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College of Design

Friday, July 19, 2013

David G. Arkin

University of Minnesota - B.Arch '88

What was the most important thing/skill/concept you learned at the School of Architecture?
Collaboration is key for integrated projects.

Who made the most lasting impression (most influenced you) and why?
Dale Mulfinger, because he taught me that the process and people are as important as the end product.

What is your favorite memory from your studio days?
Listening to the soundtrack to Monty Python and the Holy Grail night after night, and other shenanigans not fit to print.

Please identify one (or more) memorable design project that you worked on while a student at the School of Architecture.
My thesis was a proposal for the light rail in the Twin Cities, laying out several lines and proposing that the first to be installed should be the connection from downtown Minneapolis to the Airport - which ended up getting built first. I designed two stations along that corridor and thanks to a lot of help from dear friends, I pulled off the design in the final weeks, including two models which were the only things I pointed to in my final presentation, apparently a first.

What major forces (such as individual architects, design philosophies, rendering styles, research methods, etc.) do you remember influencing you significantly as a student?
I recall participating in lively debates over the perils of parking lots in front of urban buildings, which culminated in organizing a protest of some developments near campus. This had students engaged with Minneapolis City Planners, who were very generous with their time and supportive of our positions.

Cite an example (be specific) that illustrates how you used the education you received at the School of Architecture to positively impact (or better) your community, city, nation or the world.
I'm starting my ninth year as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner for the City of Albany in California. Our firm has been promoting ecological design from the outset; I helped found and currently serve on the Board as an Outreach Coordinator of the California Straw Building Association (CASBA). I served as national president of Architects Designers Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR). In 2010 Joe Lambert, Ken Smith, and myself re-established the SPQR Fellowship at the U of M College of Design.



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