Virginia Tech School of Architecture

After many years working as UVA’s Historic Preservation architect, Jody Lahendro, Virginia Tech School of Architecture grad, has retired and moved back to Crozet, VA. He hasn’t put away his drafting board and T-square, though. He’s been working nearly full-time on projects focusing on preserving the historic treasures of small, African-American communities. He’s well-suited to this work, he acknowledged, but dismissed the notion that he’s anyone’s hero. “I’m no saint,” he said. “I know the reason I’m in demand: because I don’t charge anything for this work.” Lahendro’s interest in architecture dates back to his childhood. “I asked for a T-square and drafting board for my 12th birthday,” he remembered. Unlike many of us with childhood dreams, his remained steadfast. He graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in architecture, but it was a trip to Europe that started him thinking about preserving old buildings as well as designing new ones. Read the rest of the story ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/emHYj_xR #VTAAD #VirginiaTech #VTAlumni #Architecture #Restoration #CrozetVA

Save the date: November 14th & 15th at the Holtzman Alumni Center and Cowgill Lobby, the School of Architecture will host a celebration honoring the life & work of Gene Egger '75, an architecture professor who influenced the talent and future of many students between 1969-2010.  “Egger was a consummate mentor and a ‘teacher of teachers.’ Teaching here and abroad, Gene created a holistic weave of unforgettable moments of insight, snapshots of history, all the while blended with his sense of humanity and humor.” (Ron Daniel, Prof. Emeritus)  The event will include an exhibition in the Cowgill Lobby and symposium and reception on Thursday with breakout sessions in the architecture labs on Friday. Register using this link: https://lnkd.in/ejGbXf9b Photo provided by Charles “Chuck” Bultman

Camila Mancilla is a PhD candidate studying architecture at the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center (WAAC). Located in historic Alexandria, VA, less than eight miles from Washington, DC, the WAAC offers a unique professional learning environment with an interdisciplinary, international, and individual focus. On Oct. 1, “Homesick,” a solo exhibition by Camila Mancilla opens at the District Architecture Center. Through intricate collages and architectural fragments, Mancilla reimagines the home as both sanctuary and site of emotional tension, blending surrealism with architectural theory. Her pieces reveal the complex relationship between memory, nostalgia, and space—each cut exposing layers of comfort and illness. As Mancilla reflects, “These works explore the vulnerability of the home, confronting its ability to both heal and sicken.” Learn more about the show ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/e5Dz6gv7 #VTAAD #VirginiaTech #GraduateStudies #PhD #Architecture #Collage

Virginia Tech School of Architecture alumni, Cathi and Steven House, class of 1975, are excited to announce the publication of their newest book, "San Miguel de Allende: the Soul of Mexico," an expression of love from them to the town and its inhabitants. The couple's passion for travel began during their architectural history courses at Tech and spurred their first year-long European excursion after graduation. They spent six months living on the Greek island of Santorini documenting their travels. This documentation later became the couple's first book and an exhibit at the AIASF Gallery, San Francisco, entitled 'Mediterranean Villages: an architectural journey.' They continued to pursue their passion for travel, taking six weeks each year away from their firm, House + House Architects, established in 1982. In 1988, they traveled to the historic town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. They fell in love with the town and built a personal "retreat" on a ruin in the historic center. 15 years ago, they created CASA - The Center for Architecture Sustainability + Art as a summer study abroad opportunity to share the town's natural beauty and architectural wonders with students. The program allows students to immerse themselves in the architecture, culture, art, and history of Mexico, with a focus on their personal goals and a perspective on their lives as creative individuals. Their most recent book, "San Miguel de Allende: The Soul of Mexico," captures the wonder of San Miguel de Allende. Featuring over seven hundred evocative photographs, flourishes of poetry, and an insightful foreword by noted writer Tony Cohan, the book illuminates the remarkable beauty of the people, the markets, the art, the colorful textiles, and its beautiful architecture. The book is available from local bookstores, online at Schiffer Publishing, and on Amazon . To request an autographed copy, please email a request to steven@houseandhouse.com for direct purchase. Link to House + House Architects: https://lnkd.in/eqwSKPAc Buy the book on Schiffer Publishing: https://lnkd.in/efDz-TYt Buy the book on Amazon: https://lnkd.in/e4y3GKPf

Alumni highlight! We recently spoke with alumnus Brian Krause ‘01 about his experience as a Virginia Tech undergraduate architecture student. Krause is the founder and Managing Director of Coda, a digital advisory service that harnesses data and expertise to improve building experiences and outcomes by helping to avoid and mitigate risks. How did your VT architecture education prepare you for the professional world? "Virginia Tech played an enormous role in shaping not just my career, but who I am as a person today. It helped shape the way I think. The school of Architecture taught me to appreciate the details of good design and understand their significance in the built environment. There is an energy and sense of community that every Hokie possesses that is a big part of who I am today." What is your favorite memory from undergrad? "So many great memories – early 2000s Hokies football, crossing the drillfield each day, the camaraderie of late nights in Architecture lab, and the fun times spent with friends. Honestly, one memory stands out vividly: after an all-nighter in the Architecture lab, Professor Gene Egger picked up what I believed to be the perfect chipboard model, flipped it upside down, tore off the bottom, and simply said, “Look, now it’s better.” This moment of brutal honesty, paired with his unique sense of humor, really motivated me to view things from different perspectives and instilled a relentless drive for improvement each and every day."

Through the Foundation Design Lab, #Hokies learned to view design through a new lens! 🔍   Students transferring into one of the four design programs in the Virginia Tech College of Architecture, Arts, and Design spent their summer in an intensive design course, preparing them for success in their second year.

ATTENTION ALUMNI! Studio Collective, the official design journal of the School of Architecture, serves as both an instigator and archive of design conversations and student work. Each semester, students carefully craft a physical journal. This Semester they are looking to showcase the stories of Virginia Tech Architecture alumni who have embarked on non-traditional career paths. From September 4th to September 13th, they will use a Google Form survey to collect perspectives and profiles of an extensive variety of interdisciplinary endeavors from alumni. By collecting and exhibiting your stories, we hope to further the conversation about our shared foundations and the future of design thinking and practice. Please share this effort and survey with your classmates and colleagues here: https://lnkd.in/eE9sDWJ7 And stay tuned for updates here: https://lnkd.in/eEfs7Z2v

Why give up or reduce teaching responsibilities to enter an administrative role? Jim Bassett took on the position of Virginia Tech School of Architecture director for simple but meaningful reasons: deepening the level of service to students and colleagues and extending creative practice 💡 Read his piece on this topic ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ee-Zsx8h #VTAAD #VirginiaTech #Architecture #HigherEducation #Leadership

Recently, we gained an “impact champion” when Professor Karine Dupre began her new appointment as associate dean of research and creative scholarship. In her new role for the Virginia Tech College of Architecture, Arts, and Design, Dupre is charged with realizing a visionary research strategy that advances and is in sync with the university’s mission and priorities. Additional key responsibilities include promoting interdisciplinary collaboration on campus and beyond, and expanding the college’s funded research projects, creative scholarship efforts, and sponsored projects. “I am really excited about the array of talent constituting the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design and am looking forward to working collaboratively to promote the research and creative scholarship culture both inside and outside the college,” said Dupre. Read about Karine Dupre's new role ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/edGHV9K6 #VTAAD #VirginiaTech #Research #Impact #HigherEducation

Sven Shockey, graduate of Virginia Tech School of Architecture leads the team responsible for the contemporary design of the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus’ first building in Alexandria, Virginia. 👏 “Obviously for me, personally, it is a fortuitous happenstance,” Shockey said. “I've been working for 25-plus years, and I've worked on several university projects throughout the country, but then, to have it come back to your alma mater is so gratifying. It completes the loop in a way from all the excitement first being a student immersed in the learning environment and then, on the other hand, to be able to impact the learning environment years later.” Read the story ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eSrm_ANG #VTAAD #VirginiaTech #VTAlumni #Architecture #InnovationCampus