ABOUT | archdsgn

ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

The Architectural Design Department @ The Guthrie Center shares the vision of SCI-Arc and approaches architecture as a discipline and a profession.

It is structured in five semi-autonomous discipline groups:

Architectural Design

Building Technology

Computer Technology

History, Theory, and Criticism of Architecture

Culture

The Guthrie Center's Architecural Department is dedicated to training exceptional architects, industrial designers, interior designers, construction managers, and other related fields who are enriched by a global view of the disciplines and are prepared to serve as cultural leaders of the 21st century.

Our goal is for all students to enter a

5 year NAAB accredited college architecture program; a 4+2 year degree program; a 4 year program in a related field; a 2 year degree program in a related field; or receive a technical certification in a related or complementary field. More information about the courses and program may be found [HERE]

Our Architectural Design faculty, with a combined 36 years experience in the field, believes critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving spark further learning.

Our architectural faculty run the classes like professional studio and college studio environments, empowering the students to learn and grow in the responsibility and maturity in learning, helping each other, asking questions, exploring, etc.

Students are educated in the process of architectural design through projects and the annual Michael G. Meyers Design Competition sponsored by the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. This competition provides students the opportunity to network with practicing architects and professors of architecture. Our students have achieved great success in this competition by winning scholarship monies and scholarships to the summer architectural program offered at the University of Houston. Architectural students at the Guthrie Center have won over 70 awards and have used the competition as a catapult for acceptance to architectural schools around the world.

When completing the courses in architectural design, students develop a strong portfolio that can be used for admission to competitive architecture schools. Guthrie Architectural Design students have been accepted to architectural schools at Cornell, Rice, UT Austin, Pratt in NYC, Kansas State, Auburn, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute which have been ranked in the top 10 architectural schools in the nation by Design Intelligence in the past 5 years. Many other students gained entrance in architectural programs at Texas A&M, University of Houston, Texas Tech, Tulane, and Oklahoma State. We also have students studying architecture in France, Mexico, and in Japan. The Guthrie Center offers three levels of Architectural Design available to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Students are qualified to take the certification examination for AutoDesk Certified User in AutoCAD and/or Revit.

ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN INSTRUCTORS

Fuad Loutfi,

I am both honored and excited to be here at the Guthrie Center, not only as an instructor, but also as a former SBISD graduate.

With an architectural degree from UH College of Architecture, Environmental Design, and a math minor I professionally worked in architecture for about 12 years before primarily teaching. Traveling and studying abroad (Centre d’Etude d’ Architecture in Saintes, France) sparked an appreciation for the various techniques and elements other cultures and countries incorporate into their design and architecture.

As students prepare for either a professional degree in architecture, a related 4 year degree, a technical certification, service, and/or the workforce, I am honored to help them generally grow and mature as young adults. By exploring the various avenues of architecture and design, I hope to inspire students to awaken to the thoughtful creativity that comes from critical thinking and resourcefulness in developing their approach to architectural design.

Xavier Martinez,

I am very excited and privileged to be teaching at the Guthrie Center SBISD. My goal is to prepare students to enter architecture, interior design, and construction management schools. I have ten years of architectural experience as a Project Coordinator with Kirksey Architecture. I have worked on academic buildings, residence halls and dining halls for the University of St. Thomas, Texas Woman’s University, Texas A&M University, and Lee College, to name a few. I received my Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Houston. While attending UH, I had the opportunity to study abroad at the Centre d’Etude d’ Architecture in Saintes, France and work at the offices of Oscar Tusquets in Barcelona, Spain. I am currently a part-time AutoCAD instructor for the University of Houston - Dowtown.