Because of the mortgage crisis that peaked late 2008, early 2009, I've decided to teach the students about what happened. Obviously, everything started from great mortgage offerings from banks, allowing usually unqualifying persons to have title to a home with no money down and a monthly payment equivalent to their rent check. Due to the buying frenzy, people began to buy homes for the purpose of improving them in order to sell them at a profit. I explained to the students that a lot of people made a lot of money renovating homes. I also explained that those people who jumped in the game too late, or those that got too greedy, ended up losing a lot of money. When the students are old enough to own homes, the opportunity may present itself again. Taking this into consideration, and improvising with a bit of fantasy, each student is Pimping their Pad.

Using the process that I personally use for home remodel design... a process that I learned on my own, and that perhaps none other uses, the students increase the value of their home by designing an addition/intervention for it. More space, more bathrooms, a game room, a second floor, etc... whatever the student wants to do.

In order to create the curriculum, I decided to participate in the project as well, so that I can offer them a process to follow. For my project, I chose the home of a friend of mine in Pacific Beach.