During his recent lecture at NewSchool, architect Juhani Pallasmaa advocated for art, music, cinema and music in architectural education. But as a librarian and self-confessed ‘bookaphile,’ what struck me was his case for the book. During the lecture I was desperately scribbling, trying to capture his thoughts, but lucky for me the lecture was recorded so I could revisit those words. Here are a few of my favorites.

“The most severe threat to humanistic and creative education today is the loss of the book.”

Let me assure you that at NewSchool our library is alive and well thanks to a Faculty and student body that appreciate the written word. However, Pallasmaa’s words ring true. He alluded several times to the difference between knowledge and information, and there is a growing gap that threatens creativity.

“Books develop fundamental narratives of causality and open epic views into the continuum of culture and human life.”

I admit, despite my profession I rarely read a non-fiction book from cover to cover. Perhaps it is this shift in reading habits that Pallasmaa objects to. I often hear from students how information overload and the barrage of stimuli makes concentration, let alone critique, very challenging.

“Digital media break narratives into fragmented bits of information and strip away the inherent human meaning, intimacy, tactility and sensuality of things.”

I can happily read on my Kindle, but there is nothing like randomly flipping pages and landing on something unexpected. I see students experiencing this revelation daily, and I wonder to myself why people keep telling me the book is dead. Just like television and radio, ebooks and paper books can coexist. In our world there is space for both.

“It is not the information in a book that is of primary value. It is the book itself – the logic of the story.”

An elegant, thought provoking statement. I can think of examples where it is undoubtedly true, but books can also be disposable.

Pallasmaa’s lecture at NewSchool was peppered with quotable lines and revelatory thoughts, but throughout the talk he returned to the idea of the book. I will end with my favorite of the night – a quote that requires no commentary.

“When I have read a book and return it to the shelf, the book remains in me. It has become part of my soul and my body forever.”

Do you have a favorite quote from Pallasmaa about books or the design process? Share yours in the comments section.

San Diego—May 6, 2014— A NewSchool of Architecture & Design student received a first place Eco Innovators Award of Excellence during the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s annual ECO Innovators Showcase May 1. The organization gave high marks to the design by NewSchool student Nick Wilson, and also noted the school’s “innovative teaching philosophy that inspires…students to develop sustainable environmental solutions.”

The competition, part of the Metropolitan’s annual Spring Green Expo, attracted projects from 20 universities and community colleges throughout Southern California in individual and team categories. Wilson’s project, which was one of three NewSchool entries, featured examples of single-family sustainable “Eco Houses” for desert climates such as Phoenix, Ariz. The project incorporates wind flow patterns and a pond and fountain element to encourage the flow of cool air through the homes, resulting in greater energy efficiency. The concept was developed by Wilson, who is in the Bachelor of Architecture program, under the guidance of NewSchool instructor Don Mirkovich.

The other NewSchool entries included a project by student James Darby that was also guided by Don Mirkovich, and a submission by student Joshua Nunnally that was guided by NewSchool instructor Victor Navarro.

A panel of judges from Metropolitan’s Engineering, Water Resource Management and External Affairs groups scored the entries for the ECO Innovators Showcase competition, resulting in a tie for top individual honors in the Eco Innovators Award of Excellence category that Wilson received. The event and competition serve to bring awareness to topics related to water conservation and sustainability, and includes exhibitions highlighting related technology, products, services and programs.

A team of NewSchool of Architecture & Design (NewSchool) students traveled to Colombia over Spring Break 2014 to participate in a unique design-build project with two non-profit organizations, 4Walls International and Long Way Home. Instead of using standard methods to build homes in a local village, the students and organization members worked with materials less known to the construction world – used car tires, recycled plastic and glass bottles, and trash.

The collaborative project in Colombia provided the NewSchool student volunteers – Steven Hansen, Hannah Hobbs, Jasmine Lopez, Austin Oakley and Maria Reyes – with the chance to apply their design-build background to the unique needs of a local community. In addition, stipends earned by the international volunteers for this project, which included the five NewSchool students, were donated to help pay teachers at a school in Guatemala.

This kind of perspective – of meeting the design needs of global communities facing humanitarian challenges – is an approach that NewSchool students are exposed to during their studies here (Instructor Joseph F. Kennedy recently presented a paper at a national conference about this topic). While San Diego serves as an urban laboratory for many design studio projects, students are also challenged to develop concepts for international communities, which include the Tijuana-San Diego border region as well regions in Africa and Asia.

The game development process, as with other digital arts industry specialties, starts with an intriguing idea – something that has the potential to become a game hit. The inspiration can come from your imagination (think zombies, extra-terrestrials or your own dreams). It can come from your own passions or interests (think soccer, the Roman Empire or music). It can even come from a moment in your life that leaves an impact.

A series of free workshops about digital arts specialties in May and June sponsored by the Media Design School of Digital Arts at NewSchool (a part of NewSchool of Architecture & Design) include sessions on Game Design, Maya Animation, Beginning Unity 3D Level Design and for Open Drawing Sessions. They provide an integrated introduction to study and career opportunities in digital arts fields.

During one recent session on Game Design, George Cochrane, Chief Creative Officer at Juggernaut Games, provided an introductory presentation on the game design process, which includes prototyping, determining rules and regulations, and logical reasoning to determine how sequential steps propel the game and players forward. The participants then developed their own ideas and then huddled around tables and used game boards as the impromptu stages for their story development process. A construction management student came up with a story sketch of having workers compete against each other to build structures by acquiring bricks obtained through accomplishments such as meeting deadlines and winning contracts. Another team grabbed a traditional game board from a pile of games that incorporated a square grid and “rooms” representing fire, water and earth. Within minutes they were developing a game narrative that involved competing against each other to pass through these different layers, each of which was guarded by a “boss.” Players would also have the chance to obtain tools and other powers, giving them even greater power to confront the boss and stay in the lead.

What you do with your idea, and how you develop a story and characters around that idea, serves as the foundation of the digital game development process. Upcoming sessions in Game Design are available on the following dates at the Wonderbread building in San Diego’s East Village: 121 14th St. San Diego.

May 13: 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
May 27: 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
June 10: 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

To see the full agenda for the other three free sessions, as well as a Game Jam session on Saturday, June 8, please visit our Eventbrite page and pre-register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/workshop-series-events-media-design-school-of-digital-arts-at-nsad-tickets-11246096377

About Us

The Media Design School of Digital Arts at NewSchool is a collaboration with the award-winning Media Design School in New Zealand that has resulted in new programs being offered by San Diego’s NewSchool of Architecture & Design in animation, game art and game development.

Got a great idea for a game or animation feature? A series of free wallpaper design workshops in May and June sponsored by the Media Design School of Digital Arts at NewSchool (a part of NewSchool of Architecture & Design), will introduce you to the concepts that can take your great idea to the next level. Workshops are available for Game Design, Maya Animation, Beginning Unity 3D Level Design and for Open Drawing Sessions. Taken together, they provide a comprehensive introductory overview of study and career opportunities in digital arts fields, which are dynamic and growing. A Game Jam session on Saturday, June 8, includes the chance to create games within a one-day period and ends with a movie screening of Indie Game: The Movie.

Where: All events take place at the historic Wonderbread Building in downtown San Diego’s East Village section: 121 14th St. San Diego, Calif.

How: To see a full list of workshops, please visit our Eventbrite page and pre-register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/workshop-series-events-media-design-school-of-digital-arts-at-nsad-tickets-11246096377

Brief Workshop Descriptions

Game Design: Learn all about game design while you learn to create your own tabletop games. Go from prototype to playtest as you begin to understand the importance of game mechanics, game balance and game theory. 4 p.m.-7 p.m. May 13, May 27 and June 10.

Maya Animation: Get introduced to one of the most comprehensive 3D software packages used for creating high-end animation and visual effects for films, television commercials and games. 4 p.m.-7 p.m. May 8 and May 22.

Beginning Unity 3D Level Design: Become familiar with the powerful Unity3D game engine, used to create games on all major systems and devices. Students are introduced to the Unity user interface and create a simple game level from scratch. 4 p.m.-7 p.m. May 14, May 28 and June 11.

Open Drawing Sessions: Open drawing sessions, with a costumed model. Bring your favorite medium. Free to students with ID, $5.00 model fee for general community. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. May 21 and June 18.

Game Jam Saturday: Get together and create games in one day! Learn about the game industry, meet industry guests and have fun planning, designing, and creating games in eight hours. June 28, all day.

Read about what it’s like to take the Game Design session.

About Us

The Media Design School of Digital Arts at NewSchool is a collaboration with the award-winning Media Design School in New Zealand that has resulted in new programs being offered by San Diego’s NewSchool of Architecture & Design in animation, game art and game development. Learn more about what this collaboration means from this formal announcement of current and new digital arts programs.

Three NewSchool of Architecture & Design student teams participated at the annual Cal Poly Design Village 2014 competition. The event challenges students throughout the state to design a portable structure that can be lived in for several days. Teams from the San Diego-based school participate each year – and consistently win top awards – as part of a design studio led by NewSchool instructor Hussein Munaim. This year, the event theme was “biologics.” You can read more about the winning NewSchool team, and learn more about the design process through this Q&A with one of the other participating NewSchool teams that consisted of Ryan Stangl, Devin Lee and Andrew Schiffer:

Q. Tell us about how your design incorporated the theme of “biologics.”

Reproduction is the basis for all biological life on earth. Organisms are distinguished from matter by their ability to propagate to sustain the species. In architecture, the constraints of construction often limit structures to static, rigid spaces that fail to connect humans with nature. However, varying uses and changing user groups demand space that is no longer limited to the basic configurations and uninspired form. Applying the principles of reproduction to structure, we focused on the creation of adaptable spaces through an examination of the concepts of growth and cellular division.

Q. Can you describe the structure?

A. The structure consisted of several units that were preassembled and transported in a flat-pack, connected and unfolded on site to create a large and flexible central space, then divided to create independent and private living units. Our project consisted of three units and a single central floor, however the units can be combined in a variety of configurations.

Q. In what other ways did you apply the theme of “biologics” to your project?

Crystals, mollusk shells, and most other products of natural processes use readily available materials to produce incredible structural strength with minimal amounts of material. Architects often examine the efficiency of material from the standpoint of economics, but rarely in relation to weight supported or area enclosed. We applied these principles to seek the most efficient material use possible from commonly used and readily available materials.

Q. What materials did you use for your project?

Each flat-packing unit is comprised of 7 2” x 4” x 8’ framing studs, 12’ x 6’ of canvas, and the equivalent of a single sheet of plywood. Each unit sits on three reclaimed gas springs (one at each corner), and uses 24’ of 3/16 wire cable for an inverted truss system. Although each unit weighs less than 125 pounds they can support well over 1000 pounds and have 27 square feet of floor space.

About NewSchool of Architecture & Design

Located in downtown San Diego, NewSchool of Architecture & Design (NewSchool) prepares students for career success in design fields through an emphasis on interdisciplinary and global design skills, industry collaborations and real-world projects. To learn more about NewSchool’s design and architecture programs, including our program development collaborations with award-winning schools around the world such as Domus Academy in Milan, Italy and Media Design School in Auckland, New Zealand, please visit our website: www.newschoolarch.edu/

Sometimes, the science behind the art of interior design is overlooked. For years, television and other media have portrayed designers as bored, done-up ladies who think they have a knack for matching drapes with furniture. We wanted to clear up some of the misconceptions that have resulted from this negative stigma by explaining how interior design is an important aspect of creating a purposeful and comfortable space for retailers and businesses.

It’s not unusual for people to confuse decorating with interior design, however there are many differences between the two professions. When learning how to become an interior designer, people realize it entails much more than coordinating decorations, and as such, the terms should not be used interchangeably. Interior design is both a science and an art; it’s a method through which both functionality and feel come into play. It is a profession that moves far beyond visual decor to encompass systematic and coordinated methodology in order to create spaces that satisfy the practical and cultural needs of the occupants.

Some of the things interior designers must consider when working with businesses are:
How to make the space comfortable, functional and appropriate for the brand
The overall purpose of the space. Is the goal to get people to purchase something, talk to employees, hang out, or something else?
The mood that you want to set and convey to your audience, appropriate colors, style of furniture, and décor to match the brand

How Businesses Can Benefit from Interior Designers

Interior designers are an excellent resource for businesses that are interested in optimizing their space to best suit their needs, both in terms of functionality and appeal. Some of the ways interior designers can help businesses are by designing offices, creating retail spaces and designing other marketing elements through which consumers come into contact with the brand.

Designing Functional Office Spaces

A well thought out office design is important for a productive business. Interior designers are an excellent resource for business seeking to create an environment that not only represents the culture of the company, but also addresses their needs in terms of layout and the way the employees operate on a daily basis.

Creating Strategic Retail Spaces

The layout and atmosphere of a retail store strongly influences the customer experience and ultimately their purchase decisions. Interior designers take into consideration the purpose of the store (i.e. what the brand is selling and how customers will interact with the products) and the brand personality to create a unique experience in which customers feel encouraged to make a purchase.

Designing Creative Marketing Spaces

Interior designers can also help businesses design other spaces to best suit their needs. One example of this is designing trade show displays for businesses to optimize functionality when they attend events. Creativity and logically designed space are paramount for businesses at trade shows, which are areas that interior designers can assist in.

Interior Design Today

Today’s designers are a versatile and hardworking resource for businesses in several aspects. Interior design today is the art and science of understanding people’s behaviors and then applying that knowledge to create functional spaces. If you’re interested in learning more about pursuing an education in interior design, we invite you to visit Domus Academy School of Design at NewSchool to find out about our globally-focused Interior Design program.

San Diego—April 15, 2014—A team of NewSchool of Architecture & Design (NewSchool) students earned two out of five awards at the prestigious Cal Poly Design Village 2014 competition April 11-13 in the categories of “People’s Choice/Most Contagious” and “Most Habitable.” NewSchool has a long tradition of winning top honors at the annual event, which draws architecture and design students from all over California.

The teams developed entries based on this year’s design competition theme of “Biologics.” The winning NewSchool structure, called “The Rotation of Living,” was inspired by the shape of a cell. The resulting wheel-like design was made of wood sheets, steel tubes and solar panels for the project’s LED lighting. Members of that team, which won the two awards, were: Guillermo Menjivar, Salvador Vicente, Aipeng Fang and Juan Cruz. Two other NewSchool teams participated in the event. One of the teams – consisting of Alex Angeline, Daniel Facanha, Mallory Boyd and Paula Sigala – created a design inspired by the structure of a sunflower using cables, steel tubing, and seat belt material to create mesh “petals.” Another team built a pyramid-like structure designed to adapt to changing needs, notable for engineering elements such as a leveling mechanism created from chair springs. That team consisted of Ryan Stangl, Devin Lee, Andrew Schiffer, and Guy Hartwig.

For the competition, held by California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif., students must carry their materials three-quarters of a mile, build the structure on site, and then live in it for three days and two nights. The class and competition provides NewSchool students with the chance to demonstrate their mastery of creative and functional design, which is emphasized throughout the NewSchool curriculum.

All the NewSchool student teams developed their entries as part of a design studio course taught by NewSchool instructor Hussein Munaim, who has been instrumental in NewSchool’s participation in the annual event since 1995. This is at least the seventh time in the past eight years NewSchool school teams have taken home top awards, according to records, though the winning tradition goes back further than that.

Get your game on at the first-ever Game Jam Saturday!

Media Design School of Digital Arts at NewSchool will be hosting the gaming event of the year, where you’ll learn from top gaming developers about how to take your game design skills to the next level. This all-day gaming workshop will give you an opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the industry as you create your own games and learn about programming, game design, game art and other game-related fields.

After the workshop, you’re invited to relax and enjoy a private screening of “Indie Game: the Movie.” If you’re passionate about gaming, this is an event you won’t want to miss. For event details, see below.

Event Details

What: Game Jam Saturday

Date: Saturday June 28, 2014

Location: Media Design School of Digital Arts at NewSchool
Wonderbread Building, 121 14th St., San Diego, CA 92101

Event Times:
Gaming Workshop: 10:00am-6:00pm
“Indie Game the Movie” Screening: 6:00pm-9:00pm

This project – a modular seating unit that can anchored to poles and other similar vertical structures – was developed by David Harrison, Julio Medina, and Anastasia Podolskaya as part of an urban issues class at NewSchool of Architecture & Design in San Diego, Calif.

The design was inspired by the nearby shipyards and it aims to foster greater social interaction and connectivity between the residential and industrial zones along San Diego’s Barrio Logan area. As explained by the students:

“Barrio Logan is an urban laboratory for community redevelopment as a result of a lack of proper zoning regulations. There is a harsh edge condition between the residential zones and the industrial zones. The specific site was chosen to provide a platform for prototyping a symbol of a larger plan to merge the two dramatically varying grains. An area for the industrial employee’s and the neighborhood inhabitants to relax and enjoy a public space dedicated to infecting public access into the industrial zones, creating a symbiotic relationship between the urban resources, the people, and the waterfront.”