Rebecca Dobrinski

Planned by third-year studio instructor Matt Leavell ’01, the group spent a September weekend exploring one of the oldest cities in the US:
Boston is a treasure trove for architecture students. Founded over a century before the American Revolution, the diverse range of architectural styles reflect the city’s economics, skills, politics and civic engagement.
“Students experienced many of the ‘-isms’ they have encountered throughout their education: colonialism, federalism, brutalism and modern...

These Birmingham-based professionals are spending the fall and spring semesters with third- and fifth-year students. From leading projects and field trips outside the Studio to crafting new ideas and developing their architecture and communication styles, this year’s students get to benefit from a variety of perspectives.
Marshall Anderson ’97 — Modular Construction Seminar
Marshall Anderson is the co-founder of Design Initiative, an architecture firm focused on regionally specific design and...

For the first time in its history, the immersive program is offering students housing a few blocks from the Auburn in Birmingham building.
“Housing has always been a challenge for students interested in Urban Studio,” Director Alex Krumdieck ‘86 shared. “For fifth years, it was a bit easier since they’re here for both semesters. But for third years, finding an affordable short-term lease has been a significant barrier to studying here.”
“Housing was definitely the biggest hurdle, for not just...

To develop the comprehensive plan, the team, led by Poole & Company Architects, needed an urban analysis to understand these neighborhoods, their connections to each other and how they relate to the Birmingham’s Central Business District (CBD). With the many ongoing, planned and potential projects in the area, the team needed to see a broad, holistic view of the neighborhoods to identify opportunities for different types of development, particularly in relation to sites near Orlando Health’s ...

This fall, Director Alex Krumdieck ’86 invited New Orleans-based architect and Auburn University College of Architecture, Design and Construction (CADC) alum Jonathan Tate ’97 to speak with the students.
Tate established his firm, OJT, in 2011 “as a creative, expansive and exploratory practice with a desire to contribute to contemporary discourse.” One of OJT’s focuses is housing—also a focus of the fifth years’ planning and thesis projects.
“While I was at Auburn, I really appreciated hearin...

The event brings together students, alumni and the local architecture community to celebrate another year of students in Birmingham and provides students with valuable networking opportunities.
The event was sponsored by SS&L Architects, Niles Bolton Associates and Birchfield Penuel Architects, three of the many local firms who regularly partner with the Urban Studio.
“If it had been an option when I was in school, Urban Studio would have been my first choice,” said Jimmy H. Seay, Jr. ’74, Se...

By examining restaurants and talking with local architects, students had the opportunity to experience how Birmingham’s restaurant interiors create different atmospheres. Then, they interpreted these experiences in designs of their own.
The 2025 summer thesis, Constructing Phenomena, built upon the site and program of last year’s projects. Students returned to the site, a vacant building adjacent to the historic Carver Theatre for the Performing Arts, to imagine what the building would look l...

At its April meetings, Birmingham’s Design Review Committee approved the next phase of the Lakeview Marina development, signage plans, and portions of two new construction projects.
The multiuse courtyard at Lakeview Marina will also serve as an outdoor music space for acts who draw smaller crowds, a sized space the Birmingham music scene is lacking.
The Lakeview Marina courtyard will feature a stage, food truck parking, children’s play area, covered dining, and permanent airstreams to provid...

Bringing in local architects to work with the students is a fixture at Auburn’s Urban Studio.
From participating in juries to lecturing on different topics, students learn from a variety of working professionals during their time in Birmingham. Many of these architects return to work with students year after year.
Birmingham-based architect and artist Adrienne Retief ’84 has developed a deep relationship with Urban Studio. She is a regular during fifth-year juries and returns often to teach...

For our next installment of “Nine Questions”, we spent a few e-moments with DesignAlabama Board Member Jeremy Cutts. After graduating from Auburn University (’10), Jeremy started his career at Williams Blackstock Associates and is now Associate Architect with the firm. In addition to his service with DesignAlabama, Jeremy is involved the Junior Board at Workshops Empowerment Inc. as well as with AIA Birmingham...

From Ensley to Redmont Park, signage, murals, and demolition projects were the focus of the first Design Review Committee meeting of May. A demolition project in Ensley kicked off the meeting. Comprised of four attached storefronts, an engineering report demonstrated how the buildings are in extreme disrepair and possibly beyond repair.
The owner of the property explained his concerns for public safety and that there was currently no intended use for the location, although he did not rule out...

Preservation advocate and attorney Samuel H. Frazier passed away on May 13, 2025, at his home in Decatur following a brief illness. He was 80 years old.
Frazier’s passion for historic preservation and urban renewal often fed both his law practice and his civic engagement. The primary emphasis of his corporate practice included municipal law, public finance, real estate and historic tax credits. ...

Optometric Education is published three times per year. To access Optometric Education online, please go to www.opted.org. A limited license to use Optometric Education for your personal, educational or other noncommercial use is provided to ASCO members and the general public. No part of this journal may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means for any commercial purpose without permission in writing from ASCO. Use of information in this journal is voluntary.

For those who spent their final academic year living and learning in Birmingham, that impact was tangible. Immersed in the fabric of a living city, these students navigated its historic footprint, engaged with community leaders and developed thoughtful responses to complex urban challenges.
“The Urban Studio is designed to prepare students for what working in a firm will actually be like,” said Director Alex Krumdieck ’86...

At Urban Studio, internships come in all shapes and sizes. From the wide variety of local firms to individual projects, students get a taste of what their work life will be like after graduation.
For fifth-year student Han Li, an internship offered the opportunity to bring together Urban Studio and the City of Birmingham’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability (ORS).
Originally organized in 2023 as part of the Civic Design Team, ORS is tasked with developing recovery frameworks for the city...