Fourteen NewSchool of Architecture and Design architecture students - graduates and undergraduates - are taking an exciting new studio led by Kai-Uwe Bergmann, partner at Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), and co-taught by local San Diego architect Frank Walden. Scott Hook, an NSAD Masters of Architecture student, is  blogging about the BIG-NSAD Spring studio at the NSAD blog:

The NewSchool BIG studio is now in full swing, and the String Theory rail project is starting to materialize.   The two weeks devoted to site analysis was longer than we’re accustomed to, but was done with a specific intention.  We want to sell the project to San Diego. The city’s “2050 Regional Transportation Plan” calls for an expansion of the light rail system along the same route we are proposing, but the 2050 plan has been criticized as conservative and too focused upon automobiles.  Our projects will challenge the city’s plan by providing a greater vision that embraces the city’s true potential.  Why build a rail stop without a plan for enriching the community?  Why develop a transit system if you’re going to enable people not to use it?  Why follow trends when you can lead a transformation? Read more: http://newatnewschool.com/big-blog-entry-2/

Read the first installment of this blog series at the NSAD blog: http://newatnewschool.com/big-blog-week-one/

About NewSchool of Architecture and Design
NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD), founded in 1980, is located in San Diego, California. NSAD was ranked among the top 10 undergraduate architecture schools in the western United States, according to the 2012 and 2013 DesignIntelligence reports on “America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools.” NSAD is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), a national accrediting agency recognized 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, along with 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. The school’s expanding global design education offerings include a new Bachelor of Interior Design program available in 2013–2014. For more information, visit www.NewSchoolArch.edu.