Dear USC Architecture community and collaborators,
We are proud to present the latest edition of our research newsletter, showcasing the exceptional work of our talented faculty at the USC School of Architecture.
Our faculty continues to push the boundaries of architectural thought and design through innovative research projects and initiatives. Their dedication to their fields is reflected in the high-quality output of their research and creative work, which has received recognition at both national and international levels. Our students, too, are making a name for themselves in the architectural community by working together with our faculty as advisors. Through hard work and determination, they are producing cutting-edge designs that challenge traditional thinking and push the limits of what is possible. Their creativity and drive are a testament to the future of architecture and the impact that they will have on the industry.
Our faculty and their collaborators represent the best of what the School of Architecture has to offer. Their commitment to excellence inspires us all and serves as a constant reminder of the potential of architecture to shape and transform the world around us.
We hope that you enjoy reading about their accomplishments and take inspiration from their dedication to their craft.
Best regards,
Joon-Ho Choi Ph.D., LEED AP, Assoc. AIA
Associate Dean of Research and Creative Work
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Gillian Shaffer Lutsko was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in the Design category. In combination with her position as the Citizen Architect Fellow, Gillian is preparing an exhibition at USC Architecture for September 2023. Her research investigates the impacts of climate change on architecture and urbanism. In collaboration with local activists, policy groups, scientists and indigenous communities, she has been working on an architectural project that envisions how we can unite conversations around redevelopment, the climate crisis, public health and community-led design.
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Wendy W Fok has been selected as 1 of 12 Studio Researcher Fellows, out of 260+ candidates. The Studio Researcher Fellowship is part of the Antikythera Program at the Berggruen Institute. Led by Benjamin H. Bratton, the think-tank format of the fellowship will be joined by an international group of affiliate researchers and experts such as Lydia Kallipoliti, Molly Wright Steenson, Michael Casey Rehm, et al. Antikythera is developed and housed within the Berggruen Institute, and the Studio is supported by One Project.
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Along with Nate Imai from Texas Tech University, Matt Conway has been awarded the 2022 ARCC Research Incentive Award. This $10,000 award will go to their continuing research in identifying small-scale odd lot development opportunities through computational cartography called Pet Parcels. This award will be used to further develop computational tools to identify hidden housing opportunities using both design and real-estate algorithms.
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Wendy W Fok, and their team at WE-DESIGNS has been invited to exhibit at DesignTO 2023, in Toronto Canada. The exhibition is part of an ongoing research project on the topic of data infrastructures and digital property. "digitalSTRUCTURES: Data and Urban Strategies of the Civic Future" engages with digital property and data infrastructures, and explores new modes and impacts of data collection affecting architecture, supply chains, and urban infrastructure.
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Gary Paige, Professor of Practice
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Gary Paige was invited to participate in the 2022 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture Shenshan Exhibition. The theme was “Before City, Become City” and in the curator’s words “seeks design research proposals that explore Garden City theory with the aim of developing new models for urban-rural integration.” The project that Paige and team submitted is titled “The House, The Garden, & The City” and consists of case studies of five unbuilt garden cities as well as a new proposal for a “Variable Density Mat-scape” for Palmdale, California. In addition to oversized digital prints, the exhibition is accompanied by a booklet of the same name.
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Joon-Ho Choi, Associate Professor
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The USC Center for Wellness in the Built Environment, directed by Dr. Joon-Ho Choi, has formed a strong partnership with WSP, a globally recognized architectural design and engineering firm. The collaboration focuses on a post-occupancy evaluation of WSP's hotdesking system in its Los Angeles office. The center's researchers are exploring the impact of this innovative workplace system on employee satisfaction, productivity, and wellness. This project is particularly relevant and urgent, as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many companies to adopt new working arrangements, including remote work, to meet their business needs. The results of this project are expected to make a significant contribution to the field of workplace design, as it will be one of the first studies of its kind in this area. The findings will provide valuable information and insights into the impact of the hotdesking system on employee satisfaction, productivity, and wellness. Furthermore, this collaboration will position the USC Center for Wellness in the Built Environment as a leading expert in the modern workplace environment. The center will be well-equipped to offer valuable insights and recommendations for companies looking to create healthy and productive work environments for their employees.
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LECTURES - KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
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Gillian Shaffer Lutsko lectured at the Strelka Institute's Future Architect Conference. The 2022 edition of the Future Architect conference created a platform for cross-disciplinary exchange among international educational institutions, think-tanks, and media. Bringing together various cultural, scientific, economic, and regional perspectives, the participants of the conference outlined the role of the architect of the future in the era of global crises.
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Mina Chow and Alvin Huang were panelists and speakers at Palm Springs’ 2023 Modernism Week for "Stories Untold." Revealing the rare personal accounts about southern California architects of Asian descent who shaped Modernist design nationally and internationally, Mina and Alvin spoke about the contributions of alumni and faculty Miller Fong '64, his father Daniel Ho Fong, USC alumni Gin Wong and other USC Architecture alumni alongside fellow architect Takashi Yanai FAIA, preservationist John English and historian Sian Winship in a panel moderated by Frances Anderton and Alan Hess.
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