Each year the HDAE Arts & Culture committee works on a variety of projects. Some are ongoing projects, some may be suggested by students, and some may be a special request generated due to a new building being added to our portfolio. Projects run the gamut from outdoor banners to art shows, to wall graphics, to hanging images, to succulent gardens. We try to give each and every request its due, no matter how big or small, and find a way to make it happen. Projects are often developed in conjunction with the HDAE Marketing & Communications Team (MarCom).
San Joaquin Villages Study Rooms
As part of the completion of UCSB's newest apartment complex, the MarCom team was asked to add graphics to three study rooms and three recreation rooms. They partnered with Gaucho Athletics for the recreation rooms, and selected a theme of nature and subtlety for the study rooms. Working with heavily textured walls, it took a while to work out a successful graphic application. The bamboo, jungle, and flower study rooms were designed in a gray and blue theme to go with the inherent color scheme. The project was awarded first place in the specialty category by the Association of College & University Housing Officers - International during their annual marketing awards.
San Joaquin Villages Recreation Rooms
As part of the San Joaquin Villages Study Room project, three Recreation Rooms were designed in a Gaucho Sports theme. The Gaucho Athletic Design group suggested large photographic wallpaper and glass photo standoffs. Dynamic, bold, and oversized… they really hit the mark when students are playing pool, air hockey, or table tennis.
San Rafael Residence Hall Mural
This project began as a request from Brandon Landford and Kaity Roos (Residential Life) to ‘cheer up’ the lobby and elevator area. San Rafael is one of the older residence halls at UCSB and the hallways are filled with cloth covered walls and heavy wood paneling. Our previous graphic artist and webmaster, Eric Zobel, worked with live-in lead staff, Resident Assistants, and Front Desk staff to elicit suggestions for potential design ideas. After much discussion the overall consensus was to incorporate the hall mascot (a wolf) with the residence hall color (purple) into the overall piece. Eric took it from there and decided on a fresh and modern look with 2D-like graphics of the buildings (tower and adjacent clusters), as well as incorporating our oceanside setting and a “Welcome”. The design is one cohesive piece but occupies two separate wall sections near the first floor elevators.
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Carrillo Laundry Room Mural
A collaboration with Matt Perko from the Office of Public Affairs and Communications contributed to the refresh in the Carrillo laundry room by providing a full-size panoramic of Campus Point at low tide. Our mission to “bring the outdoors in” served as a powerful catalyst for internal cross-departmental collaboration. HDAE Arts & Culture, Residential Operations, and residential community engagement teams came together to amplify the initiative’s message of sustainability and wellness. This collaboration has created a model for future initiatives, proving that a shared external partnership can inspire internal alignment, strengthen community ties, and deliver a more impactful, unified message to both internal stakeholders and the broader community. (2022)
The Club & Guest House Banners
Sara Engebrits of The Club & Guest House requested exterior banners promoting The Club’s services — STAY, DINE, JOIN, VISIT, MEET, GATHER — to be installed along the lagoon walkway and nearby access road. Other banners include a nod to The Club’s history: "architectural icon" and "50 years and counting." Sara worked closely with previous MarCom designer, Mandy Yoshida, to bring this project to life with colorful and well-designed banners.
Anacapa Residence Hall Succulent Garden
The succulent garden was the brainchild of former Residence Halls Association Programming VP Addison Luria-Roberson. It started as an idea for a simple planter box in the Manzanita Village area and grew into a beautiful succulent garden at Anacapa when Addison became a Resident Assistant there. Eric Zobel helped facilitate the project but completion wouldn’t have been possible without the guidance of Grounds Superintendent Manuel Herrera. He and his team prepared the area, and Addison and a team of 24 students planted the succulents. Funding for the plants was provided by the Residence Halls Association and the Anacapa Hall Council. The successful completion of this beautiful garden is a great example of tenacity, flexibility, and collaboration.
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Family Student Housing Laundry Like Home
Much like doing laundry at home, our residents can now use the machines without a payment module. The laundry room makeover also provided an opportunity to refresh the wall art. In the Family Student Housing Apartments, Eric Zobel (retired) donated illustrations from his personal stock of creative assets to enhance the wall space. By blending art with the natural sciences, Eric's Santa Barbara area Wildlife and Sealife display provides education through an accessible medium; very impressive! (2023)
Accessiblity for the 'Littles'
Bringing accessibility to the ‘Littles’ in our Family Student Housing areas - Storke & West Campus, through the thoughtful modification of the Little Free Libraries was a simple yet powerful change: adjusting the height to ensure everyone, regardless of age, size, or ability, can participate in the joy of reading.
Placement may unintentionally exclude children, individuals in wheelchairs, or people with mobility limitations. By lowering the height of Little Free Libraries, and placing them near community areas—we take an essential step toward inclusivity.
These changes provide an opportunity for young children to act independently and reach a book, they gain a sense of ownership and agency in their literacy journey.
The HDAE Arts & Culture committee worked with Ernesto Villegas and Manuel Herrera to determine suitable locations, and Christian Olivares made the install in their new spaces —they have now been transformed into hubs of connection, learning, and belonging.
Thanks Eric Zobel (Ret.), for contributing your art and legacy as Chair of the Arts & Culture committee, and making this impactful suggestion. (2025)