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SCI-Arc alumni continue to make an indelible mark on the global design landscape, pioneering new approaches in architecture, technology, and interdisciplinary practices. With a reputation for fostering radical experimentation, the school has produced graduates whose work challenges conventions and redefines spatial possibilities. Recent alumni achievements underscore SCI-Arc’s role in shaping the next generation of architects and creative thinkers.
Innovators in the Field
Among SCI-Arc’s notable alumni, several have garnered recognition for their groundbreaking work. Connor Gravelle (B.Arch ’17), founder of Good Project, was recently honored with an AIA|LA Design Award for his inventive approach to architectural fabrication and material research. His work challenges conventional construction methods by integrating robotic fabrication, computational design, and emerging materials to create more efficient and adaptable building systems. Through Good Project, Gravelle explores how digital tools and automation can redefine architectural production, emphasizing sustainability, accessibility, and the evolving relationship between design and technology.
Vivian Charlesworth (MS in Fiction and Entertainment ’21), an interdisciplinary designer and Professor at Scripps College, has gained recognition for her immersive installations and speculative architecture, exploring the intersection of storytelling, and built environments. Her work merges cinematic techniques with spatial design, creating thought-provoking installations that transport audiences into new narratives. Charlesworth’s most recent artwork, As Real as the Here, is a three degrees of freedom (3 DOF) non-linear virtual reality film that explores an alternative post-911 world in which alternative facts and evolving belief systems shift the architectural and social makeup of a city. Through collaborations with artists and technologists, Charlesworth continues to redefine how architecture interacts with visual culture.
Evelyn Tickle (M.Arch ’94), founder of Crete, is redefining the role of concrete in the built environment with her pioneering bio-receptive material technology. Her award-winning (US National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grantee) research focuses on designing concrete surfaces that actively support plant and microbial life, turning static infrastructure into living, ecologically beneficial systems. Through Crete, Tickle has developed products like Reef Tiles, which enhance marine biodiversity, and Green Surface Panels, which enable vegetation growth on urban structures. Her work demonstrates how material innovation can bridge architecture and environmental restoration, advancing more sustainable and regenerative design solutions.
Emerging Voices in Architecture and Beyond
Jackson Lukas (M.Arch ’18) has forged a unique path in animation and world-building as a designer at DreamWorks, where he applies his architectural background to digital storytelling. His work involves crafting intricate environments that balance aesthetic appeal with spatial logic, enhancing the believability of animated worlds. Lukas credits SCI-Arc’s emphasis on experimentation and cross-disciplinary thinking for equipping him with the skills to navigate both architecture and entertainment design. His career highlights the expanding influence of architectural training beyond the built environment, into the realm of film, gaming, and immersive media.
Runze Zhang (M.Arch ’18) leads TikTok’s Effect House, where he empowers creators to push the boundaries of augmented reality (AR) through intuitive design tools. His work focuses on developing an accessible platform for building AR effects, enabling users to experiment with spatial interactions and immersive digital experiences. Zhang credits SCI-Arc’s emphasis on speculative design and computational thinking for shaping his approach to AR innovation. By bridging architecture and digital media, he is redefining how people engage with virtual spaces, fostering new forms of creative expression on a global scale.
Alessio Grancini (M.Arch ’18) is shaping the future of augmented reality (AR) at Magic Leap, where he develops immersive experiences that blend digital content with the physical world. As a designer specializing in spatial computing, he focuses on creating intuitive AR interfaces that enhance user interaction, from workplace collaboration to creative workflows. Grancini draws on SCI-Arc’s emphasis on computational design and digital experimentation to navigate the evolving AR landscape. His work explores how mixed reality can redefine design processes, unlocking new ways for people to engage with digital and physical spaces.
Impacting the Future of Design
Aja Zarrehparvar (M.Arch ’18) brings an architectural mindset to her role at Nike, where she blends digital design, material innovation, and performance wear. Her work focuses on integrating parametric design and advanced fabrication techniques, such as 3D knitting and generative design, to create products that enhance movement and adaptability. She sees strong parallels between architecture and product design, particularly in how materials, structure, and functionality intersect. Zarrehparvar attributes her time at SCI-Arc with honing her collaborative skills and expanding her approach to creation and fabrication, enabling her to thrive in a dynamic, team-driven design environment.
Lena Pozdnyakova (MS Design Theory & Pedagory ’19), founder of Studio Pozdnyakova, is known for her innovative approach to digital fabrication and material research. Her work investigates how advanced computational techniques and robotic manufacturing can push the boundaries of architectural expression. Recently, she developed Transmedium, a project that explores the interplay between physical and digital environments through adaptive materials and responsive design. The project was featured at the 2024 Venice Biennale as part of the Kazakhstan pavilion. Pozdnyakova’s practice reflects SCI-Arc’s emphasis on exploration, blending innovative computation with hands-on material experimentation to redefine how spaces evolve and interact.
Matthew Pugh (B.Arch ’16) has established himself as an innovative force in architectural visualization, producing hyper-realistic renderings and cinematic presentations that push the boundaries of architectural storytelling. His firm specializes in VR experiences that allow clients to inhabit digital representations of their projects before they are built, revolutionizing the way designers communicate spatial concepts. By integrating gaming engines and real-time rendering software, Pugh is at the forefront of the evolving relationship between architecture and interactive media.
As SCI-Arc continues to evolve as a hub for experimental design thinking, its alumni remain at the forefront of shaping the built environment and beyond. Their success underscores the school’s commitment to challenging norms, fostering curiosity, and equipping graduates with the tools to navigate and redefine the future of architecture and design. By embracing new technologies, rethinking material applications, and expanding architecture’s role in adjacent industries, SCI-Arc graduates continue to influence how we live, work, and interact with the world around us.
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