May 12, 2026, Santa Rosa - Santa Rosa, CA — Students from the newly launched Architecture Studio Club at Santa Rosa Junior College earned top recognition at the annual Design Village competition hosted by California Polytechnic State University, taking home the Best Construction Award in the Visiting Competitor division during the April 24–26 event.

Held in Poly Canyon, a mile-long canyon extending behind the Cal Poly campus into the rolling hills of San Luis Obispo, the long-running competition challenges students to design, construct, transport, and inhabit a temporary shelter structure for 48 hours outdoors. This year’s event featured approximately 90 teams, with nearly half competing in the Visiting Competitor category alongside community colleges and universities from across California.

SRJC’s team competed in four award categories — Best Theme, Best Overall, Best Construction, and Most Innovative Design — and stood out among roughly 45 visiting teams to earn the competition’s Best Construction honor during the club’s inaugural appearance.

A larger group of architecture students collaborated on the project through the Architecture Studio Club, with five students ultimately participating in the competition itself. The structure was designed and built in just one week using the tools, equipment, and maker space resources provided by SRJC’s Career Education programs and the Larry Simons FAIA Innovation Center.

“Overall, I feel the students really felt an obligation to perform and set the standard for future SRJC students, and I think they did well,” said Peter Levelle, faculty advisor. “They definitely showed up and let their presence be known.”

Students spent late nights constructing the project before transporting it to the canyon site, where competitors assembled and occupied their structures throughout the weekend. Despite rainy weather that cut the experience short Saturday night, students described the event as one of the most valuable learning experiences of their academic careers.

“Seeing your ideas come to life in front of you was really satisfying,” said Diego Salanueva, an SRJC student participant. “Having to physically manifest your ideas shows you a different side of design that the drawings can’t do alone. It was one of the greatest learning experiences I’ve ever had.”

In addition to the competition itself, students had the opportunity to connect with architecture faculty and students from institutions across the state. Judges included Cal Poly architecture faculty and visiting professors from other leading architecture programs, offering SRJC students valuable exposure and networking opportunities.

The recognition comes at an exciting time for SRJC’s revitalized architecture program. Architecture studios relaunched at the college in Fall 2025, with the reactivated degree program set to return in Fall 2026.