My Home Improvement MayJune 2019

(Joyce) #1
Collegiate creativity
As a premier school for art and design,
The Savannah College of Art and Design is often
praised for being ahead of the curve. The school’s
interior design programs achieved a No. 1 ranking
in 2018 from DesignIntelligence’s list of “America’s
Best Architecture & Design Schools,” and is often
looked to for its innovative perspective.
The college has
several programs
that help prepare
students for
postgraduate
careers in home
improvement. One such initiative is its SCADpad
microhousing experiment, a community of three
135-square-foot residences situated on the fourth
floor of the SCAD Atlanta parking deck. Exclusively
designed by students, alumni, and faculty, pupils
learn key sustainable, actionable solutions for real-
world design scenarios.
“Every design decision needs to be framed under
the principles of improving the quality of life for
everyone,” says Victor Ermoli, IDSA, MEDes, dean
of the School of Design, The Savannah College
of Art and Design. “Sustainability principles are

essential to ensure that the build solutions minimize
the consumption of resources (reduce pollution),
maximize the economic returns from the projects,
and enhance the quality of life in the individual
and community basis. All these principles are the
reasons why we do projects such as the SCADPad.
Students gain hands-on experience in realizing their
innovative design concepts and apply the theories
and principles
learned in
the classroom
to real-life
situations,
which is a
crucial aspect of
educating the next generation of creative designers.”
SCAD.edu
Other four-year institutions such as the
University of Georgia allow students to get their
hands dirty thanks to its Landscape Architecture
program. "Our students have numerous ways to
get involved with hands-on design projects to
help shape their communities," says Rose Tahash,
coordinator of undergraduate services in the
College of Environment + Design at the
University of Georgia.


Students gain hands-on experience ... and
apply the theories and principles learned in
the classroom to real-life situations.

—Victor Ermoli

THIS SCADPAD IS INTENDED TO REFLECT THE CULTURE AND AESTHETIC OF SCAD'S HONG KONG LOCATION. HERE, SCAD ATLANTA STUDENT ROSS FISH (ABOVE)
SITS AMONG KOI FISH PAPER CUTOUTS AND NETTING, WHICH ADORNS THE INTERIOR WALLS.

Photo courtesy of SCAD.

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May/June 2019 My Home Improvement AtlantaHomeImprovement.com

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May/June 2019 My Home Improvement AtlantaHomeImprovement.com


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