32 NORTHERN NEVADA ARCHITECTURE .22 | 2022 | aiann.org these topics as objectives with a specific purpose that challenges the students’ thinking and problem-solving. Through a formal presentation process by the students, regular critiques are provided by instructors and successful practitioners. TMCC’s architectural “Homeless Youth Project” was explored in partnership with the City of Reno and homeless youth service providers. In the Spring of 2018, TMCC students completed an 80-square-foot prototypical transitional “tiny house” for the City of Reno. Passive heating and cooling concepts were integrated throughout. The project entailed research, design, and fullscale built mock-ups. From the program’s onset in the 80s, TMCC’s early focus on sustainability and alternative energy sources formed a unique foundation for architecture coursework and made TMCC a trusted source for Reno’s community. Increasingly, renewable energy systems are a fundamental element for built environments of the future. The importance of this learning focus is substantiated by statistics such as, carbon dioxide emissions by sector, include 28% buildings and operations, 11% building materials and construction, 32% industry; 23% transportation; and 6% other (Architecture 2030, 2020). TMCC students investigate these issues and examine building systems on for the local region. This approach is consistent with the goals of TMCC and the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) to create an educational system that increases awareness of sustainable issues and to apply creative problem-solving for healthier environments. Studying In the High Desert Architecture is always bound to specific site characteristics as a source of creative meaning and environmental influence. TMCC is located within two unique, critical, and underserved regions; the Great Basin and the Northern Sierra Mountain range. TMCC’s BArch program will allow students direct access to this unusual diversity of ecosystems ranging from Alpine Lake Systems to the ecological islands of the Great Basin and the sagebrush steppes of Nevada and Oregon. This kind of ecological rarity is typically unavailable in most architectural programs across the United States. The high desert climate and terrain offers regional and topographical challenges as a basis to instruct for a wide range of conditions. It is a valuable opportunity to immerse students in our unique environment that offers learning within a vast array of circumstances. The Lake Tahoe watershed is exceptionally fragile and is undergoing significant economic transformation due to climate change and tourism. Similar to our neighboring mountain west states (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. Arizona and Nevada) extremes are present such as high wind conditions, heavy snow accumulation, long periods of drought, and dramatic daily and seasonal temperature swings. Architectural solutions must address these issues. Having a real-time relationship to these conditions enables the students to have an immediate understanding of how to create responsibly. With that, TMCC imagines that an architectural graduate would have unique training and design awareness to be proficient in regionally specific sustainable efficiencies, solar design strategies, building electrification, extreme weather effects, drought tolerance, delicate watersheds, urban densification, and wildfire protection. Creative Problem Solving. TMCC’s focus on design methodology is targeted toward perpetuating an innovative future. The Bachelor of Architecture program prepares students to design beautiful spaces and buildings, advocate for broader civic discourse, and lead the future of the architecture profession with determination and excellence. The program will rigorously teach critical thinking that is essential in providing exceptional design to our communities. The teaching staff is dedicated to encouraging individual problem solving as well as collaborative problem solving. Learning will be directed toward research and analysis as a precursor to design. From community planning to individual building and interior architecture, students will be immersed in the discipline of architecture as a wholistic way of thinking. Architects lead clients, engineering consultants, and participate in construction. Therefore, the program will provide students with avenues to leadership on all levels. Effective instruction and feedback is provided by faculty members who are practicing architects. Formal project presentations and reviews of each student’s project include includes outside juror critiques. This strengthens communication skills and validates the pros and cons to architectural solutions. Students are required to think in 3-dimensions through model-building, perspective drawings, digital technologies and hand sketching. TMCC encourages the exploration of many different techniques of design and professional practice strategies. As the students enter the 4th and 5th years of study, more “high level” professional presentations will be required and TMCC plans to engage the students into more dialogue with local current issues and interaction in the community. Tiny House full scale model- Photo provided by TMCC College of Applied Sciences
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