NewSchool recently hosted Vancouver-based architecture critic/urbanist Trevor Boddy on campus as part of its ongoing lecture series. Boddy spoke on a “Dialogue of Cities” between Vancouver and the rapidly redeveloping downtown area of San Diego, highlighting the history and development of the two cities. He also met with a smaller group of NewSchool students to discuss his published article in the Journal of Architectural Education on the state of architecture criticism and changes in the industry.

According to Boddy, San Diego’s East Village (home to NewSchool) has the opportunity to serve as the “test tube” for a formula for the new San Diego, with its cultural diversity and interesting projects such as SILO in the Makers Quarter. Drawing from his own home base in Vancouver, Canada, Boddy also emphasized that today’s architecture students should have interests outside of architecture and be willing to travel; He indicated how the world is getting even more global today – with ideas, people and money – and learning in another climate, with new friends and interests, will translate into more professional opportunities for today’s graduates.

In addition to his role as critic, urbanist and historian, Boddy is also a curator and catalog editor of the current exhibition, “Rethink: Behind San Diego’s Skyline” in a newly designed gallery at 700 First Avenue in San Diego.