A design studio at NewSchool of Architecture and Design headed by instructor Hector Perez explored the unusual typology of human-propelled food carts. The project was done in collaboration with another NSAD design studio lead by NSAD instructor Casey Mahon that explored digital manipulations of surface. The integrated assignments challenged the second year architecture undergraduate students to explore the interaction possibilities of food carts in a parking lot near San Diego’s downtown ball park. The hypothetical scenario -  in which sections of the parking lot could be designated as spaces for the food carts during tailgating events -  encouraged students to evaluate the relationships between sites and projects (the parking lot) and social dynamics (the tailgating scene). Such explorations of function, scale and site form the basis of any architecture or design project, and allows students to develop skills they can use in the future for projects as small as a food cart and as large as a skyscraper.

 The NSAD YouTube Channel has videos of two of the food cart projects developed during the course: One is a tamale food cart created by NSAD student Arnulfo Rodriguez (included in this post): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y83oUFHpsq8

 The other is a sushi food cart developed by NSAD student Jonathan Chau: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNaPDAefLc4

About NewSchool of Architecture and Design
NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD), founded in 1980, is located in San Diego, California. NSAD is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). ACICS is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. NSAD’s Bachelor of Architecture, Master of Architecture and Executive Master of Architecture programs are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). NSAD also offers a pre-professional Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, a Bachelor of Science in Digital Media Arts, a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management, a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, a Master of Landscape Architecture, a Master of Construction Management and a Master of Science in Architecture. NSAD was ranked among the top 10 undergraduate architecture schools in the western United States, according to the DesignIntelligence report “America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools 2012.” For more information, visit www.NewSchoolArch.edu.