Florida International University School of Architecture
architecture school | |
Established | 1980 |
---|---|
Dean | Brian Schriner (Dean, College of Architecture + The Arts) |
Location | , , U.S. |
Website | soa |
The FIU School of Architecture is the
The FIU School of Architecture is composed of three closely aligned departments: Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Landscape Architecture + Environmental and Urban Design. Jointly headed by the three department chairs, the School of Architecture provides a rich and diverse platform for interdisciplinary activities at the curricular and research levels. Students in any of the SOA disciplines are taught together in a single design stream for the first two years of their curricula, and then come back together for integrated design charrettes and studios as advanced students. Under the aegis of the School of Architecture, faculty in the three design disciplines apply for grants together, collaborate on the writing of books, and undertake design research through studios and external charrettes involving graduate students.
History
In 1995, the school began its Master of Architecture program.[1] In 2001, the school began construction on its new home, the Paul Cejas Architecture Building, and in 2003 the school moved from its decades-long home on the second floor of Viertes Haus to the Paul Cejas Architecture Building. Viertes Haus only provided enough space for classrooms and no studio spaces for the students. The Paul Cejas Architecture Building was inaugurated on April 11, 2003. The building is named after former FIU trustee Paul L. Cejas, who years ago, as a member of the state Board of Regents, championed the creation of the school and later made a significant philanthropic gifts to FIU totaling $2 million in support of the School of Architecture.[2]
In 2008, the school converted all its
In 2011, the School of Architecture's namesake, Paul L. Cejas donated his building at
Degrees
The FIU School of Architecture is unique amongst
Department of Architecture:
- Undergraduate Master of Architecture, 5-year or 6-year plan for undergraduate students
- Master of Architecture, 2 or 3-years with bachelor's degree
- Master of Arts in Architecture, 1-year post-professional degree
Department of Landscape Architecture:
- Undergraduate Master of Landscape Architecture, 5-year or 6-year plan for undergraduate students
- Master of Landscape Architecture, 2 or 3-years with bachelor's degree
- Master of Arts in Landscape Architecture, 1-year post-professional degree
Department of Interior Design:
- Undergraduate Master of Interior Design, 5-year or 6-year plan for undergraduate students
- Master of Interior Design, 2 or 3-years with bachelor's degree
- Master of Arts in Interior Design, 1-year post-professional degree
Admissions
FIU School of Architecture admissions[4]
Fall 2011 | Fall 2009 | |
---|---|---|
Applicants | 730 | 1,000 |
Admits | 100 | 60 |
% Admitted | 13.6 | 6.0 |
This table does not account deferred
applications or other unique situations.
The FIU School of Architecture is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
Applicants applying as
For Fall 2009, first-year students, the average high school GPA was 3.98. Over 1,000 students applied to the freshman class of the School of Architecture, with 60 being accepted. This gives the FIU School of Architecture a 6% admissions rate.[5] The FIU School of Architecture is the most competitive in Florida, with the lowest admission rate in the state at 14% (2011).
Facilities
Paul Cejas Building at University Park
The SoA is located in the Paul L. Cejas School of Architecture Building on the northern side of the University Park campus. The entire SoA complex was designed by Bernard Tschumi, who won tae public competition to the design the school, beating out Spills Candela, Carreno Rizo, and Arata Isozaki. The 102,000-square-foot (9,500 m2) facility was completed in 2003 and is home to the multi-media lab, workshops, and metal/wood shops. Tchumi's scheme consists of a courtyard bounded by two bar-like structures housing studios, classrooms and offices. Two irregularly shaped, vividly colored cubes located within the courtyard house the school's lecture hall, gallery, digital lab, and reading room. Taking advantage of South Florida's mild climate, the school is a sort of mini-campus in which the exterior spaces between the buildings are intended to foster interaction amongst the student body and faculty. Tschumi returned to the school to lecture during the Spring 2008 semester.
The School of Architecture building is named after Ambassador Paul L. Cejas, who is a trained architect and has been one of the school's leading champions and financial supporters over the past two decades.[6]
The School of Architecture's library is located on the fifth floor of the Green Library.
FIU Architecture on Lincoln Road
In early 2011, the FIU School of Architecture received a donation from US Ambassador, and longtime FIU SoA donator, Paul L. Cejas. Cejas donated the use of one floor of his building at
Genoa Study Abroad
The School of Architecture also has a branch campus in
Housing is offered in various private, rented apartments scattered throughout the historic district radiating from the Facoltà di Architettura. Architecture students go in the fall semester of their fourth year, whereas interior design and landscape architecture students go in the spring semester.
School traditions
Festival of the Trees
Since 1986, the School of Architecture has hosted the annual "Festival of the Tree". The festival is hosted by the interior design department and showcases a variety of designs of
Walk on Water
The Walk on Water competition is a race that all architecture students in the school must complete to graduate. Students compete in their Methods and Materials class in their sophomore year. The race has been hosted annually since 1989 by Professor Jaime Canavés. Students need to cross the 175-foot (53 m) wide lake in front of the Green Library, the university's main library, using some type of walking device, hence the "walking on water". Students must walk across to win and pass the class. Over the years, the event has become a school and university-wide tradition, and considered a rite of passage within the School of Architecture. On average, 85% students manage to make it across the lake.[10]
Since 1989, over 1,500 FIU architecture alumni have competed in Walk on Water. The winner receives a $500 prize and an A on the project. The oldest person to cross the lake was 67 years old in 2009. The youngest was 9 years old who walked in place for his mother in 1998. The slowest time to cross the lake has been over 15 minutes.[10]
Recent Walk on Water records
Year | Winning student(s) | Time to cross the lake |
---|---|---|
2014 | Anibal Herrera | 1:41 (25th anniversary)[11] |
2013 | Rubén and Priscilla | ? |
2012 | Álex Quiñónez | 1:02 (All-time record) |
2011 | Álex Quiñónez and Ester Monterrey | 1:03 |
2010 | Cristina Fernández | 1:13[12] |
2009 | Cristina Fernández | 1:30 |
2008 | Brian Vázquez and Ana Costanzo | 1:30[13] |
2007 | N/A | 1:31 |
2005 | N/A | 1:23 |
2003 | Maria Rios and Erika Rivera | N/A |
2002 | Pina del Conte and Cristina Rivera | 1:16[14] |
See also
- Architecture school in the United States
- Florida International University College of Engineering and Computing
References
- ^ "FIU - Paul L. Cejas". Archived from the original on 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2011-02-12.
- ^ "FIU - Paul L. Cejas School of Architecture Building". Archived from the original on 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
- ^ a b "School of Architecture". Archived from the original on 2009-10-23. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
- ^ "FIU architecture admission rates". Official site. 2010-04-02. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-10-23. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
- ^ "Office of Planning & Institutional Research". Florida International University. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
- ^ "Paul L. Cejas School of Architecture Building". Florida International University. Archived from the original on 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
- ^ "FIU College of Architecture + The Arts to open new home on Lincoln Road". FIU News. 25 May 2011.
- ^ "School of Architecture". Archived from the original on 2011-01-25. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
- ^ "Festival of the Trees -". festivalofthetrees.net.
- ^ a b "Walking on Water: An FIU tradition for 20 years". FIU News. 28 October 2010.
- ^ "Walk on Water celebrates 25th anniversary". FIU News. 4 November 2014.
- ^ "FIU architecture students walk on water". FIU News. 3 November 2010.
- ^ "These Golden Panthers walk on water". FIU News. 18 November 2008.
- ^ "Students break Walk on Water record". FIUSM. 15 October 2002.