The Power of Precast Studios

One of the most exciting parts of being involved in the PCI Education Foundation is that it has given me a unique opportunity to interact with architecture students in new ways. That interactive has allowed me to get to know several students who have felt the impact of the Foundation.

Dan Kolb of Prestress Engineering Company LLC and Brian Bock of Dukane Precast participate with students at the IIT Studio.

One student, Christopher Chiu, who was graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology, had this to say about his experience:  

Upon my arrival into the advanced studio segment of my undergraduate studies, I was happy to see that Professor (Tom) Brock was teaching an advanced studio focused on the design of a charter school using precast concrete as the principal building material. The studio course was in fact, the pilot semester of a series of precast concrete studios headed by Professor Brock and sponsored by the Precast Concrete Institute (PCI). Although the course was in its infancy, it was, by far, the most comprehensive studio I've participated in a part of my undergraduate studies, and I feel that the results are clear indicators of the effective teaching methods implemented throughout the semester. In the spring of 2008, I and another student from the same studio course placed among the top three participants int he PCI Student Design Competition; the designs submitted were the ones developed during the precast concrete studio with Professor Brock.

These awards were a result of the innovative teaching method which the professor integrated into the course. A strong emphasis on collaboration between industry professionals (precast concrete producers and structural engineers) allowed the students to engage the 'real life' aspect of project design, which is lacking in most other studio courses. The accent on precast concrete fabrication methods, logistical issues and construction assemblies and sequences as they all relate to precast concrete construction played a significant role in the final resolutions. After seeing the effectiveness of the method, it is hard for me to comprehend why I had not been introduced to this design approach prior to this particular studio course.

Innovation is often hard work. With the Precast Studio at IIT, we were blessed with a triumvirate of support that made it much easier, the professor who advocates for industry involvement, the local PCI members who took a great interest in the school and students, and -- of course -- the PCI Education Foundation that made it possible in the first place.

That studio is what started my committed involvement in the PCI Foundation. The dollars raised through the raffle, auction, and other efforts go directly to make a difference in how architects understand and build with precast materials. And, as you can see from the comments of Christopher Chiu, the PCI Foundation is setting our industry apart as a leader in education.

If you want to participate in helping fund the PCI Auction and Raffle by donating a prize, contact Marianne Methvan of Hamilton Forms.