October 15, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Ray Ladd
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
805-756-7432; rladd@calpoly.edu

George Hasslein Bronze Sculpture, Two Major Poly Canyon Structures
Dedicated During Cal Poly Homecoming

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly's College of Architecture and Environmental
Design (CAED) will host three major dedications open to the public
during the university's Homecoming this Saturday (Oct. 16). Alumni,
staff, faculty and friends of the college will gather to honor founding
Dean George Hasslein and to spotlight the student designers of the “New”
Concrete Blade Structure and the Fratessa Tower built in Poly Canyon.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. visitors are encouraged to hike, bike or ride a
free shuttle van up to Poly Canyon from the H-10 parking lot near Dexter
Lawn, located at University Drive and North Polyview Way. No parking
will be allowed in the canyon.

Saturday’s Schedule:

George Hasslein Retrospective
11 a.m., Orfalea College of Business Rotunda
For more than 50 years, CAED founding Dean George Hasslein touched the
lives of thousands of students prior to his passing in August of 2001.
He is largely credited with the national prominence the college has
acquired. A retrospective photo collage will be presented in tribute to
him beginning at 11 a.m. in the Business Building Rotunda (Room 213).

George Hasslein Sculpture Dedication
11:30 a.m., Engineering West Courtyard
At 11:30 a.m. the college will unveil a life-size, bronze sculpture of
Hasslein in the Engineering West Courtyard, and dedicate it in his
memory. The sculpture was made possible through the private donations of
alumni, faculty, and friends and family of Dean Hasslein. The college
will also announce the launching of an endowed chair created with an
additional $1.5 million in donations raised to continue his approach to
education.

Concrete Blade Sculpture Dedication
1:30 p.m., Poly Canyon
Poly Canyon is an “outdoor laboratory” that is host to several
experimental structures erected over the last 40 years. The first
“Original” Concrete Blade Sculpture was built in 1963 by students Ken
Minor, Steve Gilmore, Mark Haselton and the late Dan McMann. It was
called “A Sculptural Study in Prestressed Concrete.” Three of these four
original senior project designers will join a team of current students
as they dedicate the “new,” stronger and more permanent replacement
structure at 1:30 p.m.

The interdisciplinary team is made up of architectural engineering
student Susan Smilanich and grads Robert Pacheco, architectural
engineering; Jon Voorhies, construction management; and landscape
architecture students Benjamin Green and Michael McDonnell. Their
student advisor is Nick Watry, a construction management faculty member
and 1964 CAED grad.

Haselton’s company “Continental Concrete Structures” based in
Alpharetta, Ga., provided support for materials and miscellaneous funds,
along with other contributions from Gilmore and Minor.

Fratessa Tower Dedication: 2 p.m., Poly Canyon
Five architectural engineering students have designed and built this
structurally challenging senior project in memory of Paul Fratessa, the
department head of the Architectural Engineering Department from 1995 to
2002. This project is described as a cable-swayed deck supported by a
tripod of angled pre-cast concrete columns.

The design team that worked through June includes current students
Rachel Martin and Justin Wei, and recent grads Michael Braund, Eric
McDonnell and Tanya Worotko. Manufacturing engineering senior Adam
Stagnaro created the spiral staircase that leads to the center of the
raised deck. The project advisor was Architectural Engineering
Department Head Abe Lynn, with additional advising from CAED Associate
Dean K. Richard Zweifel.

For more information about these dedications and alumni reunions,
contact the CAED at (805) 756-1321.

To view sculpture photos go to the college’s Web site at
http://www.caed.calpoly.edu. For an overview of Poly Canyon and its
experimental structures, visit www.caed.calpoly.edu/polycanyon/index.html.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: To request a photo of George Hasslein or the sculptures
via e-mail, for contact information for students and advisors, contact
Ray Ladd at the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at
rladd@calpoly.edu or (805) 756-7432.