Design Studios

The Design Studios are comprised of flexible loft type spaces interconnecting three areas containing 175 work stations with drawing boards which are individualized by students occupying these spaces. Located between the studio spaces is the skylit Galleria that is a flexible multi-purpose space ideal for project presentations, all school meetings, group projects, spontaneous events, and design charrettes. Each student maintains a dedicated work area equipped with two large tables, an ergonomic chair, optional display surface, and secured storage. In addition, easily accessible to each student for use in connection with design studio projects are current and high quality reference materials. These include, but are not limited to current sets of Sweet's Contract Interiors, Homebuilding & Remodeling, General Building & Remodeling, Architectural Catalog Files, manufacturers' product catalogs, and selections of fabric and finish samples. These resources are consistently updated, as new reference materials become available. The School of Architecture building and all studios are open to students and faculty at all times of day and night. Students are provided with workspace that encourages interaction both during and outside scheduled class time. The School of Architecture building was programmatically planned and designed to facilitate and enhance the processes involved in the development of a “community” that comes from the integration of unique characteristics of each design profession. Students therefore are encouraged by the physically interactive configuration of the design studio spaces to incorporate their disciplinary differences rather than assimilate them. In this collaborative environment mutual areas of disciplinary concerns can be better articulated and disciplines linked as they are in contemporary professional practice.

Digital Imaging and Westwood Laboratories

The Digital Imaging and Media Studios include the Westwood Laboratory sponsored by a grant from Westwood Studios, which is a state-of-the-art computational environment designed for creating simulations and animations that incorporate not only visual virtual reality but also complete surround-sound audio environment. Computer stations are equipped with multiple softwares for the creation of digital realms of virtual realism and to experiment with attributes of space, texture, color, lighting, landscape as well as movement and time simulation. The Digital Drafting Laboratory features 24 workstations equipped with industry standard software such as ARC GIS 9.3, Graphisoft ArchiCAD 12, Google SketchUp Professional, AutoDesk's Architecture 2008 and Revit 2008, 3D Studio MAX, Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Extended, as well as Microsoft Office. Within the Digital Drafting Lab there is also several scanners including 2 Epson Expression 10000XL Scanners and a Contex 42" Large Format Scanner. The Graphics and Film Lab is equipped with some of the most popular film and graphic software in the industry, Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Extended, Final Cut Pro, and Google SketchUp, ArchiCAD 12 and Microsoft Office, a whole suite of film editing software. and scanners. Ecah lab has a celing mounted Epson projector for use in the classroom instruction or for presentations. In the Westwood Lab are several dual monitor stations and computers with the latest software and for 3D design, 3D Studio Max leading the way. Additionally ther are for large format plotters for pring lar over size images for presentations.

Construction Materials and Technologies Laboratory

The Construction Materials and Technologies Laboratory represents an integral part of the demonstrative and experimental component of the Building Science Program. The objectives of the laboratory are to complement the building science courses being taught by introducing students to illustrative experiments on the behavior and characteristics of traditional as well as innovative building construction materials, structural components, and structural systems.

Design and Planning Research Center

The School of Architecture Design and Planning Research Center is engaged in the development of knowledge-based architectural research information and promotes interdisciplinary research in design and planning that informs public policies and strategies that create livable environments that are eco-sustainable. The center implements its work by creating strategic and interdisciplinary partnerships among academicians, practitioners, civic organizations, corporations and the general public. Both faculty and students participate in research projects that provide planning and design assistance – both urban and rural - to the state of Nevada. Typically these projects include master planning; facilitating public workshops to develop community vision; and developing conceptual designs for site-specific projects, such as buildings, streetscapes, parks, and campgrounds that retain and enhance the distinctive character of a community. Projects also include public school learning gardens to build on the center’s educational objectives as well as other projects of similar scale and impact. Past sponsors include the Nevada Department of Transportation, Las Vegas Valley Water District, Nevada Division of Forestry and the University of Nevada.

Natural Energies Advanced Technologies Laboratory

The Natural Energies Advanced Technologies Laboratory is an innovation-driven, technology-centered research component of the School of Architecture engaged in the development of environmentally and culturally responsible design methodologies and strategies that maximize the utilization of ecology-friendly technologies. The creating of a climate of public awareness and opinion regarding the benefits of these endeavors is integral to the functions of the laboratory. Pursuant to this mission, the laboratory through its own research and collaborations with public and private sector entities advocates holistic design approaches that integrate concern for natural phenomena, regional resources and traditions into the design, construction and operational maintenance of buildings; education in the fundamental interrelationships that exist among humans, buildings, and the environment; and community outreach through actual projects that demonstrate the viability of sustainable technologies in the enhancement of the quality of life. For more information visit the NEAT Laboratory site.

Downtown Design Center

The interdisciplinary Downtown Design Center, was established through the efforts of the City of Las Vegas, the School of Architecture and the College of Fine Arts. The Design Center aims to improve art, architecture, design, and planning in the public realm and to serve as a community focal point for innovation and emerging ideas. The Design Center works directly with the City of Las Vegas in a collaborative partnership focusing on building a design centered community with its attention on design education, interdisciplinary research and creative work as it relates to the urban environment. Collectively these efforts will address issues of significance not only to the future of the City of Las Vegas, but also the surrounding communities, Clark County and Southern Nevada, and hopefully the Southwest. The center serves as the liaison between the college, other units on campus, the local design professions, and the general public. The center also publishes, exhibits, and disseminates its work and activities to academic, professional and general public audiences. The center is located in the historic 5th Street School in Las Vegas and is led by Professor Robert Dorgan, Director of the Downtown Design. Coming soon, there will be a Downtown Design Center site. It will provide more information about the featured courses and educational opportunities. For more information visit the UNLV Downtown Design Center site.

Model Shop

The Model Shop provides the resources to support a vital creative activity in the design process that enables design concepts and ideas to gain physical form, life and expression. Digital fabrication equipment includes a computerized laser cutter this is complimented by a wide selection of power tools which provide students with capabilities to produce three - dimensional physical representations of their design concepts. Such scale models play a key role in the development of design concepts by providing an essential visual link between the abstract concepts of scale, proportion, perspective, and geometry by creatively and artistically solidifying these concepts to be studied and analyzed. Of fundamental concern are the roles of 2-D digital drawing and imaging which lead to 3-D digital models and animation in the explorations of traditional techniques interfacing with digital technology in new methods of fabrication using computer data.

Photo Studio

The School of Architecture has a Photo Studio for students to use in documenting their design work. It is equiped with lights and back drops including a green screen. The "green screen" allows students to easily place their models within virtual or digital environments.

The School of Architecture Image Library

The School of Architecture Image Library holds over 18,000 photographic and recorded video images documenting world architecture, interiors, urban environments, landscape architecture, fine art, furniture, and construction techniques. The focus of the collection is on twentieth century primarily Western designed environments.

Architecture Studies Library

The Architecture Studies Library contains a two-story exhibit area, a periodicals area for the over 100 periodicals to which the library subscribes, book stacks on both floors, and a reference area equipped with texts, computers and scanners. Located throughout these areas are a variety of seating and carrels for both individual and group study. Seminar rooms for group study and instruction are located on the first floor of the library while a classroom on the second floor, equipped with eighteen networked computers, provides for research instruction and additional student study support. The library has a base collection of approximately 13,000 volumes in the NA (architecture) classification and approximately 2350 volumes in the NK (interior design) classification. Additional curricular areas supported by the library include landscape architecture, planning, and building/construction. The library's collection totals more than 24,000 titles. Periodical indexes available to access the collection include: Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals; Art Full Text Index; BuildingGreen Suite; Design and Applied Arts Index; Compendex; Garden, Landscape and Horticulture Index; JSTOR; Index to Historic Preservation Periodicals; and Bibliographical Database of the Conservation Information Network. The library also subscribes to the imagebase ARTstor. The Architecture Studies Library maintains an active and content-rich website that is accessible at: http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/. In addition to many guides and tutorials on finding architecture-related information, the site boasts an extensive database of Las Vegas architects and buildings information, as well as planning information relevant to the Vegas valley.