Lauren RabainoWorld-renowned for his contemporary and environmental designs, New York architect Joel Sanders will kick off the first lecture of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design’s winter Hearst Lecture Series Friday.
Sanders, of Joel Sanders Architects is an associate professor at Yale University School of Architecture and has completed numerous residential, commercial and interior design projects with sustainable environmental design firms.
The lecture is meant to inform students about the development of innovative books and articles on international postmodern culture, Phillips said. It will also delve into the value of architectural research and design.
“Sanders always engages conversation in regards to his stylish and extremely present contemporary pieces,” Stephen Phillips, series director and Cal Poly assistant professor of design, said.
Sanders is featured in international exhibits, including “Glamour” at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, “New Hotels for Global Demands” at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, “Bienal de Sao Paulo” in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and “Unprivate House” at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
“It’s not easy to run a successful architecture firm, have experience and know the process of being a building practitioner,” Phillips said. “The best lecturers know how to relate to students and Sanders is one of them.”
Sander’s architectural designs have won him recognition in contemporary design, and the ability to recognize what is important when studying architectural design, Phillips added.
Architecture department head Henri de Hahan said the Hearst Lecture series, established about fifteen years ago, is made possible by grants from the Hearst Foundation.
“Students need to know what’s happening in the outside world along with always thinking and building knowledge to create a model of life,” he said. “The lecture series enables our students to think this way.”
The architecture program has recently been ranked number three in the 2009 edition of America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools, placing Cal Poly just above Cornell University and Virgina Polytechnic Institute.
“Along with our intellectual scholars, prestigious leaders and informative directors, this series has been the envy of the West Coast,” de Hahan said.
Sanderswill speak this Friday at 4p.m. in the Business Rotunda room 213. This lecture is free and open to the public.