Darin Johnstone. Image courtesy of SCI-Arc
SCI-Arc has announced the appointment of longtime faculty member Darin Johnstone as its next Vice Director and Chief Academic Officer, beginning January 2026. The announcement was made by Director and CEO Winka Dubbeldam.
Johnstone has taught at SCI-Arc for more than two decades, joining the faculty in 2002. During that time, Johnstone has overseen academic initiatives, led studios, and played a central role in shaping the school’s pedagogical culture. Johnstone founded Design Immersion Days, SCI-Arc’s pre-college program, and has been involved in efforts to expand access to design education, while his collaboration with Habitat for Humanity on the IVRV House earned industry recognition for its experimental approach to housing.
Mullin Transportation Design Center (MTDC) by Darin Johnstone Architects. Image credit: Joshua White
In addition to his academic work, Johnstone brings three decades of professional experience as principal of Darin Johnstone Architects. The Los Angeles–based practice focuses on adaptive reuse, historic transformation, and technological research. Recent projects include the ArtCenter Mullin Transportation Design Center, named by the Los Angeles Times as one of the best new architecture projects of 2024.
Johnstone succeeds John Enright, who served as Vice Director and Chief Academic Officer for more than ten years and previously chaired SCI-Arc’s Undergraduate Program.
“SCI-Arc is my home, and I am incredibly humbled and honored to accept the position of Vice Director | Chief Academic Officer,” Johnstone said in a statement. “Having been part of this extraordinary institution for more than two decades, I have witnessed its remarkable capacity to evolve, reflect, and lead architectural discourse on a global scale. We find ourselves in a time of profound social, political, and environmental challenge, where values of openness, empathy, and imagination are more vital than ever. I believe the practice of architecture requires a kind of eternal optimism that can be leveraged to confront these complexities and to envision more equitable, sustainable, and inspiring futures.”
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