A Cal Poly professor recently won the Creative Achievement Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) for his work and development of the Collaborative Integrative- Interdisciplinary Digital- Design Studio (CIDS) on campus.
Professor Thomas Fowler began expanding the studio in 2000 from what had been nothing more than a computer lab since its start in 1997. Now, room 207 in the Architecture and Environmental Design building is a place where Fowler can meet with CIDS students to discuss projects they may be working on.
“I had the idea of evolving the computer lab and integrating community projects into the course work. I feel strongly about the students I teach being involved in real projects with design and building. It’s an important part of learning,” Fowler said.
CIDS is an integrative program that allows junior, senior, independent study and work study student participants. The program brings together architecture students as well as students from other disciplines to collaborate on projects. The goal is to teach students how to work in teams and communicate with people who specialize in other areas of a project to create a final product.
“At first, students seem to get frustrated by having to work with other disciplines, but eventually they get used to the idea and learn to work well in teams,” Fowler said.
The CIDS students have been involved with several projects around the community. A past team of more than 100 built an inflatable structure out of a quarter mile of plastic. The structure acted as a nomadic theater that took at least three weeks to develop and one to assemble.
Currently, a team of CIDS students is working with the housing authority here in San Luis Obispo on a project called Housing Opportunity through Modular Environments (HOME). Students are working with professionals to create a single room occupancy development to function as transitional housing.
The design team from HOME asked CIDS to collaborate. In fact, the project title and acronym for HOME was thought up by a Cal Poly student.
“Because they’re still students, a lot of their ideas are more forward-thinking than those of people who are already in the field, so (the design team) was interested in getting the opinion of many different kinds of students and getting their involvement and ideas on how to realize this project,” Fowler said.
The HOME project has been in the works since June 2009 and is scheduled to be built within the next two years.
Andrew Goodwin, a Cal Poly alumnus and former architecture major worked within the program as an independent study student who participated in design competitions. Goodwin, who now works for RA Architects in San Luis Obispo, commented on Fowler’s “unique” approach to teaching.
“He’s well-known by students in the college of architecture for going above and beyond his eight-to-five duties as a teacher. He gave students like me the opportunity to investigate through competition. Now that I’m in the field, that is the best way to fully investigate design,” Goodwin said.
Fowler brings in representatives from Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies (LAES), professors from other concentrations such as landscape architecture and civil engineering, and professionals who work in the field. They often guest lecture to his classes and look at student projects to give them ideas, critiques and tips.
“Hearing something from someone other than a professor or teacher can be really important to students. Getting professional insight on what they’re learning in school and how it connects to what they will be doing outside of school can be uplifting,” Fowler said.
The CIDS program continues to focus on real-world experiences for its students. Some of their projects can be seen on an outdoor display in front of the Architecture building.
“It draws more attention,” Fowler said. “I always tell my students that they need to find ways to present what they’re doing to anyone they meet. They need to find a way to tell their stories in a compelling manner so that anyone of any discipline can understand and appreciate it.”
On receiving the awards, Fowler said that he submitted a portfolio to ACSA of projects that had been done by the group over the years, along with an updated résumé. He said that although confident, his expectations weren’t high since most programs no matter how outstanding, don’t generally hear anything back at all.
Fowler will receive the award at the ACSA Annual Meeting in New Orleans on March 5.
“Just teaching and not having this component would be boring. Whether it’s a quick design or a more long-term project, this way there is always a level of real involvement for my students,” he said.