Building Futures: Cal Poly's SF Urban Architecture Program

By: Brian Fischer

For Cal Poly architecture students, the fourth year presents an opportunity for qualified students to take key coursework relevant to their degree at various off-campus locations.

The San Francisco Urban and Los Angeles Metro programs offer students a unique 'study away' experience, where they can live, study and work in cities rich in architectural history.

These programs expose students to city architecture, academic environments and industry practices.

"I think it is so remarkable that Cal Poly offers the range of extended education programs for the architectural students," says program director Mark Schatz, a San Francisco based architect with 45 years of professional experience. When compared to programs overseas, he says the more local programs in San Francisco and Los Angeles "afford the students a real opportunity for exposure to our cities' vibrant architectural communities, and an introduction to our rich cultural heritage. I'm proud to be a part of this and encourage as many students as possible to participate in these programs."

The program is offered in two consecutive terms and combines studio and seminar courses, paid internships in local offices, and exposure to the architectural and cultural landscape of the cities. Each ten-week offering includes six weeks of design studio, four weeks of internship and a 10-week seminar. SF Urban alum Cole Hendricks thought the program was exciting because of its focus on preparing students for the workforce.

"The curriculum of the program was rigorous but ensured that nearly every student in the program who wanted a job in San Francisco was able to attain employment."

The program offers a wide range of learning opportunities, which recent Cal Poly graduate Jordan Brook found invaluable. He highlighted how "the professional practice class provided insights into the business aspects of development, enriching our understanding of the industry." Additionally, the class facilitated networking opportunities with professionals from other firms and offered insights into their design processes, "from concept to construction," through a comprehensive case study project.

"Our frequent sketch walks through various San Francisco neighborhoods afforded firsthand exposure to diverse facade treatments, unit designs and public spaces, which greatly informed our studio projects."

The focus of the design studio is a real urban infill project incorporating affordable housing, resident and neighborhood services, retail, civic and other programmatic components. "Our studio endeavors served as a feasibility study for the client and developer, aimed at showcasing diverse possibilities for the eventual design of the project," says Brook. This design with studio includes exploration of the city, which alum Tomas Stankiewicz says is an incredibly grounded project, fueled by multiple site studies and discussions with residents, architects and contractors. "Living near our site, we were allowed to build a genuine understanding of the place through such studies and by engaging with community events appearing within the district."

As part of the program, students visit local architecture offices each year and are encouraged to start building a professional network. Contact information for all guest speakers, review critics, office tour representatives and more are shared with the group so they can connect with people in a range of positions and firms when thinking about future possibilities.

"The amount of access students are given to the professional sphere is immense and filled with people who are willing to help out passionate designers entering the field!" says Stankiewicz. "I am so grateful to have met all those fantastic individuals."

Another unique feature of the program is the opportunity to participate in a paid internship. Host architecture firms vary in size from two people to hundreds and specialize in projects including single family homes, education, community, corporate offices and medical facilities. "Prior to the start of the program, we had to apply and interview at multiple firms (in addition to crafting and submitting a resume and portfolio) which provided valuable preparation for similar experiences we would encounter in our fifth year as we transitioned into the workforce," recalled Brook. "Having the added experience of interning at a firm was invaluable and led to me returning to work at the firm I originally interned at during the SF Urban program. I was able to learn important technical skills and develop relationships that really helped me when interviewing for post-graduation positions."

Many students fall in love with the site locations and apply for jobs there, either with their own internship host firms, or one of the many other offices that they are exposed to during their time in the program. "The program connected me with a world-renowned architecture firm in the Bay Area where I got to experience their culture and their rigor in design," says Hendricks. "This helped me ultimately find the perfect employment and gave me flexibility in where I wanted to work with numerous offers at the outset of graduation."

The program has a tremendous impact on the students who participate.

"We have gotten so much feedback over the years on how it really changed their view of what it meant to actually live and work as an architect," says Mark Schatz.

"The fact that they work on real projects with real programs and sites in their design studio gives them a new perspective on design. And their internships and practice class give them a real exposure to many of the issues that we face once working as architects in the real world," says Schatz.

Brook recalls the amazing time he had during the SF Urban program. "I learned a lot about architectural practice and design through studio and the internship, while also having a lot of fun with my peers. I really appreciated the work/life balance and how it provided a glimpse into life post-graduation. The internship was vital in helping find a full-time position after graduating from Cal Poly." Stankiewicz echoed a feeling of preparedness upon starting his job after the program. "Because of the program, I believe I was able to walk into the office and immediately start contributing to my team."

It isn't just professional growth that students walk away with, "the SF Urban program taught me how to think about people," says Hendricks. "Whether it was the co-workers I design projects with; the urban community we are hoping to strengthen; or the clients whose dreams we are hoping to manifest; without the SF Urban program I wouldn't think about people in the same manner I do now."

"The letters and calls we get from alumni over the years keep reinforcing our belief that what we do in the SF Urban program really does make a profound impact on the participants, and one that is truly appreciated," says Schatz. "Having this kind of impact on the future members and leaders of our profession is profoundly rewarding to all of us involved in running and teaching the program."