Graduate School of Fine Arts sets up first 'paperless' studio

Keeping pace with technological advancements in other areas of education, the Graduate School of Fine Arts launched a new electronic studio on the fourth floor of Meyerson Hall this semester with a course in "Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning." The school designed its first paperless studio in accordance with wider trends toward more digital classes -- ranging from photography to architecture. "Design today is a lot different then just putting sticks together," GSFA Dean Gary Hack said. "Computers are changing the face of architecture and landscape architecture. In a few years we may not even recognize it." Previously, Fine Arts students used the computer lab on the third floor of Meyerson Hall. But GSFA students and faculty can now explore the state-of-the-art computing tools for design and planning in a less crowded environment. And, while studio teaching remains central to all of the school's disciplines, the new facility allows students to keep in touch with the latest trends in design. "Our intention is to integrate the use of current technology as fully as possible within the studio setting," said GSFA Director of Computing Mark Aseltine. Beginning this semester, the school will assign the space to faculty who have expressed an interest in using its unique capabilities. Among those using the studio will be students in the landscape architecture and regional planning course, "Transforming the Urban Landscape," which focuses on the Mill Creek watershed of West Philadelphia. Students will work with teachers and children from the Sulzberger Middle School to document environmental and community history and develop designs to make better use of the vacant land near the school that will be published on the World Wide Web. The graduate students will then use the studio's new digital media systems to teach the students about the environment -- while they simultaneously learn about the area. "I hope to gain a greater understanding of computer skills, specifically how to use them toward design work and landscaping," Fine Arts graduate student Charlie Neer said. Students will use standard drawing tables, in addition to 15 high-end microcomputers. The systems -- which were purchased and installed this summer -- are configured to support the types of analysis, modeling and visualization work which will be done in a studio. Each system is equipped with high speed two- and three-dimensional accelerator cards, in addition to other technical advances allowing students to pair their creative talents with current technology. Aseltine said that the software available for the new systems includes computer aided design, geographic information systems, World Wide Web authoring, image procession and visualization applications. All of the systems are connected to PennNet and have shared access to a central file server and printer. A color flatbed scanner is also available.