you won't have time for periperals. do some sit ups, do some push ups. take up parcour.

the waac offers an excellent opportunity to make contact w/ working architects which may be more imporant in the next few years.

quality of living depends on what you prefer:

blacksburg is great in that it's isolated. you can focus only on architecture. but it kinda sucks being in the middle of nowhere.

you have access to much better urban conditions @ the waac. and much better architecture for site visits. regardless of what the professors say, main street blacksburg is not urban. it's schlock.

do you know who the school hired to replace marco? that was a huge loss.

age won't matter as much as work ethic and maturity.

if you get the opportunity to go to mendrisio, take it.

do the semester in mendrisio then transfer completely, LOL. if you do go, take olgiati's atelier.

holz is right: bburg and alex are completely different campuses. imo, the better professors are in bburg. i really liked living there but it's not for everyone. if your main concern is working at an office while in school then definitely do WAAC.

it sounds like you don't have time, but you should really visit both to make the right decision. i wasn't even interested in going to tech until i visited and then i was sold.

is either school considered more prestigious then the other?

Joecatch- how were you able to obtain admissions to both campuses? Is there a special application or something? I am interested in Viginia Tech but not sure which campus would be best.

The Burg also has better connections in my opinion. Example: Even in the recession Blacksburg had over 100 firms there scouting out prospective employees. Most weren't hiring but they wanted to keep their eyes open.

Cvett- I originally applied to the Blacksburg campus, and after I was accepted I requested a transfer to the WAAC campus. I have still have the option between the two.

med.- Does Blacksburg have better connections then the WAAC or more resources and students. I feel like the better connections/ closer connection would be in the more professional oriented WAAC campus.

Also, does anyone know of good apartments in the ALexandria area for grad students.

1. the WAAC has a mix of young students (both VT and study abroad) as well as "returning" students. I was 21 when I started my masters coursework there, but I was also married and became closer friends with the "returning" students.

2. The facilities are what you make of them. I certainly did not feel limited by the facilities at the WAAC. Now that I think about it, models with found objects and non-computer-generated drawings were encouraged. I feel this was for the better.

3. The CITY is your peripherial facility!!

4. I cannot speak to the quality of living. I was a resident of the area, and the WAAC just happened to be in my metaphorical back yard.

5. Based on personal observations, the WAAC has more connections with the smaller firms in Alexandria rather than the large firms downtown. That could have changed since I graduated 5 years ago.

6. Finally, I <3 the WAAC!

is one more cutting edge with computers then the other?

Sorry Joe, that just isn't the case. The more reputable faculty and staff with all of the connections and history are firmly planted in Blacksburg. I spent my entire time there and (considered going to the WAAC) but it was apparent that all the firms who arived at the job fairs when I was there came directly to the Blacksburg campus. Around the time I was there there were over 150 firms there (this of course is when we were actively in the mid-2000s buidling boom). Everyone in my class of about 35 people got jobs at some very reputable firms (with Polshek, KPF, IM Pei, McDonough, RTKL, Ceasar Pelli, Rafael Vinyoly, Stephen Holl, SOM, etc).

I mean don't get me wrong, the WAAC is excellent but their structure is much different in how they deal with thesis. It's a little more drawn-out.

As for technology, again I'd say the Burg has the edge because of all of the high-level expertise is firmly located there and a lot of classes are available to teach people. But they have some really high tech stuff, brand new lasercam, 3d-printer, the latest versions of 3ds max, rhino, fast pcs, and more importantly they just renovated the entire main building.

hey joe,


as a former WAACer, i can say that you can have a fantastic experience there or you can have a shitty one. it's entirely up to you. the program is set up to give you, the student, an extraordinary amount of freedom to pursue your interests, make your own schedule (more or less) and make the most of your opportunities. or you can slack off, struggle with the curriculum and not have a good time.

as for peripherals...you would be living across the river from the Nation's CAPITAL. infinite possibilities. for me, it was a great experience to live in a major city for the first time in my life, get out and explore, grow and learn.

what's also cool is the diversity of the student body. there are kids from all over (california, ohio, germany, argentina, japan and others). i think that was one of the greatest things about WAAC.

i suggest you visit both places if you can. talk to Jaan Holt, he's the director. if you like what Jaan has to say, you should be alright. if you think he's a fool, maybe the 'Burg would better suit you.


good luck!

The renovation of the main building ain't that great - still have heating/cooling issues, basically all cosmetic.

Also, as far as computers go, their new policy is that everyone have their own computers and software, though the ouput labs have all the new stuff, they don't have many computers.

Are there any current students or previous ones that can offer some more insight on the WAAC? I was accepted into the 2-year program and am trying to get a feel for the atmosphere of the studio and student life.

I saw some work from the previous semester and was less then impressed, almost shocked. Im hoping that it was just a bad project and not the best sample of work.

Another question would be about the curriculum. Is it really as flexible as possible and can you pretty much study anything? Im pretty big on using the digital resources and fabrication for project but feel this might be lacking at the WAAC.

Any insight would be very helpful and thanks in advance!

As a VT graduate, I think VT architecture program is flexible enough and all the professors who I met there are all good listeners so, if you want, you would be allowed to switch into the Swiss program or WAAC even if you first started at the BBurg. Personally I recommend you to experience all the three programs: start the program at the BBurg and go to Swiss and finish at the WAAC. It’s a perfect circle covering both the variety and depth of architectural education and cultural variety.

The computer prefabrication wouldn’t be the strongest program VT architecture provides, but remember that the computer prefabrication is one of the most over-rated things in architecture education to seduce freshmen. VT has its own educational structure and program and it has been accumulated and developed during many years rather than following transient fashions year and year, and, I believe, it makes VT program different from other schools and doesn’t fail the students.

syp, are you a WAAC-er?

i would agree... you don't go to VT to become a d_fab/grasshopper whore (although if you meet the right alumni...)

if digital fabrication is your interest, head to the ETH.

I went to the BBurg and joined at the Swiss program with heiner during some weeks.
About WAAC, when working I have met some people from the WAAC and most of them told me they liked the program.

I was also just accepted into the WAAC, but for the 1 year post-professional program. I wanted to focus on urban design, so that's why I applied to the DC campus in lieu of the main Blacksburg one.

I'm not entirely sure I feel great about the choice having not visited the WAAC... I would hope it's not a lesser quality of the Blacksburg program.

One word...MISHA's
(i spent lots and lots or $$$ there, and continue to have their Coffee shipped to me)

Agree with most of the above. It is what you make of it...they each have their good/bad. I think of my time at WAAC/DC some of the best years of my life...
Some people work, some don't...there are some older students (hell I was there with my dad at the same time...first in VT history) But having students from all over the world and country is different in a good way. Prof. are good, but I was privileged to study with Marco Frascari. Susan, Paul, Jaan, etc. are all great.

Thanks J3,

Are the WAAC/professors digital friendly?

For better or worse, I think and draw primarily in 3d/BIM computer software applications these days. I'm not afraid to put out the occasional physical model, but I am way too adept on the computer to ever want to hand-draft again. Or is blacksburg better suited for a tech-geek?

Thanks for everyones input,

I am was by no means suggesting that I would like to focus purely on digital fabrication, and honestly have never touched grasshopper (although I will most likely try it out as I get better with using rhino)

I like to use rhino, max, etc.. and am pretty digitally oriented. My main concern would be the lack of using those as tools to communicate design or other tools such as a laser cutter or a cnc mill. I am not looking to produce sci-arc type work, but do like projects that incorporate both theoretical and practical typologies.

My concerns are maybe a little like rusty's. I life to craft physical models but am not keen on hand drawing and have no desire to go back to it.

At present, I am deciding between VT (waac) and UMich. I feel the programs are vastly different, both having their strong points.

I am the original poster on this thread, so let me fill in the blanks.

I chose to attend the WAAC after visiting both Blacksburg and Alexandria. My first half of my first semester was less then inspiring. The pacing of the WAAC was foreign to me, it is very self driven and I was used to a program that force fed your education. Since then I have thrived. It really is what you make of it. I have a lot of self-motivation and there are plenty of things to get involved in. As of right now, I am involved in my studio project and classes, a separate design build project using parametric design, and a leader in the school's AIAS. The teachers are there to assist you in your ideas, not direct you in theirs.

syp - totally agree about VT's program being different. It is grounded in the Bauhaus in theory. However, it is not afraid to try new things.

Rusty_Shakeford - The benefit of going to the WAAC is the chance to work on larger scale projects in an urban environment. A lot of 4th year students come up here for a year and I get the feel from them that they never have worked on such urban projects before. Also, a lot of people I know work part-time at firms in the area, which are always recruiting students for various jobs (more so this semester then last).

mugged- We have both a laser-cutter (pretty large) and CNC machine. Both are accessible 24/7 and are never too crowded. I have used both and both work very well. The computers seem a bit dated, but they carry all the major programs except for maya. Also, they are very lenient on installing new software ( I just installed some plug-ins for Revit yesterday).

As far as the hand-drawing, I would say the majority of work is of a hybrid design. The VT BARCH is grounded in drafting it seems, so there is some of that. However, no one forces you to do anything, so everyone has there own style. I feel this is the strongest thing about the WAAC. I learned so many rendering techniques from the consortium of students from different areas. It really allows you to figure out who you are rather then what your professor wants you to be.

Anyways, that is my opinion. You should really visit it and meet with Paul Emmons or Jaan Holt.

Thanks joecatch, very helpful stuff. Glad to hear the WAAC is working well for you.

I've tried contacting Jaan Holt about assistantship positions and so forth, but am not having any luck.

Are you involved with or have you noticed opportunities for assistantships at the WAAC?

There are assistantships, but it is unlikely you will get one until your second year. The assistantships are given to those in the M.ARCH II program. Contact Henry Hollander about administrative stuff, Jaan is more the figurehead of the program. He doesn't deal with stuff like that.

Well I'm M. Arch I, so only spending a year total. Thanks, I'll try Hollander.

I did UG @Blacksburg and Grad @ WAAC before Frascari left. Yes, a loss, but all faculty at WAAC were great. A number of us were sorry when Marcia left Blacksburg (before Frascari's departure) but I was honored to work with her as a grad. She led a phenomenal UG thesis group in Blacksburg. Like Holt, it takes time to get her, but when you really listen she's amazing - one of the best. Had many 'aha' moments long after - still do. The combo of Blacksburg, Mendrisio, and WAAC is great, although some MArch3s initially had problems. Get on Jaan's good side.