Tolya Stonorov is a registered architect, Assistant Professor at Norwich University, Vermont, and co-founder of Stonorov Workshop, an architecture and building collaborative. She received an MArch from the University of California, Berkeley, and has practiced design-build since 2006. Among other honors, Stonorov was awarded the 2016 Vermont Women in Higher Education Peggy R. Williams Emerging Professional Award; her work has been widely published.
In this manifesto for the design-build curriculum in architectural education, Tolya Stonorov reinforces the legacy of pioneers like Mockbee by examining 16 hands-on programs, all of which bridge architecture to the construction process and have a strong sense of community engagement ... she adeptly demonstrates the value of extricating architecture students from the confines of the studio and immersing them in the act of making. ... The instructors' intimate connection to the projects, students, and design-build process gives their experiences vividness (and several are stellar storytellers), although the narratives are at items jarringly different in approach and style. The book is an excellent reference for educations interested in design-build, or for anyone looking for a resource that highlights the value of engaging students outside the classroom, in hands-on service to the larger community. Michael Cockram, Architectural Record