2010 Winners
Yunnan Allen is a designer in HMC Architects’ Los Angeles office whose submittal was entitled “China Rising: Extreme Juxtaposition.” She proposed to immerse herself in the diverse musical heritage of China as an auditory link to its culture. Allen experienced contrasting musical adventures that range from the Beijing Opera to Shanghai punk rock; and from the ancient music of Naxi to the influence of the Western violin on Chinese culture. Travelling from Beijing to Shanghai to Dali, she concluded her adventure with intensive violin training in Kunming. She documented her trip with a mix of journals, photo diaries, and audio recordings. Read more about her trip.
Danny Schapker is a designer in HMC Architects’ Irvine office, who has always dreamed of archeology. His entry was titled “Archeological Expedition—Romania.” He planned a three-week journey to Romania to pursue his lifelong dream in a place considered to be one of the few remaining archeological frontiers. While training with a volunteer archeological group called Projects Abroad, he began his adventure in Deva, joined an actual dig in Avrig, and worked with the Museum in Alba Julia and Cluj. Finally, Schapker concluded his journey with a backpacking trip through the Carpathian Mountains. He plans to document the details of his trip in a series of journals.
2009 Winner
Jesse Miller is a project leader out of our Ontario office who proposed to participate in a one week summer course in Renaissance Architecture at the Florence Institute of Design International. By studying the concepts and applications of Renaissance Architecture in the heart of Florence, Italy, Jesse aspired to trace the footsteps of some of history’s greatest Renaissance artisans. He shared his findings through a series of notes and sketches, and translated his education to his own professional life.
2008 Winners
Evan Troxel is a Design Leader in our Ontario office. He traveled to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia to study firsthand the ecological diversity and environmental threats to the region. He recorded his experiences through photographic, written, and graphic documentation.
Emily Kay, Senior Construction Administrator in our Irvine office, followed in the footsteps of her stonemason grandfather and traveled to Provence, France, to participate in the La Sebrenanque program. She was an apprentice stonemason on Saint Victor La Coste for one week and learned the ancient art of stonemasonry.
2007 Winner
In his entry titled “Things That Disappear,” David Fennema proposed to travel to Glacier National Park, Yankee Stadium, and Havana Cuba to initiate a lifelong ambition to document things that are disappearing from our physical environment. He supplemented his investigation with readings of Hemmingway and baseball historian Glen Stout, and shared his travels through photography. View David’s photo documentary.
