DEAN'S MESSAGE

The world is grappling with many wicked problems from housing, to climate change, to food security, coming out of a pandemic, and we are looking at more challenges ahead. We have an opportunity through our work in the College of Architecture and in the design and planning professions after graduation to create a better future. With that charge foremost in my mind, I couldn’t feel more fortunate to have such amazing leaders from our Professional Advisory Committee (PAC) visiting us last week during our bi-annual meeting, challenging us, guiding us, helping us to explore unchartered opportunities. If we do our job right, we will embolden our students to be leaders, innovators and change agents who will create healthier places for people,  healthier buildings and ultimately a healthier planet.



As you push to finish strong this semester and possibly take on your next challenge, I urge you to always ask yourself what role can the built environment play in solving these problems? 

Make it a great week!

Kevin G. Van Den Wymelenberg

PAC PRIZE COMPETITION

Recognizing the excellence that emerges from the collaborative process, we have created the PAC CoA Prize competition for student collaborative projects. The winning team will be awarded a prize of $2,500. Perhaps you have a project you'd like to enter? Hurry the May 1st deadline is quickly approaching. For competition rules and submission form, click here.

Mentor/Ambassador Applications Due May 5

Students who are interested in applying to be a peer mentor for this upcoming school year should apply here.

Questions about the Peer Mentor Program should be directed to Jaime Mastera at jaime.mastera@unl.edu.

Students who are interested in applying to be a college ambassador for this upcoming school year should apply here.

Questions about being a college ambassador should be directed to Leslie Gonzalez at leslie.gonzalez@unl.edu.

Studio Cleanup

All students using studio space this spring must clean your studio BEFORE you leave for summer break. Studios must be completely cleaned out by Tuesday, May 16 by 8 pm

Students are required to take all personal materials home over the summer break. 

1) No items may be left or stored in studio over the break.

2) Your studio must be completely cleaned before leaving for break (by TUESDAY, MAY 16 by 8 pm at the latest).

3) Please take any materials/models/trash that do not fit in a trash bin down to the large trash bins. (There will be paper and cardboard recycling located in this spot as well.) I will send you an email with the locations of trash bins – we are having some brought closer to the building for cleanup week.

4) Carts – We are currently looking at having carts available for checkout to help move large materials to the trash or to student cars. More info will be sent out about this soon.

5) Guidance on parking while you are moving items out of studio: The best option would be for students to plan on moving their items out of Arch Hall from 5 - 8 p.m. during the week of May 8^th – 12th or on Sunday, May 14 between 1 - 5 pm. After 5 pm the faculty/staff have mostly left for the day and that would open the Area A on Stadium Drive. The students could also park in the Area A by Westbrook Music Building, this is a little farther away. Students will need to park in designated parking stalls. If students park in ‘no parking’ zones or areas that are marked, you still have the chance of getting a ticket.  

If you have questions about this, please do feel free to reach out to Stephanie Kuenning.

-Stephanie Kuenning

MEDIA CENTER CORNER

Media Center Services for build up & finals week

Media Center Hours: 

Monday – Friday 8 am – 8pm

Sunday 1 – 5 pm

Special Extended hours for the Media Center

Sunday, May 7, 10 am – 6 pm.

*** Print submissions are accepted 24/7 by filling out a print form located outside of the Media Center Door submitting through the mail slot. ***

** Prints submitted in the mail slot take precedent over all walk-in prints at the start of the business day.**

*During high-volume times, the Media Center door may close at 6 pm to process prints submitted before the same-day completion cut-off time.*

Regarding final review printing, due to anticipated higher volume of printing for finals, we are asking students and faculty to submit all prints no later than 24 hours prior to the crit and before 6 pm to guarantee prints are done on time. 

Any prints turned in and paid for before 6 pm will be available the same day or available for pick up in room 21 after hours (barring unforeseen circumstances). Anything turned in after 6 pm is not guaranteed until the following day.

As a friendly reminder, any student with a Papercut account can print to the Arch 21 HP 1500 color plotter, Arch 21 Color, Arch 23 HP B&W and Ricoh 21 printers and use the laser cutters which are all available 24/7 in room 21.



Also, a 24-hour Laser Cutting Reservation schedule is available through the university online EMS system.

-Matt Bukrey

ARCHITECTURE

I am happy to share that David Newton, assistant professor of architecture, was promoted to associate professor with tenure effective August 2023. Newton is a dedicated architecture faculty member, and we are excited to see him take the next step in his academic career. Newton has an educational background involving graduate degrees in both architecture and computer science. This multi-disciplinary background allows Newton to approach teaching and research from a trans-disciplinary perspective. Newton teaches DSGN123 along with design studios and a graduate seminar. Newton has current research funding from the National Science Foundation Grant, published an article entitled “Identifying Correlations Between Depression and Urban Morphology through Generative Deep Learning” International Journal of Architectural Computing, and a book chapter, “Deep Learning in Urban Analysis for Health” in Artificial Intelligence in Urban Planning and Design. Newton is also an editorial board member of the Technology | Architecture + Design Journal.

This is a wonderful accomplishment, and I hope you will join me in congratulating David Newton.

Have a great week -David Karle

INTERIOR DESIGN

Over spring break the third- year interior design students went on studio trips to support their investigation of vacated office space into multi-family housing proposals. Lindsey Bahe led her studio on a three-day trip to Seattle and Emily Drummy led her studio on a three-day trip to New York City. The studio itinerary’s included visits to iconic architectural sites, architecture and design office tours and field studies of award-winning interiors. Bahe’s studio was able to meet up with UNL alums Morgan Novacek, who coordinated a private tour and discussion about mixed use community space design at The Collective and gave the group a tour of the Gensler Seattle office. Brooke Horky gave the Seattle group a tour of her office.  Collins Woermann coordinated an interactive workshop on sustainable design strategies and gave the group a tour of a Mock-Up model of Seattle’s first net zero multi-family high-rise (303 Battery) set to open this summer. The New York crew also toured Gensler New York City, The Met and the NYC High Line.

These studio trips were funded by a 2023 Donghia Foundation Program Award that the Interior Design Program earned this fall after submitting a proposal that framed a process and intention to investigate the adaptation of vacated buildings because of COVID-19 into new purposeful interior programs and experiences in third year studios. Over the course of the next three years, the generous funds will support student travel for third-year studio and bring content experts into the classroom.

-Lindsey Bahe

FACULTY/ STUDENT NEWS

National Award Winners



Congrats! SARA National Student Design Award of Merit recipients Rebecca Virgil & Keleigh Ketelhut for their project Water Toxicology and Meteorology Research Station.

“This Water Toxicology and Meteorological Research Center seeks to blend environmental conservation with cutting edge research and sleek, accessible architecture informed by the specific program needs of the space.”

Ordia Publishes in Interiors

Assistant Professor Kendra Ordia recently published a journal article entitled “Nature-centered interiority as an urban social-spatial ecology” in Interiors: Design/Architecture/Culture presenting a conceptual framework to understand how urban, nature-centered interiority can create more social-spatial ecologies to support well-being, access and delight. The approach expands on established research and strategies to filter design decisions for nature-spatial integration in urban environments that are dynamic, ecologically meaningful and express human values.

Check out the College of Architecture website for new internship and job opportunities. 



Plus, University of Nebraska Career Services encourages you to view a few of their new Full-Time job postings at Handshake. Check them out!

Build-Up Week

Date: May 1-5

Finals Reviews

Date: May 8-12

Final Exams

Date: May 15–19

UNL Graduate Commencement and Doctoral Hooding Ceremony

Date: May 19

College of Architecture Graduate Recognition Ceremony

Date: May 19

Time: 6 pm

Place:

Union Ball Room

(Tentative)

UNL Undergraduate Ceremony

Date: May 20