Santa Barbara County high school students faceoff in architectural design competition
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Dozens of Santa Barbara County high school students are taking part Tuesday in an annual competition that tests their architectural and design talents.
Two sites are hosting the 33rd Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara’s 33rd Annual High School Design Competition, including Hancock College for students from Northern Santa Barbara County schools, and Direct Relief, for South Santa Barbara County schools.
According to organizers, the all-day design competition is fashioned after the Architects Learning Exam and introduces high school students to the world of architecture and the design process through the framework of a fun and educational learning experience.
"We're introducing the students to the design, to the aspect of having to take a written program, a written description of something, and in their minds creating a building," said architect David Goldstien, with the Architectural Foundation. "They're handed a written copy of the design program which describes what the building is about, what they're going to, who they're going to have to satisfy, what the people are looking for and the requirements, the garage has to be so many square feet, this has to be so high, and you have to provide a garden and space and whatever."
The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara was created in 1991 by Goldstien and his wife Linda, as a way to introduce students to the importance of design in the built environment and expose them to the architecture profession.
"We're trying to reorient this competition to anybody in high school that wants to get involved in design and is interested in architecture," said Goldstien. "Those who would benefit from going through this process. They have an interest. They'll be spending a whole day exploring that interest and doing their design until this afternoon."
Twelve finalists will be chosen today and will advance on and present their work before a panel of four judges on Saturday, March 2nd at the Elverhoj Museum in Solvang from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information on the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara, visit www.afsb.org.
