WATT UP? GASA Newsletter | April 2021

GRADUATE ARCHITECTURE STUDENT ASSOCIATION | APRIL 2021

WATT UP? GASA NEWSLETTER

SAVE AS PODCAST - 01 FLASHBACK TO FIRST YEAR - 02

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS - 03 MIND YOUR HEALTH- 04 LETTER FROM THE VP- 05

"SAVE AS" THE PODCAST YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT

BY EMI TAKAHARA

Check out our current episode here about the Punjab-American Community in Northern California.

Free to be Punjabi, Episode 12 The allure of abundant work and fertile soil drew many to California, and in particular, the rich rural areas of the state. Punjabi workers came in small numbers to Yuba City in the

Save As is a twice-monthly podcast that glimpses the future of heritage conservation through graduate students at the University of Southern California.

early 1900s, but after Indian independence in 1947 when Punjab was split in two, that trickle became a steady stream. Now this rural area known for its peach orchards is the heart of a vibrant South Asian Punjabi community, rich with traditions and

We’re bringing their groundbreaking

culture.

work to you! Every other week, we interview a student or alum about a

In this episode, hear from alumna

research topic that fuels their passion,

Deepeaka Dhaliwal about her family

pushes the boundaries of the field,

ties to the area and some of the sites

and has very real consequences for

she explored in her research for her

the built environment.

thesis Yuba-Sutter: A Case Study for Heritage Conservation in PunjabiAmerican Communities.

Jackson Loop with producer Willa Seidenberg, Jan. 2020 | Photo by Cindy Olnick.

Deepeaka Dhaliwal Instagram | @uscmhc Apple Podcast | Save As: NextGen

ACTION!

Heritage Conservation Spotify| Save As: NextGen Heritage Conservation

"We’re bringing their groundbreaking work to you!"

FLASHBACK TO FIRST YEAR

BY CHIZOBA IBEANUSI

I thought it’d be a nice way to end our

For the +3 class of 2022, first year was a

days in our first year when we were all

whirlwind! We started off the program

together. This virtual learning

before fall classes started with an intensive

environment is challenging but there

“boot camp” style summer program where

were so many special bonds and

we bonded and got to know each other

memories to be cherished. It also gives

through the ups and down of the studio. We

us hope and joy to know that the days

learned so much about ourselves as a

of being back together safely are

diverse group of students from all over the

approaching. By the time we get to see

world (China, Turkey and India to name a

each other again we’ll be in our final

few)! We then jumped right into the Fall

year of grad school! There's so many

semester rush of assignment after

more memories to come.

assignment, field trips, parties and football games- facing the challenges of juggling our social lives and grad school.

Little did we know our second semester with one another would be cut short at the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. We had to make a sudden transition into this virtual learning environment and consequently as people made their way back home we are now spread out all over the world.

second year by looking back on those

A lot has changed but I know the same spirit of kindness, compassion and grit will lead us to the finish through our thesis year towards graduation.

ELTSUH

I can & I will

GROUP EFFORTS | USC INTERNATIONAL HOUSE

BY KATELYN LENTZ The goal is not just to develop student housing but to create a student dwelling, which is more of a dialogue of physical structure and human activity. A relationship between the tangible and intangible aspects of housing. Different cultures have different forms of home that is a product of long-lasting diffuse of knowledge shared by all for all. Thus, the model becomes a result of the collaboration of many people across periods of time. The International House celebrates individuality, differences, collaboration, and expression.

The project aims to provide a framework to refocus back onto the individuals who make up the international house instead of hiding them behind a singular face.

The introduction of adaptable scaffolding in the public space begins to challenge the traditional, building and plaza urban adjacency. The idea is that plaza and building conflated-one produces the other. The function and perception of the building is not a singular identity but one that is flexible and changes over time for what is needed or desired.

The incompleteness of the building is to help users connect to their environment through its porous boundaries, less rigid and more engaging. The incomplete invites appropriation and misuse, and is open to multiple interpretations. This also provides more transparency in the public areas to encourage curiosity and connect visually across the site and campus.

Brice Schiano

(PIVOT)AL MODALITY

BY DAVID FLORES ARCH 605a, fall 2020 Proposed as an international graduate student residence hall to infill the relatively new USC Village residential development adjacent to USC campus. This project aimed to pivot like a turning torso from its central courtyard to sensorially link foreign students to Los Angeles’ urban and geographic landscape, while piercing through at grade to provide an unobstructed pedestrian archway between the amenity filled village square and the McClintock north campus entry.

Jameel Marsden

Want to be featured?

Email gasatrojans@gmail.com

MIND YOUR HEALTH

BY SHAY MIRZAEI As we enter into Finals Season, it’s important to take care of yourself and make space for some little things that make a big difference to your wellness. Here are some tips and resources to help improve your productivity and prevent you from burning out!

1. STAY ACTIVE It’s easy to get lost in the world of zoom and end up sitting at your desk for hours at a time, but there’s a direct link between our blood circulation and mental health. Increasing blood flow to your brain actually impacts our motivation levels, mood, memory and even stress levels. So, even if it's just for a couple minutes between classes, get up and walk around your room!

2. GET SOME SUN Sunlight triggers the hormone serotonin in your brain, which not only helps boost mood but also helps us feel calm and focused. Even 5-15 minutes of sun a day can help! Similarly, darkness helps boost melatonin, which helps you sleep, so try to stay away from screens at least 30 minutes before you are planning to sleep.

3. 20-20-20 The 20-20-20 rule is a life saver when in zoom school and dealing with the inevitable eye strain. For every 20 minutes of screen time, look at something (roughly) 20 feet away from you, for 20 seconds.

4. MINDFUL USC APP Check out the Mindful USC App! It's an app that helps you improve and track your wellness through a series of different ways, including guided and focused meditations. It’s especially helpful for people (like myself) who have no idea how to meditate; you pick a topic, put in your headphones, and layback. They also have ones that are just a couple minutes long for those of us that are strapped for time.

5. USC COUNSELING AND MENTAL HEALTH USC offers different types of counseling (both clinical and non-clinical), including appointments specifically for architecture students. These appointments take up maybe 30 minutes to an hour out of your week but can do wonders for your overall wellness and even productivity in school! Take advantage of these student resources while you can.

You can sign up through MySHR or call 213-740-9355.

LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT We're almost to the end of such a different and difficult school year. Love it or hate it 20202021 was brought to you by Zoom University. It's definitely going to be something we talk about in years to come. Through it all we've managed to stay afloat, cultivate relationships and produce stellar work. Although it isn't how we imagined our graduate school experience, I'm glad to still see everyone thriving in their own special way. I'm looking forward to getting through finals and enjoying a well earned summer. We got this! p.s. USC owes us a double spring break next year or at least a covid refund ;P All the best,

Chizoba Ugochi Ibeanusi