"Live your life in an introspective way, and express your story through your work," says Tal Shenholz (B.F.A., animation, 2021).

Originally from Tel Aviv, Israel, New York City-based Tal works as a technical director for satirical hit TV show South Park, creating characters and backgrounds, rigging characters, and setting up and framing shots. He has worked on two longform South Park specials streaming on Paramount+ and all episodes of seasons 25 and 26 of the show that stream on HBO Max.

Tal Shenholz:

Since I was a little kid, I loved drawing. When I was in high school, I found so much curiosity and love for cinema. I remember watching films of Bergman and Kieślowski. The different approaches and possibilities of cinema blew me away. Later, I learned to treat animation as a form of cinema. Animation is an art form combining two things I am passionate about: drawing and cinema. I knew that I had to pursue it as a career.

My position as a technical director is challenging because it combines technical skills with creative, artistic, and cinematic principles. I will get a rough storyboard, which I have to turn into a fully rendered shot on the software for the show. The characters and backgrounds must have the right South Park-y look, and the framing, scaling, and proportions all have to be correct. Part of my growth as an artist and a director is identifying a given shot's purpose and directing it according to that purpose. Our South Park team is surprisingly small, which makes me that much prouder to be a part of a team that has won multiple Emmy awards.

The range of topics and characters in the show is incredible. Each episode offers something new, which keeps things interesting. I absolutely loved working on the episode "Pajama Day." I created the girl with the pajama, while also setting up and framing the shot. The pajama is super over-the-top and imaginative, while also being functional as far as the rigging and animation. In the episode "City People," I created the entire background, while setting up and framing the shot. When creating the door for the background, I had to make nine different door positions that make sense so that frame-by-frame it looks like the door opens and closes. Another thing to consider is that the characters move toward the camera, meaning that they scale up in size. The framing has to make sense throughout the whole duration of the shot.

The programs and professors at the animation department in SCAD are unbelievable. As someone who works for a company that recently signed a $900 million deal, I can assure you that during my time at SCAD, I learned the newest industry-standard techniques. It is also the interactions with your peers, the group projects, the presentations, the critiques, and the way you think about art and animation. Only now do I truly understand how relevant and valuable these skills are in the animation industry.

Connect with Tal Shenholz.

"How has your day been?"

When a doe-eyed aid worker named Daria poses this question to Grigory, a beleaguered border control officer, his day has already been drab, difficult, and decisive. But not without hope.

The scene is from Glory To The Nation, the directorial debut by Danil Pervukhin (B.F.A., film and television, 2023). It is indicative of the 13-minute short film itself, where what takes place is both literal and figurative.

"Like myself, Grigory realizes that it is impossible for him to change the course of the war, to change everyone's lives." says Pervukhin, a native of Kharkiv, Ukraine, who graduated from SCAD Atlanta this spring. "However, he has the power of changing one life at a time."

"I believe that I have been blessed with a chance to tell this extremely important story," the director continues. "When I stared writing Glory To The Nation, I was heavily inspired by the events in my home country."

Played by actor Evan Vihlin, protagonist Grigory works in a cinder block building in a town called Ustinovka, where close to 35,000 refugees are trying to flee occupying forces. These details create context for the war outside, as Grigory stamps the travel papers of men, women, and children with one of two words: APPROVED or DENIED. When he meets Daria (Mallory Ivy), he is confronted with a choice that calls into question issues of ethics and patriotism.

"I always encourage our students to make films with stories they're uniquely positioned to tell, and Danil has embodied this ethos through his connection to the conflict in his home country," says Quinlan Orear, associate chair of film and television, SCAD Atlanta. "In his film, Danil uses a sunflower to signify hope, and the film has been his own sunflower of sorts."

Glory To The Nation is a story about hope, agrees Danil, "but not the kind of hope when you sit around waiting for a miracle to happen. It is about the hope that your endeavors, struggles, and bravery will pay off."

By focusing primarily on a single set-up for the film, Glory To The Nation comes alive in the editing. Pervukhin's classmate Jake Bell (B.F.A., film and television, 2023) worked on the film as editor and digital imaging technician.

"Cutting the film involved a lot of back and forth between Danil and I," Bell says. "It can be intimidating when you have hours of footage and infinite possibilities. Many times, we'd be totally on the same page for how a scene should go together, and other times I might try cutting multiple versions of a scene and we'd talk about which one worked best and why. Danil really shined as a director with great professionalism, and I really wanted to make sure each cut intentionally pushed the story forward."

Pervukhin completed the film while maintaining a pristine GPA. This drive to excel reflects the young filmmaker's awareness of circumstance.

"Being an international student away from home during the escalation of the military action made me feel like by leaving I betrayed people I care about," he says. "Why do I get to see the sky, clear of smoke and missiles, every time I look up?"

Read the Shoutout Atlanta interview with filmmaker Danil Pervukhin.

With Cloud Studio, Chloe Campbell (B.F.A., fashion, 2019) has made event painting nearly as synonymous with weddings as ring bearers and cutting the cake.

Over the past seven years, the entrepreneur has grown what began as a weekend gig while a student at SCAD into an agency with six artists painting weddings across the country and even overseas.

"We get a full spectrum of clients, from people who want a painting to be exactly their vision, to those who are like, ‘We trust you!'" she says. 

As Cloud Studio has bloomed—turning "special moments into irreplaceable keepsakes"—Campbell has nurtured her own creative career. And when the business owner got married herself in April of 2022, she tried out a new idea.

"I had three of my six artists there at my wedding, all capturing little moments throughout the day, whatever inspired them. That was the first time we tried what we call the plein air series, which we now offer to our clients."

Although a show called "Real Wedding Painters of the Lowcountry & Beyond" isn't in production quite yet, Cloud Studio has just launched its own YouTube vlog with major dish. To be sure, a conversation with Chloe is itself a special entertainment.

Chloe Campbell:

I studied fashion design at SCAD. I knew I was good at painting, but I didn't want to be in a studio alone for the rest of my life. Then freshman year a friend said, "Hey Chloe, I saw someone painting at a wedding. You should try that!"

Since I grew up in Oldfield where there are lots of weddings, I contacted a wedding planner, and it turned out she was actually getting married herself and said, "Would you want to try and paint my wedding?" That was spring of 2016. By junior year I was painting around 40 weddings a year. It just took off.

I knew the direction I wanted to go was to hire artists to work with me under the banner of Cloud Studio. I interviewed a lot of candidates to get the original three artists I hired. I wanted to align with them as people. What we do isn't just wedding painting, we are multitasking. You have to be a people person because [as wedding painters] we are part of the entertainment of a wedding.

Every one of our artists has a little bit of a different style. I teach them my techniques, based on workshops I've taken with plein air painters in the southeast. I work a split primary palette, and I share my go-to color combos for the wedding world. Like, when you see a black tux, don't use black. I studied at SCAD Lacoste, and I'm more impressionistic—I love capturing the light and shadows of the landscape. 

When I was a SCAD student, I'd get people who would say at weddings, "Oh this is a fun hobby, what do you do for money?" Even now sometimes people doubt this is a business. That's why I like to brag on my team.

All my artists are going viral, and collectively we have I think 300,000 followers on social media. We get leads coming in from TikTok every day, and a strong foundation with the wedding planners I've been working with for seven years. Two of our artists left the medical profession [to join Cloud Studio] because of how much this business is thriving.

I feel honored to support the women I work with as we continue to grow. I'm proud that this is a business I started at SCAD. It's been a phenomenal journey.

Chloe Campbell of Cloud Studio.

A billionaire pelts a famous actress with oranges. The sounds give the scene its absurd impact. Squish! Splat!

"Killing Romance was a blast to work on," says Hyoenzi "Alex" Wang (B.F.A., sound design, 2022) of the hit Korean film starring Lee Hanee and Lee Sun-kyun. "There were many creative challenges I faced as a Foley artist. I did the wooshes of the clothes. The main character sometimes wears uniforms with thicker material, and I studied tae kwon do for ten years, so I tried to mimic that rustle."

This is Wang's job: create sounds that sync with moving images to bring film and television to life. (Her Instagram page demonstrates exactly how she creates many memorable sounds.)

"Becoming a Foley artist involves an idiosyncratic career path that requires commitment, and I am so proud to watch Alex's journey unfold," says sound design professor Jamie Baker, who taught Wang in Foley Production Techniques (SNDS 322).

While a student at SCAD, Wang was part of the student team that created "Let Loose," winner of the 2020 Coca-Cola Refreshing Films competition. In 2021, she spent time in Seoul, working on many Korean film and TV projects. After graduating from SCAD Savannah, she went to work for Parabolic New York as an assistant Foley editor, before Baker recommended her to colleagues at leading firm C5 Sound, Wang's current employer.

"C5 has always been in the industry for 34 years, and Marko Costanzo and George Lara have been a dynamic presence in the Foley world, working with legends like Martin Scorsese. They've told me some stories," Alex says, chuckling.

Originally from Gwacheon-si, South Korea, Wang first came to the U.S. as an exchange student in 2014. She soon began exploring Stateside opportunities in higher education. "I wanted to major in film, and SCAD has a great film program. I first wanted to be either a cinematographer or a film editor, then I learned about sound design as it relates to film, and it really suited me."


At SCAD, Wang built a professional skill set through a series of connected classroom experiences.


"I first used ProTools in Professor [Robert] Miller's class Sound for Film and Television (SNDS 101). Then in Professor [Robin] Beauchamp's class Music for Media (SNDA 212), I learned [keyboard] shortcuts and professional terms, and felt really strong knowledge-wise. Professor Baker's Foley class also helped me a lot because I learned how to edit in Foley way. It's different from the regular editing. You don't want to hear any sudden stops or room tones. It's a precise and meticulous job."

As Alex sees it, "Being a Foley artist requires different skill sets or components. You have to have strength and agility, good reflexes, and musical ability. You might have to lift a heavy door, throw and bang props. Good syncs require musical ability and creativity. And you need good reflexes. I think all of my abilities and background combined make me a Foley artist."

Connect with Hyoenzi "Alex" Wang on LinkedIn.

(Banner image film still from Killing Romance, ⓒ 2023 WEBI)

"There's nothing that embodies the cycle of life and death as well as composting," says CompostNow Chief Impact Officer David Paull (B.F.A., interior design, 2013). "That rotting banana peel in your hand is going to become nutrient rich soil to grow another delicious banana."

Having founded Compostwheels as a SCAD Atlanta student in 2012, Paull merged his business with CompostNow in 2017. CompostNow has grown rapidly to become the preeminent compost company in the southeast U.S. with clients including State Farm Arena, Chipotle, Starbucks, and Chick-fil-A. Offering easy, affordable services for homes and businesses in Raleigh-Durham, Asheville, Atlanta, Charleston, and Cincinnati, CompostNow has received backing from the SCADpro Fund.

"CompostNow is at the forefront of a paradigm shift in organic agriculture," says SCADpro Fund managing director Ray Crowell. "Their commitment to an ethical model is something SCAD students prioritize as they enter the business world. David Paull is a beacon to look to in terms of creative entrepreneurship."

Much like the composting process itself, Paull is willing to dig into the rich loam of his backstory.

"At SCAD I started simply by standing at a farmers' market with a sandwich-board sign that said DO YOU COMPOST? and asking people if they composted, and if they would be interested in having someone do it for them," he says. "It wasn't until I got further into it that I realized there was a real need in the community and in the world for this.

"Consumers were looking for another way to support organic agriculture, and one of the biggest needs those farms have is soil health. You need a lot of nutrients in the soil to get a high yield in a small space. Composting became a very important part of that conversation. Meanwhile, communities and companies were really starting to think about sustainability. All of this converged in rapid-fire growth around consumer sentiment towards sustainability, our climate crisis, politics, policy, and investment."

Studying interior design at SCAD was "really fun" Paull says—and relevant to his current work.

"Interior design is all about the human experience through the built environment, and leading people through a space so that they can understand it, and what your intent is for them. We've applied that to composting. There were a lot of early tours for our community to come through the composting facilities to see it happening. To this day we have folks that come out at all age levels and see the process and get emotional about it."

At SCAD, the Viroqua, Wisconsin native played tennis and ran cross country—a full plate considering he was also going to "four to six farmers' markets a week, and to schools, universities, church groups, HOA meetings—anywhere anyone was interested in talking about sustainability, we were there to talk with them."

Paull now sees the composting movement leaping from homes and offices to city-wide services. "We are starting to get municipal contracts. That brings composting to everyone, not just those that can afford to do it in a boutique way."

And he is enthusiastic to have the backing of the SCADpro Fund, adding nutrients to the soil. "Composting is something that's life-giving, through the daily act of recycling food waste back into our food system," Paull concludes. "Composting attracts creative people."

Learn more about David and the team at CompostNow!

"When I'm painting, I try to stay loose," said Maggie Ellis (B.F.A., painting, 2014). "I'm not interested in depicting realistic environments perfectly."

Full of churning energy and a preponderance of purple, her paintings prove her point. The Atlanta-born artist was in the SCAD Museum of Art for a gallery talk with assistant curator Brittany Richmond. The occasion was Ellis's first museum exhibition, The Ride. "We're going to take you on a ride around her show," said Richmond, which sounded a bit meta but felt right.

Indeed, the packed talk became a live-action version of the paintings themselves. Looking at people looking at the work was a manifestation of the artist's objective.

"I was trying to think about a situation where I could paint a crowd where everyone was having an experience collectively," Ellis said. "And within that, the different facial expressions, individually."

Ellis and Richmond stood bracketing the large-scale painting "IMAX." The moviegoers depicted in the painting seem disgruntled, delighted, or drowsy as they sit on a slant in a steeply pitched theater. "I was thinking about the sharp diagonal, cutting the space corner to corner and having the figures recede into the back, all bathed in this light," Ellis explained. "It conveys the feeling of gawking up at this ginormous screen," added Richmond.

“IMAX,” 2021, oil and acrylic on canvas, 34 x 50 in. Courtesy of the artist.

Ellis, who currently lives and works in New York City, has been called "an unflinching observationalist" and is represented by gallerist Charles Moffett. Much of her work feels New York-centric, though not to the exclusion of other worlds. Whether depicting an in-flight crush of airplane passengers ("Turbulence") or a phalanx of bicyclists on a stinky Bushwick street ("Flat Rat"), the paintings all capture crucibles of human drama.

During her talk, the esteemed alum stood in front of her oil-on-linen "The Big Dance" and said: "I was looking a lot at El Greco, his figures in his paintings from the 1500s have very long exaggerated limbs and they're flailing passionately around. I was thinking about putting together a space with limbs and legs and the figures themselves pulled from imagination or people I've seen on the street." (Plus the occasional recognizable celebrity: an old school John Travolta getting down amid the dancing throng.) Curator Richmond gestured towards a young woman in the painting and wondered: "Is she wearing a see-through top or is her body see-through?" Ellis's answer was to nod and smile.

Bits of Bruegelian grotesquerie and Ernie Barnes boogie-downs seem to inform the work. The paintings in The Ride feel both distinct yet part of something greater. As Richmond put it, "You have these master art historical painter influences and you're using what they put out in the world and you're bringing it to 2023 and it feels so fresh."

At that point, the curator and the artist were standing in front of a wall displaying gouache and graphite on paper works with titles like "Scream Study" and "Pizza Party Study." All part of The Ride.

"I see painting as this gigantic lineage, past-present-future," said Ellis. "I'm just here now."

Photo by Charlie Rubin

Maggie Ellis, The Ride, on view at SCAD Museum of Art through Mon. August 28, 2023.

SCAD is proud to announce Alex Delotch Davis as Executive Director for SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta and Lacoste, France. A SCAD alum with an M.A. in luxury & fashion management, Delotch Davis brings over fifteen years of experience as a leading arts marketer, strategist, and connector in Atlanta's vibrant arts and cultural scene.

As Executive Director, Delotch Davis will lead exhibition development, marketing, fundraising, and overall forward-thinking strategic vision and direction for SCAD FASH, SCAD FASH Lacoste, and SCAD Atlanta exhibitions. Additionally, Delotch Davis will serve as a university ambassador to the local arts community, museum patrons, and fashion and film industries. Delotch Davis's efforts will support SCAD FASH's mission to serve as a creative resource for students of all ages, providing inspiration to visitors through expertly curated museum exhibitions, films, and programming.

"I'm excited and humbled by the opportunity to be part of this diverse and innovative organization," said Delotch Davis. "I'm energized by what is on the horizon for SCAD FASH. The museum is a treasure for the community and it is an honor to amplify the outstanding exhibitions and programming. As an alum of SCAD Atlanta, I'm also thrilled to be part of an institution that supports the development of artists and cultivates opportunities in creative industries, which aligns very much with my personal and professional values."

Delotch Davis is a highly regarded communications and arts strategy expert, most previously overseeing marketing and partnership strategy for Atlanta's High Museum of Art, managing all special initiatives for the museum as well as directing the museum's digital, print, broadcast and social media campaigns.

Kari Herrin, SCAD Senior Vice President of Brand Experience said: "Alex Delotch Davis is an incredibly talented force in Atlanta's dynamic arts and cultural scene. Her keen sense of creative strategy, vision, and a connective spirit to champion love and appreciation for artists and designers throughout the community will be a tremendous asset to SCAD FASH. We are fortunate to have her leading SCAD FASH forward with inspiring exhibitions, programming and activations to enhance the bond between the university and the community, as well as reinforcing the museum's renown on an international scale."

Prior to joining the High Museum of Art, Delotch Davis led experiential marketing programs and branded activations for Cadillac throughout the southeast, expanding the luxury car brand's footprint at leading global arts events including Art Basel Miami. Delotch Davis also held senior marketing and public relations roles at Bloomingdales, Bill Lowe Gallery, and the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs. Delotch Davis currently serves on the board of Atlanta Celebrates Photography and was recently appointed to Mayor Andre Dickens' Atlanta Arts Advisory Committee.

SCAD is recognized as the global leader in higher education for arts and design. SCAD FASH is a vital part of Atlanta's arts and cultural footprint, offering expertly curated exhibitions, films, special events, and performances that engage the university's academic disciplines, encompassing over 100 top-ranked degree programs. Current exhibitions on view at SCAD FASH include Ellen von Unwerth: This Side of Paradise for legendary fashion photographer and director Ellen von Unwerth, and Madame Grès: The Art of Draping. SCAD FASH is also thrilled to present Christian Lacroix Habille Peer Gynt pour la Comédie-Française at SCAD FASH Lacoste in Provence, France, opening July 1.

Learn more about SCAD FASH.

It was an architecture award ceremony to remember. On June 2, family, friends, and faculty gathered during a reception in the courtyard of SCAD MOA, celebrating the inaugural class of the distinguished Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL) program at SCAD.

"SCAD is excited to celebrate the first graduating class of our prestigious Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure program," announced SCAD Chair of Architecture Aaron Wilner, AIA. "These trailblazing students are leaving our program as fully licensed architects and taking their place alongside elite industry professionals, poised for incredible careers. It is an extraordinary milestone, as these exceptional graduates have etched their names into SCAD's history. They embody the rigor, excellence and vision of the next generation of architectural change-makers."

Graduates Jeffrey Rose (M.Arch., 2023), Ellen Filiatreau (M.Arch.,2023), and Nicolas Barrera Castaneda (M.Arch., 2023) were honored in recognition of their successful completion of the IPAL program and distinguished achievement in the university's renowned architecture program.

IPAL is a prestigious academic track merging all three components of architectural licensure (education, experience, and examination) into the university's existing Bachelor of Fine Arts and professional Master of Architecture programs. Through the IPAL program, students achieve an architectural license in as few as seven years. Students who complete the program graduate with a professional architectural degree while completing the Architectural Experience Program, which includes all six of their professional architecture licensing exams. These steps are accomplished in parallel with the architecture degree program. Upon graduation, students will have gained real-world experience at professional firms and learned from the industry's very best.

"It has been a wonderful experience partnering with SCAD and watching their innovative IPAL program flourish," said Harry M. Falconer, Jr., Vice President of Education and Experiences at the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. "These graduates and the ones that will follow in their footsteps will leave a lasting impact on the architectural community."

All three graduate SCAD as licensed architects prepared for an impactful career in this thriving industry. Each alumnus will pursue opportunities that allow them to stretch their creativity in design, functionality, and community-centered architecture.

Barrera Castaneda, from Bogotá, Columbia, previously worked as an architectural designer at Sasaki in Boston, where he was part of the design team for the new campus of the University of Lima (Peru). SCAD valedictorian as an undergraduate in 2018, Barrera completed his master's thesis entitled "Tangible Narrative" focused on the role of materiality in architecture and its ability to enhance the architectural narrative. He now joins the design team at Brandon Haw Architecture in the position of senior architect.

Filiatreau, from Bardstown, Kentucky, came to SCAD compelled by appeal of the IPAL program, and enjoyed the flexibility of taking electives outside the architecture program. For her thesis entitled "Rural Exchange Hub: Modernizing Rural America Economies By Reimagining Existing Air Transportation" she focused on convenience and accessibility via General Aviation Airports. After graduation she will begin her career as a licensed architect at the community-centered firm Neighboring Concepts in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Rose, interned for Court Atkins Group in Bluffton, South Carolina while an undergraduate in the SCAD architecture program, and has continued to work there since. From Pooler, Georgia via Toledo, Ohio, Jeff adhered to an exacting regimen to balance work, school, and twenty-plus hours a week of exam prep. He was able to pass each of the Architect Examination Registration (ARE) exams during his first two years of graduate studies at SCAD.

Left to right: Nicholas Barrera Castaneda, Ellen Filiatreau, Jeffery Rose, and SCAD Coordinator of IPAL and Field Internships Cristina Gutierrez.

Learn more about SCAD architecture and the IPAL program.

Congratulations, SCAD class of 2023! A sumptuously successful commencement weekend thrilled the more than 3,500 graduates and their families across two tremendous days. The ceremonies on Friday, June 2 and Saturday, June 3 in Savannah, and on Friday, June 2 in Atlanta were a fitting celebration of the new graduates' collective accomplishment. Plus: confetti cannons.

SCAD Savannah Vice President Darrell Naylor-Johnson, wearing a gorgeous bowtie by Jessica Pope (B.F.A., fibers, 2005) expressed his joy in his opening remarks at the Savannah Convention Center: "During your time at SCAD, the entire world changed, but you all distinguished yourselves as focused professionals, determined to achieve your dreams of reaching this momentous occasion."

An address by President Paula Wallace emphasized the university's relationships with global companies leading to job opportunities for students and careers for alumni at Adobe, Deloitte, Delta Air Lines, Microsoft, Spotify, and many more. "SCAD Bees solve big problems with big brains and big hearts. How do you manage such extraordinary feats of invention? Is it because you believed in yourselves? Yes, absolutely. And also because others believe in you. Many of those believers are with you right now. Look around: Your classmates, friends, brothers, sisters, partners, professors, and of course, your parents."

Savannah Valedictorian Khushi Bhatt (B.F.A., immersive reality, 2023) acknowledged the tumult of recent years with a smile: "Like every graduating student in the class of 2023, my journey at SCAD has been a testament to the power of perseverance and the pursuit of excellence." Bhatt's perceptive remarks made mention of a Gujarati saying and life mantra that, as she said, "roughly translates to ‘It's alright if you miss your aim, but it's not alright to aim low to begin with.'" There was no question: Bhatt and her classmates' aim was high and true.

"Oh my goodness, this is a very good moment!" said actress, social media star and honorary degree recipient Tabitha Brown. Honorary degrees were also presented to Emmy-nominated producer Will Packer,  renowned international artist Liliana Porter, philanthropist and entrepreneur Stacey Leebern, Hyundai Hope on Wheels executive director John Guastaferro, BAFTA award-winning director and story artist Joel Crawford, and former Disney Imagineering president Robert Weis.

For loved ones who could not attend, a YouTube livestream was an opportunity to tune in. A rousing rendition by the SCAD HoneyBees of alma mater anthem "Unique, United" was, as the lyrics proclaim, a "masterpiece in motion."

At the close of an electric commencement weekend, there was tassel-flipping, ice cream, hugs and happy tears. And a lot to look forward to: 99% of SCAD Spring 2022 graduates reported being employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. 

As honorary degree recipient Liliana Porter advised the graduating class: "I recommend you to be happy, understanding happiness is the highest form of rebellion."

"I was drawn to the SCAD architecture program because it challenges students to push the limits of design," says Juan Diego Perez (B.F.A., architecture, 2020). "The university fosters a spirit of exploration and experimentation which I could both feed from and contribute to." 

As a junior architect at Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Juan has contributed to projects including the winning design proposal for the new Dock A at Zurich International Airport. Sitting in an open-plan space of BIG's home base in New York City, he took a break from his collaborative work to discuss entering the professional world of the built environment.

Main arrivals and departures hall, Zurich Airport. Rendering image courtesy BIG.

"One of the most important ways SCAD prepared me for my role at BIG is that I learned how to think critically and creatively, and to never be afraid to push boundaries in my designs," he says. "This is a key aspect of the BIG philosophy, which values innovation and experimentation in architecture. I was fortunate to be surrounded by students with different backgrounds and cultures. This has been crucial in my current role at BIG, where we work on projects all over the world and of all sorts of typologies, so we must be versatile and adaptable."

Juan points to Architecture Design Studio I: Human-centered Design (ARCH 301) with Professor Scott Singeisen as formative: "We were tasked us with creating a polysemic drawing as a non-architectural representation of our designs. This exercise incentivized creativity and the exploration of different mediums. I learned that architecture doesn't have to be limited to plans and sections, it can be expressed through any medium that you think communicates your design intent. This early discovery of the power of narrative and representation behind architecture helped me realize that I was on the right path. As I progressed through my studies and began working in the built environment, the technical aspect of architecture became fundamental, but this early lesson in creative expression stuck with me at heart."

The lessons learned while at SCAD continue to have an impact on Juan's work at BIG. As his BIG colleague and associate/project leader Blake Smith says: "Juan has been a critical member of many teams at BIG since joining the firm in 2020. He is a talented and driven designer with an expanding set of technical capabilities. His background influences his process and provide a unique perspective within the office. In addition to enriching BIG's projects through design, he is a valued collaborator and team player." 

Originally from Quito, Ecuador, Juan honed his time management skills at SCAD. As member of the men's golf team under coach Amanda Haverstick, he earned the 2019 Daktronics NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete award. He looks back at his rigorous SCAD experience with fondness. 

"Inspiration and influence runs through the halls at SCAD, from foundation courses such as drawing and color theory to courses in majors such as fashion, industrial design, and interactive design and game development. Being willing to explore and experiment will make your craft unique."

As for the future of architecture, Juan states: "One thing I'm certain of is that architecture and design can always contribute to shaping our environment and remedying past mistakes. Hopefully the future will allow me further opportunities to create something that impacts people in a positive way."

Connect with Juan Diego Perez.