my ride" dumpster chairs in my past blog. Well, the wait is over. I have the re-designed chair(?) prototype right here for you.

As I mentioned in previous blog, I don't use a chair, I don't own a chair, and I am not planning on getting one anytime soon. So, the dumpster chair I found has to evolve into something else that would enhance my experience of working on the floor. Below is my 3-minute proposal and result sketch presentation. I discovered that the backrest piece has a unique curvature that allow my body to shift at different angle when resting on top of it. After several trials and errors, I came up with a system of multipurpose angled wood piece as you see in the image below.

Your health is the most important thing around this time of year. So, use all the resources you need to help you end your semester well. Visit the Writing Center, SMART Tutoring, Counseling and Consulting services, Recreational Center, and whatever else you need. The U of M got it all for you.

Good luck with classes and see you next blog!
-Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

I wrote about the progress of rebuilding the BDA studio in the last blog, so this blog is dedicated to our dearest friend, BS studio. B.S. stands for Bachelor of Sciences in Architecture which is the other program option beside Bachelor of Design in Architecture (B.D.A.)

I visited the senior BS studio last night to see what projects the BS students are working on. They are currently redesign the Weisman Art Museum plaza and the Washington Avenue Bridge, both located on campus. The intent of the redesign was to create a space that would bring people in and connect the space to the river. Right now, the Washington Avenue Bridge is just a bridge without any significant use. BS students want to connect the bridge to its surrounding, the river, the daylight, and create more uses for the University students. What a great idea!

I also visited an architecture elective class which opens to all upperclassmen BDA, BS, and graduate students. The class is ARCH 4150: From Trait to Form Performance: Study of Masonry Structure. The students researched several precedent works to study stereotomy with the focus on the underlying geometry and construction of vaults. Nou H., my friend in this class said that they are creating a vault from the Municipal building in New York by Guastavino. They created several models of different vaults, then they chose a vault to build at ¼ scale you see below. I witnessed the construction and I was amazed by how strong the vault is when considering the amount of material and the thickness of material used. Simply mind-blowing.

I hope these works get you excited about architecture program. We would love to have you as part of our family. Remember that the deadline for Fall 2013 admission is December 15th!

See you next blog,
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

Nothing can start off this week blog better than this picture:

This is the entrance of the BDA (Bachelor of Design in Architecture) Studio which references an all-time great movie, Fight Club. In my first blog, I talked about the work I did in one of my BDA classes where we re-designed and prototyped the entire work space of the BDA program for all BDA students. Design-build like this is a rare opportunity for design students worldwide. We have the opportunity to do that right here at the University of Minnesota - College of Design.

I was part of the first "Re-build the BDA" workshop and now it is in its fifth generation. There have been great ideas and works produced by the students in each generation. So, I went to the 5th generation class to talk to students about the progress, their experience, and here is what I got for you.

The class are currently working on building multiple prototypes variation of the shelving units along the wall, and the multipurpose dividing panels for classrooms. They are using wood instead of cardboard which was the material used in the first generation class. This gives students an opportunity to be hands on and learn how to turn their design ideas into a well-constructed object.

There are many things that were produced in the 2nd -4th generation classes and I want to give all the credit to everyone who is involved with the project. It's hard to believe that students are the ones who design and build all these, but they did. Remember that this could be you one day. If you have a chance to visit the U, I highly recommend stopping by the BDA studio to see what is going on. Be sure to ask a lot of questions when you are visiting!

See you next blog,
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

The best part of the semester is getting better. I talked about how chair design is closely related to architecture in my past blog, which we perform an autopsy on a sofa to see the structure inside. Well, now it is time to get to the fun part, designing. In one of my classes, we are re-purposing old chairs. The limitation was the chair must be found through dumpster dive, off the street, or alike. It must be free. It can't belong to someone you know. I went on several walks and bike rides around campus until I found this chair. I must say that the plus side of this project was staying fit.

The goal was to modify this chair with any concept you want. My concept was to make it fit my style of working...on the floor. I do everything on the floor, so it only makes sense to make a chair fit my need instead of adjusting my sitting habit. Right now, I am at the stage of using the pieces when I work on the floor to see how I can design this better. I will be sure to share with you when the project is done.

It was quite a challenge for me to use power tools to tear the chair apart. Good thing the staff members at W.L. workshop (aka wood workshop) are super wonderful. They will not do your project for you, but they will help you with all sort of questions you may come up with. The best thing is when they said "we are here to help. If you need to ask us five times about the same things, we will answer you five times to help you become better at it." So, don't be shy about asking them for help.

Happy dumpster diving and see you next blog!

Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!,

It is officially half way into the semester! I hope everyone is having a fun time with midterms and projects. Remember to get sleep, eat well, and find some time to take care of your social need. I am lucky enough that I don't have any official midterm test this semester. So, I have been spending my time preparing for the Government and Non-Profit Career Fair that is happening this Friday.

You may wonder how Architecture is related to Government and Non-Profit. Having a degree in Architecture doesn't mean that being an architect is the only choice you have for your career. It is more important to evaluate what skills and knowledge did you gain and apply those to the field that is right for you. I mentioned in my earlier blogs about my dream of working in humanitarian field. So, I hope that I will find interesting internship opportunities at this career fair.

For the preparation, I visited the Career and Internship Services for College of Design to have my resume critiqued. I also went to the Center for Writing for help with cover letter writing. The Career and Internship Services also have other kinds of tips and advice such as how to dress for interview, how to negotiate salary, etc. You can also visit their website for upcoming events and career fairs. My advice is to also attend the Career Fair outside your major. Who knows, you may be the candidate they are looking for. Take advantage of all the resources that are available to you, and you are guaranteed to succeed.

See you next blog,
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Last week, I participated in the Design Thinking for Higher Education Innovation Workshop. This workshop is a collaboration of Midwestern Higher Education Compact, the University of Minnesota's Jandris Center for Innovative Higher Education, and the University of Minnesota's College of Design. The goal of this workshop is to find new ways to transform and to address the problems in higher education. I felt a little out of place when I found out that the majority of the participants are big deal. By 'big deal' I mean the deans of colleges, professors, professionals, and Ph.D. candidates. I felt honored for the opportunity to work with and to learn from these amazing people.

We used design thinking process to solve the problem given. I love design education because it taught me how to solve a problem in a different way. Design students are trained figure out what the problem is or whether that problem is the real problem rather than jump right into solutions. This is why I appreciate the effort of including design thinking in this higher education innovation workshop. After all the brainstorming and diagrams, we created a 3D prototype of our goals as you see below. It was definitely the best part of the day. Everyone was having so much fun with all the random items we had, especially with the playdough. To put this more accurately, people went nuts with the playdough.

Last year, I participated in a few conferences hosted by the College of Design. My favorite ones were Design Intersection and Dirty Laundry. Take advantage of great events and conferences that are happening all over campus. They may be major-related or interest-related. It is a great way to network and collaborate with people who are outside your normal social circle, but are interested in the same things you do.

Random:

Be happy, see you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

I want to make a claim that Rapson is the best building on campus 24/7, which of course I am bias. There are always events going on at

Rapson Hall, so I am constantly being inspired by fabulous works from all over the world.

The current exhibit in the HGA gallery is Pickard Chilton Designing Relationships. This exhibition is part of Rendezvous with the U lecture. As you walk into Rapson Hall through the new edition of the building, you will be welcomed by this marvelous exhibit. It is full with inspiring photos, beautiful buildings, and gorgeous models.

Continue walking toward the courtyard, there are more to discover. Along the first floor the Cultural Heritage of Kiribati field work exhibit is currently on display. Kiribati is an island nation is the Pacific Ocean. Not many people have heard about it. The first time I heard about this place was when I started working at the Center for World Heritage Studies as a Research Assistant. However, this unknown place has a lot to offer. If you wonder why the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is interested in this unknown country, you need to attend Design@Noon Lecture. The lecture will be on Wednesday, October 10 in Rapson room 225 at 12pm.

Nearby the Kiribati Exhibit, a whole wall of Rapson outside the Architecture office is covered with beautiful drawings. These drawings are student works from Oaxaca, Mexico undergraduate study abroad program. All drawings were done on Mylar with drafting pen. This combination is the hardest to work with; however the students totally dominated it.

Oh...Just in case you forgot, midterm season is coming up. Be sure to plan your study, projects, papers, and social life carefully. Computer Lab tends to get really busy during the review time of the year. If you need to print or plot your work, have your work ready and plot it at least a day before it is due. Check out the Labs hours here.

Be inspired with all the great projects around you and take advantage of all lectures and events that are available to students in the College of Design.

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.
*Image credit: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.113130825510077.20694.100004394791269&type=1

Hello again,

As you are settling into your semester, it is always a good idea to be involved with other things beside classes. Involvement is very important to your experience as a college student. When you go to classes, everyone came out with the same information and knowledge. Involvement outside classes is the only thing that will make you different. Here are some of the involvements for architecture students that I have been part of in the past.

The first one is the American Institute for Architecture Students - Minnesota. This is a great networking opportunity for architecture students. They have their meetings every other Wednesday from noon to 1pm. There are always interesting guest speakers from firms and organizations, so you can hear more about what is happening in the architecture industry outside school. Every semester, they have a trip to architecture conference outside state. I have been to quite a few. It was a great opportunity to network with other architecture students around the country.

I was a co-captain of Freedom By Design (FBD) last year. FBD is a non-profit student group that utilizes the talent of design students, not limited to architecture students, to help those in need. Most of the clients were low-income disabled individuals in the Twin Cities. FBD is working toward creating a better and safer accessibility for individuals with disability. The projects we have done in the past were including, but not limited to, creating ramps, making benches for a community center, and redesign the interior of a fitness center.

Recently, I got a Research Assistant position with the Center for World Heritage Studies. Research is also a great way to get involved on campus. If you have a topic that you are interested in, be sure to get in touch with a professor early and check out the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).

There are more than 700 student groups on campus, not including other involvement opportunities such as research, volunteer, and on-campus employment. Check out the Office for Student Engagement for the endless opportunities. The more involved you are, the more comfortable you will be at the U.

See you next blog,
Beau s.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

Fall is officially here. The temperature is dropping every day. Please stay healthy, eat food, get sleep, and spare time to hang out with friends. Your health is the most important factor in the success of your academic life.

One of classes I have this semester is DES 3321 Furniture Design. It is a class in the Design minor. Last week, I got a chance to go on a field trip to visit Grahn's Upholstery. The mission was to perform an autopsy on a sofa. This sofa was donated to us from a friend of our professor. The donor told us that it is very sentimental to their family and they are glad we can use it for educational purpose. Little did they know that we will be doing more than just looking at it. We cut, chopped, tore, broke, and even kicked parts of the sofa to learn about what is inside a sofa we usually see. The process was so much fun. I learned how to break things, which I am very good at it. Then, I got to see how the sofa was put together, and the materials they used inside for cushion and support. Dr. Alan Grahn, the owner of the shop, was very nice and helpful.

This process was very personal to me as an architecture student because architects design chairs. Chairs and architects is like architecture students and coffee...if you know what I mean. Chair is a building art that requires knowledge of construction, aesthetic, ergonomic, and material. We can learn a lot about how one reacts to certain move we make to a chair, or how construction method and materials affect the user. They said the process of designing chair is very similar to building. The difference is the scale of final products. So, don't be surprised if you learn about famous buildings in your history class and come across famous chairs by the same architect.

Regardless of who design your chair, please take the time to appreciate that chair you are sitting on while reading this blog. I am sure a lot of thought was put into designing it.

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Photos credit: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uR99KtwByiM/TU4p3Vd_bhI/AAAAAAAAAr4/L830Fbb14io/s1600/eames_chair.jpg
http://vastudc.com/images/mid_Cross%20check_1.jpg
http://www.utilitydesign.co.uk/mall/UtilityDesign/customerimages/products/l_UT30403.jpg

Hello again,

I hope the first couple weeks of classes treated you well. Being here for over 3 years, I do classes can get more intense as the semester goes on. So, make sure you take care of your health, manage your time, money, and classes carefully. If you haven't make appointment for a free flu shot, here is the link: http://www.bhs.umn.edu/public-health/flu.htm

Being back in Rapson Hall and seeing students working on their projects remind me of how much fun I had in the past years. During my first-year around this time, I had class ARCH 1701 The Design Environment. One of the projects was to design a picnic pavilion nearby the lake on a given piece of land. This pavilion was for the family of Professor Lavine. We were also given a very specific set of materials we allowed to use. They were cardboard pieces with different dimension. The rule is to use all of the pieces, but no extra piece is allowed. It was the first architecture-related project I have ever done.

I took ARCH 2301 Introduction to Drawing in Architecture in fall semester of my sophomore year. The class was a lot of fun. I was familiar with fine arts drawing, but architecture drawing was something totally different and new. I learned a lot from the class, including my style of drawing and representation technique. One of the assignments was to compare light from two similar places. The first place I chose was the Chapel of the Capuchinas by Lius Barragan. The second place was the Guthrie Theater by Jean Nouvel. At first, my focus was on the characteristic of the windows that allowed light in for both places. They were long and narrow windows that extended from floor to ceiling. The more I analyzed the light; I found that the reflection of the light casting on the walls in both places had more impact on the objects in front of it. I never knew I would end up with the result that was far beyond my original though.

Here are some advices I would like to leave you with:
1. Make every project the best you have ever done
2. Ask questions, lots of questions
3. Keep thinking and sketching your thoughts out, think more, and continue to sketch.

See you next blog!
Beau S.
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello all,

I cannot describe how thankful I am to be a part of College of Design. We have world class faculty, access to one of the best facilities in the country, and highly motivated students. Earlier this summer, the Dean Tom Fisher announced the search for a Public Interest Design Director. This alone describes how much the College of Design cares about its students and the community.

That's being said, a lot of the works being done around here are kind of big deal...I am talking nationally/globally big deal. Students, I highly recommend that you get to know your professors and TAs. The works that they are doing are fascinating. One of my TAs last year, Molly E., did a research on the topic of surviving 100 days without oil. Molly has a book published and you may find her blog here. Another TA of mine, Abby K., went to Haiti to work with Architecture for Humanity. These are only the ones that I had classes with. Imagine the rest of Architecture department and the things they are working on. Now, you really have to get to know your professors and TAs.

You may wonder why I wrote this "letter" confessing my love to the College of Design. I am just sad it is my last year here. I would love to stay in Minneapolis, but the world is so big and I have a lot left to explore. My senior year schedule is filled with graduate school and internship applications. I will be using the services from the Career and Internship Services and the Writing Center...and you should too.

As I mentioned in the earlier blog, I want to pursue a career in humanitarian design. My specific interest in the design field is furniture design. I hope to somehow combine the two together using furniture design to solve issues at hand. I am sure I will discover it some day as long as I am driven to discover. Haaaaaa! See what I did there?

For now...I am going to leave you with a link to Boynton Health Clinic. Winter is coming, please stay healthy. You don't want to be sick while having a ton of studio works to do. Go get a free flu shot!

See you next blog,
Beau Sinchai
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello friends,

I hope your semester is off to a great start! From now, I will be updating blog weekly due to popular demand.

For some reason, I do not have that tingly first-day-of-class feeling. Maybe it is because I have been working on campus for the entire summer...or maybe the reality has not hit me yet that this is my last year of undergrad.

Last week during Welcome Week, I had a chance to welcome Class of 2016 at the Convocation event at Mariucci. Seeing over 5,500 first-year students in one place was beyond amazing. It was hard to believe that these are the students I worked with directly, and these are the students I orientated. Many of the Orientation Leaders, including myself, were tearing up. This was a beautiful result of all the hard work we have been doing for the whole summer.

President Eric Kaler, Dean Tom Fisher, and many of College of Design staff and faculty were also there. Then, I saw myself on the screen of Mariucci during Convocation. I was semi-embarrassed, and semi-flattered. I feel like I was representing CDes by saying I am majoring in Architecture in the College of Design. This was also the first time I saw myself speak. I never imagined I would talk, act, and move that way before. I highly recommended everyone to record a video of you while speaking. You will at least get a good laugh from it.

I reacted fast enough to record a short video from the screen. Oh yes, I took a video of myself. I wish they would do a reply just so I can record the whole thing. However, I am sure President Kaler would not care for the second time.

Being part of Welcome Week definitely made me excited for school again. All of the classes I take this semester are very interesting. I cannot wait to repurpose old furniture in my furniture design class, and spend time in the painting studio for my painting class. Not to mention other architecture and design classes I am in. This will be a great semester!

See you next blog,

Beau Sinchai
Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again,

Classes are only two weeks away. Be sure to purchase books and supplies ahead of time. We have our own University of Minnesota Bookstore located in the ground level of Coffman Memorial Union. Check it out!

If you are a first-year student, get excited for Welcome Week. This six-day event will prepare you with everything you need to know about surviving college. You will have an opportunity to reconnect with your advisor, get to know professors in the College of Design, and make a deeper connection with your peers. Did I mention that you, class of 2016, will be making a big "M" at the TCF Bank Stadium for the Class of 2016 poster?

While you are on campus buying books, be sure to check out Weisman Art Museum (WAM). It is located between Coffman Memorial Union and Washington Ave Bridge (or the WAB). However, no one is actually calling the Washington Avenue Bridge "the WAB." I only call it the WAB because it is next to the WAM. However, I have been convincing a number of first-year students to call it the "WAB." We will see how successful that was when the semester starts.

Back to the topic, the WAM was voted as the best museum in the Twin Cities by City Pages 2012. It was designed by Frank Gehry, the world famous architect who also designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bibao. Admission is FREE to students and public. So, take advantage of all the great things on campus. My minor is arts, and it is wonderful to be in Minneapolis where art and design is everywhere.

I can't wait until classes start. See you at school in a few weeks!
Beau S., Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

I got older! "...More than half way to 40 years old," said one of my students. My birthday was this past weekend, so I celebrated it with a trip to Walker Art Center. The day I went was the first Saturday of the month, so my trip to the Walker was free!

Walker Art Center is one of the "big five" museums for modern art, what a prestige recognition! It is located in the heart of Minneapolis with the Sculpture Garden right next door. If the Walker is the chips, then the Sculpture Garden is definitely the salsa. They are great on their own, but they are better together. The new edition of walker that you see below was designed by a Swiss architecture firm, Herzog & de Mauron. The façade is aluminum mesh panels which were designed to look like crumbled paper/fabric. Also noted, the polka dots sidewalk in front of the Walker. I'm in love!

The current exhibition at the Walker is Art, Love & Politics in the 1980s. Unexpectedly, Homeless Vehicle Project by Krzysztof Wodiczko is also on display. This great piece was created to be the voice for homeless individuals in New York City. I wrote a research paper about it in my ARCH 4150 class, so I was excited to see it in person.

There were tons of activities going on during Walker Free First Saturday, including this Sisters' Camelot Bus. The Sisters' Camelot is a non-profit organization working to create sustainability and fight hunger in the Twin Cities. They gave out free organic vegetables and fruits with no string attached. When I asked about their intention, they said "food is a basic human need, and everyone should have access to healthy organic food." They gave me quite a bit of vegetables and bread, so I made myself a birthday meal with it. It made my day to see people working to help each other and the planet.

Walker Art Center & the Sculpture Garden admission: $ 0
Organic food form Sisters' Camelot organization: $ 0
Getting free stuff on your birthday: priceless

See you next blog!
Beau S., Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

I have been living on campus in residence halls for the past 3 years. As an architecture student, it's very important to me that the environment I live in doesn't feel like a jail cell. So, I would always do my best to turn a 10' by 13' room into heaven on campus. However, heaven doesn't come easy. There are many rules and restrictions that are/aren't allowed in residence hall rooms. When I got my room assignment, I imagined it with a walk-in closet, tons of space, and shelves strategically placed on the walls. Then, I found out that puncturing walls in any way is strictly prohibited. I can no longer install shelves in the room...my dream was crushed.

With the help of my brother, we came up with a wall-shelf system. We built a self-standing wall with lumber from a local lumberyard, and we attached shelves on the wall we created. Screws were used in this project in place of nails which makes it possible to be taken down and rebuilt several times. I have been using the same pieces of lumber for the past years, and I will reuse them again this year. It's all reuse, reduce, and recycle!

In addition, I visited the University of Minnesota Reuse Program for room furniture and other final touches. They have tons of merchandise from all of the University departments for purchase and some are FREE. The prices are amazing! I highly recommend that you check this place out before you buy anything for your room/apartment elsewhere. Microwaves, mini-fridges, and futons are popular among students. They have it all, many for less than $10. So, you will be saving money and our planet at the same time.

Stop buying new items and choose to go green with reused items instead! They open on Thursdays from 8am-8pm. If you plan on living in a residence hall/apartment, your housing assignment is coming out on July 31st. Remember to reduce, reuse, and recycle when decorating your room!

See you next blog,
Beau S., Architecture B.D.A.

Hello again!

Last week, I decided to go around town and explore the architecture of Minneapolis. One of many plus sides of being in the Twin-Cities campus is you have opportunities to the resources of 2 cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul. They offer many great things like beautiful places, employment, internships, and even theaters and restaurants. So, I took a trip just couple blocks away from campus to visit the Mill District area.

It only took five minutes of a bus ride to get there. My bus stop was at the Metrodome, home to our Minnesota Vikings football team.

Just two blocks away, there was the Mill City Farmers Market which happens every Saturday during summer. Locally produced products, vegetables, and live music!

This is me with "Strawberry and Basil with Aged Balsamic Vinegar" sorbet. It is beyond amazing and that cup was clearly too tiny.

Talking about the Mill City Farmers Market, we have the Mill City Museum located just a couple steps away. It used to be the largest flour mill in the world. It is currently being preserved as a historical place.

Right next door, it is our famous Guthrie Theater. As a student, watch out for those discounted tickets available for you. Now, you can to enjoy great performances while not killing that money tree you have.

Keep walking around, you will find the Gold Medal Park next to the Guthrie. This nicely designed landscape is open to public. Great place to walk your pets, bike around, or having one of those free dates. As I walked along the pathway, I found sexy light poles everywhere. Ahh...design makes little things in life so much more pleasant.

There are so many more things in the area that it will take several blogs to cover it all. So, I will leave the rest up to you to explore them yourself. Maybe start with your neighborhood or hometown. You will be surprised.

See you next blog!

-Beau S., Architecture B.D.A.

This statement was made by my friend Nic H. last year about your home on campus for the next four years. College of Design is located on two campuses: East Bank and St. Paul campus. McNeal Hall in St. Paul is home for our apparel design, graphic design, housing studies, interior design, retail merchandising, and the Goldstein Museum of Design. Rapson Hall was named after our beloved former head of School of Architecture and notable architect, Ralph Rapson. Originally built in 1960 and went under renovation in 2002. It is home for School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.

Since we are design students, let me show you some of my favorite spots inside Rapson Hall in a different way besides using the plain-o' photos. These drawing are from classes I took in the past.

First off, here is the Courtyard. Be ready to have your mind blown because this courtyard has no grass and it is completely indoor. Because of its smart design, you will feel like you are outdoor. You will get the same sunlight as outside even though you are completely inside the building.

The next thing is the twisting East Stairway. This hidden stairway is located near our advisors' offices. An assignment in one of my class was to analyze the stair and its design. One fun fact I discovered is the number of steps and the angle it turns change at every floor level. This made it almost impossible to make a drawing of this staircase. However, I made the drawing...yay me!

I hope you are excited to be part of our CDes family and this home sweet home. In the mean time, check out all the wonderful things Rapson Hall has to offer, from our own library to Daylighting Lab... Now you know why this is a place to be.

-Beau, Architecture B.D.A.

Hello all,

Since we are in the land of cold and harsh winters, let's take this time to embrace the greatness of the warm sun before it disappears. Other than having to spend extra money on sunscreen, everything about summer is just glorious. The lake, watermelon, snow cones, outdoor concerts, and festivals, LOVE IT ALL!

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the Grand Old Day Festival in St. Paul. It is the biggest one-day festival in the Midwest, and is held along Grand Avenue in St. Paul. After my friends and I got off at the wrong bus stop because of Siri (phone application), we found our way to the festival an hour later. Oh technology.

By the end of the day, I had gotten enough sun to get a tan line on my wrist where my watch was. So now I have to put it on every day to cover it...what a nice reminder to wear a watch.

Then another festivity happened this week. Northern Spark is a free overnight arts festival with arts constellations throughout Minneapolis. Free events are always the best. There were visual arts, films, sculptures, installation, and many more attractions. The whole city just turned itself into an art world for the night.

There are so many things to do in the Twin Cities. If you are planning to take that special someone on a date, exploring the town, or just finding something to keep yourself sane, check out 365 Things To Do In The Twin Cities. What's not to love about summer?

Keep in mind that whatever you decide to do, manage your money wisely. Live like a student now, so you don't have to later.

See you in the next blog!
-Beau Sinchai

Hello friends,

My name is Beau Sinchai. This fall I will be a senior in the Bachelor of Design in Architecture program (BDA). BDA is a design degree with an emphasis in architecture. It is great for students like me whose interests are the combination of architecture and other disciplines. I am interested in public interest architecture as well as arts. I want to use design as a solution to humanitarian issues in the third world countries.
Being in the BDA program gave me the flexibility of choosing courses based on my interest. I took classes about Designing in Conceptual Frame and Redesigning BDA Studio I and II.

Below is one of my final projects in a BDA course. It is a lounge space in the BDA studio that my friends and I designed to better serve BDA students. It was made life-size, entirely out of cardboard.

It was really fun to be able to design a product and turn it into reality. We have our final review in the project itself!

It is so useful. I have been studying there, hanging out there, eating there, and even sleeping there. The only thing left is moving all my belonging there and cancelling my apartment contract.

This summer I will be busy welcoming all first-year and transfer students to the University of Minnesota as an Orientation Leader. We have 26 Orientation Leaders this year, and we are currently practicing our stage performance and dancing for you all. Get excited! It will be super fun. Register for your orientation if you have not already done so. I am looking forward to meeting all of you this fall!

See you next blog,
Beau Sinchai

Last Saturday was a glorious day filled with friends, family, and a whole lot of memories. My family arrived around noon to traveled with me over to Rapson Hall. One of my studio-mates scheduled a pre-commencement photo in our beloved architecture building. It turned out to be very chaotic, but we took some great group photos. Our commencement was held in Mariucci Arena because Northrop Auditorium is being renovated. After hearing a motivating speech by U of M alumnus John Cary, we walked across the stage to shake hands with some of the faculty including Dean Fisher, Julia Robinson, Benjamin Ibarra Sevilla, Renee Cheng, and Loren Abraham. That short walk will forever be etched in all of our memories. I'll miss everyone that I've met here, especially those who have changed my life.

For now, this time after graduation is filled with excitement and uncertainty. I will have to choose a graduate school if I want to become a licensed architect. But before I rush back to studio all-nighters, I am considering applying for a Fulbright Scholarship to teach English in Poland. After spending two weeks there last May, I fell in love with a country that most people forget exists unless you have Polish ancestors. Hopefully, I will be able to experience their culture for longer than two weeks.

Beau Sinchai will be taking my position as the Architecture blogger. She is a great friend, fellow AIAS member, and student. Beau is seeking her Bachelor of Design in Architecture and will be graduating next year. You will learn a lot of information about student involvement from her; she does so much!

Good luck in everything you pursue! Thank you for reading my blog!

Best,
Holly
Bachelor of Science - Architecture

On Saturday, I will join my fellow studio-mates to receive my diploma in Mariucci Arena! Until then, I am finishing up some meetings with professors, cleaning out my studio desk, and passing the AIAS gavel to our new board members. Like most architecture faculty, my studio professor, Dale Mulfinger, met with me to discuss my grade and future. It's comforting to develop a relationship with a professor to seek advice about graduate schools, jobs, and life. In addition, all my studio professors would write a recommendation letter for me when I apply to graduate school! I've found that they don't have the direct connection with their professors in other degrees .

Cleaning out my studio desk was very stressful because it's hard to know what to save, especially since I will be moving in a few weeks. The best solution to a clutter-free lifestyle is to photograph and scan anything that seems important. Rapson Hall provides a great imaging lab and a scanner in their computer lab. Also, buy numerous external hard drives to back up your work. You never know when you might lose, drop, or spill water on your precious electronics.

It's come to that time of the year when I have to start passing on my responsibilities as AIAS President. I'm really excited to see what the new AIAS board will do in the upcoming school year. Good luck! I'll miss you!

I know I said last week that this would be my last blog, but surprise, I have one more! I'll introduce you to the new architecture blogger and tell you what my hopes for the future are.

Holly
Architecture - Bachelor of Science

Last night, I had the honor of receiving the 2012 President's Student Leadership and Service Award from President Eric Kaler. The banquet was filled with inspirational speeches and great dinner conversation. After being nominated by Jim Lutz, professor and AIAS faculty advisor, for my work with the College of Design and AIAS, I was selected out of over one hundred and fifty applicants. I have to thank Jim Lutz, all of my amazing AIAS board members, and everyone else who has helped me over the last four years.

Award recipient Maggie Goshert provided a great quote from her father: "Opportunities are seldom labeled." You will have many decisions to make while attending college, but the most important ones will open doors to a myriad of opportunities. Looking back to my first year, I would have never imagined I would have achieved what I have today. I know I've said this a thousand times but GET INVOLVED. If you really want to have a great college experience, remember to incorporate your passions and be grateful towards the people who help you. Unfortunately, next week is my last blog. I hope you've had as much fun reading these as I've had writing them.

Holly
Architecture - Bachelor of Science

P.S. Today was my final studio review!!

Last Thursday, I had the privilege of traveling to St. Cloud, Minnesota for the Annual AIA Minneapolis Greater Minnesota Luncheon. The day was filled with a board meeting, lunch, and tours of the library and police station. To top it all off, Dewey Thorbeck, professor of architecture at the University of Minnesota and director of the Center for Rural Design, gave a presentation explaining the importance of ecological sensitivity in design. He showed us examples of his work throughout Minnesota that represented long lasting, energy efficient, healthy environments. If you are interested in the sustainability minor at the U of M, you should consider contacting Professor Thorbeck about sustainable buildings.

After lunch, we took a tour of the St. Cloud Public Library, built in 2008. The Minneapolis architecture firm Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle (MS&R), along with JLG in St. Cloud, were the architects for the design and build phases. MS&R has also designed buildings on the U of M campus, including the Regis Center for Art. The library was a perfect example of how local materials like granite can make the building sustainable and beautiful. MS&R did a wonderful job creating a central spine that allows for natural light in the entire library.

The luncheon was a great way to learn and network with professionals since most of the AIA Minneapolis board members are leaders in large firms downtown. I can't express enough how much involvement matters in college. Join an organization today!

Hope you had a great Earth day!

Holly
Architecture - Bachelor of Science

Have you ever wondered what an architecture firm looks like? Well, you're in luck this week! A group of AIAS students toured the HGA offices in their new location, the Ford Center. Upon arrival, we entered the building through an exterior entrance. The original vertical factory building was built in 1914 for the assembly of Ford vehicles like the Model T. A decade later, Ford Motor Company moved to Highland Park in St. Paul to utilize an assembly line. After the Ford Center was abandoned, it was renovated by numerous companies like Honeywell and Anytime Fitness. A major historic renovation only occurred recently, when United Partners purchased the building and allowed HGA and Olson Advertising to lease a majority of the building.

The windows and floor designs still capture the original essence of the building. HGA's lobby and main floor once contained the Ford Gallery, showcasing their prized creations. Removing the freight elevators and creating central stairwells were major modifications HGA did. The entire project allowed for sustainable LEED certification while abiding by the National Register of Historic Places rules. If you are interested in historic preservation, there are several undergraduate classes and a graduate degree offered.

Only a few weeks left!

Holly
Bachelor of Science - Architecture

My key advice for any freshman is to get involved in new activities early and often. For example, I served as the Student Representative for the Marcy Holmes Neighborhood Association my second year at the University of Minnesota. Although I was not on the Minnesota Student Association board, I acquired the position by networking with my landlord and friends. The position required me to attend monthly meetings, events, and communicate information between the Minnesota Student Association (MSA) and the neighborhood. While I attended monthly meetings, I oversaw the development of many student housing projects like 412 Lofts, Sydney Hall, and FloCo. This gave me the opportunity to better understand how architecture plays a key role in the community. The neighborhood board must approve the development before it begins construction. At these meetings, I had the privilege of hearing developers describe the concepts behind their designs, even if I didn't always agree with them.

I bet you're wondering how you can get involved without being associated with a fraternity or sorority. If you live off-campus, start attending community meetings and activities. Most neighborhood associations send newsletters throughout the year. If you want to get involved right away, talk to your landlord or neighbors to find out more information. Neighborhood associations really appreciate students willing to better their community. Also, contact the Minnesota Student Association to find out how you can start getting involved.

Only a few weeks left!

Holly
Bachelor of Science - Architecture

Wow, what a week! I had the great privilege of spending four days in Detroit this past weekend. I wasn't sure what to expect from a city that has had its ups and downs. I spent my first day touring the General Motor's Research and Development campus, which was designed by Eero Saarinen. Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to take pictures, but please check out Michigan Modern. The next day I spent touring the Renaissance Center, GM's corporate headquarters in downtown Detroit. Originally built by the Ford Motor Company, the seven interconnected skyscrapers create a city within a city by hosting many restaurants, shops, offices, and the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere. The success of the design may be due to the creation of public and private space by creating large communal areas and small coves. Similar to Walt Disney's EPCOT concept, Detroit contains a People Mover, which connects the downtown buildings together. While riding the People Mover, I realized how bad the economy had affected Detroit. I've never seen buildings the size of Cedar Riverside abandoned. It was a real eye-opening experience. I also had the opportunity to see the abandoned Packard Plant, which is approximately 3.5 million square feet. Once a revolutionary automobile factory, it is now a haven for artists, scrappers, and urban explorers. A manmade hurricane of economic turmoil caused what now exists in Detroit.
In my opinion, Detroit has a lot of potential. The trip made me realize how much the University of Minnesota and the Twin Cities has to offer.

See you next week!
Holly
Architecture-Bachelor of Science