California College of the Arts (CCA) and Santa Clara University (SCU), competing as Team California, took the lead in the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon this morning by winning the architecture contest with a score of 98 out of a possible 100. Evaluating three main factors—architectural elements, holistic design, and inspiration—the jurors praised Team California's house as "beautiful in every respect." They commented specifically on its "excellent project documentation, crystal-clear concept, and successful translation of a regional architecture to Washington DC."

This September marks the launch of the CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts’ new program The Magnificent Seven. The seven participating international artists will be Abraham Cruzvillegas, Harrell Fletcher, Ryan Gander, Renata Lucas, Kris Martin, Paulina Olowska, and Tino Sehgal. Over a three-year period they will be integrated into every aspect of the institution’s structure and activities.

California College of the Arts (CCA) presents An Evening with David Sedaris on Thursday, October 29, 2009, at 8 p.m. at the Marin Center Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium in San Rafael, California. The evening will include a reading from new and unpublished materials, a book signing sponsored by Book Passage, and, for leadership donors to the event, a special cocktail reception with the author. All proceeds benefit scholarships at CCA.

Team California, the only competitor in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2009 Solar Decathlon hailing from the West Coast, is out to prove that aesthetics and engineering can work together to create an amazing living space. Combining the latest developments in green technology with their own high-end craft and artisanal skills, and taking into account California’s incredible climate, the students are designing and building an 800-square-foot home that they hope will bring home first prize.