San Diego, Calif  - NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD) is pleased to announce that Henri T. de Hahn, who currently serves as department head of the architecture program at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, will join NSAD as the school’s new provost in December 2012. De Hahn brings an impressive background in architecture and design practice and research, as well as extensive international experience that complements NSAD’s emphasis on global education opportunities for students and faculty.

“Henri de Hahn’s many professional accomplishments and broad experience as a practitioner and as an educator make him well suited for this important position,” said NSAD President Steve Altman. “His academic leadership is exemplary and his experience in the international sphere will complement NSAD’s own goals as the school strengthens its global educational collaborations.”

De Hahn has been with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo since August 2006 when he was appointed department head and professor of the architecture department of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design. He is credited with advancing the department’s core curriculum and expanding the interdisciplinary approach to design, in addition to diversifying its off-campus programs such as its international exchange programs. He also developed strategies to encourage greater alumni and industry partnerships.

De Hahn was born in Canada, raised in Switzerland and has lived in the U.S. since 1987. He graduated from the College St-Michel in Fribourg, Switzerland, with a bachelor’s degree and was trained as an architect at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne where he obtained an Master of Architecture in 1985. De Hahn also studied for a year at The Cooper Union under Raimund Abraham. He is a registered architect in Switzerland, an International Associate AIA member, and a member of other professional societies in Europe and the United States.

“I am honored to join my colleagues at NSAD and build on the impressive work already being done to provide a quality education and train a new generation of students to be prepared to practice in a diverse and global work environment,” he said. “With an increased democratization between design fields, and a new generation of students and faculty who are interested in educating whole-system thinkers, I see endless opportunities for NewSchool to create academic opportunities with a global impact and that also reflect the school’s commitment to the urban and social fabric of San Diego.”

Prior to joining Cal Poly, de Hahn taught and held administrative posts at other universities including the College of Architecture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.; the architecture department at ETH-Zürich and at the Art Center Europe in Vevey, both in Switzerland. At the University of Kentucky his research focused on interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving strategies between the departments of architecture, historic preservation and interior design. As a practitioner, de Hahn also has worked on architectural projects through his firm Atelier de Hahn.

About NewSchool of Architecture and Design
NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD), founded in 1980, is located in San Diego, California. NSAD is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). ACICS is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. NSAD’s Bachelor of Architecture, Master of Architecture and Executive Master of Architecture programs are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). NSAD also offers a pre-professional Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, a Bachelor of Science in Digital Media Arts, a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management, a Master of Construction Management and a Master of Science in Architecture. NSAD was ranked among the top 10 undergraduate architecture schools in the western United States, according to the DesignIntelligence report “America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools 2012.” For more information, visit www.NewSchoolArch.edu.

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