Design & Architecture at Hampshire College

The following is an computer-generated summary of the video transcript.

My name is Anna and I am a student at Hampshire College. In this video. I'm going to interview Thom Long who is a professor of Architecture and Design at Hampshire and we're going to talk about, and hopefully, show you some of the unique aspects of our Architecture and Design Programs at Hampshire College. My name is Thom Long, I'm an Associate Professor of Architecture and Design here at Hampshire. My background is in architecture so I am a Master's Degree in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University, currently have my own graphic design practice. Also, do industrial design work wood fabrication, as well as, architectural projects. So, my approach to design is much more interdisciplinary than a traditional practice and I think it's reflected in our program here in Hampshire which is really much more focused on how we use design as a tool to make change rather than things like aesthetics or traditional kinds of practices. This semester, I'm teaching a course on systems thinking in design, which is pretty exciting and we're collaborating with a science professor, Chris Cianfrani who's looking at water and its effect on the environment. So our courses are collaborating on the design project together. One of the core classes I teach for the architectural studies major is a digital architecture course. And what we're doing in this program is utilizing technology to develop innovative ways of thinking about, producing, and transforming the way people see and interact with architecture. So, we use a lot of 3D modeling, we use algorithmic programming, we produce all kinds of renderings and animations and in the course. So there's a lot of overlap with students that are studying anything from gaming, to worldbuilding, to industrial design, and then into architecture, it's all kind of blended into a single class, which is pretty exciting. As well, some of the courses that will teach focused on architecture and design theory. So we explore the relationship between design and the body, looking at body and sensation, and all sorts of phenomenon that the body undergoes when it interacts with designed objects in the world.