A team of NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD) students traveled to Colombia over Spring Break 2014 to participate in a unique design-build project with two non-profit organizations, 4Walls International and Long Way Home. Instead of using standard methods to build homes in a local village, the students and organization members worked with materials less known to the construction world – used car tires, recycled plastic and glass bottles, and trash.

The collaborative project in Colombia provided the NSAD student volunteers –  Steven Hansen, Hannah Hobbs, Jasmine Lopez, Austin Oakley and Maria Reyes –  with the chance to apply their design-build background to the unique needs of a local community.  In addition, stipends earned by the international volunteers for this project, which included the five NSAD students, were donated to help pay teachers at a school in Guatemala.

 This kind of perspective –  of meeting the design needs of global communities facing humanitarian challenges  –  is an approach that NSAD students are exposed to during their studies here (Instructor Joseph F. Kennedy recently presented a paper at a national conference about this topic). While San Diego serves as an urban laboratory for many design studio projects, students are also challenged to develop concepts for international communities, which include the Tijuana-San Diego border region as well regions in Africa and Asia.

Check out the video (below) of the project, which was produced by 4WallsInternational and features the NSAD student team:

About NewSchool of Architecture and Design
Located in downtown San Diego, NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD) prepares students for career success in design fields through an emphasis on interdisciplinary and global design skills, industry collaborations and real-world projects. The school’s programs include architecture, construction management, product design and interior design. The school also offers programs in digital media arts, game art, game programming and animation. For the past two years, DesignIntelligence has ranked NSAD among the top 10 undergraduate architecture schools in the western United States in its publication “America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools.” For more information:  http://www.newschoolarch.edu/.