Media Contact: Elizabeth Burke-Dain, 312.344.8695
For Immediate Release
July 19, 2007
Chicago, IL – Beginning in fall, 2007, Columbia College Chicago’s Masters of Fine Arts programs in Architectural Studies and Interior Architecture will be focused on sustainable design, making Columbia among the first schools in the nation to ground its academic architectural design training in sustainable practice.
The programs were developed in collaboration with the City of Chicago’s Department of Environment and allow for interaction with the Chicago Center for Green Technology. The curriculum will prepare students intellectually and technically with knowledge and skills regarding sustainable practice in multiple areas of design. Additionally, Access Living will be used as a satellite teaching space for the two MFA programs. Access Living is a Chicago-area nonprofit with a new state-of-the-art building that stands as a national model for green and universal design.
“While many architecture programs in the United States are integrating sustainable design into already existing programs, they are not fully embracing what will be a design mandate in the not-too-distant future,” says Sabina Ott, chair of Columbia’s art and design department. “These two graduate programs will train our students with the most current sustainable design advances. Our graduates will be the innovators in what is becoming one of the most critical disciplines of our time and will have a chance to directly impact the greening of the city, the nation and the world.”
The MFA programs will offer concentrations in the following areas: sustainable design, museum design, adaptive reuse and exhibit/furniture/product design. Classes that fulfill the pre-entry requirements will be offered to assist students who are new to architecture and related design fields and who wish to enter either of the three-year programs.
“Chicago is proud to be home to three platinum rated LEED projects and this program will further that progress,” said Sadhu Johnston, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Environment. “Engaging our future building designers in sustainable practices can help ensure that green buildings may one day become the norm instead of the exception. Protecting and preserving our natural resources as they relate to our homes, businesses and public buildings will continue to make Chicago a place where people want to live, work and do business.”
Tim Cozzens, associate director for the new MFA programs says: “Following many years of research, internal discussion and planning, we are very excited to bring this focus of study to fruition. We began looking in this direction four years ago when it became clear that it was not sufficient to sprinkle singular classes addressing the issue of sustainable design into an existing program.”
“Our mission is to educate future designers to understand the practice of sustainability,” says Joclyn Oats, graduate director of the MFA programs in interior architecture and architectural studies. “We believe that sustainability is paramount to the current practice of architecture and interiors. By the end of a student’s tenure in our programs, he or she will be ready to transition to a professional team and become a valued contributor to architecture and design practice.”
For further information on sustainable design visit: http://www.epa.gov/sustainability/