COVID-19 Updates

Spring 2021 creative labs update

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:21:51 +0000

Spring 2021 creative labs update Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/05/2021 - 10:21

The Digital Media Center and Creative Labs Center continue to assist students with their fabrication needs through the web-based and in-person service model.

Reserve Makerspace

At this time, students do not have direct access to the fabrication labs, however, students can access the makerspace area in CINC 152. To adhere to applicable public health guidelines for in-person activities, students must reserve a makerspace table using the online reservation system.

Faculty can reserve Remote Lecture Hub space at both the ENVD and CINC buildings using the Outlook Room Calendar.

Support & Resources

Students can access tutorials, tips and information about available capabilities for each center on the Creative Labs & Makerspace webpage, as well as the newly launched DMC/CLC Canvas course. Students are encouraged to keep an eye on their email inbox for an invite to the Canvas course.

Submitting Fabrication Files

At this time, students will need to follow strict adherence to file submission standards. This will ensure a smooth fabrication process. Students should monitor the status of their fabrication request and make necessary corrections noted in the PaperCut job ticket comment section.

For students taking ENVD courses remotely, out-of-state, and/or not in the Boulder area, fabricated projects can be shipped to their home address. Students will not be charged for the cost of shipping, however, they will be responsible for purchasing materials used. In the case a project needs to be shipped, the student should inform their instructor and refer to the shipping guidelines.

The Digital Media Center and Creative Labs Center continue to assist students with their fabrication needs through the web-based and in-person service model.

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Updated Winter 2020 and Spring 2021 ENVD Business Hours

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 19:08:09 +0000

Updated Winter 2020 and Spring 2021 ENVD Business Hours Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 12/15/2020 - 12:08

Beginning Monday, Dec. 21, the Program in Environmental Design updated business hours are as follows:

Front desk: Closed
Email & phone: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ENVDoffice@colorado.edu 303-492-8010

The front office will be closed and staff will work remotely through spring 2021. We encourage faculty, staff and students to contact us by email or phone during this time.

Upcoming Office Closure, Dec. 23–Jan. 5
In addition to the published CU Boulder holidays, the ENVD office will be closed and no services will be offered from Dec. 23, 2020, through Jan. 5, 2021.

The front office will be closed and staff will work remotely through spring 2021. We encourage faculty, staff and students to contact us by email or phone during this time.

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Environmental Design updates for spring 2021 semester

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Environmental Design updates for spring 2021 semester Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/04/2020 - 00:00

Dear ENVD students,

I hope this note finds you healthy and well during this part of the year. I am so proud of our Design Buff community. Overcoming the challenges and obstacles that have been set before us has not been easy, but we are creatively paving our own path during these uncertain times. Keep up the great work.

On Oct. 22, the Provost announced dates and plans for the spring 2021 semester. As stated, the spring semester is being planned to mirror the fall semester, with an expansion of on-campus social programming organized by the university. From a public health and safety perspective, the campus will continue in its current mode through the spring semester. Learn more about academic instruction–modes and decision-making, campus life, student engagement and support, and public health expectations.

All spring ENVD courses will be remote
ENVD leadership has spent considerable time discussing spring and how we can best execute your courses while respecting public health and safety requirements. The short answer is, we will be following the university’s plan, which we know can fluctuate depending on campus and public health orders. All ENVD electives, lectures, seminars and studios will be taught remotely next semester.

Through remote instruction, we can take advantage of various digital and technological resources, invite international guests to participate in critiques and discussions, as well as prepare for the new workplace setting. Remote communications and design work is becoming the new norm.

In-person discussions and desk crits can also be challenging when practicing the 6-foot physical distancing guidelines. Your faculty have learned they can give better critiques and discussions through Zoom. Digital organization and online resources also allow for a more complete record and documentation of progress and engagement.

ENVD building and facilities will remain open
We will continue to offer amenities such as building workspace, the Creative Labs Center and Digital Media Center. The ENVD building will be open for you to access with your BuffOne card. Both centers will be available for tech and software support, as well as your go-to for printing, 3D printing, CNC machining, laser cutting and more. The CLC and DMC will continue to operate as a web-based and in-person service model. Learn more about what support and resources are available for you.

The health of the ENVD community is our number one concern, and while remote learning is not the preferred method, we are making the best of it. It is a new learning environment for all of us, faculty, staff and students. We’re adapting and innovating every single day–two very important fundamental skills of a designer.

Stay up-to-date with our COVID-19-Ready webpage.

Learn more about spring ENVD courses
As you register for your spring courses, you can review ENVD electives and studios on our website. Don’t hesitate to ask your instructors and advisors questions.

Thank you for your patience and perseverance.

Sincerely,
Paul Chinowsky
Director

ENVD leadership has spent considerable time discussing spring and how we can best execute your courses while respecting public health and safety requirements. All ENVD electives, lectures, seminars and studios will be taught remotely next semester.

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Overcoming Challenges of a Pandemic in the Urban Planning Classroom

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 17:58:57 +0000

Overcoming Challenges of a Pandemic in the Urban Planning Classroom Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/13/2020 - 11:58

With Assistant Professor Jota Samper

[video:https://youtu.be/CCAYgZdP5Bo]

ENVD met with Assistant Professor Jota Samper to get a better understanding of how he’s overcoming challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic in his classroom. We also got a sneak peek into the projects and collaboration his students have been working on with communities in Colombia. Watch the video to learn more.

ENVD met with Assistant Professor Jota Samper to get a better understanding of how he’s overcoming challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic in his classroom.

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Breaking Down Barriers of a Pandemic in the Architecture Classroom

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 21:56:07 +0000

Breaking Down Barriers of a Pandemic in the Architecture Classroom Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/12/2020 - 15:56

With Assistant Professor Marianne Holbert

In March 2020, the Environmental Design classroom quickly transitioned into a remote and online setting, one that many expected not to last as long as it has. In many ways, a hybrid teaching approach could redefine the future of design education.

Assistant Clinical Professor Marianne Holbert teaches a range of ENVD courses from design studios, history theory and a global seminar in Rome. Holbert emphasizes her teachings on the design thinking process, encouraging her students to deep dive into the rationale behind a design.

“Over the course of my teaching, I’ve engaged in a number of design competitions with my upper-level studios, and one of the things that I’ve found most interesting and most challenging is that when you’re framing a design problem, connecting it to the bigger world, you’re trying to make it something that people can connect to in bigger ways,” Assistant Clinical Professor Marianne Holbert said.

During the shift to remote last spring, Holbert was teaching a history theory course with 125 students and a sophomore-level architecture studio. Looking back, she is grateful for the few months she was able to hold in-person classes where she got to know her students, which allowed for a smoother transition.

“I still knew their names. I knew their faces, and there was just a dialogue that continued, and I felt grateful for that,” Holbert said.

Not everything acclimated quickly and smoothly. For Holbert’s architecture studio, the setting was much more intimate. In-person meetings allowed for “snack days” and gatherings where the class could sit in circles for discussions and critiques, and then suddenly students were asked to distance themselves from their peers and studio culture.

“There were tears when they [CU] announced that we were going online. One of the students said, ‘we need to have a group hug now because we probably never will again.’ It was really momentous for them, and it was really hard,” Holbert said.

As summer courses were implemented, the expectations of the classroom setting were clearer. Students were able to prepare themselves for an online architecture studio as it became more normal. Holbert recognized that when students could anticipate what to expect, in this case taking an online summer course, it made it easier to adapt.

Currently, the fall semester has been a hybrid of in-person, remote and online experiences. Holbert initially established a synchronous model to accommodate students who wanted to be in the studio and students who preferred to be remote. She described the new in-person experience as being awkward.

“You’re in the same space, and yet you can’t be just verbally connected; you [also] have to be digitally connected. We’re really far apart, so you can’t hear across the room and since you can’t hear across the room you have to have Zoom audio, but you [students] have to be muted because otherwise there’s an echo… I was wearing a mask, students who were in-person were wearing masks and the students who are remote are not. So, there were these layers of awkwardness,” Holbert said.

It wasn’t all bad though. Holbert said that there have been “wonderful” moments about being able to come together.

“Seeing them sort of talk with each other or even body language of joy, you can feel all of those things when you’re in the same space,” Holbert said.

Right now, is the time Holbert believes there is so much to be learned in working in a hybrid and dynamic setting, and that it could have an impact on the future of design education.

“You know, we’ve done some awesome digital pinups, engaging with people from all over the world," Holbert said. "I feel like there are lessons that we’re learning that we can bring back to in-person, and I think it will make the in-person [experience] richer.”

ENVD students win IAAC Design for Living Competition Awards

This summer, Marianne Holbert and her architecture capstone summer course (ARCH 4100) focused on the international design competition Design For Living. The global contest to rethink our habitat from the body to the city was the 8th Advanced Architecture contest hosted by the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC).

In March 2020, the Environmental Design classroom quickly transitioned into a remote and online setting, one that many expected not to last as long as it has.

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Digital Media Center Updates

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 18:30:20 +0000

Digital Media Center Updates Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/02/2020 - 12:30

The Digital Media Center is open!

If you are in need of in-person services including, checking out equipment, large-format printing, scanning, 3D printing, etc… the DMC front desk is open at the ENVD building Monday thru Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The DMC front desk will not be open on weekends.

If you need to check out equipment or need an appointment with the photo studio, please reserve it using the Patron Portal service.

The DMC has remote help hours Monday thru Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and 12 to 6 p.m. on Sundays to assist with software issues, such as questions for Rhino, Revit, Grasshopper, and more. You can either log onto the DMC Help Room, or send the DMCS a message in Microsoft Teams.

You can also reach the DMC main phone at 303-735-1704 during business hours or email us at envdprintlab@colorado.edu.

If you are in need of in-person services including, checking out equipment, large-format printing, scanning, 3D printing, etc…The Digital Media Center is open!

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Digital Media Center, Creative Labs Center move to service model

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 17:42:31 +0000

Digital Media Center, Creative Labs Center move to service model Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/08/2020 - 11:42

The Digital Media Center and Creative Labs Center will operate and assist students through a web-based and in-person service model, during the fall 2020 semester. Students will not have direct access to the fabrication labs, photography studio, select scanners and smaller checkout items. Students will have access to the makerspace area in CINC 152. Both labs will adhere to university social distancing and safety guidelines and expect students that use the space do the same.

Students can reserve a makerspace tables on the online reservation system, which is similar to the one used for reserving time for the laser cutter. Faculty can also reserve studio and conferencing space located in the ENVD building and CLC in the ENVD program Outlook calendar.

Students can access links for assistance with file setup and file submissions on the Facilities & Resources ENVD webpage. The quality of submission files will be key to the success of the new service model.

Both centers have several student assistants ready to help students with software questions. Help can be requested through the public channels on the ENVD-CLC-DMC Microsoft Team. Students can connect with DMC and CLC between 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., seven days a week. Learn more about Microsoft Teams.

Video tutorials are being developed to assist students in preparing files for submission to each lab. They will be available on the ENVD YouTube channel.

File Submission Process

Required filename convention: Class_FirstName_LastName_Assignment#
File reviewed by TA and/or CLC/DMC staff member.
File submitted by the student to PaperCut.
Comments concerning additional corrections to file will be placed on PaperCut job ticket and an email is sent to the student.
*Incorrect file formats, will be discarded and the job will require re-submission.
The file confirmed to be correct.

File placed in the queue of the appropriate lab.
*Staff will not correct the file at the time of fabrication. The CLC will produce what they receive, if the submitted drawings are not accurate cuts will reflect those inaccuracies.
Students will receive an email confirmation with an estimated time of completion.
Once in the lab queue, it may take 2-7 days for execution dependent upon current overall workload and the demand on individual labs. Typically, the laser lab will have the quickest turnaround and the CNC lab will have the longest.
Students will receive an email confirming that parts are ready for pickup.

Acrylic, MDF and plywood will continue to be available for purchase through the labs. *Payment, via credit/debit card, must be made prior to taking possession of items.

The Digital Media Center and Creative Labs Center will operate and assist students through a web-based and in-person service model.

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