Portland State Magazine Spring 2013

Shattuck Hall had its own major renovation three years ago, which transformed the 1915 building into a naturally lit, open, dynamic facility for Portland’s next generation of architects. Last year it opened the Ecological Learning Plaza featuring vertical gardens, a green roof system, and original furniture designs. Rethinking spaces is what architecture is all about, and the work coming out of the School of Architecture is an expression of that idea. A recent PSU project redefined modular classrooms, transforming them from stuffy bungalows into bright, sustainable, healthy learning spaces. Faculty and students have worked all over the world, from helping the rebuilding efforts in post-Katrina New Orleans, to designing schools in Nepal. Recently, the school’s Master of Architecture degree received accreditation from the National Architecture Accrediting Board. This allows its graduates to pursue professional licenses. Students from a variety of backgrounds interact, exchange ideas, and expand their aesthetic boundaries in the School of Art & Design. It boasts more than 1,400 students taught by a faculty of internationally recognized artists, designers, and scholars. Graphic design is one of the school’s most popular programs, and its unique Art as Social Practice master’s program brings interactive, collaborative art to the public. Art and design students have easy access to the Portland Art Museum, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, and major downtown galleries and design firms. This gives them a great opportunity to gather inspiration for their own developing expression. In March, the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation announced the creation of the Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize, awarding a total of $9,500 annually to two outstanding PSU art students. It will be the largest cash award offered in the School of Art & Design, and is recognition of PSU as a major player in the arts in the Pacific Northwest. SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL OF ART & DESIGN 12 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE SPRING 2013 Architecture studio Fine arts class