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Two PCC students will be showcasing their work, along with 14 major architecture schools in the 2×8: Skin exhibition March 27.The students selected to participate in this event are architecture majors, Vardan Hambardzumyan, 25, and Andrew Thompson, 20.

For the “2×8: Skin” exhibition, each had to choose a sport and create a Paralympic, which is a training facility for disabled athletes.

“[Hambardzumyan’s] work was chosen because his work displayed maturity and creativity,” said Coleman Griffith, adviser to the students participating in the exhibit and assistant professor of architecture.

Hambardzumyan spent the last 10 weeks working on a visitor’s center for a Paralympic Training Facility.

“We worked on it a lot,” said Hambardzumyan.

Thompson created Paralympics facilities for archery and swimming, which are the two hobbies that he is interested in. “He’s very lucid in the way that he thinks,” said Griffith about Thompson.

“It’s a really long process,” said Thompson.

On Tuesday Thompson received the news that his project submission had won him a $1,500 scholarship sponsored by Taslimi construction Company. He was very happy since there were 36 other contestants who were also participating in the event. With the money, he said he plans to use it to transfer to Sci-Art, Woodburry or UCLA.

Hambardzumyan and Thompson also competed in an annual design competition Saturday in which they had to put together a design in 6 hours. They were competing with several architecture schools such as UCLA, CalState Long Beach and OTIS and received third place.

The American Institute of Architects Los Angeles, which is opening the 2×8: Skin Exhibition, brings together students from schools such as CalState Poly, Pomona, CalState Long Beach, OTIS College of Art and Design, Sci-Arc, UCLA, USC, UC Berkley, and Woodbury University and PCC to participate in the exhibition and scholarship competition.

“I get a great deal of satisfaction,” said Griffith.

Griffith compares being in the exhibition to David and Goliath, where PCC is David and the universities are Goliath.

“I never let being a community college get in the way,” he said.

Each school chooses its top two architecture students to create a model in 10 weeks for the exhibition. “What I do when I select students [is to] choose the most skilled and talented [students] and also try to showcase something about the program that is unique,” said Griffith.

Griffith worked with Hambardzumyan and Thompson for many hours to help them with their projects since they started preparing last February.

“I met with them 6 to 8 times for several hours,” said Griffith.

This year’s exhibition will be held in conjunction with Westweek 2008, which is the west coast’s most important source for interior design and it will take place in the same location as the exhibition. Over 10,000 architects, interior designers, students, and allied professionals are expected to attend.

Both students are very happy and excited to be part of such event.

“It’s been a good experience,” said Thompson.

“I don’t care if I don’t win anything, it’s an honor to be there,” said Hambardzumyan.

The event will take place in The Pacific Design Center Plaza, located in West Hollywood. The exhibition will be open for about one month, though closing date is to be decided. The Pacific Design Center Plaza is open Mondays through Fridays from 9 am to 5 pm.

For more information visit aialosangeles.org

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