Last Friday I embarked on a one-day round-trip journey to my alma mater Cal Poly, located in San Luis Obispo, where I endured five incredibly great years for my architecture undergraduate degree. It was my first time returning to the old stomping grounds since graduating in 2021, so I decided to make a trip out of it. The architecture third-year students were having their final reviews, and the professors decided I was cool enough to be invited for the review panel. I was able to convince one of my coworkers and good friend Pooya AleDavood to tag along because I did not want to drive three hours each way all by myself. We were able to pack a good amount of activities into our day, from sunrise to midnight, including stopping by the cute little Danish town of Solvang, doing the architectural reviews, visiting Poly Canyon, and hitting downtown SLO.
Map of roadtrip from Santa Monica to Solvang to Cal Poly.
🏰 Solvang
On the way up to SLO, Pooya and I stopped by a small Danish town called Solvang, nestled in the heart of California’s Santa Ynez Valley. Originally settled by Danish Americans, the town has become a glimpse into Danish heritage through its architecture, cuisine, and festivals, creating a delightful fusion of Old World charm and Californian hospitality. It was also poetic that we work at a Danish architecture firm. We got a hearty breakfast, including a bite of the famous æbleskiver, puffy Danish pancake balls topped with raspberry jam and sugar powder. Then, we took a stroll around the town to experience the Danish architecture and also to walk off the food.
Read more about Solvang HERE.
Photos from Solvang, including architecture, signage, and the famous Aebleskiver.
📐 Cal Poly Architecture Reviews
It was incredibly nostalgic to return to Building 05, the brutalist Architecture Building of Cal Poly. I got to reconnect with many of my past professors, as seen by the super candid photos below. The core of our day was participating on the review panel for the third-year architecture winter quarter final reviews, from noon to five in the afternoon. Of course, incredible work displayed by the students. It was interesting being on the other side of a review, giving constructive feedback instead of taking it in. Fowler’s studio is always doing insane things. Ponitz’s studio is making their beautiful drawings. Overall, all the projects had compelling concepts and narratives, and it will be exciting to see how they develop in the Spring.
Images from around the Architecture building. Models, projects, the staircourt, and some profs. Photos with me in them were taken by Pooya.
🌄 Poly Canyon (Architecture Graveyard)
After the reviews, we took a one-hour hike out to Poly Canon. Also dubbed as “The Architecture Graveyard,” Poly Canyon can be described as an outdoor sculpture park featuring a collection of eclectic and innovative pavilions created by architecture students of the past. If there is one thing that separates Cal Poly Architecture, it is this. A collection of experimental structures set against the beautiful backdrop of the rolling hills of San Luis Obispo County. Also, it was around sunset time, which made the hike all the more incredible.
Read more about Poly Canyon HERE. And also watch semi-famous YouTuber Tom Scott visit Poly Canyon HERE (with the help of the college’s dean Kevin Dong).
The great Poly Canyon. Experimental architectural structures in the beautiful terrain behind Cal Poly. Photos with me in them were taken by Pooya.
🌃 Downtown SLO
A trip to SLO isn’t complete without spending some time downtown. Hot take here, but downtown San Luis Obispo is the perfect college downtown. It’s intimate. It’s small. It’s lively. It’s just a perfect size for fun and booze. I got dinner with two of my most influential professors, Karen and John Lange, at the always delicious Firestone Grill. Watching Pooya and John communicate was one of my most fascinating architectural experiences ever. Afterwards, we did a quick walk through the streets, past Frog and Peach and the old San Luis Obispo Mission.
Photos around downtown SLO and with great professors of my past. Photos with me in them were taken by Pooya.
🥱 A Tired Day In Review
This was one of the most active days I’ve done in a while, continually on the move for seventeen hours over 180 miles (360 miles roundtrip). Thank you Pooya for accompanying me on a trip down memory lane. I was surprised by how much we were able to pack into our schedule. If we really wanted to, we could’ve stayed the weekend to do more, but we had already bought tickets to watch Dune: Part 2 in IMAX with our other fellow coworker friends, so we could not miss that. And thank you to all the Cal Poly Architecture professors! Will probably make another trip in another three years.
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