At HMC Architects, we are committed to mentoring the next generation of architects and designers and helping students advance in the field of architecture. HMC Architects’ Project Manager Stanley Ng joined a panel of industry leaders to critique the final reviews of 10 California State University Sacramento third-year interior architecture students.   

Building on the collaborative and start-up success of co-working spaces like WeWork; students were tasked with creating a regional and market-specific concept, “Farm to Fork Co-working,” for an old metal building in Sacramento.  The collaborative co-working and maker space will support entrepreneurs and creative individuals who are creating and working within the farm-to-fork space. The space should activate the street by projecting the amenities within and highlighting this new brand while differentiating itself from other co-working offerings. Flexibility and adaptability are the key criteria for this new space. Because of the unique industrial character of the building, students were challenged with honoring the existing structure while defining program areas by creating forms and objects that “float” within the space without touching existing walls. Students synthesized multiple strategies to create a holistic comprehensive design solution and clearly present their designs with two- and three-dimensional drawings.   

HMC’s experience in Sacramento City Unified School District’s Central kitchen inspired the Department of Design’s Lecturer Mark Roddy, FAIA to reach out. While the projects are different, Stanley’s experience brought real-world and timely design feedback to the student projects. “The reviews were great and showcased this semester’s interior architecture students’ creativity and resiliency on this ‘Farm to Fork’ project,” said Ng. “As this was the class’s first experience Critic presentation since COVID, they stepped up to challenge and presented their solutions to this project brief with confidence and pride. There is great talent being displayed.”