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Summer Semester
2010 Courses
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| ARCHITECTURE |
| ARCH 499A: Design Studio |
Credits: 4
Instructors: Jamie Cooper, Assistant Professor of Architecture
Bob Holland, Associate Professor of Architecture and Architectural Engineering
Schedule: TBA
Prerequistite: Architecture or Architural Engineering Majors Junior status |
Course Description
The semester abroad design work will focus on the difficult problem of creating new a contemporary design in the presence of a historic urban context. This is an inevitable problem in the city of Rome where one can hardly avoid confronting historic or monumental buildings. However, as every place is preceded by a history, natural, political or material, these issues are important outside of this context. The course aims to help students define critical strategies that will serve them beyond their semester abroad. The studio project will have exercises requiring students to spend time in the field in addition to the studio.
The Design Studio is the fundamental model for education within design disciplines in the University. This course will serve as a means to establish high expectations, an opportunity for a cross disciplinary approach, a disruption of conventional understandings, and an elevations of the role of the imagination.
In the Design Studio, the student will gain knowledge of the design disciplines, develop skills of design and communication, and foster a capacity for judgment. As a laboratory, the Design Studio provides the opportunity to apply and explore the knowledge, skills and judgment gained as projects develop through review and revision. There will be an emphasis on both product and process necessitating a high level of self-motivation and initiative. The Design Studio is an intensive course that often raises more questions than it answers. It demands energy, creativity, courage and introspection. Each student is encouraged to be open to a diverse range of ideas, values and solutions. The design process is “open ended” and is rarely a “linear” process, but rather an “iterative” process which requires the exploration of many ideas and approaches to solving a problem. Many ideas are “thrown out” in the effort to determine a viable approach to the project.
Course Objectives:
In this course, students will be immersed in studies in principles and elements of design and planning for human use and the relationship of space to the physical and social environment.
•To further develop the visual communications skills both in hand drawing and digital media;•To refine an appreciation for architectural design concepts;
•To converse with the vocabulary necessary to communicate architectural design concepts effectively;
•To learn from exemplary architects and complex works to gain an understanding of style, order, form, planning and design excellence;
•To attain competence in solving more complex design problems;
•To refine the personal analytical framework of aesthetic values and good design
This course incorporates several pedagogical methods to engage the students in active learning of design involving: research, analysis, synthesis and creativity.
Discussions and Presentations – to impart design philosophy, techniques and skills using notable architectural work as examples of good design;
•In-class assignments – to engage students in activities to reinforce design concepts discussed in class;
•Studio Critiques “Crits” – critical analysis and feedback on student design work;
•Sketchbook – to record observations and develop thoughts in a less formal manner on an individual basis;
•Projects – a larger scale team-based opportunity for testing and retesting design thesis through iteration to improve on the level of design competency.
The design process is also rarely a “solitary process” as virtually all real architectural projects are produced by teams, not by individuals. Although a portion of the course grade will be based on individual effort, the majority of the grade will be based on the performance of the team.
Effective collaborative team work is essential to success in this studio based course. Good communication and cooperation are expected. While each person may bring certain specific interests and skills to the team, equal contribution by each individual to the team effort is mandatory. Students should carefully select their team members based on complimentary skills and ability to coordinate and collaborate.
The course is organized as an interactive studio, requiring students’ participation in readings, discussions, architectural analyses, review of student work, and other group activities. All students must be present throughout the entire critique. All assignments must be presented during the critique. Failure to be prepared for the critique constitutes failure to be prepared for an exam.
Progress on the project design is expected from crit to crit. Team members should meet prior to each crit to develop, review and coordinate team project work effort. Team members should not be seeing each other’s work for the first time in front of the instructor.
The ABET Accreditation Board has established that an Architectural Engineering curriculum must meet common performance standards. This course specifically addresses the following outcomes:
Expected Outcome Description Emphasis
An ability to design a system, component or process to meet desired needs
An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
An ability to communicate effectively
The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering
solutions in a global and societal context
A knowledge of contemporary issues
An understanding of architectural design and history leading to architectural
design that will permit communication, and interaction, with other design
professionals in execution of building projects
Textbooks / References / Materials:
There are no required textbooks for this course.
Additional assigned readings may periodically be given throughout the semester in the form of photocopied handouts, articles on e-reserve or reserved materials in the library.
Students will be required to supply all necessary design and presentation materials.
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