
What are IARC's core values? Community, innovation, stewardship and authenticity. In recognizing that design is a collaborative effort of people, not sole designers, IARC prides itself on the core value of community as students and faculty regularly participate in activities within the academic community. Importantly they acknowledge that "ivory tower" skills and thinking must make the jump to the world beyond. Thus, they regularly connect with individuals and community partners in Greensboro and beyond for students to have rich and rewarding experiences in making the world a better place through design.
Last semester, you may recall that the department's work included an exhibit on modernism in design, an honor's project to install a display system at The Green Bean and furniture to populate IARC's own hallway as seating to create opportunities to foster community within the program. All of these projects relied heavily on university and community partners and celebrated, in some facet, the unique spirit of Greensboro and the UNCG campus. Moreover, IARC regularly invites community partners and design professionals to serve as reviewers for student work -- yet another way to connect to the community.
The spring semester is no different as several studios will be engaged in hypothetical projects based on real world sites -- and in the case of two projects with IARC's partner, the YWCA of Greensboro, "real world" projects to benefit the Triad. To give you a taste of what's going on, following is a brief list of projects with which faculty, students and partners are engaged: