Virginia Tech's Washington Alexandria Architecture Center has an excellent M. Arch program for those who approach it with an open mind. The integration of architecture and landscape architecture students and faculty is fantastic.

WAAC accepts many exchange students from other US and international schools; this enriches the demographics. A very small percentage of the 100 +/- student body is actually in the VT M.Arch program, but the faculty really cares about that segment of the demographic.

You can find a few other threads here that talk about WAAC by using the search function in this forum. Of note recently was the departure of Marco, which you can read about more in detail. Marco was a good professor for the Center, but the remaining faculty members are still exceptional.

Feel free to email me with specific questions.

Agree with all of DCA's comments. Sure I was fortunate enough to work one-one with Marco surin my Thesis, but the remaining faculty as filled in nicely (specially Paul Emmons and Susan Piedmont-Palladino) Word of caution: if you are looking for great computer facilities, this scholl doesn't have them...however there is a great wood/mtl shop. Faculty is very open and will let you explore whatever you want.

I was only there for a semester, but I suffered greatly under Jan Holt and Susan Piedmont-Palladino. Studio culture was much more conservative than what I was accustomed to, with Louis Kahn and Norberg-Schulz as the main influences - depart from the accepted dogma and you can expect to have your work dismissed. I haven't ever been to an institution with such a narrow focus that was enforced across all of the faculty. That might be a good thing if it happens to coincide with your interests, but you should take a trip there for yourself and review the work for yourself to see if you would fit.

It takes a semester or two to get acquainted with what WAAC is trying to teach you. (In my thesis defense, I even said, "In the beginning, I had no idea WHAT you were trying to teach me." It got a good laugh.) I probably would have had a poor opinion of the place if I only spent one semester there.

There is the "semester abroad" mentality versus the "I'm here for the duration of my degree" mentality. It sounds like presbyopia is interested in sticking around for more than a semester.

That certainly could be right - just a caveat from someone who didn't have a good experience at Va Tech.

thanks guys. yes, i'm looking at the waac for the duration of a m. arch 2 as an experienced and licensed potential student. I have a regionalist bent to my interests and work.

I’m trying to get a grip on what the southeast and mid-atlantic have to offer. apparently not a lot of nc state archinecters.

what're housing options at waac? old town apartments are look'n pricey.

i should add, i gathered from a comparison of blacksburg and waac curriculums that the latter has a stronger arch history/theory orientation. is that accurate?

A fair number of folks live adjacent to the school in the Church property, which I remember being fairly cheap. I think others are fairly scattered... there were some orange and blue line folks in my studio.

There is definitely a place for returning students at WAAC. However, there seems to be a higher percentage of returning landscape architecture students over architecture students. It works out okay, though, because the students in both majors are so well integrated.

In the Fall of 2002, VT purchased an adjacent building for studios and classrooms. Many of the landscape architecture students have studios there; it's quieter for the most part. I shared a thesis office in that building with a landscape architecture student - ah, good times.

Janosh is referring to "The Gallery" that has apartments for students. Otherwise, the cost of living in the general DC area is high. There's not much more that I can add to that, other than wishing you luck in finding a place you can afford.

I spent my last year at the WAAC as an exchange with LSU. If you do decide to attend, try to get a place at the Gallery. It is a hell of alot cheaper than Old Town plus it is alot of fun intergrating with all of the students from different countries and schools and not to mention the roof parties and proximity to King Street. As far as the program: You definitely get out of it what you put into it. Believe me, it willl be alot more lenient than the school you are at right now, but being at the WAAC exposed me to more Urban Theory classes. It was very fun and enlighting and plus you have wealth of possibilities to work in a variety of firms around the Metropolitan Area.