Episode Transcript
[00:00:10] Speaker A: Welcome to Kendall speaks. I'm Dr. Brian Stewart, Kendall campus president. And today we have one of our architecture and interior design professors with us, Dr. Lyle Culver. Welcome.
[00:00:18] Speaker B: Well, thanks for having us.
[00:00:19] Speaker A: And then four of your great students that we'll introduce here in just a minute. So glad to have you guys here with us today.
First, Lyle, let's talk about your journey to Miami Dade College. Tell us about how you came to the Kendall campus and a little bit about your background, if you would.
[00:00:34] Speaker B: Well, I've been here for almost 23 years now, and I came to take a course while I was looking for a job that was being promoted to me. And I ended up staying one of the professors that the class I teach now, which is history, retired. And so I went into the chairperson at the time and said, look, do you need somebody to teach history?
And he looked at me, he said, yes, I need somebody. My professor had actually written a textbook at the University of Tennessee and actually had been here teaching assistant. Graduate teaching assistant. So it fell into place and been here 23 years already. And I've taught at the Wilson campus, at the north campus, but predominantly here at the Kendall campus.
[00:01:14] Speaker A: And this is home. This is the best.
[00:01:15] Speaker B: This is home. It's the best. I should say that you can. This is the best campus.
[00:01:20] Speaker A: This is Kendall Speaks. It's about.
[00:01:21] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:01:22] Speaker A: We're the best, but we're proud of all our other campuses. All right, let's go to our students first, our interior design student, Alexandra Cruz.
[00:01:29] Speaker C: Hi. I'm in my second year of interior design, and I'm really happy to be here. I'm finishing up my. My last year at mdc.
[00:01:38] Speaker A: Where did you come from? Did you go to high school locally or.
[00:01:40] Speaker C: Yeah, so I went to school in Doral Academy Prep.
[00:01:43] Speaker A: Okay. Yeah.
[00:01:44] Speaker C: And, yeah, I transferred to Miami Dade immediately after high school.
[00:01:48] Speaker A: And where do you want to go after high school?
[00:01:50] Speaker C: Fiu.
[00:01:50] Speaker A: Fiu, of course. All right, we'll talk to you more about interior design. All right, Louis Estevez, tell us about yourself. You're an architecture major.
[00:01:57] Speaker D: Hi, my name is Luis.
I went to school locally here. I went to John A. Ferguson, and I came immediately to MDC.
[00:02:06] Speaker A: Ferguson's a big high school.
[00:02:08] Speaker D: Yeah, like 5,000 kids.
[00:02:10] Speaker A: Yeah, big one.
[00:02:11] Speaker D: I came to MDC because my drafting professor recommended it to me, and I'm glad to be here pursuing my.
My academic goals.
[00:02:19] Speaker A: Do we give that professor a drafting there kudos and let him know?
[00:02:23] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, yeah, I'm glad to have. I'm glad to have Lewis, in my class I found much in a couple of classes. I've had all these students in a couple of classes actually. Building, construction, architecture as well as interior design.
[00:02:33] Speaker A: Lewis, where do you want to transfer?
[00:02:35] Speaker D: I'd like to go to FIU.
[00:02:37] Speaker A: Okay. All right, we got two FIUs in the house. Okay, that's good. All right, next we have. Who do we have next? Sebastian. Hello there you are. Building, construction.
[00:02:46] Speaker E: Yes, sir.
[00:02:46] Speaker A: Tell us about your path to Miami Dade College.
[00:02:49] Speaker E: Oh, well, you know, I drive by it every single day. Look like a pretty good, pretty good campus. Did my research, found out hey you, they really, really good education. Met people that have gone to this campus and they gave me great reviews. They say the teachers are actually inspired to teach here. So I said, you know what, I'm going to go here and get, get my two years out of the way.
[00:03:08] Speaker A: And where do you want to go when you finish your.
[00:03:10] Speaker E: Preferably fiu.
[00:03:11] Speaker A: Okay, three in a row for fiu. By the way, little trivia. Do you know how many people you're talking about? 104th street, right?
[00:03:17] Speaker E: Yeah, 104th.
[00:03:18] Speaker A: Anybody know how many people drive down 104th Street a day? One million people a day. A day.
[00:03:24] Speaker E: Dang.
[00:03:24] Speaker A: Per the state stats. Wow. Yeah, so we have pretty good visibility there. All right, last and but not least with us is Serena. You are a architecture major also, right?
[00:03:34] Speaker F: Yes.
[00:03:35] Speaker A: Us about where you came from and a little bit about your program.
[00:03:38] Speaker F: So I'm in my second year in Miami Dade for architecture. I went to high school in Coral Reef. I was actually in the engineering program and I really enjoyed it. So I decided to come here to do my AA and I'm really enjoying it so far.
[00:03:52] Speaker A: And where do you want to transfer?
[00:03:54] Speaker F: I want to transfer to uf. I heard they have a really good architecture program.
[00:03:57] Speaker A: All right, that's good. Yeah. Well, good. Well, it's glad to have you here. Dr. Culver. Why don't you start by telling us a little bit about our academic programs
[00:04:04] Speaker B: here, our architecture and well, as you heard, we have students from the building construction management program. We have interior design and we have architecture too. So it's three different programs within the field, at least within, within the overall program.
We offer two year degrees, I'm happy to say. And you know, keeping hopeful that we are in the works of creating a three and a half year program in architecture will be the only one in the country, certainly in the state, but certainly the only one in the country. So we've been busy at that and knock on wood, hopefully come to Fruition, but I'm not. Again, that's all I'm going to say.
No, we have an excellent program. I know a lot of students here want to go to fiu, which is great, but our students also go to some of the top institutions nationally, I mean, really highly ranked institutions, and also international schools as well. So schools come here and recruit. They like what they see from our students.
So we have students along the west coast, the east coast, again, all very prestigious institutions continue their education and then going on also to graduate schools in places like Harvard and Columbia University and other places as well. So it's a great opportunity. And that's one of the things I talk to my students about, is really to look further afield and then start looking and applying to all these different programs across the country.
[00:05:24] Speaker A: And we have some great facilities too, for our students. Oh, we do have the opportunity to tour people in your area is one of my first areas to go through. So talk a little bit about our facilities.
[00:05:32] Speaker B: Yeah, we have a. The students I have here have actually come out of my materials class. And so we have a great wood shop where we build models and construct prototypes. We have, again, all the necessary software in the labs. We also have 3D printing. So whatever these schools offer, the upper division programs offer, we also offer here at the Kendall campus as well. I'll say that. We also offer them at the north as well as the Wilson campus.
[00:06:01] Speaker A: Well, good. That's very good. All right, students, you, you mentioned your, your major and what you're studying, either architecture, interior design. Talk a little bit about why you chose Miami Dade College. You sort of mentioned it in your opening. But let's go around the room and we'll start here. What made you interested in. In us?
[00:06:17] Speaker E: It's good education. I can't complain about it. It's every teacher that I looked into that teach some of the classes that I need to take. Very well reviewed. So of course I'd choose here, I think.
[00:06:27] Speaker A: Louis, you were the one that mentioned you heard it from your high school teacher, right?
[00:06:30] Speaker D: Yeah. So my drafting teacher in Ferguson, her name was Ms. Vancourt, she recommended it to me because she knows a few professors here and always told me that they were like really friendly. They communicated well, they treated with respect. They actually taught their course very well. They didn't have bad ratings at all.
[00:06:49] Speaker A: Okay, that's good.
Alexandria, tell us a little bit about what made you choose Kendall campus.
[00:06:55] Speaker C: So I decided to choose Miami Dade College and go to Kendall campus because I actually had an art history teacher in my High school that recommended to come here. And I think he taught a few classes here. I had him for AP Art history and he just told me there were so many good professors and it's such a good program, so I thought I would give it a try. And I'm really happy that I ended up coming here.
[00:07:19] Speaker A: Makes us feel good when we hit those recommendations, doesn't it?
[00:07:22] Speaker B: Sure does.
[00:07:23] Speaker A: So let's talk about what a typical week is like for you students.
[00:07:27] Speaker F: So I'm currently working on a project which is the Matrix for my professor's class.
[00:07:33] Speaker A: Matrix is in the movie the Matrix.
[00:07:35] Speaker B: That's kind of like it.
[00:07:37] Speaker A: They get.
[00:07:38] Speaker B: They get stuck in that project.
[00:07:39] Speaker F: Yeah. So that's what we're currently working on. And it is tedious, but I'm really enjoying it.
And I'm also doing like AutoCAD. It's also really enjoyable.
[00:07:49] Speaker A: Yeah, that's good. AutoCAD's good. What else? Anybody else want to talk about a typical week?
[00:07:54] Speaker C: So I am currently doing a group project for my interior design for class. We are working on a Palm beach modern house.
So I basically have to create the AutoCAD files, find furniture criteria matrixes, everything.
Yeah.
[00:08:12] Speaker A: And this will be into the semester. When are they like is?
[00:08:16] Speaker B: I don't know. I don't teach that class. But I guess it's a semester long class.
[00:08:19] Speaker C: Yeah. So this is like our project for the entire semester.
[00:08:22] Speaker A: Well, let me know when. I'd like to. I'd like to see that.
[00:08:25] Speaker C: Of course.
[00:08:25] Speaker D: What about you, Louis, week here? Well, I've been working on the same project as Serene, the Matrix. It's a bit complex, but I've seen that a lot of people make mistakes. It's. It's a project that you shouldn't underestimate because it takes patience. It's a bit difficult if you're rushed. You have to. You have to be very patient and very slow with it. You have to make sure you make no mistakes because one mistake could cause some of the grids to fall apart or the frame itself. If you don't glue it properly, it can all fall apart.
But I actually enjoy doing the projects. I am also doing AutoCAD, but normally I spend most of my time doing my physical projects for Professor Culver's class.
[00:09:08] Speaker A: Yeah, you have to be. Those are delicate things you're making.
[00:09:11] Speaker D: Yeah, they're very delicate.
[00:09:12] Speaker A: What about in building construction? What is, what is your typical week like?
[00:09:15] Speaker E: Okay, a typical week for me, obviously go through all my classes, but currently my favorite class to do is with Lyle Culver.
[00:09:22] Speaker B: It is the.
[00:09:23] Speaker E: What's it called again? I'm sorry, I forget the exact name.
[00:09:25] Speaker B: Well, it's. It's. It's a wood frame project that they're working on using two by fours.
[00:09:30] Speaker E: Yeah, well, the name of the class.
[00:09:32] Speaker B: Oh, I'm sorry. Building, construction, management. What am I saying?
It's methods of building construction.
[00:09:39] Speaker D: Or.
[00:09:40] Speaker B: No, I forgot. He got me off too. I should know what it is. Materials and methods of construction.
That I should know what it is.
[00:09:48] Speaker E: That's what I asked. Whatever. Okay. I'm doing a little itty bitty wood frame currently. I'm doing a little 4 inch by 4 inch prototype. And I like doing this fun. I like to work my work with my hands. And then once I get my little 4 by 4 approved, I can make an actual bigger one. It was a 16 by 16, right?
[00:10:04] Speaker B: Yeah. 16 by 16.
[00:10:05] Speaker E: 16 by 16. It's got to be structured wood frame. Yeah, it's got to be structurally sound, and I'm excited to make it. I love all the. The tools that they got in the woodwork room.
[00:10:14] Speaker A: Kind of leads me to the next question. What is your favorite part of your project? And what's the most challenging thing so far?
[00:10:19] Speaker E: The most challenging things, getting all my joints right on them to get them to actually stick together proper. Because if you cut. Cut something too big, then you got to get a wedge in there. You just doesn't fit at all.
[00:10:30] Speaker A: Right.
[00:10:31] Speaker E: And making sure everything looks pretty because I don't want to turn in something that looks subpar, bad, ugly. I want to make it look pretty clean. Everything's flush and that. Yeah, my favorite part is actually getting to work with my hands because all my other classes, I don't get to do anything. It's all paperwork, is all online. That's. That stuff doesn't intrigue me too much, but I got to get it done anyway.
But then actually working with wood, that's. That's. That's fun for me.
[00:10:54] Speaker B: And they. They've just been learning how to use the equipment too. So there's 20 students in that class, and there's a lot of moving machine. Moving parts on that machinery. So.
And yeah, so that's been kind of. It's taken me a while lined out on it. Yeah.
[00:11:08] Speaker A: Louis, what about your. What's your most challenging and what's your favorite thing to do?
[00:11:12] Speaker D: The most challenging part so far has probably been the amount of patience I've needed to use for this project because I'm not a. A very patient person. But my favorite part is how different it is from normal classes. You're usually stuck with a pencil or paper or you're typing away on a keyboard. But I, like the other guy, said, you know, I love how you have to use your hands. You. It's something different. It's something that not every. Every major does, not every other student does. It's challenging, but it's. It's so rewarding when you complete, like, a big part or a key part of your project, and it feels so, like, refreshing and satisfying, like, your work pays off.
[00:11:48] Speaker A: That's good.
[00:11:49] Speaker B: That's great. And Louis and Serene, they're in design one, so they. They just started, and that's their first project. They. They'll get a nice surprise, and they'll do five projects in the course of semester.
[00:11:58] Speaker A: Serena, what about you? What. What's your most challenging thing and your favorite?
[00:12:02] Speaker C: Well, I would say with my current Palm beach project, I. I would say the most, I guess tedious part is probably just, I guess, the actual designing part, because as a designer, I can be very picky with what I want. But going back to the wood frame project, I had to do it last semester. And when it's your first time working with wood, it's. It's not easy. I've never. I never dealt with, like, you know, working with actual pieces of wood.
So I did struggle a little bit. But I will say, it was. It was really fun to see how the final product came together.
[00:12:38] Speaker A: When Sebastian talked about things fitting together, I saw you shake your head, like, in there.
[00:12:42] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:12:43] Speaker A: That's awesome. Alexander, what about you? What's your favorite thing and what's been most challenging?
[00:12:48] Speaker F: So since I'm currently working on Professor Culver's project, which is the matrix, we have to do two grids, and I'm a bit of a perfectionist. So if I like things to be aligned and if one thing isn't correct or, like, the way I wanted it, I want it to be, it throws off the whole entire structure. So that part has been very hard for me.
[00:13:09] Speaker B: But they've done great work, so I'll tell you.
[00:13:11] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:13:12] Speaker A: Yeah, I bet. Professor Coleman, it warms your heart to
[00:13:14] Speaker B: hear them say, yeah, I heard back from some students that I made them cry. I'm like, are you kidding me?
Yeah, you made me cry. I'm like, I'm sorry.
[00:13:23] Speaker A: That wasn't your attention. Talk a little bit about the development and the design and what goes into it from your perspective as the faculty.
[00:13:29] Speaker B: Well, you know, you can give a project to a student and then One of the things we try to develop is that they come up with a concept and that's difficult. So an idea. And from the concept then they can start thinking about how this is all going to play out in a three dimensional way.
So, like in my Design two studio, we're going to be going out to the Deering estate and we're going to build basically a bird observation tower.
So we haven't started that yet, but we're going to be doing a site visit on Thursday. Charles Deering actually had one on the estate and he was a big sort of avid environmentalist and he actually had one and he loved birds. And so we're going to, going to do that, pitch it to the Deering estate as, as an idea. You know, I've had that, I've done that many times over at the Deering estate. So I try to. One of the things I'd like to do is actually bring in real life projects and sort of tie it in, you know, with history or at least with things here locally so students can sort of think about their environment. And maybe also I've done in the past actually promote the ideas to a general public.
[00:14:28] Speaker A: And I believe it was last summer you had a project with our environmental center and a group of students.
[00:14:32] Speaker B: I've done that, yeah. I've done that to go out and measure. That's a drawing. That's a. What we call architectural drawing, which is a drafting class. So they had to go and measure.
[00:14:39] Speaker A: It's awesome how you contribute to the community. I think that's, that's very great. Students, we've talked about tools and some software. Any other things that you've learned that we haven't mentioned that you've used so far?
[00:14:49] Speaker C: Sketchup.
[00:14:50] Speaker A: Say it again. What's that?
[00:14:51] Speaker C: Sketchup.
[00:14:52] Speaker A: Tell me about that.
[00:14:53] Speaker C: It's pretty difficult when you don't know what you're doing because you kind of just get thrown into it and you kind of just have to get the gist by yourself. But. But once you learn how to, you know, kind of put the pieces together, it actually comes out really, really cool.
[00:15:08] Speaker A: It's a little trial and error in that, I think.
[00:15:09] Speaker D: Yes, Louis, I've done similar to her. I've done sketches not just in Culver's class, but in another class. Sketching is also something that has to be perfect because I mean, you're literally copying the dimensions and sizes of things in buildings such as doors, windows. And obviously you want that to look good because if it was a real plan, it has to be Accurate. You can't make mistakes on those type of things.
But I also enjoyed that. I mean, I had some experience with that in high school, so I knew sort of what I was doing. But again, I like how different architecture classes are from everything else. It's, it's something refreshing, something different. So I'm always happy to do something related to it.
[00:15:49] Speaker A: That's great. Did you have something, Sebastian?
[00:15:52] Speaker E: God, I can't really say that, say anything. I mean, sketches, yeah. Pain in the butt. But I don't want to go. To go too much into them because they already did too. But it's just sketches. That's the only thing that I actually am terribly bad at because I can barely get myself done. A little stick figure. And everything that I got to draw has got to be exact. And when it actually comes to the, the woodwork and stuff and the machines, I'm a little more accustomed to that. Handles. I'm a little more accustomed to that because I've come from a family that does a whole bunch of construction.
[00:16:18] Speaker A: It's the building construction major.
[00:16:20] Speaker E: Yes, of course.
[00:16:21] Speaker A: Dr. Culver, I'm going to start with you. We'll go around to the students, talk about how important technology is. Today we mentioned AutoCAD. Talk about how technology, you use it in the classroom, how important it is to teaching.
[00:16:32] Speaker B: Well, I think like what Lewis was talking about earlier is that you need a foundation. So sketching, drawing. Sketchup is actually software. But the ability to draw is important. And a lot of professional, you know, people in the practice always stress that, that you know, your ability to draw, your ability to draft, at least initially, it lays the foundation for software to come.
So we teach that here at the college. And students are required to take a drafting class and also a sketching class which we call communications, architectural communications and this and the drafting class we call architectural drawing from that, that forms a foundation. Then they can move into AutoCAD, which is, you know, it's an industry standard, and they can move into what's called AutoCAD3D.
And then there's, you know, there's a plethora of different types of software which you know, which was mentioned Alexandra mentioned, like SketchUp, which is used mostly for rendering and then for modeling. For three dimensional modeling. We have what's called Rhino that's just again, it's one of different software, but it's pretty popular in industry. And then there's also Revit. Revit is a, it's part of what we call bim, which is Building Information Modeling.
It's a software that pulls everything together so you can actually not only just design a building, but you can design its entire infrastructure. And so it's. It's pretty complex and it's. That's used quite a bit in the industry. Rhino is used mostly for modeling shapes and stuff like that. And so the ability to use both is certainly very advantageous. And, you know, in design studios, Rhinos use quite a bit. You know, in construction, Revit is then used quite a bit as well. So, you know, they have both their advantages and, you know, their fortes, let's put it that way. We here at the college teach AutoCAD, AutoCAD 3D, which is the first class in design technology, and then we teach revit, which is the second one. So, yeah, it's definitely important, the ability to be able to use all that, but using your hand sketching is also important. You'll find a lot of these very famous architects, they always have a sketch pad. You can see them always drawing. And they will say the importance of being able to draw is fundamental to their. To their work as architects.
[00:18:41] Speaker A: Well, that's a great discussion, students. Any other technology you want to comment on or.
[00:18:45] Speaker D: I don't have the most experience, but I have done a bit of autocad. I did some in high school, but once I got to college, I pretty much forgot about it. It's. It's a bit complicated, especially when you look at it and you don't know what it is, like if you don't understand it. But, I mean, I've spoken to a few architects, and it's really what you use nowadays. I mean, pencil sketches are a bit old, but a lot of plants and buildings are designed with AutoCAD, Revit, Rhino, like Professor Culver said. But I don't really have as much experience as him, obviously, so I wouldn't. Yeah, yeah. So I wouldn't really be able to tell you much about that.
[00:19:22] Speaker A: Okay, that's great.
[00:19:23] Speaker C: Yeah, I would say I took my autocad class last summer, and the professors really do help you, and they know what they're doing.
I remember when I first opened up AutoCAD, I didn't know what to touch, and it was really difficult the first two weeks of that class.
But honestly, once. Once you get, like, the gist of it, your floor plans come out super nice, and it's a really good program. I really like AutoCAD, which is funny because I was, like, ripping my hair out the first two weeks because it was so difficult. But like Clover said as well, sketching like with hand. It's also very important.
I know in my design one class I had Timothy Schrock, and we did hand sketches every single class because he was like, you know, in the real world, sometimes you're just going to have to put something on a paper really quick. And I have so many sketches from that class, so I think that also really helped me.
[00:20:23] Speaker A: Well, for our audience, all of you are giving great answers to. If you come to the Kendall campus, you're going to get all sorts of teaching, including technology, but also hands on. Go ahead, Alexander, you had a comment.
[00:20:34] Speaker F: I think again, back to AutoCAD. I think it's a very important software to learn how to use, especially if you're doing engineering or architecture.
Helps you plan out floor plans or, you know, 3D models. But on the software, I think it's very important to learn how to use.
[00:20:53] Speaker A: That's great. Let's go around the table and tell our audience what connections you've made, what friendships you made. Late night studying. Just help them understand what it. What it means to be an architecture or building construction student. So we'll stay right here. You have the microphone, Alexandra. So talk a little bit about what friendships you've made and what it means to be a student. What does it take to be successful?
[00:21:14] Speaker F: I think as long as you talk in your classes, because not everyone likes to have conversations. I feel like if you really push to make friends in your classes, especially in your major, that you're wanting to pursue long term to have connections.
[00:21:30] Speaker A: Okay, Serena.
[00:21:32] Speaker C: Yeah. Going back to what Serena said, I think it's very important to make a lot of connections in your classes. I've made a couple friends already from my interior design and architecture classes, and it is really helpful because that's if sometimes you. You don't really understand what you're doing. You don't want to. You know, it's. It's nice to have peers that kind of understand what you're going through. And I don't think other people realize how tedious an interior design or architecture major can really be. So it's nice to have peers that understand what you're going through. It's not just picking a color. It's a lot more work, and it's a more tedious process than people think. So it's really nice to have people that you can talk to about.
[00:22:17] Speaker B: It's a community that forms. I remember when I was in grad school, the only building was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week was the architecture building. And they would bring tours in.
We had showers in there too.
[00:22:29] Speaker A: Oh wow.
[00:22:29] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:22:29] Speaker B: And people were sleeping, which is kind of gross. I didn't sleep in there, but it was like that, all these. And then after we graduated, I was getting married. There are all sorts of relationships. Connections were made.
[00:22:40] Speaker A: Louis, what about you? Any late nights?
[00:22:43] Speaker D: Yeah, a lot of those, but specifically with this project for Covert, but also with sketches.
That wasn't a dis.
I love the projects, like I said, but you're definitely going to be up late some nights. I remember I was like staying up until 4am doing these huge sketches, like maybe 16 by 16 sketches of the environmental building. But I've also made a lot of friends, especially in my class with Serene and Covers class, especially helping some people, which my professor made me do today.
But when you also get put in like a group chat or you get together with your other classmates, you can see how they do what they do, like how they take on their assignments and then you can compare to you. You can also give them advice. You can learn things from them as well.
Like in sketching, I was learning a few things from my other classmates and they actually helped me improve.
But I also like how I can help people better themselves in said classes with their major, especially because it's their passion. At least mine is my passion, but I've definitely done almost everything you can do with your major.
[00:23:50] Speaker A: That's a great answer. Sebastian, what connections have you made?
[00:23:53] Speaker E: Connections I've made?
For the first year that I was in college, God, I did not talk to people at all. I was so introverted, didn't like talking at all. So it was like tough to for my class because I didn't have anybody to talk to, anybody to relate to in the classes that I was taking. Now the second year that's come up for me, I started trying to talk to people more and it's been so much easier to actually get my assignments done because then I get a little input from them. A little bit of help here and I just. Things go smoother. And you said, man, about late nights. Oh my God.
I take a lot of PM classes later in the day. So then I end up getting home and I gotta stick to like three, four in the morning, just doing some random assignment for whatever class. Usually it was last year, architectural drawing. Oh my God.
Flashbacks I don't want to think of.
[00:24:43] Speaker A: Well, this may be a tough question or maybe an easy question. I'm going to start with Dr. Culver. What's your favorite building?
[00:24:48] Speaker B: Gosh, that really hit me you know, I can't say there's one favorite building, but I really love mid century modern architecture. Okay, so, you know, I guess we can look at Falling Water as an example, Frank Lloyd Wright's. But generally speaking, I like the Usonian houses, which are the very small ones. I like Glenn Murcott, who's actually a. I mean Usonian houses were actually designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, which is basically the bungalow. But there's an Australian architect by the name of Glenn Murcott and he does these beautiful, very simple, small bungalow like works of architecture. And I don't think you have to be a big, massive, you know, sort of skyscraper to to become a famous architect.
[00:25:28] Speaker A: That's Good. All right, Dr. Colbert, let you guys think so I'm gonna start with you, Louis. What's your favorite?
[00:25:32] Speaker D: Well, I have a few. I'm a big fan of gothic architecture and things of similar structures. But my favorite building probably has to be the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. I think it's really cool. But it also is on par with the Cologne Catedral in Germany and also the Falling water that Professor Culver mentioned. But I think my favorite, if I had to pick it would be the Sagrada Familia. I mean, it's still not complete, but it looks so beautiful from the outside. I haven't gone to see it yet, but I plan on doing so soon.
[00:26:05] Speaker A: On your bucket list.
[00:26:06] Speaker D: Yeah, for sure. I think its design is just so unique compared to anything else, especially near it. It stands out since of its size, it's just so big, but it stands out from everything else. Like you can tell what it is from so far away. The columns, the pillars, the tips as just so many like engravings. And it's so cool. It's probably my favorite out there.
[00:26:31] Speaker A: It's a great answer. Sebastian, do you have a favorite?
[00:26:34] Speaker E: Well, I never really thought about it up until now and I'm thinking probably basic answer. But the Colosseum, it's. It's a genuinely gorgeous piece of work. And you look at it, you know what it is. No, you don't. Nobody's got to tell you what it is. It's amazing and it's insane to think all that time ago that that was able to be achieved and it still stands pretty good nowadays.
[00:26:54] Speaker A: Okay, Serena, you have a favorite.
[00:26:57] Speaker F: I also really like Gothic architecture, but to say something different other than what Lewis said. I am from Syria, so I really like the Palmyra.
It's like in the ruins of Damascus. I find it really interesting to look at and the history behind it. It's really interesting.
[00:27:15] Speaker A: You have a favorite?
[00:27:17] Speaker C: Yeah, I would say my favorite is probably the Opera House in Sydney, Australia.
I think the design is really, really interesting.
I think it's just different from what you usually see. And also going back to what Sebastian said, the Colosseum.
I.
I saw it a few months ago for the first time, and I'm not going to lie, I didn't really have high expectations for it, but seeing it in person is pretty breathtaking. It's beautiful.
[00:27:48] Speaker A: That's great. All right, let's go around the table for this question, too. If you were telling a high school student, what would you tell them about the program or what do you wish you had known about the program? We'll stay right here since you have the microphone.
[00:27:59] Speaker C: Well, I guess from this program you're going to learn a lot. And obviously that's great. That's what you want when you're going into a college or any institution.
As far as the degree, I would just say make sure it's something that you do really want to do, because interior architecture and design and architecture, building construction, they're really, really cool majors to go into, but they are a lot of work. And I think it's something you do really have to be passionate about to go into because it's not for, like, you, you know, work.
[00:28:31] Speaker A: You got to work.
[00:28:31] Speaker C: It's a lot of. It's a lot of work and, and a lot. A lot of times also, you know, you'll work on a project for a few months and your professor will look at it and be like, it's not that good. And, you know, that's part of the learning process. That's how, that's how you learn. But, you know, it's. It's not for the week. You have to. You really do have to put your part in.
[00:28:50] Speaker A: That's good.
[00:28:50] Speaker B: I didn't make you cry, did I?
[00:28:52] Speaker C: You didn't make me cry, but, you know, I did get frustrated sometimes.
[00:28:55] Speaker A: Pretty tough. I don't.
What about you? What would you advise you give to your younger self or to someone interested in the program?
[00:29:01] Speaker F: I really agree with what Alexandra said.
You really have to have the drive for architecture. It's not a program or a major you can throw yourself into and expect to, like, excel in if you're not passionate about it. So to tell my younger self, I would tell my younger self to prepare for many late nights. I've stayed up till 4 or 5am multiple times.
Yeah, luckily for me, I'm very passionate about it. So I don't mind that you all seem to be.
[00:29:32] Speaker A: Sebastian, what about you? What would you tell someone interested in your field? Or what do you wish you'd have known before you came here?
[00:29:39] Speaker E: I don't got much. They covered it, basically.
[00:29:43] Speaker A: Okay, that's good. Louis, anything to add?
[00:29:46] Speaker D: Definitely tell myself when I was younger, it's going to come with a lot of work. It's not as easy as I thought it was going to be. There's definitely been hardships, but I'm sure I could tell my younger self that it'll all be worth it. Like I said, I'm very passionate on this. I don't have a regret going into it.
[00:30:01] Speaker A: All right, Professor Culver, if you could pull out your crystal ball in 20. How many years? 22 years?
[00:30:07] Speaker B: 23.
[00:30:08] Speaker A: And I'm sure you can think back to how it's changed from when you first. Where do you see it in, say, five years? I know with AI and technology and it's hard to predict, but what do you.
[00:30:16] Speaker B: What do you see the program? Yeah, well, I'm hoping that we'll have a three and a half year program.
[00:30:21] Speaker A: Okay, well, that's.
[00:30:22] Speaker B: I mean, that would be an incredible change. I mean, we've been pushing this for the longest time and now it seems like it's coming to some again. I don't want to have the crucible. I don't want to say too much, but that's one of the things that we're hoping. The other thing is having more articulation agreements with official agreements with other schools nationally. So we've been working on that individually, I think, I would say, from the part of some of the professors.
So I've been working with the bac, which is the Boston Architectural College, and getting a lot of students up there.
You know, we've had other programs actually also that we've developed our articulation agreements with.
So that would be just to continue that and to keep growing the program. One of the things I do want to say is that to get into an architectural program as a freshman is very competitive. They oftentimes look for grades, SAT scores high SAT scores, high grades and portfolios. But here at Miami Dade College, anybody who has an inkling or a desire to study architecture, interior design or building construction management can actually walk in our front doors and begin studying it. And a lot of these students have gone on to very prestigious schools, you know, so they show the passion as the other students have been talking about, then they can go wherever they want.
[00:31:35] Speaker A: Okay, that's a great job. Let's go around the room one last time. Students, 10 years from now, where would you like to be working? Louis, what would you like to be
[00:31:41] Speaker D: doing in 10 years? Preferably, I would like to have my own firm, but I would not mind at all working at any firm. I think being an architect itself is already rewarding. You're. You're doing a job that not many can do. You're not very replaceable, and I think it's one of the coolest jobs that you can do on the planet. So hopefully a licensed architect.
[00:32:02] Speaker A: Good answer, Sebastian. 10 years. What would you like to be doing 10 years?
[00:32:05] Speaker E: Would love to have my GC license and be able to actually be a part of making some amazing buildings.
[00:32:11] Speaker A: Great. What would you like to be doing 10 years from now?
[00:32:15] Speaker F: Like what Lewis said, I would like to have my own firm. I would like to build, like, buildings around the world. I. I really have a unique taste, so I hope that people could recognize my work. Yeah.
[00:32:27] Speaker A: E. Any of you want to consider adjuncting here one day maybe?
[00:32:30] Speaker C: I've thought about it. Yes.
[00:32:31] Speaker A: I thought when I waited till you got there, give me your 10 year window and tell me what you like
[00:32:36] Speaker C: to teach in 10 years. I would hopefully like to own my own firm as well, but if not, honestly, if it's working under someone or being a professor, I don't mind. My passion is just to create really cool spaces. I mean, I'm at the very beginning of my career, so I still obviously have a lot to think of. But with interior design and architecture, you can do so much.
Not just residential. You could do commercial, you can do movie sets. You can do so many things.
So, I mean, I guess we'll. We'll see in. In 10 years what happens.
[00:33:11] Speaker A: Well, you have to have some reunions, some alumni reunions.
[00:33:13] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:33:14] Speaker A: Well, this has been a great conversation. Anybody have anything else that we didn't cover that you want to say?
One of the things I want to say is I certainly would like to see some of your projects at the
[00:33:23] Speaker B: end of Come over.
[00:33:24] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay.
[00:33:25] Speaker B: Yeah, come by.
[00:33:26] Speaker A: We may have to bring our podcast on the road and interview students.
[00:33:29] Speaker B: No, that'd be great.
[00:33:30] Speaker A: I'd love to. I'd love to. This has been an amazing conversation.
One of our very first podcasts with students. Actually, they turned the question on me, and so we always end our podcast with that opportunity. So if you'd like, any of you can ask me any question you want and I'll try to answer it.
[00:33:46] Speaker B: Well, how'd you get here?
[00:33:48] Speaker A: How'd I get here?
Well, I drove here this morning, but I'm born and raised in Texas. You can tell by my accents, not local.
I opened three campuses in Texas, and one of them was a medical campus. And about seven and a half years ago, the current college president at the time, Dr. Padrone, found me in Texas and brought me to run the medical campus, which I did for about six and a half years. And then two years this June, I was brought here to the Kendall campus. And it's been an amazing opportunity ever since to be part of great faculty like Dr. Culver and all the students.
This campus is just unbelievable. The one of you was talking about community and your principal and your teachers. Everywhere I go in the community, people talk about, hey, I went to Kendall. I went to Kendall. Not mdc. They went to Kendall. And so you students are following in a great tradition and footsteps. So we thank you for being here, and we thank you for being a part of this podcast. And, Dr. Culver, we have to do this again with some more students.
[00:34:45] Speaker B: Sure, anytime.
[00:34:46] Speaker A: All right, well, I want to thank everyone for being a part of Kendyl speaks today. Dr. Culver and our four students. I want to thank our head writer, Christine Saenz, Paul Klein, our Example executive producer, and Alex Bellows. Thank you for being here today, and goodbye for now.
