celebrating HISTORY

Black History Month events took over campus throughout the month of February, celebrating culture and tradition.

Powerful words from former Florida Senator Daryl Jones and students made the Black History Month assembly very impactful. Jones shared his story and offered advice to students. He stressed the importance of working towards goals and taking cues from positive role models and mentors. “It was an honor to be able to speak alongside such a successful Black figure, such as Daryl Jones. His words were really inspiring,” sophomore Sophia Lambert said. The assembly took place during advisory on Feb. 1, and allowed students to speak and share poems on the Black experience.

Freshman Sophia Kingston worked on her unique abstract 3D model which expressed an architectural concept, sketching it down using a ruler and pencil. She designed an artist’s living and studio space and used the model as inspiration for her hand-drafted floor plans and elevations. Learning how to handcraft and sketch were part of the Introduction to Architecture course, serving to be very important for future architects.

“We first constructed the prototype, and then we had to sketch out all its different dimensions, like the top, the bottom, and the different sides. This is similar to how architects have to look at all of the different dimensions of a space so that they can start designing it,” Kingston said. Sketching and observing a space are only the basics and the beginning of an architect’s knowledge. Students learned more fundamentals throughout the four year course.

“We start with handcrafting and learning how to design from a concept. By the end of the four years, the students use 3D virtual modeling applications to create animations and walkthroughs of their designs,” architecture teacher Maite Martinez-Cid said.

Virtual modeling was used by architects and universities to advance architecture design, which made designing a space an easier process.

“We use AutoCAD to build the floor plans and elevations. In Revit, we build them as a 3D model. Knowing how to use these apps will give me an advantage in college to people who did not have architecture classes in their school,” junior Giulia Francez said.

Creativity was a very important aspect for a student to possess so that they could become a great architect in the future.

“Through the program, I help the students develop their creativity and think conceptually. They learn how to take an abstract idea and develop it into a habitable space considering both form and function. With each subsequent year, they sharpen their skills and discover their unique voice as an architect,” MartinezCid said.

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