Art Center Dedicates New Satellite Campus

Art Center College of Design in Pasadena dedicated a $14-million satellite campus Sunday that will accommodate more public outreach programs and projects that merge design and social issues.

The college used the opening to showcase student-produced public service announcements and pinball machine-like toys designed to teach children how to solve problems peacefully.

“The day of colleges and universities as ivory, isolated towers is over,” said Jan Kingaard, college spokeswoman.

Art Center realizes that its designers should “fully engage the community and transfer knowledge, to solve traffic congestion or to solve how to get to Mars,” she said.

Set in a former aircraft testing facility about five miles from its main hillside campus, the new location will allow the college to open more lectures to the pubic and to put on more exhibitions with other design programs, such as the June show, “Supersonic,” which features master’s degree projects from schools across Southern California.

The college will also use the space to expand its classes for children, teens and adults.

Classes on subjects such as graphic arts, 3-D modeling and video game creation will begin at the new campus in a week. Late registration is still open.

Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard commended the school for expanding its outreach and contribution to the city’s cultural life, proclaiming Sunday Art Center College of Design Day.