Student Youssef Hachchane Wins Spectacular Studio Award for Campus Extension

SCI-Arc undergraduate student Youssef Hachchane (B.Arch ’25) has just been announced as the winner of the 2024 Spectacular Design Studio Award. Completed in December 2023 and published in May of this year, Hachchane’s winning submission imagines a futuristic extension to SCI-Arc’s downtown Los Angeles Arts District campus. Inspired by Paul Rudolph's Brutalism and design techniques, entitled Harmonia, Hachchan notes of his proposal: “This was a solo [effort], creating the entire project using multiple methods, including digital and physical modeling.”

Featuring a unique diagonal circulation, with stairs and elevators that travel diagonally through four diagonal cores, the program distribution in the new building aligns harmoniously with SCI-Arc's studio and classroom layout. New additions included in the design are dormitories, a restaurant, additional classrooms, and a new W.M. Keck Lecture Hall, which is centrally located in Harmonia and designed to accommodate large exhibitions and lectures.

“Harmonia’s building is conveniently located directly above the existing school, making it easily accessible for future SCI-Arc students.” Additionally, explains Youssef, “future SCI-Arc students will use flying cars!” Therefore, two major hubs are located at both ends of the building, with additional secondary hubs distributed in the middle according to the rotation of the building's form.

To learn more about Spectacular Design Studio and its competition, as well as Hachchane’s project, visit the organization’s website.