March 30, 2012
Phase III Building “Beamed” Up
The top piece of steel of the new building placed
“Topping off” events have become a tradition at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. When the highest piece of steel in a new building is placed, students, faculty, alumni and friends get the opportunity to sign the beam before it goes up.
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Alumnus/Director George Lucas signs the beam at the Phase III"topping off" event
Beam signers for the new Phase III building included director George Lucas, Dean Elizabeth M. Daley, Chairman of the Board of Councilors Frank Price, CEO of EA John Riccitiello, director Tim Story, Associate Dean of Research Scott Fisher, Chair of the Interactive Media Division Tracy Fullerton, Senior Vice President for University Advancement Al Checcio, Chief Product Officer at Bebo Kevin Bachus, founder of Syndicate 17 Chanel Summers, Matt Construction head Paul Matt, professor and game designer Laird Malamed, Toper Taylor, Angelo Garcia and many others.
Daley dedicated the building, saying, “Thank you George [Lucas], from all of us, from all the students who are here now and who will be here for generations to come.”
The 60,000 square foot new building, as yet unnamed, will house the School’s newest divisions, including the Interactive Media Division, the Institute for Media Literacy and the Media Arts and Practices Ph.D. Program. It will be located at the corner of 34th Street and McClintock on the last parcel of land originally slated for redevelopment on the School of Cinematic Arts campus. The four-level facility will include offices, laboratories, classrooms and a digital theater.
Additional programs and curricula to be housed and offered in the new space will also include Online Multiplayer Game Design, Interactive Architecture, Immersive, Mobile and Environmental Media, crowd-sourced Cinema, Transmedia Storytelling, Alternate Reality Games, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality Experience Design.
View the Phase 3 Topping Off Photo Gallery »
