Virginia Tech College of Architecture and Urban Studies
Encyclopedia
The College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech
consists of four schools, including the School of Architecture + Design, which consistently ranks among the best in the country. In 2010, the college earned national recognition for its Lumenhaus project, which won the Solar Decathlon
Competition in Madrid, Spain. Headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia
, the college also has sites in Alexandria, Virginia
and Riva San Vitale
, Switzerland. Spread out among these three locations, the college consists of nearly 2,200 students, making it one of the largest schools of architecture in the nation.
and Master of Architecture
degrees, which are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board
. The Bachelor of Architecture
degree at Virginia Tech has been accredited by the NAAB, consecutively, since the 1957-58 academic year making it one of the oldest, accredited architecture programs in the U.S. along with Syracuse University
, Cornell University
, Pratt Institute
, Auburn University
, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
, and University of Oregon
. According to the College of Architecture and Urban Studies website, the architecture school's mission is "to create a setting for the pursuit of theoretical, practical, and productive knowledge, embracing the duality of the education of an individual and the practice of a profession".
was established in 2003 with the intent of offering an "innovative integration of scholarship and professional instruction in policy and planning in public administration, urban affairs, environment, governance, and international relations." The school offers undergraduate students either a bachelor of science in environmental policy and planning or a bachelor of arts in public and urban affairs. In addition, the school offers master's degrees in public administration, public and international affairs, and urban and regional planning. Doctoral students may earn degrees in planning, governance and globalization or in public administration and public affairs.
Competition in Madrid, Spain in June 2010. Built from renewable and recyclable materials, the fully automated solar house is completely self sufficient, zero-energy, and provides an entirely new approach to environmental and sustainable design. The north and south walls of Lumenhaus are made of glass to let in more direct sunlight. An open floor plan connects occupants to each other within the house and to nature outside. The house was inspired by the glass pavilion-style Farnsworth House
designed by Bauhaus
architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe
. Since the house won the competition, the house has been displayed in Times Square in New York City, N.Y.; Millennium Park in Chicago, Ill.; and currently resides at the Farnsworth House in Plano, Ill.
Competition sponsored by the Department of Energy
.
Ronald Kemnitzer, Chairman Emeriti of the Industrial Designers Society of America
(IDSA), holds over 15 U.S. and international patents for his work.
Paul Knox, University Distinguished Professor of urban affairs and planning, was dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning for eight years. While Knox served as dean, the college became one of the top architecture colleges in the nation.
Keith and Marie Zawistowski received a Design Excellence Award from the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects
for their Arritt Farm House project in 2009.
, Virginia Tech’s overall architecture program is ranked number one in the nation. The program has held this position for 10 years (tied with Harvard, Yale, and Columbia). Additionally, the School of Architecture + Design is ranked 4th in their undergraduate program and 12th in the graduate program. In the skills ranking, the school places in the top five for Analysis, Communication, Computer Applications, Construction Methods & Materials, and Design. As for the school's other programs, the undergraduate program in landscape architecture is ranked third in the nation, while the graduate program is ranked fourth. The interior design and industrial design programs are also ranked sixth and 10th in the nation, respectively.
The U.S. News & World Report also ranked some of the college’s programs as top in the nation. The graduate urban planning program was ranked seventh in the nation, and the public administration graduate program was ranked twelfth in the nation. In addition, the public affairs program was ranked as twenty-seventh in the nation.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, Virginia
Washington-Alexandria Center
Architecture
Design
Construction
Landscape Architecture
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
consists of four schools, including the School of Architecture + Design, which consistently ranks among the best in the country. In 2010, the college earned national recognition for its Lumenhaus project, which won the Solar Decathlon
Solar Decathlon
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is an international competition that challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house...
Competition in Madrid, Spain. Headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
, the college also has sites in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
and Riva San Vitale
Riva San Vitale
Riva San Vitale is a municipality in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland, located in the district of Mendrisio.Riva San Vitale is also the home of the Virginia Tech Center for European Studies and Architecture , the European campus center and base of operations for the regional activities of...
, Switzerland. Spread out among these three locations, the college consists of nearly 2,200 students, making it one of the largest schools of architecture in the nation.
Academics
The College of Architecture and Urban Studies offers 13 bachelor’s degrees and 11 graduate degrees through its four schools. Programs offered within these schools are architecture, art and art history, building construction, environmental design and planning, government and international affairs, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture, public administration and policy, and urban affairs and planning. On the Blacksburg campus, the college is located primarily in Burchard Hall, named after the college’s first dean Charles Henry Burchard, and Cowgill Hall.School of Architecture + Design
The School of Architecture + Design's programs include architecture, interior design, industrial design, and landscape architecture. Through the school, students can earn Bachelor of ArchitectureBachelor of Architecture
The Bachelor of Architecture is an undergraduate academic degree designed to satisfy the academic component of professional accreditation bodies, to be followed by a period of practical training prior to professional examination and registration. It is awarded for a course of study that lasts up...
and Master of Architecture
Master of Architecture
The Master of Architecture is a professional degree in architecture, qualifying the graduate to move through the various stages of professional accreditation that result in receiving a license.-Overview:...
degrees, which are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board
National Architectural Accrediting Board
The National Architectural Accrediting Board is the sole authority for accredited US professional degree programs for architecture in the United States, developing standards and procedures to verify that each accredited program meets standards for the appropriate education of architects...
. The Bachelor of Architecture
Bachelor of Architecture
The Bachelor of Architecture is an undergraduate academic degree designed to satisfy the academic component of professional accreditation bodies, to be followed by a period of practical training prior to professional examination and registration. It is awarded for a course of study that lasts up...
degree at Virginia Tech has been accredited by the NAAB, consecutively, since the 1957-58 academic year making it one of the oldest, accredited architecture programs in the U.S. along with Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
, Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
, and University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
. According to the College of Architecture and Urban Studies website, the architecture school's mission is "to create a setting for the pursuit of theoretical, practical, and productive knowledge, embracing the duality of the education of an individual and the practice of a profession".
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts offers programs in art history, visual communication design, and studio arts, with concentrations in visual communication design/graphic design, creative technologies, 3-D animation, modeling, painting, ceramics, animation, and sculpture. Areas of study include the studio arts (B.F.A.), the visual communication design (B.F.A.), art history (B.A.), and the creative technologies (M.F.A.). The school’s administrative offices are located in the Armory, one of Blacksburg’s historic buildings.Myers-Lawson School of Construction
The Myers-Lawson School of Construction is a joint venture between the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the College of Engineering. It offers degrees in building construction and construction engineering and management. The school's programs are unique in that they blend building construction and civil engineering.School of Public and International Affairs
The School of Public and International AffairsVirginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs
The School of Public and International Affairs at Virginia Tech fosters interdisciplinary initiatives, by building cooperative arrangements among units within the School and University, and by partnering with organizations external to the university....
was established in 2003 with the intent of offering an "innovative integration of scholarship and professional instruction in policy and planning in public administration, urban affairs, environment, governance, and international relations." The school offers undergraduate students either a bachelor of science in environmental policy and planning or a bachelor of arts in public and urban affairs. In addition, the school offers master's degrees in public administration, public and international affairs, and urban and regional planning. Doctoral students may earn degrees in planning, governance and globalization or in public administration and public affairs.
Research
The college has earned national recognition for its Lumenhaus project, which won the 2010 Solar Decathlon Competition in Madrid, Spain. In addition, the college is connected to research centers at the university, college, and department level. Students and faculty on the Blacksburg campus also have access to the Art and Architecture Library.Lumenhaus
The Lumenhaus project began, in 2002, as a research project by architecture students and faculty as an integration of architecture and technology and went on to win the international Solar DecathlonSolar Decathlon
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is an international competition that challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house...
Competition in Madrid, Spain in June 2010. Built from renewable and recyclable materials, the fully automated solar house is completely self sufficient, zero-energy, and provides an entirely new approach to environmental and sustainable design. The north and south walls of Lumenhaus are made of glass to let in more direct sunlight. An open floor plan connects occupants to each other within the house and to nature outside. The house was inspired by the glass pavilion-style Farnsworth House
Farnsworth House
The Farnsworth House was designed and constructed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe between 1945-51. It is a one-room weekend retreat in a once-rural setting, located southwest of Chicago's downtown on a estate site, adjoining the Fox River, south of the city of Plano, Illinois. The steel and glass...
designed by Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was a German architect. He is commonly referred to and addressed as Mies, his surname....
. Since the house won the competition, the house has been displayed in Times Square in New York City, N.Y.; Millennium Park in Chicago, Ill.; and currently resides at the Farnsworth House in Plano, Ill.
Research Centers
The college is affiliated with research centers with which faculty and students can use to conduct research and further engage in their respective fields. For example, the student-run FourDesign agency, affiliated with the School of Visual Arts, offers students a chance to help diverse organizations with design services for product and company branding, logos, concept development, multimedia presentations, printed publications, packaging, and font and web design. The School of Architecture + Design’s Henry H. Wiss Center for Theory and History of Art and Architecture also provides students with the opportunity to become more engaged in their field of interest. Via the center, students who wish to study the history of art and architecture, architectural criticism, or design theory may further engage in these areas of study through lecture courses, seminars, and national and international trips.Art and Architecture Library
The Art and Architecture Library is located in 100 Cowgill Hall on the Blacksburg campus. The library contains a collection of approximately 78,000 volumes and more than 200 journals, which encompass the visual arts, art history, architecture, decorative arts, and design. In addition, the library holds nearly 900 multimedia items, including DVDs, videotapes, and slides, and houses several hundred architectural plans and drawings for in-house use. The library supports the departments and curriculum of the college.Distinguished Faculty
Robert Dunay currently serves as Director of the Center for Design Research. He was one of the primary faculty advisors for Virginia Tech’s 2002, 2005, and 2009 entries in the Solar DecathlonSolar Decathlon
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is an international competition that challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house...
Competition sponsored by the Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
.
Ronald Kemnitzer, Chairman Emeriti of the Industrial Designers Society of America
Industrial Designers Society of America
Industrial Designers Society of America is an organization of professional industrial designers primarily in the United States. Recently IDSA has started chapters in Canada and in China...
(IDSA), holds over 15 U.S. and international patents for his work.
Paul Knox, University Distinguished Professor of urban affairs and planning, was dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning for eight years. While Knox served as dean, the college became one of the top architecture colleges in the nation.
Keith and Marie Zawistowski received a Design Excellence Award from the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
for their Arritt Farm House project in 2009.
Rankings
The School of Architecture + Design consistently ranks as a top tier Architecture school in the United States. According to the 2010 rankings by DesignIntelligence, the journal published by the Design Futures CouncilDesign Futures Council
The Design Futures Council is an interdisciplinary network of design, product, and construction leaders exploring global trends, challenges, and opportunities to advance innovation and shape the future of the industry and environment...
, Virginia Tech’s overall architecture program is ranked number one in the nation. The program has held this position for 10 years (tied with Harvard, Yale, and Columbia). Additionally, the School of Architecture + Design is ranked 4th in their undergraduate program and 12th in the graduate program. In the skills ranking, the school places in the top five for Analysis, Communication, Computer Applications, Construction Methods & Materials, and Design. As for the school's other programs, the undergraduate program in landscape architecture is ranked third in the nation, while the graduate program is ranked fourth. The interior design and industrial design programs are also ranked sixth and 10th in the nation, respectively.
The U.S. News & World Report also ranked some of the college’s programs as top in the nation. The graduate urban planning program was ranked seventh in the nation, and the public administration graduate program was ranked twelfth in the nation. In addition, the public affairs program was ranked as twenty-seventh in the nation.
Notable Alumni
- Thomas W. Moss Jr.Tom MossThomas Moss was an African-American hired as a Senate staffer, in 1971 by Strom Thurmond....
(building construction 1950) was Speaker of the Virginia House of DelegatesVirginia House of DelegatesThe Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
from 1991-2000. - Earl Swensson (architecture 1952, M.S. 1953), founder and chairman of Earl Swensson Associates, designed several famous landmarks in Nashville, Tennessee, including the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention CenterGaylord Opryland Resort & Convention CenterGaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, formerly known as Opryland Hotel, is a large hotel and convention center located in Nashville, Tennessee and owned by Gaylord Hotels, a division of Gaylord Entertainment Company...
, the Schermerhorn Symphony CenterSchermerhorn Symphony CenterSchermerhorn Symphony Center is a symphony center in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Ground was broken for construction on December 3, 2003. The center formally opened on September 9, 2006, with a gala concert conducted by Leonard Slatkin and broadcast by PBS affiliates throughout the state...
, and the AT&T Building, Tennessee’s tallest building. - Robert Turner (architecture 1972) was a partner of Skidmore, Owings and MerrillSkidmore, Owings and MerrillSkidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP is an American architectural and engineering firm that was formed in Chicago in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by John O. Merrill. They opened their first branch in New York City, New York in 1937. SOM is one of the largest...
by his mid-30s. During his time at SOM, he led high-profile projects including the Atlantico PavilionPavilhão AtlânticoPavilhão Atlântico is an indoor arena in Lisbon, Portugal. Pavilhão Atlântico holds 20,000 people and was built in 1998 for Expo '98.-History:...
in Lisbon, Portugal, and master plans for the University of MalayaUniversity of MalayaThe University of Malaya is located on a campus near the centre of Kuala Lumpur, and is the oldest university in Malaysia. It was founded in 1905 as a public-funded tertiary institution...
and the financial district at Canary WharfCanary WharfCanary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
in London. - Brian Keith Fulton (urban affairs 1989) is vice president--Strategic Alliances for Verizon CommunicationsVerizon CommunicationsVerizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
. Previously, he worked as a senior policy analyst for the United States Department of CommerceUnited States Department of CommerceThe United States Department of Commerce is the Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with promoting economic growth. It was originally created as the United States Department of Commerce and Labor on February 14, 1903...
's Office of Policy Analysis and Development (OPAD), served as vice president of AOL Time WarnerTime WarnerTime Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
Foundation, and founded and directed the Technology Programs and Policy office of the National Urban LeagueNational Urban LeagueThe National Urban League , formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of African Americans and against racial discrimination in the United States. It is the oldest and largest...
.
See Also
lumenHAUSVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
Washington-Alexandria Center
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
Design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
Construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
Landscape Architecture
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...