The (CEE)² Program teamed up with New World Architects’ (NWA) Summer Camp to tour the construction site of the new Bechtel Engineering Center on UC Berkeley’s campus. This environmental design-based camp focuses on educating middle school students from underrepresented communities about various architectural professions. Now in its 10th year, the NWA camp organizers integrated Construction and Building Systems into their dynamic curriculum.
The Bechtel Engineering Center tour was led by Christopher Jacobs (Jobsite Safety Coordinator) and Zach Saljian (Senior Project Manager) from XL Construction, the General Contractor of the project. Donned with hard hats, safety goggles and high visibility vests, the campers learned about steel beams, shear walls and metal decking while exploring the two-story addition to the historic engineering building. A highlight of the tour was viewing the pine tree placed on the topmost steel beam from the recent Topping Out ceremony.
The NWA Summer Camp was founded in 2014 by Jeremiah Tolbert, AIA (CED B.A. Arch. 2004) and Cameron Toler (CED B.A. Arch. 2009). The camp is hosted by UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design in partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Fam1st Family Foundation. Kelly Vernon (CED B.A. Arch. 2003) is the newly appointed (CEE)² Staff Director and joined the camp’s leadership team to integrate Civil & Environmental Engineering initiatives into its programming. This camp has been instrumental in breaking down barriers for local URM youth by empowering them to explore the world of architectural design…and now engineering!