The Crough Fabrication Shops are a crucial element of the School of Architecture. It allows students to craft their ideas, bringing them from a two dimensional drawing to a three dimensional model. There are different shop labs with state of the art equipment, everything from laser cutters, to the woodshop, located downstairs in Crough. And right next door is the office of Steve Wanna, one of the newest additions to the architecture staff.
Born and raised in Lebanon, Steve immigrated to the United States when he was a teenager. After bouncing around the different states, he found his home in the DMV area. A James Madison University alumnus, he obtained both bachelors and masters degrees. He later attended the University of Maryland at College Park for his doctorate in Music Composition, his focus in electronic music.
Before coming to the Catholic University of America, Steve worked in other higher education institutions teaching. In 2015, he left a tenure track position to pursue art full time and be with his current spouse. “I've been doing odd jobs since and my most recent job was with an art handling company, initially installing and uninstalling art in museums, then building crates for art shipping.” A friend of his alerted Steve about an open position in the Architecture School that piqued his interest, so he applied.
Steve joined the School of Architecture staff back in November as the Fabrication Shop Manager. He enjoys teaching about each tool, enlightening students about the capabilities and challenges that come from them and how they can be used to expand architectural concepts. His favorite part of the job is interacting with the students and helping them with their projects. The complexity of Steve’s job includes additional responsibilities, such as ensuring the safety of all who use the equipment and making sure the tools are in good shape for use.
Outside of the shop, Steve is a practicing interdisciplinary artist working with a wide range of mediums including sound, video, and sculpture. “I'm a bit obsessed with materials and what they can and can't do, and with how they can suggest unique ways of interacting with them.” He also enjoys cooking and has been practicing yoga for many years.
When asked to give some advice to students who are new to the shop equipment, Steve had a myriad of important tips.
“Take time to learn and practice using tools because mistakes can have consequences. Stay focused on what you're doing and avoid distractions, especially when using power tools. Don't ever be afraid to ask for help. Never use power tools when alone. Spend time planning and thinking through projects for best outcomes. Think carefully about materials to avoid disappointment; all materials perform in specific ways and it's best to work with those limitations rather than fight them. Whatever you need to do, there likely exists some material that will do the job exceedingly well - spend time to research and find the best material for the job rather than using something else that will not perform well, or not work at all.”
Additionally, Steve oversees and works with the students who assist in the shop. Students can be lab techs, and their job entails monitoring the wood shop, maintaining the supplies and equipment, and helping students with tools, printing and other operations. They contribute to the flow and organization of the shop, and those who are interested in becoming a lab tech should reach out to Steve to see if there’s availability and need via email at wanna@cua.edu.
There are currently fourteen lab techs working in the shop this semester. Keep reading to learn more about some of the friendly faces of the fabrication shop!
Jacob Henry began as a shop assistant in the Fall 2023 semester. A freshman from Columbia, Maryland, he’s an outdoorsman who’s very familiar with woodworking. His advice to students who are learning about the shop is to stop by and experiment with some of the scrap pieces of wood; it’s the best way to learn the tools, which lowers stress when it comes time to do projects!
Juliana Marino is a sophomore from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She has a minor in sustainability and has been a shop assistant since last semester. Her favorite architecture class that she’s taken so far has been Introduction to Architecture, and a fun fact about her is that her favorite monument is the Jefferson Memorial. Her advice to students learning about the shop equipment is to clean up once you are finished!
Dylan Morse started working in the shop last semester, and is a junior from Bridgewater, New Jersey. A fun fact about him is that he loves to ski. Dylan’s advice for students who are learning the shop equipment is don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Anna-Grace Williams started working in the shop last semester at the beginning of her sophomore year. She is from Perkasie, Pennsylvania with a minor in Music, and she has a passion for portrait drawing. Her favorite class that she has taken in the Architecture school was Classical Language of Architecture (ARPL 241) because it showed how certain fundamental elements of architecture such as imitation of nature, symmetry, and human scale are seen everywhere throughout the world and throughout the centuries, even in millennia BC. Anna-Grace’s advice to students learning about the shop is to ask questions, because all errors are learning experiences!