USC School of Architecture

USC Architecture students march into the LA Memorial Coliseum for convocation! Today celebrates the beginning of a remarkable journey! Welcome new Trojans and fight on!

USC School of Architecture's 2024 Commencement was filled with memorable moments, impactful speakers and even a little dog got to walk the stage. Thank you, Annie Chu for your inspiring keynote address, and student speakers Mikayla Hisamoto and Grace Poillucci!

Celebrating the end of day 1 of XPO with a reception for all our graduates, faculty and visiting critics. There was so much innovative and creative work presented today and we look forward to another full day of presentations tomorrow. Thank you to all the students, faculty and visiting experts for coming together today to witness the vision and forward thinking of our students’ vision for our shared future world! We’ll see you tomorrow for another day of XPO!

Final Reviews continue today. There is a stunning display of 2nd year Architecture student work.

Take a seat! Presenting work by 2nd year architecture studio Advanced Fabrication with instructor Rob Ley

Today’s Scholarship Luncheon recognized our many devoted supporters and celebrated our deserving talented students! With the most selective year ever, supporting our students’ education makes a huge impact on their success. Students, alumni, supporters, faculty, Board of Councilors, Architectural Guild Board, families and friends - Thank you for joining us today ! us grad architecture

Undergraduate Architecture Final Reviews have already started and we’re seeing some outstanding presentations!

Architect and scholar Brett Steele has led influential architecture schools around the world. He’s now the newest dean of the USC School of Architecture.

Architectural scholar Brett Steele has been named the new dean of the USC School of Architecture, effective Feb. 1. Steele will also hold the Della & Harry MacDonald Dean’s Chair in Architecture.

“The interdisciplinarity of the work within the different programs, faculty and curriculums I’ve been involved with in my career is something I very much look forward to building upon in coming to USC, which, as a school of architecture, is remarkable for the breadth and depth of its portfolio of creative activities and professional interests,” said Steele, who comes to USC after serving as dean of the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture since 2017.

“Brett Steele’s collaborative leadership is a perfect fit for our School of Architecture,” USC President Carol Folt said. “One of the things that impressed me most when I met him is that throughout his career, he has inspired creative and inclusive ways of thinking that bring architects closer to their communities — and that keep innovative design and research top of mind. He’s a dynamic addition to our architecture community.”

World-renowned architect Brett Steele named new dean of the USC School of Architecture Steele brings a global perspective to the practical and academic study of architecture.

Los Angeles Times featured alumnus Jingbo Lou's ('94) newest project in Chinatown. In the neighborhood known as the “Forgotten Edge,” Lou is aiming to preserve a piece of the city’s vibrant history by restoring buildings that have been there for more than 100 years and were once brimming with small retail businesses.
Read more about Lou's "Alpine Street" project, a variety of converted small homes surrounding a shared courtyard.

How a new complex of houses-turned-restaurants is changing this 'forgotten edge' of Chinatown Architect and preservationist Jingbo Lou restores one corner of Victor Heights, a sliver of a neighborhood between Echo Park and Chinatown. Neighbors are waiting to see how it changes the area.

Join us on Sept 29, 12PM at the USC Architecture and Fine Arts Library for the launch of Wendy W Fok's latest book digitalSTRUCTURES. Greg Lynn and Alvin Huang will be on a panel discussion with Wendy W Fok . A reception and book signing will follow. Books available to purchase onsite!

With one of its most eclectic lineups, ARCHITECTURE ENGAGED launches the Fall 2023 lecture series featuring pioneering creatives from a range of fields whose precedent-setting work spans across film and marketing, ecological restoration and environmental science, biology and computation, architectural design for the visual and performing arts, and technology and product creation.

Sept. 15 | Lecture
Peter Frankfurt, Imaginary Forces, Co-founder & Creative Director
Sept. 22 | Lecture
Eric Higgs, University of Victoria, School of Environmental Studies
Oct. 6 | Lecture
David Benjamin, Columbia GSAPP, Founding Principal of The Living
Oct. 16 | Lecture
Mark Rios, RIOS
Oct. 27 | Lecture
Billie Tsien, TOD WILLIAMS BILLIE TSIEN Architects | Partners
Oct. 20 | Lecture
Pecha Kucha, New USC Architecture Faculty
Nov. 3 | Lecture
John Maeda, Maeda Studio, MIT

All lectures will take place on Friday at 12:00 p.m. in the Gin D. Wong, FAIA Conference Center (Harris Hall 101) unless otherwise noted. All events are free and open to the public.

The Fall 2023 Lecture Series is presented with generous support from the USC Thomas J. Barrack and Gin D. Wong, FAIA Annual Lectures Fund.

RSVP opens today at visionsandvoices.usc.edu!
Join us on October 16 for the inaugural event of Crossing Design Borders, an annual speaker series launched by the USC School of Architecture in partnership with USC Visions and Voices, featuring distinguished architect and landscape architect Mark Rios, whose projects include Grand Park, The California Endowment, and Nokia Plaza at LA Live.

With a focus on curiosity and defining one’s own formula for inclusive innovation, Rios will explore the transformative potential of embracing diverse ideas and collaborators in fostering innovation and share his passion for unlocking groundbreaking solutions and authentic creativity to shape a brighter future. imagines

New students and their families enjoyed a delicious ice-cream social afternoon hosted by the USC Architectural Guild who introduced them to all the resources and events that the Guild offers. Thanks to the professional expertise, mentorship and networks that the Architectural Guild offers, our students are have strong support through their educational journey and are set up for professional success!

So proud of this award-winning student and professor duo at the A+D Museum Awards. Professor Wendy Fok was recognized for her award-winning book digitalSTRUCTURES. Alumnus Thomas Wang won an award for his final thesis work "Limits of Nature," advised by professor Wendy Fok.

Exploration of Architecture Summer Program took students on a tour of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Fun Fact: This architectural landmark was designed by USC Architecture alumnus Frank Gehry, and is one of the most acoustically sophisticated concert halls in the world.

Architizer has announced the winners of the 11th Annual A+Awards, naming several USC Architecture alumni and faculty projects are among the winners of the world’s most innovative and impactful contemporary designs.
This year’s collection demonstrated architects’ focus on combatting climate issues, and includes a new Sustainability Category. Judges noted not only an elevated quality of innovation in design, but leadership in sustainability through new technologies and materials, reflecting the social responsibility of architects.

Congratulations to our USC Architecture alumni winners!

Orange County Museum of Art by Morphosis Architects
Jury Winner in the Museum and Architecture +Light categories

Nature Workshop by ZZYY Studio
Jury Winner in the Commercial Unbuilt categories

Granville 1500 by Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects [LOHA]
Jury Winner in the Residential Multi Unit Housing categories

SQ Residence By Laney LA
Jury Winner in the Residential Unbuilt Private House categories

Station in the Field by ZZYYstudio
Jury Winner and Popular Choice Winner in the Transportation Unbuilt categories

Nike Icon Studios LA by Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects [LOHA]
Finalist in the Commercial Office Categories

Faiza Moatasim has received a grant from Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts for her research publication, Master Plans and Encroachments: The Architecture of Informality in Islamabad (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2023).
Assistant professor of architecture in urbanism and urban design at USC School of Architecture, Moatasim specializes in history and theory of architecture and urban design, modern colonial and post-colonial architecture and urbanism, low-income housing, and urban informality.
Moatasim’s book is the first study that brings together informalities of the privileged and underprivileged in the high-modernist city of Islamabad (Pakistan). Informal spaces in comprehensively planned cities have mostly been conceptualized as contradictions to the ideal 'plan.' But in cities today, informal urban processes are deeply enmeshed with formal planning procedures.
Read more at https://buff.ly/3ORi0wA

CLASS OF ’23 SPOTLIGHT ON DRAKE VELASCO
Bachelor of Architecture

“USC Architecture taught me that anything is literally possible, that something once thought couldn't exist can become an idea, then a sketch on a paper, and then slowly develop into something concrete, physical, and real.”

With an entrepreneurial mindset, Drake Velasco knew he wanted to take ideas and turn them into reality – through architecture. He did exactly that during his program where he developed and created his own fashion and product design company. Next, he will be pursuing his licensing, applying to a graduate architecture program and has his sights on his long-term goal of founding his own architectural firm.

Q: Tell us briefly about your background and why you chose USC Architecture?
USC has always been my dream school. From getting to experience the fullness of LA, to the access of world class architecture, I felt it had it all. I was born and raised in Orange County, so USC was this constant projection of potential and future. It always blew my mind how much was out here, how much LA had access to create. I came from a family of seven who all wanted to pursue a future with an entrepreneurial mindset, so when I discovered architecture from my childhood passion of origami, I was definitely the outlier. USC taught me that anything is literally possible, that something once thought couldn't exist can become an idea, then a sketch on a paper, and then slowly develop into something concrete, physical, and real. I know that because of this I can finally attempt to answer the long running question that's been burning in my mind since I was a child: "How can I make it real?"

Q: What was a highlight during your studies?
My time at USC has been completely transformative. I learned the fundamental process of design which allowed me to develop and create my own fashion and product design company, to learning the essential skills of hand drawing and sketching, and even furniture design. The topic studios throughout the years pushed me beyond my limits and eventually led to my current Thesis Project.
Read more at https://buff.ly/43cxMGS

CLASS OF ’23 SPOTLIGHT ON KAHREN LEVON ELOYAN
Bachelor of Architecture
From an Armenian family of multigenerational architects and historians, Kahren Levon Eloyan learned that architecture has the power to heal, unite, as well as tell stories. From moving across the world, he gained countless different perspectives and chose USC Architecture for its interdisciplinary approach that allowed him to pursue his varied interests in architecture, as well as film and production design.

Q: Tell us briefly about your background and why you chose USC Architecture?
I was born in Armenia to a multigenerational family of architects and historians who instilled in me a deep faith in the power of architecture to heal, unite, as well as tell stories. Moving around the world and to the United States exposed me to countless different perspectives and confirmed for me the vital need to bring good design to as many people as possible. Coming to USC allowed me to hone my skills in a city with a deep culture of architectural and design innovation. And the school's interdisciplinary approach allowed me to pursue my varied interests in architecture, film, and production design. During my studies I created number of short films with students in the School of Cinematic Arts.

Q: What were the highlights and challenges during your studies?
As a culmination of the last five years of architectural experience, my thesis project has been the most challenging task of my education to date, but one that's allowed me to combine so many of my interests into a single project. It's really rewarding to be able to leverage my film, graphic design, furniture crafting, and model-making skills simultaneously in service of a project that's really close to my heart and one that I've been thinking about for most of my life.

Q: What’s next for you after graduation?
I hope to join my family practice with an interest in bringing design and infrastructural improvements to non-urban communities in Armenia, especially those in the country's border regions, as well as continuing my production design work in film.
Read more at arch.usc.edu/news

Now playing! 🎧 bit.ly/saveas-allensworth
(or wherever you get your podcasts)

Allensworth is a tiny town with a big history—and its residents are grappling with some very big issues.

The only town in California founded and governed by African Americans, the Central Valley farming community was free of oppression and full of opportunity. It also faced more than its share of obstacles. Residents have been fighting to save it for decades, from working to restore the long-neglected cemetery to lobbying for the town center to become Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.

They’re still fighting—this time to restore the land itself, flooded by the historic storms of spring 2023 and headed for much worse as the Sierra snowpack melts.

USC School of Architecture landscape architecture professor Alison Hirsch created a class to work with residents on aspects of Allensworth’s community plan including the cemetery, regenerative farming, and ecotourism.

Hear from Professor Hirsch, students Luis Mota and Nina Weithorn, residents Sherry Hunter and Denise Kadara, and park docent Emmett Harden about Allensworth’s rich history and remarkable community.

You can see Allensworth and meet community members June 10 at a Juneteenth celebration at the State Historic Park — see flier on the Friends Of Allensworth page.



📸 Willa Seidenberg

CLASS OF ’23 SPOTLIGHT ON MADISON CANBY
Master of Architecture + Certificate in Sustainable Design

“My passion for architecture lends me to pursue design across multiple mediums, which is one of the reasons I was excited about attending USC Architecture and truly felt supported in my wide-lens approach to the field. The sustainability track has cemented my belief that all future architecture projects must be designed with the current climate crisis in mind. I am excited to put these concepts into the practice of architecture, where climate resiliency is at the forefront of design.”

After focusing on multifaceted designs at Columbia University, Madison took a wide variety of courses at USC focusing on community engagement, natural designs, and climate conscious approaches.
Next, Madison will be joining an architecture firm focused on sports and aviation design, where she hopes to focus on projects within the field of civic architecture that can create both immersive experiences, engage local communities, and tackle pressing sustainability issues.

Q: What have been your greatest highlights and projects during your studies?
The wide variety of courses at USC allowed me to focus on community engagement, natural designs, and climate conscious approaches. With the knowledge learned from the sustainable design track at USC, I am excited to put these concepts into the practice of architecture, where climate resiliency is at the forefront of design. The sustainability track has cemented my belief that all future architecture projects must be designed with the current climate crisis in mind. I'm proud that USC's program incorporates such a global and pressing event into their curriculum. My thesis project is a culmination of my studies here as it includes elements of community engagement and climate crisis awareness as the focal point of its design. As a Citizen Architect, learning from each project and incorporating lessons into my final thesis has been my greatest achievement.
Read more at https://buff.ly/3WwY5Vu

CLASS OF ’23 SPOTLIGHT ON BRANDON JACOBSON
Master of Architecture and Certificate in Sustainable Design

Brandon’s life-long passion to pursue architecture started in high school, learning CAD and Revit. From there he went on to receive a B.S. in Architecture at Texas Tech University. As a second-generation Trojan, Brandon knew he was headed to USC Architecture, and found the variety and mix of interesting topics, such as sustainability and computation, that he was looking for in the Master of Architecture program. With a particular interest in heavy timber construction, he hopes to use the knowledge from his many studio projects to design and build heavy timber high rise structures. Ultimately, Brandon wants to use his skills to design interesting buildings that bring the community together and have a sustainable impact.

Q: What have been your greatest highlights and projects during your studies?
Some of my greatest accomplishments have been working together with classmates to pull off interesting and exciting projects, like the USC Guild Design Charette, the Descriptive and Computational Architectural Geometry class, Professional Practice class, Sustainable Design for Healthy Indoor Environments class, and many more. I was also involved in student leadership as Vice President for AIAS, working in several ways to increase student engagement.
Especially exciting was hosting and organizing the USC AIAS Architects Expanded. I have also been involved with student organization Architecture + Advocacy, in collaboration with AIAS to setup NCARB AXP hours, and a Freedom by Design grant proposal. Particularly rewarding was having my models and drawings showcased in The Blueprint Exhibition in both 2022 and 2023.
Q: What's next for you after graduation?
My first goal is to become a licensed architect and focus on architecture that has its foot forward in sustainability. I've always been very interested in heavy timber construction and I hope to someday use my knowledge from my many projects to design and build heavy timber high rise structures. Read more at arch.usc.edu/news

CLASS OF ’23 SPOTLIGHT ON THOMAS WANG
Bachelor of Architecture '23 + Progressive Degree in Master of Urban Planning

“USC Architecture is a place where I could explore my interests freely, bouncing creative ideas off passionate peers and faculty. USC’s education and alumni network also propels and prepares me for the real world of architecture. It is where I developed a growing interest in searching for alternative and creative solutions for generating a sustainable future through explorations of biological and technological ideas and elements.”

From one of the most environmentally progressive cities in the world, Vancouver, Thomas Wang was inspired by the creative techniques of building systems that harmonize with the natural environment. Receiving the Ronald Altoon Leadership Award to attend the AIA Convention opened his mind to the many possibilities and paths an architecture education can lead to.

“Growing up in one of the most environmentally progressive cities in the world, Vancouver, I was heavily inspired by the creative techniques of building systems to maximize the benefits of the natural environment that we have readily available without further human intervention.

“I was chosen for the Ronald Altoon Leadership Award, which gave me the opportunity to attend the AIA Convention with former AIA president Mr. Ronald Altoon. It was an eye-opening experience, understanding and exploring different possibilities and paths an architecture education can lead to, from hospital furniture to playground design. Listening to discussions on all the contemporary issues from leaders of the discipline and seeing all the amazingly diverse and impactful designs on people’s everyday lives further solidified my dedication and passion for the subject.

“I developed a growing interest in searching for alternative and creative solutions for generating a sustainable future. Through explorations of biological and technological ideas and elements, I seek to design infrastructure, materials, or building elements that maximize natural qualities, such as natural ventilation or energy production."

Read more at arch.usc.edu/news

CLASS OF ’23 SPOTLIGHT ON Hannah Flynn
Master of Landscape Architecture + Master of Urban Planning

“I plan to work on projects that expand the public realm in Los Angeles, and do so in a way that benefits the local ecology and underserved people. I want to be part of reorienting the city towards amazing communal spaces, and quality connectivity between those spaces, that we lack today.”

For Hannah Flynn, the opportunity to work collaboratively with fellow classmates on projects that impact the local community’s urban landscapes has been the highlight of her graduate program. One of their projects was creating a bioremediation plan for a disused oil drilling site located a couple of blocks from the USC campus, for which they proposed a new development, Tierra Park, designed with a park and an affordable apartment building.

Outside the classroom, Hannah and fellow MLA students have worked on a project called Fifty-One Miles. Inspired by coursework on the 2022 LA River Master Plan, the project will highlight the everyday stories about life in and around the river. For six days this August they will walk the LA River and document the process through maps, drawings, photos, writing, and a short documentary film. You can follow their project .

Learn more about Hannah Flynn’s experience and projects at https://buff.ly/3OdXJB5

CLASS OF ’23 SPOTLIGHT ON LUIS MOTA
Master of Landscape Architecture + Urbanism & Certificate in Real Estate Development

“My design-research interests have focused on contested cultural, ecological, and labored landscapes and I intend for my future professional work to challenge landscape’s potential to engineer civility into communities, remediate urban ecosystems and amplify otherwise marginalized voices.”

A native Angeleno, a first generation Mexican-American, and holding a degree from UPenn, Luis Mota was eager to join a graduate landscape architecture program that focused on addressing issues related to climate resilience and equity in California. He has worked on several collaborations and initiatives during his studies, including the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West examining the demolition of Los Angeles' original Chinatown in the construction of Union Station, and resided at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington D.C. for three weeks to attend a workshop focused on Landscape Historiography for the Mellon Foundation.

Mota worked with a research team from Dornsife's Spatial Sciences Institute to develop user interfaces and technologies for USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies' One World Terrain Project. And he even lived on a houseboat, joining SWA’s 2022 Summer Student Program investigating and proposing wildfire design principles for a community redevelopment plan in Sonoma.

Learn more about Luis Mota’s many experiences during his studies at https://buff.ly/3pH0wZh

CLASS OF ’23 SPOTLIGHT ON ESMERALDA ACEITUNO
Bachelor of Architecture
“Walking around studio for the first time as a prospective student, I had a strong feeling that I was exactly where I was meant to be. Studying alongside my peers and renowned faculty for these past five years has helped me to hone my architectural design skills in both an aesthetic and technical nature, as well as further nurture my deep-rooted passion for architecture.”

Esmeralda Aceituno achieved recognition as the Global Scholar, Discovery Scholar, and the Renaissance Scholar Graduation Distinction. She was elected by her peers within the Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society as the undergraduate student Most Distinguished in Design, and named a commencement undergraduate speaker. The recipient of the full-tuition Mork Family Scholarship has allowed her to fulfill a lifelong dream of graduating from USC.

It was her Barcelona study abroad experience that was one of the most impactful, where she became passionate about affordable housing and found her path in life. She presented her Barcelona studio project at the 2023 USC Architecture Research Symposium and earned the honorable mention.

Find out more about Esmeralda Aceituno’s USC Architecture experience at https://buff.ly/3WavdlY

CLASS OF '23 SPOTLIGHT ON HAOYUE DAI
Master of Building Science

"I am an international student from China. I have a background in Architecture Environmental Engineering, and I am deeply interested in building sustainability and indoor comfort. I strongly believe that a good building environment should not only provide comfort but also reduce energy consumption to achieve building sustainability."

"I chose USC Architecture because of its reputation for having responsible, dedicated, and professional professors, as well as its abundant alumni resources. The school's resources and the professors' assistance greatly helped me with my graduation thesis, allowing me to learn a great deal of knowledge. Additionally, USC School of Architecture is one of the top-ranked architecture programs in the United States. The school's excellence in design education is well-known, with a focus on innovation, sustainability, and social responsibility. It provides students with opportunities to work on real-world projects, engage with industry professionals, and participate in research initiatives."

Learn more about Haoyue’s health technologies thesis proposal and her journey through the USC Master of Building Science at arch.usc.edu/news/

New York Times features USC Architecture lecturer Frances Anderton and her recent book “Common Ground: Multifamily Housing in Los Angeles,” and work by Larry Scarpa and Lorcan O'Herlihy.
As contemporary architects and developers work to relieve Los Angeles of its vicious housing scarcity — almost 42,000 people in the city are currently unhoused — “Common Ground” shows examples of affordable multifamily buildings that look like anything but.
https://buff.ly/3HPsg46

Why You Should Forget What You Think You Know About Housing in L.A. Los Angeles, a city known for its conventional single-family homes, may offer some of today’s most innovative solutions for multifamily housing.

WIRED featured Assistant Professor Rob Berry, principal at Los Angeles-based firm Berry and Linné, and the students in his second-year undergraduate studio who are hard at work on a project he’s calling "Making LA". It focuses on designing structures for the LA 2028 Olympics that can transform, disappear, or begin a second life after the spectacle is over.
Berry says this presents an incredible opportunity to explore some very big questions about the stream of construction waste generated every year. “Those buildings don’t get used after the four weeks of the Olympics and Paraolympics. They become obsolete. We are thinking about how buildings are made and really looking at it,” says Berry.
A few of the ideas the USC students have dreamed up include a concession stand that can be disassembled and recycled or reused after the games for a different purpose and a media center that can be transformed into a public library.
Read more about "Making LA" project
https://buff.ly/446Tb55