by Maria Khan
Staff Writer
The Greek order has nothing to do with fraternities or sororities, except for, maybe, the houses they occupy. If Corinthian or Gothic columns are more your style, then architecture may be the niche you're looking for.
The University of Houston Hines College of Architecture is sponsoring the Summer Discovery Program, a six-week summer program to introduce high school students to architecture.
However, the program is also open to undergraduates who are interested in architecture, said Drexel Turner, assistant to the dean of the College of Architecture.
"It's not a blatant recruiting thing," Turner said. "Basically, you can find out if architecture is for you or not. And if you discover that it's something you want to pursue, then (the course) gives you a good understanding."
The college offered this program for the first time last year.
Classes are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Fridays will be reserved for field trips to job sites, architects' offices and some of Houston's most notable buildings.
Last year's field trip sites included the Menil Collection, Alley Theatre, Transco Tower and Bayou Bend.
During the first hour of class, students will be taught different aspects of architecture, ranging from fundamental concepts of structure to the history of architecture.
The remaining time will be devoted to hands-on learning where students will complete small designer problems, similar to what they would do as freshman architecture majors.
Classes are taught by college-level faculty. David Thaddeus and Nora Laos, both associate professors who participated in the program last summer, are slated to teach again this year, Turner said.
"I'm looking forward to this. I'm excited about teaching my segment," Thaddeus said.
Last year, the major project for students was to construct a chair from corrugated cardboard without any glue. Thaddeus added that the chair had to withstand the weight of the heaviest person in the group.
"There were some very interesting designs," Thaddeus said.
Turner said other schools like Harvard, Cornell, the University of Southern California and the University of Texas have been offering a similar program for a while.
However, the cost of those programs ranges from $2,000 to $4,000. UH is charging students $285 and scholarships are available for those demonstrating financial need.
"I know one student who participated in the program last year and it crystallized his interest (in architecture)," Thaddeus said.
Last year, the program received 100 applicants and accepted half of those. This year, Turner said, it wants to accommodate 50 to 60 students. Applications are due by May 1.
No grades or academic credit are given. However, a written evaluation and certificate of completion are awarded to each student.
Students wanting to major in architecture are not required to participate in the program. However, Turner said, "It would not hurt and the program is for the students."
"One of the worst things that could happen is that a student go into a major and then find out they're not so crazy about it," Thaddeus said.
For an application or more information, call the College of Architecture at 743-2400.