Archinect - News

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo begins search for new architecture dean following Christine Theodoropoulos’ retirement

2023-03-16T09:30:00-04:00

Following last week’s look at several open roles at Selldorf Architects, we are using this week’s edition of our Job Highlights series to explore an open position on Archinect Jobs for the Dean of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) at the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

The new dean will be responsible for overseeing CAED’s blend of eight-degree programs across architectural engineering, architecture, city and regional planning, construction management, and landscape architecture. According to Cal Poly, the role calls for “a visionary leader with a deep and demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; a solid scholarly record; and the ability to foster collaboration within the college, across the university, and beyond.”

Competition-winning work from Cal Poly student Ron Patanavin. Image courtesy of AISC

Why the role interests us

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s search for a new dean comes after the announcement in December...

Cal Poly architecture and environmental design Dean Christine Theodoropoulos announces retirement

2022-12-01T16:25:00-05:00

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo has announced that Christine Theodoropoulos, Dean of the institute’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design, is to retire. Upon joining Cal Poly in 2012, Theodoropoulos became the first woman to serve as dean of the college, and after more than a decade in the position, will become the second-longest-serving dean in the college’s 75-year history.

“It has been an honor and privilege to work with so many amazing members of the Cal Poly community over the past decade supporting our students and helping to shape the built environment of California and beyond,” Theodoropoulos said while announcing the news. “I am looking forward to continuing collaborative efforts serving communities, both locally and globally.”

Among Theodoropoulos’ achievements during her time as dean include developing an academic masterplan and diversity strategic plan for the college, including the establishment of the college’s first DEI Committee....

California State Universities announce plans for an all-online fall semester

2020-05-14T18:41:00-04:00

As universities across the country begin to plan for an unpredictable fall semester, the California State University (CSU) system has made the decision to preemptively schedule its fall semester courses online.

The New York Times reports that the school system, which operates 23 campuses and educates a student population of 480,000, is opting for the approach out of an abundance of caution and as fears of a so-called "second wave" of coronavirus infections increases while states begin to lift stay-at-home ordinances.

Previously on Archinect: "Universities begin planning for an unpredictable fall semester." Harvard and University of Pennsylvania have outlined their intentions to start the coming semester one way or another. Image courtesy of Wikimedia User Joseph Williams.

Timothy P. White, the chancellor of the California State University system, tells The New York Times, “Our university, when open without restrictions and fully in person, as is the traditional norm of the past, is a...

Get Lectured: Cal Poly LA Metro '18

2018-03-06T13:07:00-05:00

Archinect's Architecture School Lecture Guide for Winter/Spring 2018

Archinect's Get Lectured is an ongoing series where we feature a school's lecture series—and their snazzy posters—for the current term. Check back regularly to keep track of any upcoming lectures you don't want to miss.

Want to share your school's lecture series? Send us your school's lecture series poster and details to connect@archinect.com.

See what lecture events are coming up in the 2018 Los Angeles Metropolitan Program in Architecture and Urban Design, an off-campus multidisciplinary program of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Feb 22
Jonathan Ward / NBBJ

Mar 8
Chris Lowe, Axel Schmitzberger / Domaen

Apr 5
Lawrence Scarpa / Brooks + Scarpa Architecture

May 1
Andrew Holder / LADG

May 3
Julia Körner / JK Design GmbH

May 17
Maxi Spina, Jia Gu / Spinagu

May 24
Christoph Kumpusch / Forward Slash (/) ARCHITEKTUR

May 31
Bryan Cantley / Form:uLA

For more info and the latest updates, visit calpolylametro.com.

Vote ...

Take a look at Cal Poly's nine-acre collection of experimental structures, aka "The Architecture Graveyard"

2017-11-07T15:37:00-05:00

Tucked away in the hills of San Louis Obispo sits a nine-acre collection of experimental structures. The mishmash of unconventional architecture, around 15 projects in total, has become known as the Architecture Graveyard and is a popular hiking area of the Poly Canyon.

The site's actual name is the Experimental Structures Facility and it has been used from 1963 to 2009 by the nearby California Polytechnic State University, San Louis Obispo, to invite architectural, engineering, and design students to build large-scale structures ranging from a chimneyed greenhouse to a geodesic dome. It is also home to the prestigious annual Design Village competition, in which teams of first-year students build and inhabit temporary structures in the canyon for the entirety of a weekend.

↑ This structure was built in 1964 as an experimental house with a steel frame and wood infill. The name comes from the fact that the building is on an eight by eight module vertically and horizontally in order ...

Get Lectured: Cal Poly LA Metro '15

2015-04-09T13:23:00-04:00

Archinect's Architecture School Lecture Guide for Winter-Spring 2015

Archinect's Get Lectured is back in session! Get Lectured is an ongoing series where we feature a school's lecture series—and their snazzy posters—for the current term. Check back frequently to keep track of any upcoming lectures you don't want to miss.

Today's poster comes from The Los Angeles Metropolitan Program in Architecture and Urban Design, an off-campus multidisciplinary program of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Want to share your school's lecture series? Send us your school's lecture series poster and details to connect@archinect.com.

Listed below are upcoming events only. Free + open to the public.
Lecture / reception / discussion: 6:30-8:30 pm

Apr 9
Marcelyn Gow / Servo Los Angeles
at Helms Bakery District Event Space: 8745 Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90232

May 1
South Gate + HMC Charette / South Gate High School + HMC Architects

May 7
Erick Cárcamo / X|A
at Helms Bakery

May 14
Stanley Saitowitz / Natoma Archi...

Get Lectured: Cal Poly LA Metro '14

2014-02-26T13:20:00-05:00

Archinect's Architecture School Lecture Guide for Winter/Spring 2014

Archinect's Get Lectured is up and running again for the Winter/Spring '14 term! As a refresher from our Fall 2013 guide, every week we'll feature a school's lecture series—and their snazzy posters—for the current season. If you're not doing so already, be sure to keep track of any upcoming lectures you don't want to miss.

Since we've been receiving more submissions lately, we're gonna show off posters more often — and so you can see what events are happening in architecture schools right now!

Our midweek poster features a noteworthy lineup from the Cal Poly Los Angeles Metropolitan Program in Architecture and Urban Design, an off-campus program of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Want to share your school's lecture series? Send us your school's lecture series poster and details to connect@archinect.com.

Listed below are upcoming events only. Lecture/reception/discussion is 6:30-8:30 PM. Note each lecture's location. A+D m...

ZIP: Studio400 book show installation, by Cal Poly students

2013-02-11T11:39:00-05:00

A quarter of a million zip ties altered a gallery into a bristled vortex of swirling, cavernous zip tie fabric magnified through reflective cellophane and augmented by subtle changing color. ZIP expresses the story of collaborative effort through research, acquisition, design, and construction of an environment designed as haptic reading room. Designed as an experience to exhibit thesis books, Professor Karen Lange’s fifth year studio (Studio400) at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, was assigned a collaborative installation project to showcase their previous personal research and transition into the design phase of their individual thesis projects.

Nineteen students worked tirelessly through the zipping, snipping, and stitching of the zip ties together composing an intricate three-dimensional fabric that could be swirled onto itself to create multiple experiences within a small storefront space. Entry portal, tubular book receptacles, undula...

Christine Theodoropoulos hired as new Deanfor Cal Poly's College of Architecture and Environmental Design

2012-06-18T15:33:00-04:00

She succeeds Thomas Jones, who’s stepping down as dean of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design after nine years. Jones will return to teaching in Cal Poly’s architecture department. Theodoropoulos has served as head of the Architecture Department in the University of Oregon’s School of Architecture and Allied Arts since 2003, managing curriculum and research initiatives for more than 650 undergraduate and graduate students...

More Photos of Studio 400’s “White” Installation

2012-04-03T19:30:00-04:00

A few days ago, we posted a video of the gallery installation White, the thesis book show by the 20 fifth-year architecture students of Professor Karen Lange at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo College of Architecture and Environmental Design. Now we have also received plenty of exhibition photos from the students, as well as images of the construction process.

To see the video of the installation, click here.

White: Studio 400 Book Show Installation

2012-03-29T13:17:00-04:00

The students of Professor Karen Lange at California's Cal Poly San Luis Obispo College of Architecture and Environmental Design have shared with us a video of their recent thesis book show installaton, White.