The University of New Mexico School of Architecture and Planning is hosting a competition for Silver City High School juniors and seniors interested in pursuing a career in architecture.
To compete, students write an essay about the environmental impact of globalization on Grant County. “We encourage the students to think about how MTV, the Internet and even Wal-Mart have changed the way we participate in our environment,” said Tim Castillo, Silver native and UNM assistant professor of architecture.
A second option is to write about Grant County and what it represents, including a description about its architecture. “With the mines closing, Silver City is being transformed into a retirement community. As the community looks at emerging plans for the Big Ditch, sustainable tourism is one topic to be explored,” Castillo said.
Castillo is spearheading a visit by representatives of UNM on Thursday and Friday, April 14-15. Awards for winning entries will be given at an assembly at Silver high on Friday, April 15. Judges will come from the local business community. Following the assembly, the award recipients and their parents will be honored at a luncheon.
To submit an entry, contact Castillo at (505) 277-1063 or timc@unm.edu.
“The competition is a way to draw potential architecture students out of an area of the state underrepresented at UNM and in the School of Architecture and Planning,” said Roger Schluntz, dean.
Work by Castillo’s UNM students will be exhibited at the high school. Included in the exhibit will be proposals for a visitor’s center at the Very Large Array. “The images were created using 3D Studio, a computer modeling program. The exhibit will give students a sense of what architecture is about,” he said. Hand drafted student work will also be exhibited.
Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920