Thanks, DF. It's always really interesting to see what other schools are like.
What do you think of the courses so far?

all drafting tables, no computers? More like an Oldschool to me!! anyway, environment much better than mine.

The entrance seems like one of a beauty salon, but the interiors are great.
At least you have one table and one comfy chair by student.
I had one table for 4 and not even enough wood barstools for everyone.
And the columns in the classrooms are way thinner than the ones I had in my classrooms.

I am Actually enjoying it....Even though it takes almost all my time. ( alot of sleepless nights). I am married and I have a 9 month old son. So its alot harder on them.
Like all schools some classes are better then others ( depending on the professors / instructors). I am trying to absorb as much as I can. It seems like alot of Information to learn in such a short period of time. I am in the M. Arch 4 + 3.

About Computer labs , yeah I didnt take any Pics of them. But the Campus at the moment has 2 Computers labs. The word on Campus is that a new CAD lab is going to be added.

I am taking full advantage of everything I can. So I can get the most out of My education.

DifficultFix -

I used to live on Golden Hill at 1935 E St...this was before San Diego built the new stadium several years ago. There was always this strange urban zone between Gaslamp and the hill/Balboa Park at the time. I could easily walk from my place downtown, but passing through that part of town was always strange. how is it now that the stadium is up there? The school proper is right near the library, yes? I never attended your school or the open houses, but I certainly noticed it all those times I passed by on the way downtown. The inside is better than I imagined (and, better than the inside of my school, NYIT, in Manhattan).

There was also this great place up at the top of Golden Hill where you cooked your own steaks...is it still there? I miss the weather on days like today when I am freezing my ass off. Enjoy!

How many arch schools are out there that have no affiliation with major universities? The facilities look nice. I just don't know how to relate without the context of a larger university campus.

l8rpeace ..

I think the portion in Between goldhill and Gas Lamp is called East Village...But yeah man You still get that strange vibe"Like dont walk there at night." But their is a lot of Development going on of high rise condos. They seem to be cleaning up the City.It still needs Work. But its starting to look pretty good.

About the Top of Golden Hill. I havent had a chance to go their but I will Check it out. I live in Bankers hill right next to Little Italy.
My fisrt day here in San Diego, I Saw ArnoldSchwarztneger at Starbucks in Little Italy." I Pump you Up" " Get InThe CHoppa"
The Govenator. The starbucks guy asked the govenator on his way out " Will you be BACK"

Interesting question... Offhand I can think of the Newschool, the BAC, SCI-ARC, and the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. In the UK, you've got Bartlett and the AA.

The Bartlett is part of the UCL, but I think you got the rest.

closer to home LiG, Archeworks

True, although Archeworks isn't an NAAB-accredited program.

yeah, suckers! (jk psteiner)

Mid Summer our school (NSAD) was purchased by Laureate and since then there has been a series of changes that included new CAD labs, furniture, infrastructure.

This school is really cool despite it's qwerky name. I think that it will be a top contender in the US architecture education market.

but how much did it cost

Having spent my time at NSAD - I can say with all confidence that it is the least organized, completely $ driven, populated with unqualified professors, useless classes and the students display an array of different skill levels yet are all supposedly the same year.

Let me point out the school President Steve was fired from his last University position after being caught with prostitutes, note he is still good enough for NSAD.


The new Dean Genik's arrogance will be welcomed at NSAD as I found most Prof's to be of the same disposition. 1st year Master's Studio Head -Alan used to say ever architect thinks he is god. Alan sure thought he was despite not having any US architecture degree and working on one theoretically motivated waste protest student build in Mexico.

I'm glad Genik will stand up to his Prof's and give his opinion he is the most talented individual the school employs! The Dean of the Architecture Master's program Kurt Hunker was totally cowed by them. Even when the Prof's broke school policies he would protect them instead of admitting a student was wronged.

Every NSAD class is told that their year's work is the most incredible they've seen yet. You must be rather slow to truly believe them. Yeah yeah ra ra - go your school - please do share these feelings in job interviews - it will leave more positions for trained architects

Since you seem to like NSAD and probably plan to stay through your degree since their credits aren't accepted anywhere else (I wonder why)... you should WORRY that NSAD is still having problems with NAAB accreditation board! That started two years ago - they had to overhaul all their curriculum, syllabi, have class sit-ins/reviews by the accreditation board and student catalog requirement and rule changes just to get an extension when I was there!!

WORRY that you still aren't even guaranteed an actually widely accepted degree despite $35K a year tuition! WORRY that they will fail and your money went down the drain. I think they play off the NewSchool in NYC's reputation to sucker people into thinking it is a good school.

weAREtheSTONES.. is apparently bitter about going to the school... that's your own fault. You made the choice and just complained about the problems but didn't try anything to fix them.

people that complain and don't at least try to help fix the problem, just suck in general.

OH, and I actually was part of this year's NAAB visit, they LOVED the school and were impressed.

yeah –computers labs in any school are a joke. Not because of the hardware or the software installed but because there are people that practically lives 24/7 in there and tie up 3 or 4 machines. All the computers are always occupy everyday, including weekends and when you think no one’s using them, there’s a stupid paper on the moniters saying “don’t touch!! Rendering” I always get a laugh when friends shut all those computers down for hogging up the machines for the entire length of finals. And then most labs are not ventilated or the AC is cracked up to Arctic Freeze so everyone is dressed like an Eskimo wearing mittens while the outside is a whooping 90 degrees.

I think that weAretheStones , could have summarized his statement with one sentence "New school of architecture is a FOR- PROFIT" nuff said.

The school campus is very inspiring, based on the photos provided.

Looks nice. My school had a nice arch building too, just growing too small.