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The studio environment is at the core of the DISC program. While all components of the program are vital and interconnected, it can be said that all roads lead back to the studio. This is where students can put the knowledge that they have gained from the lectures, seminars, workshops, and fieldwork to use in developing design work.
The design studio is an exceptional learning environment, where students will gain just as much from the instructors and as from their teammates and DISC colleagues. Much of the work in DISC will be conducted in teams. Working productively and respectfully with teammates will be essential to gain the most from the program. If conflict arises, do your best to respectfully discuss your perspectives with each other.
Studio Space
The studio will take place on the 7th floor. Students are responsible for their worktable, its storage space, and the space around it. Do not leave valuables unattended such as computers, smartphones, etc. Students may purchase a lock to secure their valuables inside the worktable.
Health and Safety
The intensity, energy, and exhilaration of the design studio are why we’re here. Yet creativity demands balance. Efficiency, responsibility, and health are equally essential components of effective studio work and are valued by our design culture. Students are not effective in their own work or in collaboration with others if they regularly work beyond their reasonable limits.
COVID-19
We are very excited to be returning to in-person instruction. As the COVID pandemic continues to be an evolving situation, updates will be given when circumstances change. Please be respectful and empathetic to those around you. You are expected to follow the UC Berkeley COVID protocols.
Ecology of Materials
The College and the Department ask that studio culture embrace a holistic approach to studio ecology. We ask for restraint in using materials that are unsustainable, the recycling of (ideally all) materials for the future reuse by others, and an exchange of information within the studio about material issues.
Respect and Collaboration
One of DISC’s priorities is to create an anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels safe and welcome. We are firmly committed to diversity and equality for all students. In studio culture, we believe collaboration trumps competition. Students and faculty maintain an atmosphere of mutual respect for and interest in each other’s ideas. Our work will always benefit from conversations with colleagues about shared themes, precedents and resources. Even in a portable, digital age, it is an essential requirement that design happens in the studio. Working in a studio moves beyond logistics, nurturing studio culture and fostering the collaborative atmosphere that we most value. At the same time, care for our working environment is an essential part of our design ethic.
Names and Pronouns
The class list for this course is generated by the university registration system. If you use a different name or pronouns than those provided on the class list, please advise the instructors now or at any time during the course.
Optimism and Invention
None of the above should serve to dampen the creative spirit and faith in the design enterprise as essential components of design of the built environment, and its ability to serve our larger cultural agenda.
Attendance and Participation
With a condensed five-week summer schedule, regular attendance is vital to your successful completion of the DISC program. Due to the immersive nature of the program, missing any part can adversely affect your work and that of your team. If you will miss class due to a pre-scheduled event or if a personal emergency comes up, please communicate with the Studio Instructor or Program Director.
In the studio, we will have regular class meetings, desk critiques, and presentations. As part of student attendance, they are expected to be present for the entire duration of the class. Since we will be working in the studio, computer labs, and digital fabrication lab, communicating amongst your team and instructors is essential.
Students are expected to work on their projects during studio hours and outside studio hours. Sometimes students will need to work after hours during evenings and weekends to complete project deliverables. This is considered a unique part of design education and is a privilege that can yield a rewarding experience. You will have 24/7 access to the Wurster Hall building, 5th floor studio, and computer labs.
Computing and Equipment
Students will have access to computer labs in Rooms 214 and 479 in Wurster Hall. These computers are equipped with all the software that will be needed for the program and Rooms 214 will be the location for our Digital Workshops.
Students can download Adobe Software on their personal computer for free with their berkeley.edu email, in addition to a trial version of Rhino Software.
Printing for studio pin-ups and presentations will be coordinated by the Student Instructors.
Evaluation and Grading
Students in DISC will be evaluated and graded based on the follow criteria:
● Timeliness and effort on assignments
● Participation and engagement in teamwork
● Personal progress and development
● Quality of work production and representation
Students who meet the satisfactory level of achievement in each of these categories will pass the program. Due to the compact program schedule, two unexcused absences will be considered unsatisfactory performance. Check with the Director of Summer Programs, Michaela Ballek, if you are unclear about your units or grading option for the program.
DISC Instructor Contacts
Gabriel Kaprielian – Program Director
email: gabriel.kaprielian@berkeley.edu
Reagan Lauder – Studio Lead
email: rlauder@berkeley.edu
Dewi Bleher – Studio Lead
email: dbleher@berkeley.edu
Madeira Simone BooydeGraaff – Studio Instructor
email: mbooydeg@berkeley.edu
Florencia Sepulveda – Studio Instructor
email: florencia_sepulveda@berkeley.edu
Ghigo DiTomasso – Program Founder + Lecturer
email: agostino.ditommaso@gmail.com
Administration Contact
Michaela Ballek - Summer Programs Director
email: mballek@berkeley.edu
Important Phone Numbers
Campus Police Department: 510.642.3333
Night Walk to BART or across campus: 510.642.9255
University Health Center: 510.642.2000
Counseling and Psychological Services: 510.642.9494
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