Prof. Tom Ogorzalek, Coordinator Architecture, First Year, noted that, "Physical models are an integral component in the design process for our First Year cohort in designing and understanding the spatial, structural, and tectonic aspects of their projects. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and working from home many students were not equipped to get access to materials or the resources we use to facilitate physical modeling, such as the 3D printing machines, laser cutter, and the Cricut paper cutting machine so we ultimately did not demand physical models as a requirement of their final design proposal. This made design a bit more challenging for our students who utilize the physical model as an integral part of communicating and understanding their projects."
Remaining in contact with our peers was extremely important; an integral part of studio culture is the opportunity to pass each other's desks, throw around ideas and personal experiences to help us see our projects in a new light. In an effort to keep up the collaboration that existed within our studio, we had group critiques with our studio critic, and getting opinions from our friends, or just being able to listen in on another’s desk critique, helped to jumpstart our learning process. Breaking into smaller groups helped everyone’s ideas be heard and thoughts be addressed. Dhruvi Rajpopat
First Year Architecture
It was challenging as an instructor without face-to-face interaction, especially when I can't see them, which was the case many times as we needed to keep the video feed off during online meetings due to poor internet connections. Without being able to see one another there is an additional loss of understanding. This required us to interface more through the act of drawings, sometimes synchronously, but more often through quick back and forth uploads to a shared drive on the internet that was active 24 hours a day. The one benefit that I found apparent is that the students were forced to become more independent thinkers and take ownership and responsibility for their work. This is always challenging as a young designer just starting out because confidence in their own working process and what they are doing is just starting to become established by the end of the First Year. Tom Ogorzalek.
