Founded in 1984, the Woodbury School of Architecture has built a lasting legacy to educate students, shaping the greater Los Angeles architecture world and beyond. Established in 2006, the Woodbury School of Media: Culture: and Design has established a vital presence in the greater Los Angeles design and entertainment industries. With a shared belief in the power of creativity to effect meaningful change, the WSOA and the WMCD have been working in tandem for fifteen years. Just one year ago, we began working as one assemblage made up of two schools. In July of 2026, an iterative process of community dialogue and strategic decision-making culminated in the formation of the College of Architecture, Design, and Media (CADM). This academic year, our collective stewardship calls on us to explore how to realize the integration of the two schools with vision and intention by defining our “Commons.”
The root word for “commons,” communis, means “shared by all.” The Commons is a two-year framework designed to evolve continuously toward a set of shared goals that we build together and put into the practice of educating our students. More than a static collection point, the Commons is a dynamic, shared, forward-looking space where ideas are exchanged, cultures are celebrated, communities are strengthened, and creativity is a collective act. As architects, designers, creators, and storytellers, our work engages with the most pressing issues of the day including climate change, cultural transformation, and technological advancement. Our ability to define common goals and integrate working methods will enable innovative outcomes. CADM’s common purpose must be shaped collectively.
Institutional evolution is an important component of higher education, enabling schools to remain culturally relevant, academically vital, and financially stable over time. Our present structure, CADM, has been shepherded through deliberate, step-by-step efforts of faculty, staff, and administrators working together. Now it is time to draw upon our shared energy and our collective expertise to shape this new college into something greater and different than either school was before. We now carry the resources, reach, and ambition of a larger institution. We must craft our own shared culture in which to grow.
Welcome to year 01 of The Commons. We invite your contributions. It’s time to take collective action for the future of CADM.