The upcoming school year brings change to the architecture department at Cal Poly Pomona. 

Lecture series

For many years, associate professor Axel Schmitzberger was the primary curator for the department's lecture series, but this school year a panel of faculty and students will take charge. While the group of students created a list of possible lecturers, the faculty members will begin to contact approved individuals, starting with this year's Neutra Award Winner. Within the last two years, CPP's architecture department did not present the award to anyone, so this year, the panel plans to grant the award to two architects, one in fall and one in spring. About four other lecturers will visit the school each quarter.

FabLab 

Although there has been talk of having a fabrication lab in building 89A for the past year, the FabLab will finally be up and running in winter. Its grand opening has been put on hold because the construction of the fire-rated wall took longer than expected, due to confusion about the wall's construction cost. (Students could have easily built that wall in no time...) In addition, the department and the ENV Print Lab, run by the school's Service Bureau, needed to coordinate the movement of certain equipment. However, the department ultimately purchased its own supplies: two laser cutters and four plastic 3-D printers. The ENV Print Lab will continue to have the same resources, and it remains separate from the architecture department's FabLab. 

Students will receive training on how to run the various equipment. First through third year students have priority over the laser cutters because certain classes are based around learning how to use such resources. 

Senior project

Senior project will be run similarly to the 2013-2014 model. In winter and spring, fifth years and third year grads will focus on thesis, rather than having a studio class. During the fall quarter students will take a course dedicated to learning about the developmental process and project administration in order to have a successful project. Senior project will be run by Sasha Ortenberg, Axel Schmitzberger, Alex Pang, and Michael Fox. Dennis McFaddin and George Proctor will lead grad thesis. In addition, various consultants will assist students in site analysis, structures, and materiality.