Wow is winter break really almost over?  All that spare time...  Where did it go?  I tried building a gingerbread house, but then started to have some flashbacks to building models for studio, so I quit and started crying instead.  I TOTALLY WORKED ON MY PORTFOLIO GUYS.  Really.  I'm being totally honest.  Let's go with that.
 

But really, as a reminder, our Spring portfolios are due the first Friday of class, so make it work, designers.
 

First off, I hope you all stayed inside and warm this past Monday.  Here's hoping that I never have to experience that weather again.  But today it's a balmy 13 degrees out.  I swear, soon I'll be switching to shorts.
 

Ok what were we talking about?  Architecture.  Right on.  With classes starting back up Monday, there's so much to do to get ready for studio.  Last semester brought us fundamentals, poofs, houses designed inside out, urban farms for the undergrads, Frankenstein monsters, and lots of spirals.  I have to say that my favorite class I was in was either Eisenschmidt's theory class or Jacob's writing class.  Our group project for theory is hanging in the ramp gallery right now and we never got a chance to show it off like we planned, so be sure to check it out!
 

I have to say my favorite event I attended all of last semester may have been Cropped.  It was so great to see the sort of work that all my fellow students do outside of school.  My personal favorite (and one of the winners), was a hilarious picture of a cat in space.  Can we please make it our new school mascot?  But really, the Cropped show was a great end to the semester.  I got to see friends from other studios before they left for home and it was a nice way to unwind after an incredibly stressful semester.  Kudos to the SAB for putting on a great show.
 

So what do we have to look forward to this new semester?  Well personally, I have structures to dread (my least favorite subject in undergrad), but there's tons to get excited for.  We have portfolio day coming up, a new batch of rookies braving Architecture Tryouts, then eventually the Year End Show.  We also have two more pecha-kucha style Rapid Fire Faculty sessions to anticipate and, I'm sure, more fantastic lectures, Wednesday episodes, and, of course, the Year End Show.  Also, if you're keen on helping, I'm sure the school will be looking for people to help our accepted prospective students get acquainted with UIC at open house later this spring.  I'm sure there'll be more from the school on that later, but suffice it to say I'm already excited.
 

Besides events there's even more to get pumped up for this semester.  The new office is on the horizon (and from what I've seen of it while going in and out of the spray booth it's going to be awesome) as well as a new fabrication facility that will include the CNC and 3D Printer up and running again as well as rumors of more laser cutters and new computers to operate them with (as a worker in the Laser Lounge I can't tell you how glad I'll be to be rid of the old computers).

The other thing on the horizon is us.  Yes us.  UIC Architecture.  Talking with other architects over the break and other students from other schools, I can tell you that there's buzz starting to surround UIC, and that buzz is pregnant with expectation.  In fact, we were recently on Archinect's list of its top searched schools for last year (check out the story at http://archinect.com/news/article/88777574/archinect-s-top-13-schools-for-13)  And what can I say?  I see it around me whenever I'm in our wonderfully labyrinthine building.  Our professors are engaged, energetic, and constantly churning out new ideas.  Whenever I ask students to tell me about their work or studios, no matter how many all-nighters I've pulled, they always are eager to talk about it.  They don't always agree with the premise of the studio they're in (and of course no one will agree with every premise of every studio), but their eagerness to talk about even their theoretical disparities shows a vivaciousness and breadth of knowledge I've rarely seen in other schools.  In my own studio, I can truly say that we all get along splendidly and hope for each other to succeed, and I believe I saw the same in the other studios I observed last semester.

In my opinion it's the start of a very bright semester (and more) for UIC.
 

Now if only we could keep the fridge and microwave clean and stop spray painting outside the booth...

(*insert catchy sign off phrase here*)

Catlan

_____________________________

HEY YOU!  I try to keep tabs on everything going on at UIC and in the larger architecture world but I CAN'T DO IT ALONE!  Any news you heard?  Interesting projects or news from the school?  Did a student or professor's work get published or awarded?  Interesting projects or opinions in general?  Help me out and let me know!  Find me in the architecture building where I live, send a carrier pigeon or smoke signals, shout the news into the nearest potted plant, or perhaps just email me at uicarchinectblognews@gmail.com