The College of the Desert (COD) and the Desert Sands Unified School District will host a public showcase of student architecture projects from April 25 to 27 at the amphitheater on the Palm Desert Campus of the college.
The amphitheater is located at 43-500 Monterey Ave. The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day.
Attendees will get a first-hand view of the innovative projects of architecture students, including a tiny home crafted by students from COD and the Desert Sands Unified School District, a recent press release said.
“This began as a competition for architecture and design students studying sustainable building and they developed something really impressive,” professor Bert Bitanga, who led the project, said in the release. “The students learned important skills like framing, wiring and plumbing and earned academic credits too.”
A 225-square-foot tiny home will be on display for students and community members who might have missed its debut at the Modernism Week in February. The construction of the winning design started in 2020 with support from a $125,000 Strong Workforce Program (SWP) grant from the state and textbooks provided by the Southwest Carpenters Union. It took 18 months to finish the home, which is equipped with a bathroom, kitchen, sleeping loft, ductless air conditioner, an electronic awning outside and solar power with backup batteries.
Due to another SWP grant, a second home is due for completion in May, and a third one is set to commence construction in the fall.
On Tuesday, the architecture and design exhibit will feature the Roadrunner Makers, which provides student and faculty access to equipment such as 3D printers, laser engravers, a T-shirt heat press and Cricut.
Being one of more than 115 community colleges in California, COD plays a crucial role in the world's largest higher education system. It is governed by the Desert Community College District, which is comprised of five elected Board of Trustees members and a student trustee elected by the student body.
The college was established in 1958, and it opened its doors for the first time in September 1962. As a two-year college, it offers an economical option to transfer students who want to start their college education and transfer to a four-year institution. COD is the leading source of transfer students to California State University at San Bernardino.
The college provides various well-received vocational and technical programs, such as Nursing and Health Sciences, Digital Design and Production, Turf Grass Management & Ornamental Horticulture, Advanced Transportation Technologies, Culinary Arts, and a complete range of Administration of Justice courses at the Public Safety Academy training facility.
For more information, visit collegeofthedesert.edu.