Don Choi (Kuhn-Choi)
| Position | Professor |
|---|---|
| Phone | 805.756.2490 |
| dchoi@calpoly.edu | |
| Office | 186-A307 |
Areas of Expertise
Architectural History: modern architecture; architecture of Japan
Profile
Dr. Don Choi specializes in the history of modern architecture. In particular, he researches the development of architecture in Japan since the 1800s, examining how Japan developed a distinct architectural culture. He is currently working on a book-length manuscript on architecture in modern Japan as well as on a book on the Palm Springs architect William F. Cody.
In addition to teaching seminars on modern architecture, Dr. Choi teaches architectural history survey courses and the occasional design studio. He established the department's Japan off-campus program in Japan in 2016 and has taught for Cal Poly in London as well.
Teaching Philosophy
Through classes in history, theory, and design, Dr. Choi encourages students to examine the richness and complexity of the built environment and to understand architecture as a social, cultural, and political phenomenon.
Experience
Educational Credentials:
Ph.D. in architectural history, University of California, Berkeley
M.Arch., Rice University
A.B. in economics, Princeton University
Teaching Experience:
2015-present: Professor, Cal Poly
2009-2015: Associate Professor, Cal Poly
2003-2009: Assistant Professor, Cal Poly
Professional Experience:
Overseas Research Fellow, Institute of Industrial Science, Tokyo University 2011-2020
Visiting Collaborative Researcher, Fujimori Terunobu laboratory, Institute of Industrial Science, Tokyo University 1998-2000
Scholarship
Selected Publications and Recent Research:
- Master of the Midcentury: The Architecture of William F. Cody. Scheduled for publication in 2021 from Monacelli Press.
- Fast Forward: The Architecture of William F. Cody," July 10 - September 25, 2016, Architecture and Design Museum, Los Angeles. Co-curated exhibition and supervised student exhibits.
- Architecture and Modern Japan: History, Technology, and Nation, 1850-1920, under contract with Routledge
- “Minka: Vernacular Houses in Japan.” In Vernacular Buildings: A New World Survey, edited by Sandra Piesik.
- “Abroad in the World: Some Thoughts on Ever-Expanding Off-Campus Programs.” In Globalizing Architecture/Flows and Discourses, Proceedings of the 102nd ACSA Annual Meeting (ACSA Press, 2014): 604-611.
- “Meiji Restorations: Defining Preservation, Education, and Architecture for Modern Japan,” Preservation Education & Research 2 (2009): 1-14.
- “The End of the World as They Knew It: Architectural History and Modern Japan,” in Seeking the City: Visionaries on the Margins, Proceedings of the 96th ACSA Annual Meeting (Washington: ACSA Press, 2008): 736-742.
- “Non-Western Architecture and the Roles of the History Survey,” in Fresh Air: Proceedings of the 95th ACSA Annual Meeting (Washington: ACSA Press, 2007).
- “Scales and Meanings of Architecture and Urbanism in Sapporo,” in Reassessing East Asia in the Light of Urban and Architectural History, proceedings of the International Conference on East Asian Architectural Culture, Kyoto 2006, vol. 2: 275-281.
Grants/Research:
- Center for Teaching and Learning Faculty Development Grant, 2009-2010
- Hearst Student Scholar Award, Cal Poly, 2016-2017
Updated 09.14.2020