Lange, John  

Mr. Lange is not a shop teacher. Fortunately he knew this and let Bart help us with what we needed to know. He was pretty flexible with the projects, letting students propose alternate projects to fulfill the requirements if they didn't want to do the project he proposed. I think he is probably a fine teacher for other classes, but this is not a strong one for him.

It's perfectly okay to zone out while John is talking. He spends most of his time on whatever he happens to be thinking about, and says nothing related to the class, ever! He does tend to talk a lot about the Meyers Briggs personality tests. If you don't know what your personality rating is, go look it up before taking the class. You can take a shortened test online in about 20 minutes. After the first day of classes, you're pretty much on your own to design your project. Don't take this class unless you feel comfortable with no teacher guidance. There were three deadlines, and if you missed them, he didn't really care. We had to show drawings in the middle of the quarter, turn in a project at the end, and a board of pictures for the Arch 341.

The class is a joke. I've yet to see a good model come out of that room. I personally haven't figured out if the guy is a genius or legally retarded, the shit that comes out of his mouth can literally kill brain cells. He doesn't direct the class but just walks around trying to sucker someone into talking about how he's a PHD who knows all and yet anything that he does that he might call a stroke of genius is just a pile of crap which is defended by the fact that we can't think on his level. He doesn't help you with the development with your project while simultaneously he doesn't leave you alone to just do it on your own. Either avoid this class or just play dead when he comes near you.

John Lange is one of those professors where you either like him or you don't. I liked him, even though many of my classmates couldn't stand him. He gives you free reign when it comes to creativity. Anything you want to design, you can. Yes, it does help if you design something he'll like (he's fond of shapes that don't make a lot of practical spatial sense). Admittedly, I would never want to live in the house that I created for the final project, but I had fun building the model and sometimes an exercise in unlimited creativity is good for you. Also, he does talk a lot about completely random things, but he doesn't really care if you're listening, so if it doesn't interest you, just keep working! Overall, Lange is great for an easy quarter.

I believe Lang holds a very interesting personality. I don't believe he goes by any forms of teaching/syllabus. He only teaches two things: Forms + Space. It took me a while to visualize his point of perspective, at first you will feel that he does not communicate clearly, but behind his mumbles and jumpy topics, I believe there's this hidden intelligence of logic beneath. He emphasizes White Forms, because it allows you to see the whole architectural space without any distractions or interruptions of materials or details. Instead, you will see the space in its pure form. He's also very knowledgeable on different architects and their procedures, just ask him anything and he will always give you an honest answer. In this class, you will only get what you want if you deeply press it. He has a wealth of knowledge its up to the student to utilize it. Other than that, its a breeze, and you get to do everything you want of your wildest imaginations, for that its fun. Also, I reckon he's a great bs artist, perhaps you can learn how to bs better. Supposedly, everything is somehow correlated with the other.

Typical studio: Me: Hey John, can you take a look at this and tell me what you... John: ...but then again, it\'s is a matter of opinion...right? Like INTJ\'s, they always need that support. Look at Einstein, INTP, you two are similar, proportionally, right? One time I was at a Lakers game, and Kobe was talking to the reporter, right? And I was thinking about when I was getting my PhD in perception... Me: Mmmm, yeah that\'s cool. But back to my model... John: It\'s all form, right? Material cuts through the fabric of what we see, right? Understand? If you look at a rock, its a rock, right? If you look at a tree it\'s a tree, right? Having a PhD makes me... (my headphones go back on) John: ...and that\'s why INTP\'S are architects. They understand concept. Similar to lines connecting through a web, like a book or my son at Cooper Union, right? Understand? I remember when Patrick was playing back in high school... (crank volume up) TOTAL SPACE CREATURE. Avoid! (Unless you need a break/ easy studio) Cheers:)

This class is the biggest 5 unit joke you'll ever take. I just laugh when I think someone actually gave this strange man tenure. Talk to ANYONE who had had him, and they'll know exactly what I'm talking about. His 5 unit class consists of building one 3'x'4 model, totally white, and having nothing to do with the real world. Anyone can pretty much blow off the first five weeks and then crank something out. Remember, "complexity" is the key to an A, if you're only an ENFJ, well, then you're screwed from the start. I on the other hand was blessed with being an INTJ. Oh, how I wish I was an INTP like John!

This class lets you explore design creativly and openly. This is how design should be just a complete see what you can come up with type of class. You dont have any deadlines or pressures and the project is 90% YOUR WORK, this is a great class if you really would like to learn a lot about yourself and be amazed with the type of project you can come up with. I recommend this class to everyone. Some people will say this class is easy and hes not a good instructer, but the truth is that he is one of the better instructers. dont expect John to dictate to you but instead hope that he can maybe enlighten you. And you need to be self motivated, we are here cause we want to be right?

This is a hard teacher to rate given the catagories on polyratings. Did he present the course material clearly? Yes. Build a big white model however the hell you want. Recognize student difficulties? Sure, he just told you to build it. If you get stuck, just build. He won't think it looks bad even if you think it sucks. Sometimes he will come by and put random stuff on your model and leave it there, implying that it looks better with his random crap. Not a bad class and occasionally entertaining. I don't think I learned much about architecture though.

In this class you don't learn too much about architecture, but you learn a lot about yourself. if you want to design whatever you want you can take this class, it is an open class and you are free to coem and go as you wish. my advice is to be ahead of the pack and finsh your base first and get to work first. its a great class and make sure you tell him you are an INTP.

by far the worst professor I have ever had. The class is easy because he doesnt know the difference between architecture and shit. He claimed many times throughout the quarter that he was smarter than both Newton and Einstein. He openly admitted on several occasions that he doesn't care about his job and that because he is tenured, we can't do anything about it. He is pretty much a eugenisist, and beleives that INTPs are genetically superior. We once asked John Lange why he left lab everyday at 4 instead of 6. His exact words were "Because I don't care." We asked him why should his students care if he doesn't and he replied "I don't care if they care, if they don't agree with me." The last thing I ever said to John was "when are we doing faculty evaluations?" he replied with a grin "never, I am tenured." This is a true story. Lange is a joke. He knows nothing about architecture and has never practiced a day in his life. Take this class if you don't care about architecture. Anyone who says he is good, is simply one of those students.

John is a genius yet has a hard time expressing it due to social inhibitions. you get what you give out of his class. i have learned more about myself and design in general about the practicalities of architecture while taking John. We focus a lot on theory and you get total freedom in design. I have learned the most from john out of any professor at cal poly. recommend this class if you want something more theory based with someone who has literally seen it all.

What the guy/gal below said. Amen. I too took this class and have long since graduated from Poly, but I was cruising Poly Ratings for a kick and thought that I should pipe in and let you know how much of a joke this prof is.