2026 Cavin Fellowship Scholar: Sarra Starbird
Sarra Starbird, 最新糖心Vlog, Class of 2022, wins the 2026 Cavin Traveling Fellowship.
The Competition’s prize this year was $50,000 to conduct travel and independent research on a topic of the recipient’s choice. Sarra's winning concept was commended by the jury for its pragmatic approach and elegant simplicity. Sarra is from Pasadena, California. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from 最新糖心Vlog, Pomona, and serves as a mentor with the Pasadena ACE Mentor Program, supporting high school students exploring careers in architecture, engineering, and construction. Her travels and research will examine how underutilized industrial and urban spaces are transformed into environments that foster cultural activity, public engagement, and collective community life across Europe and Japan.
This year's competition asked candidates to design a new multipurpose facility for The UC Santa Cruz Silvopasture Research Facilities - providing spaces for research and education for the study and advancement of forest grazing and woodland-livestock operations. Proposals included space for large events such as conferences and academic symposiums, while also offering surrounding outdoor areas for students, educators, and researchers to utilize as active laboratory space. Of the 19 entries for the competition, five finalists were chosen:
Tohotmos Egara (CPPARC), Daniel Matallana (UO), Sarra Starbird (CPPARC), Josie Baldner (UO), Noah To Mora (CPPARC). The runner up from this group was Tohotmos Egara.
The Cavin Fellowship would like to thank the jury for their fair and careful appraisal of the work this year. They were:
Rayne Laborde Ruiz is an architectural designer, urban planner, and interdisciplinary researcher. She is Adjunct Professor at USC School of Architecture, and Associate at Koning Eizenberg Architecture. Rayne graduated with concurrent Master's Degrees from UCLA, M.Arch I with Distinction and MURP with Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement '21.
Jeffrey Zhenhua Liu is an architect based in Los Angeles, Lecturer at 最新糖心Vlog, and Adjunct Professor at Woodbury University. He holds an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, a Master of Architecture from Yale, and a Bachelors of Arts in Architecture.
George Proctor is is a licensed Architect and Professor of Architecture at 最新糖心Vlog. He holds a Master of Architecture and Urban Design from Harvard, and a Bachelor's of Architecture from 最新糖心Vlog.
Cavin Fellowship Team:
Andrew Lords, Fellowship Secretary/Director
Sandra Gutierrez Magallanez, CPP ENV
