SCI-Arc in Los Angeles, California, is an independent, non-profit school offering undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate degrees in architecture. Founded in 1972, SCI-Arc was initially regarded as - both institutionally and artistically - more avant-garde than traditional architecture schools based in the United States. The school consists of approximately 500 students and 80 faculty members, some of whom are practicing architects. It is based in the quarter-mile long (0.40 km) former Santa Fe Freight Depot in the Arts District in downtown Los Angeles, and offers a variety of community events such as outreach programs, free exhibitions, and public lectures.