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Abstract design with the words Unleashed, Cal Poly 5th Year Architecture Show

Architecture Graduates “Unleash” Designs

Cal Poly’s fifth-year architecture students will exhibit their thesis projects in a program entitled “Unleashed.” The exhibition's opening reception will be on Friday, May 23, from 3-6PM., in Chumash Auditorium, and continue Memorial Weekend, May 24-25 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

The exhibition, the largest of its kind between Los Angeles and San Francisco, will feature the final projects of more than 150 graduating students in a variety of formats, including large-scale models, digital renderings, theory books, and hand drawings. Proposals for residential, mixed use, urban, historic, and cultural structures will all be featured in settings that range from the Central Coast to the moon.

The student architecture club “Alpha Rho Chi” and a committee of graduating students are organizing the show with guidance from Architecture Department faculty.

AIA Boston Alumni Reception

Join us in a celebration and sharing at Generations in Common on Thursday, May 15th, 2008 from 6-9PM at Anthony's Pier 4 restaurant overlooking the Historic Boston Harbor. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design and to launch the 2009 celebrations of 45th anniversary of the Architecture Department, the AIAS Chapter and the Architecture Department are co-sponsoring the event which includes a cocktail party with a variety of delicious appetizers and tasty drinks. A nice treat for this year's event will be The Boston Jazz Trio performing live jazz music. We are looking forward having you join us at Generationsin Common.

Go to the Reception Announcement for full information.

Help us plan for your attendance by submitting the
AIA Reception Attendance Notification Form

AIA Boston Alumni Coffee Reception

In addition to the above event, Larry Kilmer (83) Senior Technical Director of Gensler-Boston, is inviting all alumni for a coffee reception and tour of their recently completed Leed Gold (pending) Office Space on Friday, May 16th 8:30-10AM. Gensler-Boston is located in downtown not far from the Boston Common and the gold dome of Charles Bullfinch's State House. Their address is One Beacon Street, Third Floor (corner of Beacon and Tremont Streets) . An informal walking tour leading back to the Convention Hall will follow the reception.

Please RSVP to Larry Donnell-Kilmer or call (617) 619-5715. RSVP is encouraged to ease passing security but not required. Otherwise call (617) 619-5700 from the lobby to pass security.

Architecture Program Ranks 4th in 2008

The architecture program at Cal Poly is ranked the fourth best undergraduate program in the nation by the magazine Architect in their First Annual Educational Survey.

This report gives much resonance to the integrity of our pedagogical responsibilities. Our learn by doing philosophy combines common sense and intellectual curiosity, and our graduates are well positioned to become the next team players in a world of increased complexity. In particular this year’s 2008 Design Intelligence rankings sends a clear message that practitioners recognize the importance of a polytechnic education. The Architecture Department remains ambitious in educating creative leaders who can work in an integrative and interdisciplinary manner; a professional path that continues to be demonstrated successfully by our alumni.

See additional information at ArchitectMagazine.com.

Photo of from left to right Sandra Ogren, Richard Zweifel, R. Thomas Jones, Warren Baker, Henri de Hahn, Linda Kristenson and Paul Neil

Cal Poly Architecture Department Receives
Largest Pledge In CSU History

The Architecture Department is pleased to have been named the recipient of a pledged bequest of $60,000,000. This announcement was made at a press conference held on Cal Poly’s campus September 26, 2007. It is difficult to measure the implication of such a generous unrestricted gift on the future of the department. How does one start dreaming and planning for a time when we will be implementing some of the wishes we believe could change the lives of generations of students to come?

I hope that as you read the attached Press Release as well as my comments from that event you will feel a sense of pride at your connection with the University, the College, and the Department.

It is important to understand that this is a pledge that will not be realized in the donor’s lifetime. It is my firm belief that this pledge — this extraordinary act of faith on the part of this donor — will inspire other friends and alumni to continue to contribute so that they may participate in the creation of a bright future for the study of architecture, and in particular the study of architecture at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Thank you,

Henri T. de Hahn
Architecture Department Head

Link to: Department Head Remarks
Link to: Press Release

View a video of the announcement on the Cal Poly News site. Download Quicktime player for free.

Photo from left to right: Cal Poly Vice President for University Advancement Sandra Ogren, CAED Associate Dean Richard Zweifel, CAED Dean R. Thomas Jones, Cal Poly President Warren Baker, Architecture Department Head Henri T. de Hahn, CAED Assistant Dean for Advancement Linda Kristenson, and CAED Dean Emeritus Paul Neel