American College of the Building Arts

The due date for new student applications is fast approaching (just one week away!). Mark your calendars: May 31st is the deadline to submit. Have questions about your application, want to chat with a department chair, or talk to an admissions counselor? Send an email to [email protected] or send us a DM.

Ready, aim, fire! First and second year wood students learn the basics of working with wood through a variety of projects before choosing to focus on either architectural carpentry or timber framing their junior year. Here, first year wood students recreate historic cannon carriages for Charles Towne Landing as one of their introductory projects in the field. #acba #woodworking #studentwork #buildingarts #scstateparks

Awestruck by another incredible Capstone Reception. Always highly anticipated and worth the wait, our Capstone Reception is an evening together, enjoying the seniors’ final capstone projects. What a special moment to gather as a student body before graduating students embark on their careers in the building arts, inspiring the upcoming students to further improve upon their craft. Seniors, we are amazed by all you’ve accomplished during your time at ACBA. Stay tuned as we share more about each capstone project in the coming weeks! #acba #capstone #studentwork #senior #classof2024 #buildingarts

Join us on May 17 for our annual Capstone Reception, where seniors will showcase the culmination of their hard work at ACBA! Explore the impressive array of final capstone projects crafted by our seniors. All are welcome to attend. See you there!

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, but a day doesn’t go by when we aren’t grateful for the ACBA faculty. Individually, they are masters at the top of their craft who have stepped into teaching positions in order to educate the next generation of makers. Together, they are fostering growth and encouraging creativity in each student. To our incredible teachers, thank you today and thank you always. #teacherappreciationweek #faculty #teacher #buildingartscollege

"Dare to experiment, consider any urge, if in a new direction all the better." —Edward Weston At ACBA, students across all craft specializations engage in constant hands-on learning. Using ACBA as their blank canvas, they actively practice the diverse techniques of their craft, experiment with new processes, hone their skills, and flourish in their field of study. #acbacharleston #buildingarts #craftspecializations #handson #studentwork

Professor Steve Kester, Chair of Plaster at ACBA, emphasizes, "Most people think of plaster as flatwork like walls and ceilings, but plaster encompasses so much more..." Stephen Kester's passion for preservation and restoration began early, accompanying his father to local properties in Northeast Pennsylvania. There, he discovered intricate details embedded in ornate plaster ceilings, crown molding, and wooden staircases, sparking a career that spans over 50 years. In the 1980s, Professor Kester managed a local drywall and plaster company before starting his own restoration business in 1993. His expertise has been instrumental in the restoration of homes listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and he holds "Expert" certificates from the Building Science Corporation in Roofing, Stucco, and Moisture Management. Professor Kester joined ACBA in 2021, bringing decades of experience from Northeast Pennsylvania. His immediate impact as a teacher reflects his dedication to preserving and restoring craftsmanship. Beyond teaching, Professor Kester remains active in preservation, restoration, and new builds, earning a reputation as a leader in the field. Today, as the Plaster Chairman at ACBA, Professor Kester passes down his knowledge and skillset in the art of plaster to younger generations, ensuring the legacy of craftsmanship endures. #acba #buildingarts #plaster #faculty #college

If you've come to @acba_charleston to learn the nearly lost art of delicate, decorative plaster, you'll want to know Angela Cabán. Her official title is Professor of Decorative Arts & Faux Finishes, although she is quick to stress the vital role of ACBA's unique tandem approach to higher education in traditional trades. "It's not your normal 'tradeschool', right? We're trying to also teach languages and literature and art historty and design and architecture. We're bringing it all together," Cabán has said. Coursework under Cabán's guidance begins once plaster students have a comprehensive understanding of art history, techniques, architectural methods, and material science. One of her electives, Decorative Painting Grotesca, culminates in the students' completion of two multi-colored Grotesca panels. In the process, over the semester, students broaden their knowledge of materials, tools, and the preparation of substrates and paint. Within the framework of the course, Cabán points out the impetus for students to refine their design sensibilities so their skills can evolve and further fuel their personal creative process and journey of expression.

By definition, a replica is an exact reproduction, or a copy exact in all its details. When commissioned to replicate the shutters for this historic Charleston home, architectural carpentry students set out to create 40 identical copies of the originals, down to the type of materials, treatment, and methods in which they were made. This week, the students installed the shutters on the historic home to complete the project. Should be a few hundred years before this house needs new shutters! #traditionaltrades #architecturalcarpentry #buildingarts #historicpreservation

Site visit with Professor Matrangola's Construction Management class! 🏗️ Students were treated to an exclusive tour of the 282-unit mixed-use project at 40 Line St. From scheduling to programming to constructibility, they gained valuable insights into both the adaptive reuse segment of the project and the new nine-story building. Thank you to Lifestyle Communities for taking us along and sharing the challenges and successes that come with the over $140M project. A truly enriching experience that illuminated the complexities and rewards of large-scale construction projects.🚧 #constructionmanagement #acbacharleston #preservation #buildingarts