SMC Arc & IArc Students Place Third in Prestigious National Architecture Competition

SMC Interior/Architecture Students Place Third at Prestigious National Architecture Competition

First Community College to Advance to Finals at The Barbara G. Laurie (BGL) Student Design Competition Hosted by National Organization of Minority Architects

SANTA MONICA, CA—Santa Monica College (SMC) architecture (“Arc”) and interior architectural design (“IArc”) students won third place at the annual Barbara G. Laurie (BGL) Student Design Competition hosted by the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). SMC remains the only community college ever to reach the finals of this prestigious national competition; this is the second consecutive year the college’s students advanced to the final round. The awards were announced during the NOMA conference held in Kansas City from Oct. 8-12, 2025.

The BGL Student Design Competition featured the work of 41 National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) chapters from across the country. Alongside SMC, the list of participating schools included Cornell University, UCLA, UC Berkeley, USC, Pratt Institute, Georgia Tech, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and Cal Poly Pomona.

The student design teams were tasked with designing a mixed-use development in Kansas City, Missouri, encompassing multi-generational housing, a cultural center, and a third program of their choice, which the SMC team proposed as a multi-use creative space. The SMC students’ design aimed to support the Paseo West community which has been affected by years of racialized disinvestment, by rebuilding the neighborhood in a way that is inclusive, supportive, and grounded in the voices of residents.

SMC students spent eight months working on their entry piece which was entitled ‘Cadence.’ Their building's massing—which was inspired by the history of jazz—draws on themes of rhythm and resilience. Reflecting jazz’s departure from traditional musical structures, their design features dynamically offset volumes that evoke a distinct sense of cadence and swing. The multi-use space serves as a moment of syncopation—an unexpected rhythm within the architectural composition, much like a riff in a jazz piece. In the first of two rounds, competitors gave a five-minute presentation via Zoom in early August, after which a jury selected the top sixteen to advance to the final round for a 10-minute presentation held in person in Kansas City, MO.

SMC Interior Architecture student Coco Martino stated that pouring “countless hours into something I love pushed me to grow in ways I never expected, both as a designer and as a teammate.” “Winning was simply the icing on the cake,” she said. “Before this experience, I hadn’t fully realized the possibilities within interior architecture. . . throughout this process, I have learned an immense amount about the industry, about taking design to the next level, and most importantly, about myself.”

Architecture student Candice Sledd added that the process taught her how to “turn abstract concepts into a cohesive project and collaborate with a team that contributed diverse ideas, all while working under strict parameters and deadlines.”

“This year was the first time we combined the Interior and Architectural Design curriculum into one shared studio,” said SMC Professor of Interior Architectural Design Josephine Hao. “Students from both programs shared their unique perspectives, challenged assumptions, and refined their design thinking. Along the way, they developed a greater appreciation for each other's discipline. The result speaks for itself — the team made history not just for NOMA, for community colleges, and for SMC, but most importantly, for themselves!”

Santa Monica College has degree and certificate options available in both architecture and interior architectural design. The unique feature of SMC’s architecture and interior architectural design programs lies in how they are integrated—sharing some foundational curricula and technology—while also maintaining the distinction: interior architectural design focusing on human interaction with space, emphasizing interior furnishings and finishes, and architecture addressing building forms and site context.

SMC also provides four design studios—traditionally at the core of an architecture education, but not always available at two-year colleges. Articulation agreements in place at seven California architecture schools—with more in the works—allow SMC students to transfer to five-year baccalaureate degrees in architecture at the third-year level.

With housing shortages reported across America, the building sector of the economy is in expansion. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the market for architects will grow by 8 percent over the next 10 years. SMC enrollments reflect these trends. A combined 150 students pass through the IArc and Arc programs annually, including a number of international students. The student body is notable for its diversity, as evidenced by the dynamism of its NOMAS chapter. Architecture/Interior Architecture professor Javier Cambron advises the SMC NOMAS student club, along with Michael Rocchio, an architectural historian who teaches in the college’s Art History program.

Last year, an SMC student team also won two of the three awards in the Design Village challenge, hosted by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Both the architecture and interior architectural design programs are housed within SMC’s Design Technology department. For more information, visit smc.edu/architecture or email Cambron_Javier@smc.edu. Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).

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