Art Centre College of Design

As a private institution in Pasadena the Art Centre College of Design is considered as the foremost colleges for art and design in the world. The schools logo is a simple orange circle which has stayed with the institution since its beginning.

The college offers students undergraduate and graduate courses in a variety of fields in design and art. In addition, the college, in a bid to promote art among younger children, holds public programmes quite frequently. Those who have heard of the college, remember it for its work in the field of product designs and transportation designs.

The Art Centre is most recognized for the work that they do with returning GI’s. The college prepares them for careers in the field of commercial art. What makes the programmes at the Art College very popular among its students is the emphasis on technique, professionalism, craftsmanship rather than a theory centered training.

In addition, the college brings into the classroom a lot of real world practical experience since most of the lecturers are working professionals in their field. The college also challenges students to come up with ideas that would use design to initiate positive changes in the lives of others.

In keeping with the Art Centre College of Design’s motto of education and design, the institution has a photographic exhibition entitled Andre Kertesz : On Reading. The exhibition is an unusual means of capturing a form of education – reading, through photography.

The Andre Kertesz exhibition at the Williamson Gallery displays pictures taken over a span of 50 years and from places like the US, France and Hungary. In addition, tourists could pay a visit to the Art Centre for kids and the Armory Centre for the Arts where exhibits offering children’s art that explore aspects of reading are also on display.

The college comprises of two campuses – The Hillside campus and the South Campus.

The hill side campus has classrooms, computer labs, a model shop as well as advanced proto typing technologies. Today this campus is considered as a historic monument by the city of Pasadena.

The south campus on the other hand which opened in 2004 was done so in an aircraft testing facility which was used in World War II. The facility was renovated and now used to conduct the graduate art programme, a studio, letter press studio and a lot more. The public programmes at the college are also conducted here.

Art enthusiasts will no doubt be impressed by the facilities at the Art Center College of Design, and will enjoy walking about the area to do a bit of shopping and sight seeing. What would complement these plans is a stay at the Pasadena hotels close by. The Langham Hotel Pasadena is set on 23 acres of lush garden and is one of the few hotels in Pasadena that has a AAA Five Diamond rating, offering central location and exquisite accommodation.