Cal Poly Alumnus to be Inducted into Distinguished College of Fellows

Cal Poly Alumnus to be Inducted into Distinguished College of Fellows

Mar 13, 2015

SAN LUIS OBISPO- Cal Poly Architecture alumnus David Diamond (B.S., Architecture, 1988; M.S. Architecture, 1989) will be inducted into the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows (FAIA) at the 2015 AIA National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia.

Diamond is an Associate Director and Technical Designer in Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s (SOM). He is recognized as an expert in the integration of building systems and architecture.  During his 20-year career he’s worked with civic, technology, and high security corporate and government clients.  His extensive portfolio includes the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, California; the United States Embassy in Beijing, China; the United States Consulate General in Guangzhou, China; the San Bernardino Justice Center in San Bernardino, California; and the headquarters for Electronic Arts in Redwood City, California.

Induction into the AIA Fellowship program, established in 1952, is one of the highest honors that the organization can bestow upon a member.  Election to the College of Fellows not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals, but also their significant contribution to architecture and society.  Out of the AIA’s total membership of more than 85,000 people, only 3,200 have received the distinction of Fellowship or Honorary Fellowship.

In addition to his professional achievements, Diamond is committed to sharing his knowledge and expertise with future architects. He generously volunteers his time as a mentor and lecturer to current Cal Poly architecture students. Diamond was instrumental in convincing Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) to develop a combined Co-op +Design Program. This program is an intensive 15 week multi-disciplinary design studio course taught at the SOM offices in San Francisco, California. Teams of undergraduate students from Cal Poly, UC Berkeley and California Center for the Arts work directly with SOM designers and structural engineers on the design and advanced building system integration of a large-scale skyscraper project. “David has had an impact on an entire generation of students and graduates,” said Architecture Professor and SOM Program Coordinator and Professor Thomas Fowler. “He is really a unsung hero of the many award winning SOM projects, that have been constructed over the years.”

 

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