On April 14, in celebration of #ArchitectureWeek, AIA Newark and Suburban Immediate Past President Lisa Walzer, AIA, President-Elect Marvin Clawson, AIA, and Board Secretary Javier Enrique Fuentes Jr, AIA, participated in a desk critique session with students in the architecture program at West Orange High School.
The three AIANS officers began by introducing themselves to the class before moving from team to team—two students per group, for a total of 16 students—to provide individualized desk critiques.
They engaged directly with each team’s design concepts and sketches, offering thoughtful feedback and encouragement to help strengthen and further develop the students’ work in support of their project goals. The discussions touched on key areas of architectural practice, including construction methods, ADA accessibility, lighting design, and more.
The officers were very excited to take part in the session and expressed how rewarding it was to engage with such creative and engaged students. They look forward to seeing how the projects continue to evolve and following their progress as they further develop their design thinking.
It was an inspiring and energizing way to celebrate Architecture Week, and a meaningful opportunity to connect with and support the next generation of architects.