Michigan IS amazing!

I couldnt make it to the open house, but I would also love to hear what others have to say about the program/ faculty/ students.

@ xxxxxx

how did you feel about the studio culture and the student vibe?

The only thing I can about all the questions you have above, is that everybody is positive, fully supportive, and truly passionate about quality design and education; you can sense it even within the studio culture walking around. I did not run into one person that didn't seem to be beaming about their work and the environment they were in. Facilities are almost too good to be true; I don't think anywhere quite matches it (not even west coast UCLA or other digi/fab schools); and again: the student work was most impressive; You'll have so much available to you if you decide to go to MIch., and also flexibility in developing your own ideas within the design field (they are not a brand; ie: they strongly encourage a diversity of ideas from the students).

are there any pictures of the studio and facilities that anyone can direct me to? I am interested in the quality of their space

http://www.flickr.com/photos/taubmancollege/ Try digging around in their Flickr stream...you'll get a general idea of their facilities

Visiting there at the moment... very impressive facilities, but moreover (like you said) a pretty positive environment. I'm not yet sure if it's a drawback, but it's definitely much bigger than the other two programs I'm looking at (UVA and UPenn). It definitely seems like a "make your own way" kind of place, where you have to be proactive about choosing the teachers whose work really speaks to you. Definitely a diverse faculty.

Ann Arbor? Probably a great place to go to undergrad and have a great time, but not exactly a buzz of architectural activity.

So far I have seen a big open space with tables, I am guessing that is undergraduate studio, I certainly hope that is not the case with graduate studio. I went to UIUC for my undergrad and their graduate studio is very nice. (see Temple Buell Hall). I am still waiting for USC decision, don't know what's taking them so long.

The best suggestion I have is to actually visit the space if you are primarily concerned about the actual building that houses the students. It's not the sexiest on the outside, if that's what you're getting at; and they do share the huge space with the undergrads (although they are designated to only a certain portion of the space); their arts department also is partitioned off within the building. Same goes for their MUD program; but I'd rather say it's a strength that the space is so open, rather than separated by "discipline." This allows for a more fluid cross-pollination of design perspectives; I don't see what difference it makes whether the undergrads use it or masters use it. If anything, allowing undergrads to share the space only strengthens their work. The building is quite large; so even with this many programs it still is not overwhelmingly congested. If you acutally look at the school's website, there is a pretty epic photo where you can also see how the studios have a ton of natural light. (Something important in my books, but everyone is different).
Lastly, I hope to kindly keep this forum about Michigan, only. I find it diffcult to keep a dialogue going for others looking at this school if it is buried under misc. school postings. Any discussion about other schools, rejections, acceptances, has their own place easily within architects forum.

Thanks for the information, My thoughts may have been tainted by my undergrad in which graduate studios are much nicer than undergraduate. but I do see your point. A big part of my decision to choosing a grad school is environment, that includes quality of studio (what I mentioned), quality of life (weather, life outside of school such as nightclubs, bars, etc). It is 45 minutes away from Detroit but I have heard that it isn't really safe. That is why I might go to USC over Michigan for solely location reason. I am very well aware that Michigan is better than USC in terms of architecture. But I have experienced the bad weather and boredom in my undergrad that it affected me drastically. Have you toured around anywhere else besides the architecture building? If so what are your thoughts on the environment around it. I was accepted off waitlist and never got the chance to go to open house as I have a full-time internship right now.

i visited in the fall of 2012. i thought the SOA facilities and people were awesome. I loved it. But im not a small town person. I dropped out of UVA and finished at San Francisco State. Best decision I ever made! 

Ann Arbor gives me a little anxiety! 

Hi from a current student!

When I was applying to schools, I had two main criteria: 1) the program had to be of the highest quality and 2) I had to enjoy the town/city/region independently of the university!  

I've been in Ann Arbor for nearly four years now, and I have to say this has been a great decision.  In the summers and falls, there are so many festivals and activities going on, it's always easy to find fun things to do.  I'm not sure I'd count Detroit as a stomping ground, although I do go sometimes to visit the museum or a baseball game, and I based two of my studio project sites in downtown Detroit.  If you decide to get involved in any community activities outside of your degree, the groups tend to be very welcoming of your involvement, and it can really enrich your academic experience; at least, I found that to be the case.

In terms of facilities, Michigan is second to none when it comes to fabrication, this is a wonderful wonderful program for design-build and digital fabrication.  If you're interested in the process as well as the product of architecture, the conversation around that here is lively, interesting, and active.

Best of luck in your decision!

Cheers,

Jess