Rebecca Dobrinski

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...

These internships are a bridge between their academic learning and future professional practice. Students are immersed in both the practical experience and real-world situations, giving them a launching point for their post-graduation job search...

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...

2025 Communications Contest First Place Winner for "Writing - Continuing Coverage or Unfolding News" for my coverage of Auburn University's Urban Studio.

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.

Last semester, Urban Studio fifth-year students dove into creating a master plan for the revitalization of one of downtown Birmingham’s busiest one-way streets, Fourth Avenue North.
Through their research, they discovered how such a significant project has the potential to reconnect neighborhoods like Smithfield to downtown and rejuvenate this critical corridor....

DesignAlabama continues to make a transformative impact across the state through its DesignVision program, a dynamic professionalstudent-community partnership. This annual initiative exemplifies our commitment to fostering collaborative design processes that benefit Alabama’s communities while providing invaluable real-world experience for future architects. The 2024 DesignVision Charrette is another testament to how design can bring together diverse voices to create meaningful change.

Throughout the school year Auburn’s Urban Studio hosts regional schools for field trips and recruiting visits.
Last month, Birmingham’s Red Mountain Community School (RMCS) visited Auburn in Birmingham for an exciting Friday architectural scavenger hunt and to learn more about architecture and the role of architects.
Local ACE (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Mentor Program volunteers joined the Urban Studio team to lead small groups through downtown Birmingham...