School of Architecture students and faculty were prominently represented at the AIASF Design Awards Ceremony and Gala.

Architecture students were the recipients of the AIASF 2025 Leadership Award, in the Student Category, for their collaborative work on the Stay Over Program family shelter.

The Award Ceremony was held at the San Francisco War Memorial Performing Arts Center with 300 architects and their collaborators in the audience. Architecture faculty Archer Firouzi, BArch ’15, was the emcee for the event. The award was presented by AIASF board member and Undergraduate Director, Karen Seong:

Over the course of a year and a half, undergraduate students engaged with unhoused families, navigated bureaucratic constraints, and showed how design can be a tool for care and community. The students didn’t just propose an idea — they built it, on schedule and budget. And they learned to co-create.

I had the esteemed honor to teach these students, along with co-faculty Sameena Sitabkhan and Tammy Ho, as well as to champion their project as a juror.

What struck the jury the most was the empathy and humility exercised by the students who held themselves accountable to the families. They adapted the design based on feedback from families and worked together as a true team complementing each other’s strengths. They showed us how co-creation can reach and empower those who are furthest away from the design process.

A special shout out to Calvin Malone, who went above and beyond to support the students in the shop. This project would not have happened without Calvin.

Congratulations to the student team!

Lowai Ghaly, BArch ’23

Mazen Ghaly, BArch ’23

Mohamed Meawad, BArch ’23

Andrew Hart, BArch ’24

Kim Ebueng, BArch

Kenny Soriano, BArch

Edgar Castillo, BArch ’23

Peter Peritos, BArch ’23

Shadi Vakilian, BA ’23

Amanda Estrada, BArch

Giewel David, BArch