It is with great sadness that we recognize the passing renowned professor Walter H. Moleski on November 30.  Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, Walter first became interested in architecture as a child and he later graduated from the Tulane Architecture School in 1960. Returning to Philadelphia he worked for several architectural firms including Louis Sauer and GBQC before starting a partnership with George Manos. 

The Interior Design and Architecture programs of Westphal College received commendation from highly respected DesignIntelligence. The publication surveyed 9,000 hiring professionals, 4,200 professional practice organizations, and over 6,000 students. This year’s rankings are for 12 different areas of focus, and Westphal is recognized in 11 of these 12 categories. Additionally, we are pleased to report that our Architecture program was ranked among the Most Admired Architecture programs in the nation.

The Consortium for Design and Education Outcomes (CDEO), a collaboration between Drexel University and Perkins Eastman, won the prestigious Latrobe Prize, along with a $100,000 award

Graduate students from the Interior Architecture program presented their work on a symposium panel at the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) titled “Bright Futures, Dark Futures: Envisioning the Consequences of Climate Change.”

Drexel Interior Architecture students were awarded the second place in the 14th annual International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Student Design Competition. This prestigious competition celebrates the talent and fresh design ideas of interior design students currently enrolled in interior design programs throughout the world.

Westphal Interior Design student teams swept the awards in the third annual HOK Philadelphia Futures Design Competition in Interior Design. Two-person student teams from area Architecture and Interior Design programs competed for internships and cash prizes. First Place, including a $6,000 prize and 3-month internships went to Leah Stoner and Taylor Regester (3rd year grads); Second Place, with a $4,000 prize went to Justin Lee and Eunbi Kim (junior and 3rd year grad); Third Place, with a $2,000 prize went to Kristianne Simeon and Aishwarya Gunta (2nd year grads). This is the third year of the event, and Westphal students have taken first place all three years.

Marie Mastrobattista, a student in Drexel’s Interior Architecture & Design graduate program was awarded the IDEC Foundation Graduate Scholarship. 

Three alumni of the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design’s Architecture Program are appointees to the leadership of the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Philadelphia and Pennsylvania chapters. The AIA advocates for the value of architecture and gives architects the resources they need to do their best work, driving positive change through the power of design. Founded in 1869, the AIA Philadelphia is among the oldest and most distinguished of AIA chapters, with a long history of service to members and the public.