Darin Johnstone Appointed as SCI-Arc’s Next Vice Director | Chief Academic Officer

A Message from Winka Dubbeldam, Director / CEO

I am pleased to share that Darin Johnstone has been appointed SCI-Arc’s next Vice Director | Chief Academic Officer, effective January 2026.

Darin has been a vital part of SCI-Arc for more than twenty years, shaping our community through his commitment to experimentation, making, and mentorship. Since joining the faculty in 2002, he has played an essential role in guiding generations of students. His founding leadership of Design Immersion Days, his award-winning collaboration with Habitat for Humanity resulting in the IVRV House, and his work advancing access to design education all speak to the depth of his impact.

Alongside his contributions to SCI-Arc, Darin brings thirty years of professional experience as founder of Darin Johnstone Architects. His practice is deeply engaged with adaptive reuse, historic transformation, technological innovation, and spatial experimentation. His portfolio includes significant built work, such as the ArtCenter Mullin Transportation Design Center, named by the Los Angeles Times as one of the best new architecture projects of 2024, reflecting a strong and forward-thinking design sensibility.

As Darin reflects on stepping into this role, he shared:

“SCI-Arc is my home, and I am incredibly humbled and honored to accept the position of Vice Director | Chief Academic Officer. 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.

At this pivotal moment for SCI-Arc and for the discipline at large, I look forward to supporting the Director and working closely with our faculty, students, and staff to advance an environment where creativity, critical inquiry, optimism, and design excellence continue to thrive.”

I look forward to working with Darin as he steps into this position and to the insight, creativity, and leadership he will bring as we continue shaping SCI-Arc’s academic future.

I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to John Enright, whose more than a decade of service as Vice Director | Chief Academic Officer, and earlier leadership as Undergraduate Program Chair, has been foundational to SCI-Arc’s academic development and institutional stability. His dedication, scholarship, and steady leadership have left a lasting and meaningful imprint on SCI-Arc.

Please join me in congratulating Darin on this appointment.