Title Instructors Location Time Description Cross listings Fulfills Registration notes Syllabus Syllabus URL
ARCH 1010-401 Introduction to Design Scott L Aker R 12:00 PM-1:29 PM An investigation of an object-oriented design process utilizing digital drawings, rapid prototyping, and digital fabrication techniques. This course introduces design as a creative act marking out a synthesis based on observation of a problem, interpretation of possibilities, and translation of a concept into meaningful three-dimensional objects that engage with society and social justice. The course includes a weekly lecture and studio component. DSGN1011401
ARCH 1010-402 Introduction to Design Scott L Aker T 1:45 PM-3:14 PM An investigation of an object-oriented design process utilizing digital drawings, rapid prototyping, and digital fabrication techniques. This course introduces design as a creative act marking out a synthesis based on observation of a problem, interpretation of possibilities, and translation of a concept into meaningful three-dimensional objects that engage with society and social justice. The course includes a weekly lecture and studio component. DSGN1011402
ARCH 1010-403 Introduction to Design Scott L Aker T 3:30 PM-4:59 PM An investigation of an object-oriented design process utilizing digital drawings, rapid prototyping, and digital fabrication techniques. This course introduces design as a creative act marking out a synthesis based on observation of a problem, interpretation of possibilities, and translation of a concept into meaningful three-dimensional objects that engage with society and social justice. The course includes a weekly lecture and studio component. DSGN1011403
ARCH 1010-404 Introduction to Design T 1:45 PM-3:14 PM An investigation of an object-oriented design process utilizing digital drawings, rapid prototyping, and digital fabrication techniques. This course introduces design as a creative act marking out a synthesis based on observation of a problem, interpretation of possibilities, and translation of a concept into meaningful three-dimensional objects that engage with society and social justice. The course includes a weekly lecture and studio component. DSGN1011404
ARCH 1010-405 Introduction to Design T 3:30 PM-4:59 PM An investigation of an object-oriented design process utilizing digital drawings, rapid prototyping, and digital fabrication techniques. This course introduces design as a creative act marking out a synthesis based on observation of a problem, interpretation of possibilities, and translation of a concept into meaningful three-dimensional objects that engage with society and social justice. The course includes a weekly lecture and studio component. DSGN1011405
ARCH 1301-301 Architectural Representation: Stories and Strategies Scott L Aker TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This course examines architectural representation as both a storytelling medium and a sociocultural practice, analyzing how drawings shape design ideologies, spatial narratives, and collective memory. Architectural imagery operates as both a tool of precision and a means of conceptual speculation, raising questions about whose stories are told through representation and how these narratives influence the built environment. Through critical engagement with historical and contemporary case studies, students will gain a deeper understanding of how architecture functions as a language of power, identity, and advocacy.
The course begins with foundational works, contrasting Chinese isometric drawings, which challenge Western perspectival norms, with Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s Carceri d’Invenzione (1761), where spatial distortion imagines impossible architectures. It then expands representation’s role beyond architecture to examine W.E.B. Du Bois’s The Exhibit of American Negroes (1900), which reimagines data visualization as a form of spatial storytelling, demonstrating how non-traditional mediums critique power structures and expand architectural discourse. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wasmuth Portfolio (1910) anchors a discussion on architectural imagery’s global influence, while Zaha Hadid’s axonometric experiments and Robin Evans’ Translations from Drawing to Building (1997) explore how abstraction mediates between idea and form. Modern case studies, including Mario Carpo’s The Alphabet and the Algorithm (2011), contextualize digital tools’ disruptive role in design.
Through drawing workshops and discussions, students will experiment with collage, texture mapping, generative AI, and other mixed-media techniques to create representations that engage urgent themes of equity, identity, and ecology. The course culminates in critical writing reflections on architecture’s responsibility to amplify marginalized narratives and spatialize collective futures. By framing architectural representation as both a creative and ethical practice, students will develop design portfolios that go beyond technical skill, embracing architecture’s capacity to question, provoke, and advocate.
ARCH 2010-001 Design Fundamentals I Seher Erdogan Ford
Troy Leonard
R 12:00 PM-12:59 PM This studio course develops drawing and model-making skills with emphasis on digital representation and digital fabrication. The capacity of nature-inspired design is explored as a foundation for the creative production of new forms of expression.
As the second course in the five-semester cumulative sequence of required design studios, ARCH 2010 is preceded by ARCH 1020, an exploration of orthogonal geometry and orthographic and axonometric projection. ARCH 2010 focuses on the non-orthogonal geometries of animate form as the basis for the development of analogical and prototypical structures utilizing 3D digital modeling software and digital fabrication. In ARCH 2020, the design studio following ARCH 2010, students explore the movement of the body as a basis for design.
ARCH 2010-201 Design Fundamentals I Seher Erdogan Ford TR 1:45 PM-3:44 PM This studio course develops drawing and model-making skills with emphasis on digital representation and digital fabrication. The capacity of nature-inspired design is explored as a foundation for the creative production of new forms of expression.
As the second course in the five-semester cumulative sequence of required design studios, ARCH 2010 is preceded by ARCH 1020, an exploration of orthogonal geometry and orthographic and axonometric projection. ARCH 2010 focuses on the non-orthogonal geometries of animate form as the basis for the development of analogical and prototypical structures utilizing 3D digital modeling software and digital fabrication. In ARCH 2020, the design studio following ARCH 2010, students explore the movement of the body as a basis for design.
ARCH 2010-202 Design Fundamentals I Seher Erdogan Ford TR 3:30 PM-5:29 PM This studio course develops drawing and model-making skills with emphasis on digital representation and digital fabrication. The capacity of nature-inspired design is explored as a foundation for the creative production of new forms of expression.
As the second course in the five-semester cumulative sequence of required design studios, ARCH 2010 is preceded by ARCH 1020, an exploration of orthogonal geometry and orthographic and axonometric projection. ARCH 2010 focuses on the non-orthogonal geometries of animate form as the basis for the development of analogical and prototypical structures utilizing 3D digital modeling software and digital fabrication. In ARCH 2020, the design studio following ARCH 2010, students explore the movement of the body as a basis for design.
ARCH 2010-203 Design Fundamentals I Troy Leonard TR 1:45 PM-3:44 PM This studio course develops drawing and model-making skills with emphasis on digital representation and digital fabrication. The capacity of nature-inspired design is explored as a foundation for the creative production of new forms of expression.
As the second course in the five-semester cumulative sequence of required design studios, ARCH 2010 is preceded by ARCH 1020, an exploration of orthogonal geometry and orthographic and axonometric projection. ARCH 2010 focuses on the non-orthogonal geometries of animate form as the basis for the development of analogical and prototypical structures utilizing 3D digital modeling software and digital fabrication. In ARCH 2020, the design studio following ARCH 2010, students explore the movement of the body as a basis for design.
ARCH 2010-204 Design Fundamentals I Troy Leonard TR 3:30 PM-5:29 PM This studio course develops drawing and model-making skills with emphasis on digital representation and digital fabrication. The capacity of nature-inspired design is explored as a foundation for the creative production of new forms of expression.
As the second course in the five-semester cumulative sequence of required design studios, ARCH 2010 is preceded by ARCH 1020, an exploration of orthogonal geometry and orthographic and axonometric projection. ARCH 2010 focuses on the non-orthogonal geometries of animate form as the basis for the development of analogical and prototypical structures utilizing 3D digital modeling software and digital fabrication. In ARCH 2020, the design studio following ARCH 2010, students explore the movement of the body as a basis for design.
ARCH 3010-001 Architecture Design I Halee Bouchehrian
Elizabeth Lovett
R 12:00 PM-12:59 PM An introduction to the design of architecture in the city. Students explore the relationships between two-dimensional patterns and their corresponding three-dimensional interpretations through the orthographic drawings of plan, section, and elevation and three-dimensional digital and physical models.
ARCH 3010 focuses on Architecture’s connective role as a whole comprised of parts (a building comprised of components) a contributing part of a whole (a building within an urban, suburban, or rural environment).
ARCH 3010-201 Architecture Design I Elizabeth Lovett TR 1:45 PM-3:44 PM An introduction to the design of architecture in the city. Students explore the relationships between two-dimensional patterns and their corresponding three-dimensional interpretations through the orthographic drawings of plan, section, and elevation and three-dimensional digital and physical models.
ARCH 3010 focuses on Architecture’s connective role as a whole comprised of parts (a building comprised of components) a contributing part of a whole (a building within an urban, suburban, or rural environment).
ARCH 3010-202 Architecture Design I Elizabeth Lovett TR 3:30 PM-5:29 PM An introduction to the design of architecture in the city. Students explore the relationships between two-dimensional patterns and their corresponding three-dimensional interpretations through the orthographic drawings of plan, section, and elevation and three-dimensional digital and physical models.
ARCH 3010 focuses on Architecture’s connective role as a whole comprised of parts (a building comprised of components) a contributing part of a whole (a building within an urban, suburban, or rural environment).
ARCH 3010-203 Architecture Design I Halee Bouchehrian TR 1:45 PM-3:44 PM An introduction to the design of architecture in the city. Students explore the relationships between two-dimensional patterns and their corresponding three-dimensional interpretations through the orthographic drawings of plan, section, and elevation and three-dimensional digital and physical models.
ARCH 3010 focuses on Architecture’s connective role as a whole comprised of parts (a building comprised of components) a contributing part of a whole (a building within an urban, suburban, or rural environment).
ARCH 3010-204 Architecture Design I Halee Bouchehrian TR 3:30 PM-5:29 PM An introduction to the design of architecture in the city. Students explore the relationships between two-dimensional patterns and their corresponding three-dimensional interpretations through the orthographic drawings of plan, section, and elevation and three-dimensional digital and physical models.
ARCH 3010 focuses on Architecture’s connective role as a whole comprised of parts (a building comprised of components) a contributing part of a whole (a building within an urban, suburban, or rural environment).
ARCH 3110-001 Theory I Vanessa Grossman MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM Theory I offers an introduction to key topics in architectural theory, providing students with a foundational understanding of the discipline. Through readings, case studies, and diverse materials, participants will critically reflect on issues of contemporary relevance within the field of architecture. This course equips students with essential tools for thoughtful analysis and creative engagement in architectural discourse.
ARCH 3800-401 Topics in Arch Theory: Modern Architecture in Japan: Culture, Place, Tectonics Ariel Genadt R 3:30 PM-6:29 PM The topics courses offer a timely exploration of issues of contemporary relevance within the discipline of architecture. These introductory seminars engage with a diverse range of themes that vary by semester and instructor. Open to all undergraduate students. ARCH7113401
ARCH 3802-301 Topics in Theory: Making Space: Feminism and Architecture Daniela Fabricius W 1:45 PM-4:44 PM This course offers a timely exploration of issues of contemporary relevance within the area of architectural theory. Specific content will vary by semester and instructor. Open to all undergraduate students.
ARCH 4010-001 Advanced Design Workshop Brian Szymanik R 12:00 PM-12:59 PM Advanced design course that engages contemporary contexts of architecture through historical, socio-cultural, and environmental frameworks. Students develop skills for collaboration, self-evaluation, and peer critique while learning how to effectively communicate design ideas to a public audience.
ARCH 4010-201 Advanced Design Workshop Brian Szymanik TR 1:45 PM-5:29 PM Advanced design course that engages contemporary contexts of architecture through historical, socio-cultural, and environmental frameworks. Students develop skills for collaboration, self-evaluation, and peer critique while learning how to effectively communicate design ideas to a public audience.
ARCH 4120-301 Theory II Eduardo Rega Calvo W 1:45 PM-4:44 PM Theory II explores advanced topics in architectural theory. Through readings, case studies, and multi-media materials, students will explore contemporary concerns within the discipline of architecture in relationship to other areas of knowledge. By engaging with complex issues, students will hone their analytical abilities and develop a critical lens through which to examine architectural thought and practice.
ARCH 4310-101 Construction I: Lab Philip J Ryan F 1:45 PM-3:14 PM Lecture course exploring the basic principles of architectural technology and building construction. The course is focused on building material, methods of on-site and off-site preparation, material assemblies, and the performance of materials. Topics discussed include load bearing masonry structures of small to medium size (typical row house constuction), heavy and light wood frame construction, sustainable construction practices, emerging + engineered materials, and integrated building practices. The course also introduces students to Building Information Modeling (BIM) via the production of construction documents.
ARCH 4310-401 Construction I Philip J Ryan R 10:15 AM-11:44 AM Lecture course exploring the basic principles of architectural technology and building construction. The course is focused on building material, methods of on-site and off-site preparation, material assemblies, and the performance of materials. Topics discussed include load bearing masonry structures of small to medium size (typical row house constuction), heavy and light wood frame construction, sustainable construction practices, emerging + engineered materials, and integrated building practices. The course also introduces students to Building Information Modeling (BIM) via the production of construction documents. ARCH5310401
ARCH 4330-301 Building Systems Integration Patrick L.P. Morgan M 3:30 PM-4:59 PM What makes buildings livable and buildable. After the initial concept design and massing studies are complete the next step is detailing. This seminar will examine the detail, how they can inform and enhance a building's design. The primary goals of a building is that it stands up to external forces, protects inhabitants from the elements and provides a healthy environment. This course will look at the individual components of structure, skin and systems. More importantly though, it will examine the connections between them. The class will begin with lectures examining the different systems and then progress into applying these ideas as a whole to individual studio projects. The final results of this course will be a 3D wall section with accompanying details. These details will be developed in a variety of software as chosen by the student. Recommended options are Revit, Rhino, AutoCAD.
ARCH 4350-101 Structures I: Lab Richard Farley Theory applied toward structural form. A review of one-dimensional structural elements; a study of arches, slabs and plates, curved surface structures, lateral and dynamic loads; survey of current and future structural technology. The course comprises both lectures and a weekly laboratory in which various structural elements, systems, materials and technical principles are explored.
ARCH 4350-401 Structures I Richard Farley W 10:15 AM-11:44 AM Theory applied toward structural form. A review of one-dimensional structural elements; a study of arches, slabs and plates, curved surface structures, lateral and dynamic loads; survey of current and future structural technology. The course comprises both lectures and a weekly laboratory in which various structural elements, systems, materials and technical principles are explored. ARCH5350401
ARCH 5010-201 Design Studio I Daniel G Markiewicz MWR 1:45 PM-5:44 PM This course is the first of a four-semester long design sequence that constitutes the core studio curriculum within the Master of Architecture program at the Weitzman School of Design. This studio introduces specific modes of architectural thinking, design, and practice through a set of projects that examine the foundational topics of component order and assembly . The semester will examine part-to-whole relationships through digital design techniques, tectonic and material studies and physical fabrication. The semester will culminate with the design of a small institutional extension that allows students to apply these foundational concepts to architectural space. Successful completion of ARCH 5010 is required to move on to ARCH 5020 in the Studio Sequence.
ARCH 5110-001 History and Theory I Joan I Ockman T 3:30 PM-4:59 PM This overview of the history of architecture from the mid-nineteenth century through World War II places modern architecture’s evolution into global perspective, taking into account not just transformations in architectural aesthetics and building practices around the world but also the broader sociopolitical, economic, technological, environmental, and intellectual forces that influenced them . We consider changing modes of production and reception, disciplinary and institutional innovations, animating debates, and global interdependencies and interchanges . Going well beyond iconic buildings and canonical “isms,” we pose the following questions: In what ways did the new architecture of the period respond to, participate in, and mediate the unprecedented experiences of modernizing societies? How did urban and environmental crises, colonial enterprises and devastating wars, national and international agendas, social changes, and technological advances affect architects’ understanding of the spaces they were called upon to design? How, in turn, did buildings and projects reflect different societies’ self-images and aspirations to become modern? What can architecture’s manifestations over the course of this formative period tell us about the emergent modern world? In attempting to answer these questions, we take note of shifting historiographic paradigms and reflect on the genealogical relationship and relevance of this epoch to architectural thought and practice today. A passing grade in ARCH 5110 must be earned before moving on to the next course in the sequence, ARCH 5120.
ARCH 5110-002 History and Theory I Fernando Lara T 3:30 PM-4:59 PM This overview of the history of architecture from the mid-nineteenth century through World War II places modern architecture’s evolution into global perspective, taking into account not just transformations in architectural aesthetics and building practices around the world but also the broader sociopolitical, economic, technological, environmental, and intellectual forces that influenced them . We consider changing modes of production and reception, disciplinary and institutional innovations, animating debates, and global interdependencies and interchanges . Going well beyond iconic buildings and canonical “isms,” we pose the following questions: In what ways did the new architecture of the period respond to, participate in, and mediate the unprecedented experiences of modernizing societies? How did urban and environmental crises, colonial enterprises and devastating wars, national and international agendas, social changes, and technological advances affect architects’ understanding of the spaces they were called upon to design? How, in turn, did buildings and projects reflect different societies’ self-images and aspirations to become modern? What can architecture’s manifestations over the course of this formative period tell us about the emergent modern world? In attempting to answer these questions, we take note of shifting historiographic paradigms and reflect on the genealogical relationship and relevance of this epoch to architectural thought and practice today. A passing grade in ARCH 5110 must be earned before moving on to the next course in the sequence, ARCH 5120.
ARCH 5110-201 History and Theory I Rami Kanafani F 8:30 AM-9:59 AM This overview of the history of architecture from the mid-nineteenth century through World War II places modern architecture’s evolution into global perspective, taking into account not just transformations in architectural aesthetics and building practices around the world but also the broader sociopolitical, economic, technological, environmental, and intellectual forces that influenced them . We consider changing modes of production and reception, disciplinary and institutional innovations, animating debates, and global interdependencies and interchanges . Going well beyond iconic buildings and canonical “isms,” we pose the following questions: In what ways did the new architecture of the period respond to, participate in, and mediate the unprecedented experiences of modernizing societies? How did urban and environmental crises, colonial enterprises and devastating wars, national and international agendas, social changes, and technological advances affect architects’ understanding of the spaces they were called upon to design? How, in turn, did buildings and projects reflect different societies’ self-images and aspirations to become modern? What can architecture’s manifestations over the course of this formative period tell us about the emergent modern world? In attempting to answer these questions, we take note of shifting historiographic paradigms and reflect on the genealogical relationship and relevance of this epoch to architectural thought and practice today. A passing grade in ARCH 5110 must be earned before moving on to the next course in the sequence, ARCH 5120.
ARCH 5110-202 History and Theory I Rami Kanafani F 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This overview of the history of architecture from the mid-nineteenth century through World War II places modern architecture’s evolution into global perspective, taking into account not just transformations in architectural aesthetics and building practices around the world but also the broader sociopolitical, economic, technological, environmental, and intellectual forces that influenced them . We consider changing modes of production and reception, disciplinary and institutional innovations, animating debates, and global interdependencies and interchanges . Going well beyond iconic buildings and canonical “isms,” we pose the following questions: In what ways did the new architecture of the period respond to, participate in, and mediate the unprecedented experiences of modernizing societies? How did urban and environmental crises, colonial enterprises and devastating wars, national and international agendas, social changes, and technological advances affect architects’ understanding of the spaces they were called upon to design? How, in turn, did buildings and projects reflect different societies’ self-images and aspirations to become modern? What can architecture’s manifestations over the course of this formative period tell us about the emergent modern world? In attempting to answer these questions, we take note of shifting historiographic paradigms and reflect on the genealogical relationship and relevance of this epoch to architectural thought and practice today. A passing grade in ARCH 5110 must be earned before moving on to the next course in the sequence, ARCH 5120.
ARCH 5110-203 History and Theory I Basak Eren F 8:30 AM-9:59 AM This overview of the history of architecture from the mid-nineteenth century through World War II places modern architecture’s evolution into global perspective, taking into account not just transformations in architectural aesthetics and building practices around the world but also the broader sociopolitical, economic, technological, environmental, and intellectual forces that influenced them . We consider changing modes of production and reception, disciplinary and institutional innovations, animating debates, and global interdependencies and interchanges . Going well beyond iconic buildings and canonical “isms,” we pose the following questions: In what ways did the new architecture of the period respond to, participate in, and mediate the unprecedented experiences of modernizing societies? How did urban and environmental crises, colonial enterprises and devastating wars, national and international agendas, social changes, and technological advances affect architects’ understanding of the spaces they were called upon to design? How, in turn, did buildings and projects reflect different societies’ self-images and aspirations to become modern? What can architecture’s manifestations over the course of this formative period tell us about the emergent modern world? In attempting to answer these questions, we take note of shifting historiographic paradigms and reflect on the genealogical relationship and relevance of this epoch to architectural thought and practice today. A passing grade in ARCH 5110 must be earned before moving on to the next course in the sequence, ARCH 5120.
ARCH 5110-204 History and Theory I Jack Schonewolf F 8:30 AM-9:59 AM This overview of the history of architecture from the mid-nineteenth century through World War II places modern architecture’s evolution into global perspective, taking into account not just transformations in architectural aesthetics and building practices around the world but also the broader sociopolitical, economic, technological, environmental, and intellectual forces that influenced them . We consider changing modes of production and reception, disciplinary and institutional innovations, animating debates, and global interdependencies and interchanges . Going well beyond iconic buildings and canonical “isms,” we pose the following questions: In what ways did the new architecture of the period respond to, participate in, and mediate the unprecedented experiences of modernizing societies? How did urban and environmental crises, colonial enterprises and devastating wars, national and international agendas, social changes, and technological advances affect architects’ understanding of the spaces they were called upon to design? How, in turn, did buildings and projects reflect different societies’ self-images and aspirations to become modern? What can architecture’s manifestations over the course of this formative period tell us about the emergent modern world? In attempting to answer these questions, we take note of shifting historiographic paradigms and reflect on the genealogical relationship and relevance of this epoch to architectural thought and practice today. A passing grade in ARCH 5110 must be earned before moving on to the next course in the sequence, ARCH 5120.
ARCH 5110-205 History and Theory I Jack Schonewolf F 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This overview of the history of architecture from the mid-nineteenth century through World War II places modern architecture’s evolution into global perspective, taking into account not just transformations in architectural aesthetics and building practices around the world but also the broader sociopolitical, economic, technological, environmental, and intellectual forces that influenced them . We consider changing modes of production and reception, disciplinary and institutional innovations, animating debates, and global interdependencies and interchanges . Going well beyond iconic buildings and canonical “isms,” we pose the following questions: In what ways did the new architecture of the period respond to, participate in, and mediate the unprecedented experiences of modernizing societies? How did urban and environmental crises, colonial enterprises and devastating wars, national and international agendas, social changes, and technological advances affect architects’ understanding of the spaces they were called upon to design? How, in turn, did buildings and projects reflect different societies’ self-images and aspirations to become modern? What can architecture’s manifestations over the course of this formative period tell us about the emergent modern world? In attempting to answer these questions, we take note of shifting historiographic paradigms and reflect on the genealogical relationship and relevance of this epoch to architectural thought and practice today. A passing grade in ARCH 5110 must be earned before moving on to the next course in the sequence, ARCH 5120.
ARCH 5110-206 History and Theory I Basak Eren F 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This overview of the history of architecture from the mid-nineteenth century through World War II places modern architecture’s evolution into global perspective, taking into account not just transformations in architectural aesthetics and building practices around the world but also the broader sociopolitical, economic, technological, environmental, and intellectual forces that influenced them . We consider changing modes of production and reception, disciplinary and institutional innovations, animating debates, and global interdependencies and interchanges . Going well beyond iconic buildings and canonical “isms,” we pose the following questions: In what ways did the new architecture of the period respond to, participate in, and mediate the unprecedented experiences of modernizing societies? How did urban and environmental crises, colonial enterprises and devastating wars, national and international agendas, social changes, and technological advances affect architects’ understanding of the spaces they were called upon to design? How, in turn, did buildings and projects reflect different societies’ self-images and aspirations to become modern? What can architecture’s manifestations over the course of this formative period tell us about the emergent modern world? In attempting to answer these questions, we take note of shifting historiographic paradigms and reflect on the genealogical relationship and relevance of this epoch to architectural thought and practice today. A passing grade in ARCH 5110 must be earned before moving on to the next course in the sequence, ARCH 5120.
ARCH 5210-101 Visual Studies I Nathan P Hume
Daniel G Markiewicz
T 1:45 PM-3:14 PM The coursework of Visual Studies investigates architectural representation as the primary means for communication and development of an architect's work. Alongside the development of fundamental skills are weekly lectures on the history of representation exploring the introduction of new technologies, drawings relation to culture, and the impact on practice of representational turns. The first semester investigates documenting objects and space through orthographic projection and isometric drawing while also moving between virtual and physical space with means including photogrammetry and 3D printing.
ARCH 5310-401 Construction I Philip J Ryan R 10:15 AM-11:44 AM ARCH 5310 is the first of two courses explaining Construction Technology. The first course introduces the student to the relationship of design and construction in the creation of buildings. The early lectures trace the evolution and innovation of construction techniques throughout history and around the globe . This is used to ground the course in the kinds of environmental, economic, and technological pressures that have influenced the use of materials and methods in construction . Next, the course presents a primer describing how design and the act of drawing establishes a vocabulary that architects use to describe the construction of buildings. The balance of the course presents the building of a “light scale” building from the ground up; examining the fundamental material and construction concepts related to construction starting with excavation and ending with interior finishes . Bi-weekly labs complement the lectures with site visits to construction sites and trade facilities as well as more focused lessons. ARCH4310401
ARCH 5350-401 Structures I Richard Farley W 10:15 AM-11:44 AM Theory applied toward structural form. A review of one-dimensional structural elements; a study of arches, slabs and plates, curved surface structures, lateral and dynamic loads; the sizing and selection of materials are undertaken using acceptable standards and code requirements; survey of current and future structural technology. The course comprises both lectures and a weekly laboratory in which various structural elements, systems, materials and technical principles are explored. ARCH4350401
ARCH 5990-101 First Year Technology Lab Richard Farley
Philip J Ryan
F 1:45 PM-3:14 PM ARCH 5990 is a required lab/workshop that accompanies the core technology sequence in the M.Arch program in both the Fall and Spring terms. This lab section will offer additional instruction, workshops, lab time, and other support to the first year technology courses. Enrollment in ARCH 5990 is required for all undergraduate and graduate Architecture students taking the Fall courses ARCH 4310/5310: Construction I and ARCH 4350/5350: Structures I and the Spring courses ARCH 4320/5320: Construction II and ARCH 4360/5360: Structures II.
ARCH 6010-201 Design Studio III Hina Jamelle MWF 1:45 PM-5:44 PM The third core studio proposes the design of a 50,000 square foot, urban sited building that positions a new urban housing project with an existing structure. Students engage architecture in its role as a cultural agent and examine the way buildings establish and organize dynamic relationships between site, program and building materials . Urban access, relationship to siting, mass-transit, and the larger city will be considered . The curricular goals of the studio include the exploration of building massing, housing unit scale and variation, and the creation of hybrid forms of housing/dwelling as they relate to adaptive reuse and public programs within the urban environment. ARCH 5020 must be successfully completed before beginning ARCH 6010. Successful completion of ARCH 6010 is a prerequisite for starting ARCH 6020.
ARCH 6110-001 History and Theory III Daniela Fabricius R 10:15 AM-1:14 PM This course builds on the previous History/Theory sequence (ARCH 5110 and ARCH 5120), moving from an emphasis on history to focus on contemporary theories of architecture. The goal is to build literacy in contemporary architectural discourse in correlation with design culture. Students will gain awareness of where the field of contemporary architectural theory currently stands, especially in terms of its societal and scientific relevance. Lectures and discussions will look at the aesthetic, political, and ethical implications of design, and will consider the global context of architecture in light of climate change and emerging building and design technologies. Successful students will gain skills in reading and discussing theoretical texts and will be able to better articulate their own critical thinking and positioning in the field. A passing grade in ARCH 5120 must be earned before enrolling in ARCH 6110.
ARCH 6110-002 History and Theory III Eduardo Rega Calvo R 9:00 AM-11:59 AM This course builds on the previous History/Theory sequence (ARCH 5110 and ARCH 5120), moving from an emphasis on history to focus on contemporary theories of architecture. The goal is to build literacy in contemporary architectural discourse in correlation with design culture. Students will gain awareness of where the field of contemporary architectural theory currently stands, especially in terms of its societal and scientific relevance. Lectures and discussions will look at the aesthetic, political, and ethical implications of design, and will consider the global context of architecture in light of climate change and emerging building and design technologies. Successful students will gain skills in reading and discussing theoretical texts and will be able to better articulate their own critical thinking and positioning in the field. A passing grade in ARCH 5120 must be earned before enrolling in ARCH 6110.
ARCH 6110-003 History and Theory III Vanessa Grossman R 10:15 AM-1:14 PM This course builds on the previous History/Theory sequence (ARCH 5110 and ARCH 5120), moving from an emphasis on history to focus on contemporary theories of architecture. The goal is to build literacy in contemporary architectural discourse in correlation with design culture. Students will gain awareness of where the field of contemporary architectural theory currently stands, especially in terms of its societal and scientific relevance. Lectures and discussions will look at the aesthetic, political, and ethical implications of design, and will consider the global context of architecture in light of climate change and emerging building and design technologies. Successful students will gain skills in reading and discussing theoretical texts and will be able to better articulate their own critical thinking and positioning in the field. A passing grade in ARCH 5120 must be earned before enrolling in ARCH 6110.
ARCH 6210-101 Visual Studies III Nathan P Hume
Daniel G Markiewicz
T 3:30 PM-4:59 PM The final course in the Visual Studies sequence integrates more dynamic modeling, texturing, and rendering applications to synthesize and propel work from the earlier semesters. To avoid tropes and the inherent biases of the tools, the courses serve to help comprehend not only the technical and aesthetic but also the theoretical and political implications of representation. The three-semester arc provides an understanding of contemporary drawing, modeling, and visualization techniques while also creating the necessary grounding in the historical context needed to position one's work. This allows the students to engage and critique larger discussions in the field as well as to shape and impact culture and the built environment.
ARCH 6310-001 D3: Details, Data, Delivery Franca Trubiano W 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This course is focused on advanced subjects in the project delivery of buildings, subjects inclusive of Biogenic and Carbon Responsive Materials and Details, Environment, Resiliency, and Fossil Fuel Free Building Systems Integration, Advanced Fabrication, Robotic Manufacturing, and Building Labor, and Computational Workflows, Artificial Intelligence, and Simulating Building. Students study complex, integrated, and sustainably determined buildings seeking their systems based, technological, and labor-based innovations. Students engage in advanced research methods and forensic analysis of artifacts and primary source documents associated with the material detailing, fabrication, data-scaping, virtualizing, simulating, and workflow planning of building projects. Students organize the collection of firsthand/primary source information and interview members of the project delivery team. Identifying how, why, and to what end products and practices are deployed in the construction of innovative projects is the goal.
ARCH 6330-001 Environmental Systems I Eric Teitelbaum T 10:15 AM-11:44 AM The course prepares the students to understand the role of environmental systems in building design, and how to apply principles of building science such as the building heat balance, solar heat gain and daylighting in the early building design, through calculations and simulations. Issues of climate, health and environmental sustainability are explored as they relate to architecture in its natural context. The classes include lectures, site visits and lab sessions.
ARCH 6999-101 Second Year Technology Lab Mohamad Al Khayer T 12:00 PM-1:29 PM ARCH 6999 is a required lab/workshop that accompanies the core technology sequence in the M.Arch program in both the Fall and Spring terms. This non-graded lab section will offer additional instruction, workshops, lab time, and other support to the second year technology courses. Enrollment in ARCH 6999 is required for all Master of Architecture students taking ARCH 6330 and ARCH 6340.
ARCH 7010-201 Studio V Simon Yoo-Hyun Kim MWF 1:45 PM-5:44 PM The fall Advanced Design Studio focuses on the dynamic transformations shaping the 21st-century city. These transformations are multi-faceted, deep-rooted, and impact all aspects of contemporary urban life. Studio topics encompass a wide range of themes, including technological innovations, sociopolitical and environmental challenges, and cultural and historical shifts that typify architecture in the urban realm today. All studios travel to domestic and international cities to engage local stakeholders and conduct research on site. Successful completion of ARCH 6020 is a prerequisite for enrolling in ARCH 7010.
ARCH 7030-201 Advanced Architectural Design Studio Ali Rezaur Rahim MWF 1:45 PM-5:44 PM An Advanced Architectural Design Studio specifically tailored to post-professional students. Through this studio, students engage in the challenges and opportunities presented by changes in society, technology, and urban experience. Through design projects, they explore alternative modes and markets for practice, along with new directions and new tools for design.
ARCH 7100-001 Contemporary Theory 1989-Present Ariane Harrison T 10:15 AM-11:44 AM A chronological overview of the approaches and attitudes adopted by architects, theorists and inter-disciplinary writers from 1993- today that havehelped shape the current discourse of architecture. This course will introduce and contextualize key projects, and polemics over the last 25 years. Central themes in this course include the impact of digital technologies and methods of design, production and materiality. These are explored through texts, movements, projects and buildings that help form an overview that has shaped the contemporary condition that we live in. There have been a myriad of different approaches and through a select set of readings and lectures students will be exposed to crucial texts, projects and buildings making students versatile and knowledgeable in the important concepts that shape our current discourse. A focus will be the organization, configuration and articulation of buildings and the conceptual and cultural arguments they are associated. Formal, organizational and material characteristics of this period will be explored. This class will develop students' knowledge and provide a platform from which they can continue the discussions surrounding architectural thought and practice. The students will learn to communicate their ideas verbally and in writing. Contemporary topics in architecture theory and projects are introduced in a weekly lecture format critical to the shaping of our discipline today. A weeklyrecitation session allows students to engage with the readings critically in the subject matter. A mid-term and final paper are required to pass this class. (Topics to be covered: Seminal projects and buildings in the last 25 years, situating the architects work within a culture of debate and discourse identifying the important readings surrounding each building/project.) This course is a requirement of the MSD-AAD curriculum.
ARCH 7100-201 Contemporary Theory 1989-Present T 12:00 PM-1:29 PM A chronological overview of the approaches and attitudes adopted by architects, theorists and inter-disciplinary writers from 1993- today that havehelped shape the current discourse of architecture. This course will introduce and contextualize key projects, and polemics over the last 25 years. Central themes in this course include the impact of digital technologies and methods of design, production and materiality. These are explored through texts, movements, projects and buildings that help form an overview that has shaped the contemporary condition that we live in. There have been a myriad of different approaches and through a select set of readings and lectures students will be exposed to crucial texts, projects and buildings making students versatile and knowledgeable in the important concepts that shape our current discourse. A focus will be the organization, configuration and articulation of buildings and the conceptual and cultural arguments they are associated. Formal, organizational and material characteristics of this period will be explored. This class will develop students' knowledge and provide a platform from which they can continue the discussions surrounding architectural thought and practice. The students will learn to communicate their ideas verbally and in writing. Contemporary topics in architecture theory and projects are introduced in a weekly lecture format critical to the shaping of our discipline today. A weeklyrecitation session allows students to engage with the readings critically in the subject matter. A mid-term and final paper are required to pass this class. (Topics to be covered: Seminal projects and buildings in the last 25 years, situating the architects work within a culture of debate and discourse identifying the important readings surrounding each building/project.) This course is a requirement of the MSD-AAD curriculum.
ARCH 7100-202 Contemporary Theory 1989-Present T 12:00 PM-1:29 PM A chronological overview of the approaches and attitudes adopted by architects, theorists and inter-disciplinary writers from 1993- today that havehelped shape the current discourse of architecture. This course will introduce and contextualize key projects, and polemics over the last 25 years. Central themes in this course include the impact of digital technologies and methods of design, production and materiality. These are explored through texts, movements, projects and buildings that help form an overview that has shaped the contemporary condition that we live in. There have been a myriad of different approaches and through a select set of readings and lectures students will be exposed to crucial texts, projects and buildings making students versatile and knowledgeable in the important concepts that shape our current discourse. A focus will be the organization, configuration and articulation of buildings and the conceptual and cultural arguments they are associated. Formal, organizational and material characteristics of this period will be explored. This class will develop students' knowledge and provide a platform from which they can continue the discussions surrounding architectural thought and practice. The students will learn to communicate their ideas verbally and in writing. Contemporary topics in architecture theory and projects are introduced in a weekly lecture format critical to the shaping of our discipline today. A weeklyrecitation session allows students to engage with the readings critically in the subject matter. A mid-term and final paper are required to pass this class. (Topics to be covered: Seminal projects and buildings in the last 25 years, situating the architects work within a culture of debate and discourse identifying the important readings surrounding each building/project.) This course is a requirement of the MSD-AAD curriculum.
ARCH 7100-203 Contemporary Theory 1989-Present T 12:00 PM-1:29 PM A chronological overview of the approaches and attitudes adopted by architects, theorists and inter-disciplinary writers from 1993- today that havehelped shape the current discourse of architecture. This course will introduce and contextualize key projects, and polemics over the last 25 years. Central themes in this course include the impact of digital technologies and methods of design, production and materiality. These are explored through texts, movements, projects and buildings that help form an overview that has shaped the contemporary condition that we live in. There have been a myriad of different approaches and through a select set of readings and lectures students will be exposed to crucial texts, projects and buildings making students versatile and knowledgeable in the important concepts that shape our current discourse. A focus will be the organization, configuration and articulation of buildings and the conceptual and cultural arguments they are associated. Formal, organizational and material characteristics of this period will be explored. This class will develop students' knowledge and provide a platform from which they can continue the discussions surrounding architectural thought and practice. The students will learn to communicate their ideas verbally and in writing. Contemporary topics in architecture theory and projects are introduced in a weekly lecture format critical to the shaping of our discipline today. A weeklyrecitation session allows students to engage with the readings critically in the subject matter. A mid-term and final paper are required to pass this class. (Topics to be covered: Seminal projects and buildings in the last 25 years, situating the architects work within a culture of debate and discourse identifying the important readings surrounding each building/project.) This course is a requirement of the MSD-AAD curriculum.
ARCH 7110-301 Topics in Arch Theory: The Architecture of Re-Imagination: The History and Theory of Reuse T 10:15 AM-1:14 PM A seminar on advanced topics in architectural design and theory. Topics and instructors will vary.
ARCH 7112-301 Topics in Arch Theory: Design Research, Writing, and Critical Methodologies Matthew Shaw T 5:15 PM-8:14 PM A seminar on advanced topics in architectural design and theory. Topics and instructors will vary.
ARCH 7113-401 Topics in Arch Theory: Modern Architecture in Japan: Culture, Place, Tectonics Ariel Genadt R 3:30 PM-6:29 PM A seminar on advanced topics in architectural design and theory. Topics and instructors will vary. ARCH3800401
ARCH 7180-301 History and Theory of Architecture and Climate: Challenges and Opportunities for the 21st Century Ariel Genadt T 10:15 AM-1:14 PM This history and theory seminar aims to equip students with a multifaceted understanding of key challenges and opportunities in designing climate-sensitive architecture in the 21st century, in view of the instabilities brought about by climate change and other human-inflicted disruptions to our planet’s ecosystems. It demonstrates how creative design ideas and applications can arise from cross-cultural pollination. To do so, the lectures, readings and student research draw on both vernacular buildings and authored case studies and theories in an array of contexts, diverse cultures living within a range of climates on all continents. The seminar’s theoretical premise is that architecture and climate have always affected one-another, even if the awareness of architecture’s effects on climate change is recent. The seminar therefore focuses on architect’s role within a design team as one that assesses and integrates quantifiable parameters for climatic performance through a qualitative socio-cultural lens. The seminar’s method is topical rather than historical. Each topic is presented from several facets, often with diverging views and motives. Each class is divided into a topical lecture and a students’ presentation and discussion of the characteristics of one climate region and its architectural challenges. In preparation of discussions students read and write critical responses. As a term project, students research and compare case studies, and present them graphically and verbally. The seminar is open to all graduate architecture students. The course is a core requirement for the MSD-EBD degree.
ARCH 7190-001 The Neo-Avant Garde of the 1960's and 70's: Cohorts and Ongoing Legacies Annette Fierro T 10:15 AM-1:14 PM The 1960’s and 70’s saw the emergence of a number of counter-cultural groups across the world which challenged modernist universalist concepts. Most of these groups were young and iconoclastic, presenting their ideas as visionary statements, well outside the constraints of built architecture, which were identified with the problematized “establishment” architecture officially sanctioned by the academies and professional publications. Most of these groups were short-lived, but their radically charged ideas continue to influence ideation to the present day, in work which moved from rhetorical statement to built fact. Theirs was an architecture of resistance, an architecture positioned against the status quo, an architecture of renewal which embraced complexities of references, inspirations, and ambitions.
This seminar covers the early manifestos and projects through the work and ideas of the latter day. The original groups and individuals to be addressed: (1) Archigram and Cedric Price (UK), (2) the Situationists, Utopie and Yona Friedman (France), (3) Soleri/Arcosanti, Ant Farm, Drop City and Ambasz (US), (4) Hans Hollein and Hans-Rucker-Co (Austria), and (5) Metabolism (Japan).
Tying the work of the era through a series of topical themes entails the construction of a network of influences, story lines, hermeneutics--latter-day reappearances of vestigial sources, phantoms of radicalisms past. Through a series of readings, presentations and discussions, we will weave these together, addressing concepts of the utopian and the visionary, radical ecologies as environmentalism emerged in the sensibility of the era, megastructures built and unbuilt, how architecture was influenced by the sciences of communication, biology and information, how science fiction entered into architecture, how ideas of housing evolved from megastructures into dwelling of soft membranes and finally, ideas of event and happening in 1960's theater and performance art, then and now. Coming into the present day, these groups prophesied, to an uncanny degree, many facets present in contemporary architecture, from to the impact of technology in general on the architectural project, to the active exploration of early environmental hybridities, to immersive and responsive environments, to the challenge of material tangibility by virtual realms, and simultaneously, the introduction of new types of organic and plastic materials.”
ARCH 7220-301 Vibrant Artifacts Barry Wark M 10:15 AM-1:14 PM As we move into an age of environmental consciousness and the nature-architecture dichotomy dissolves in favor of emerging ideologies of interconnectedness, it may no longer be appropriate to perpetuate the notion that our buildings are impervious and separate to the environments in which they are sited. Through the design of prototypical details cumulating in a spatial object, students will speculate on conditions of permissible weathering, degradation and inhabitation of our artifacts by non-human entities. In support of this task, students will learn the surrounding theoretical context by studying key texts from Ruskin, Mostafavi and Leatherbarrow, Kallipoliti, Morton and Bennet that focus on the topics of weathering, ruination and contemporary ecological ideas; where and why these various effects occur in the built environment at present; and procedural design, modelling workflows in Houdini FX that integrate computational intelligence through weather simulation and geometric analysis.
ARCH 7250-401 Design Thinking Ulises Reyes F 8:30 AM-11:29 AM Creating new product concepts was once a specialized pursuit exclusively performed by design professionals in isolation from the rest of an organization. Today's products are developed in a holistic process involving a collaboration amont many disciplines. Design thinking - incorporating processes, approaches, and working methods from traditional designers' toolkits - has become a way of generating innovative ideas to challenging problems and refining those ideas. Rapid prototyping techniques, affordable and accessible prototyping platforms, and an iterative mindset have enabled people to more reliably translate those ideas into implementable solutions. In this course, students will be exposed to these techniques and learn how to engage in a human-centered design process. IPD5720401
ARCH 7280-401 Design of Contemporary Products: Design for Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Sarah E. Rottenberg T 10:15 AM-1:14 PM The power of design to shape the world we live in is increasingly obvious, as is the responsibility of designers to challenge our assumptions about who designs, who is included or marginalized by our designs, and how we can make sure that all design is inclusive design. This course will address issues around designing for equity, inclusion and accessibility and co-design. We will ask, What is inclusive design? Who does it serve? What should it look like? To answer these questions, we will engage with the current discourse around designing for equity, inclusion and accessibility, with a particular focus on accessibility. We will engage with disability justice frameworks and critical disability studies to challenge our assumptions about disability and engagement. And we will connect with members of the disability community and co-design along with them. This course is intended for anyone who considers themselves a designer: of physical or digital products, places, or services who wants to prioritize inclusion in their practice IPD5280401
ARCH 7310-301 Experiments in Structures Mohamad Al Khayer M 8:30 AM-11:29 AM This course studies the relationships between geometric space and those structural systems that amplify tension. Experiments using the hand (touch and force) in coordination with the eye (sight and geometry) will be done during the construction and observation of physical models. Verbal, mathematical and computer models are secondary to the reality of the physical model. However these models will be used to give dimension and document the experiments. Team reports will serve as interim and final examinations. In typology, masonry structures in compression (e.g., vault and dome) correlate with "Classical" space, and steel or reinforced concrete structures in flexure (e.g., frame, slab and column) with "Modernist" space. We seek the spatial correlates to tensile systems of both textiles (woven or braided fabrics where both warp and weft are tensile), and baskets (where the warp is tensile and the weft is compressive). In addition to the experiments, we will examine Le Ricolais' structural models held by the Architectural Archives.
ARCH 7321-301 Tech Elective: Geometric Structural Design Masoud Akbarzadeh T 1:45 PM-4:44 PM Technology Designated Electives enable students to deepen their understanding of architectural issues, and M.Arch students must complete 1 CU of any ARCH 732x and/or ARCH 736x course(s). But these courses are not limited to students in the department of architecture any graduate student at Weitzman is invited to register for a Technology Designated Elective of interest, space permitting. Topics vary between semesters, and specific details can be found in the “Section Details” area in course search.
ARCH 7322-301 Tech Elective: Daylighting Janki Vyas R 12:00 PM-2:59 PM Technology Designated Electives enable students to deepen their understanding of architectural issues, and M.Arch students must complete 1 CU of any ARCH 732x and/or ARCH 736x course(s). But these courses are not limited to students in the department of architecture any graduate student at Weitzman is invited to register for a Technology Designated Elective of interest, space permitting. Topics vary between semesters, and specific details can be found in the “Section Details” area in course search.
ARCH 7323-301 Tech Elective: Matter, Making & Testing: Designing with Next Generation Precast Concrete Richard J Garber T 3:30 PM-6:29 PM Technology Designated Electives enable students to deepen their understanding of architectural issues, and M.Arch students must complete 1 CU of any ARCH 732x and/or ARCH 736x course(s). But these courses are not limited to students in the department of architecture any graduate student at Weitzman is invited to register for a Technology Designated Elective of interest, space permitting. Topics vary between semesters, and specific details can be found in the “Section Details” area in course search.
ARCH 7324-301 Tech Elective: Parametric Life Cycle Assessment for Buildings Kayleigh Houde M 10:15 AM-1:14 PM Technology Designated Electives enable students to deepen their understanding of architectural issues, and M.Arch students must complete 1 CU of any ARCH 732x and/or ARCH 736x course(s). But these courses are not limited to students in the department of architecture any graduate student at Weitzman is invited to register for a Technology Designated Elective of interest, space permitting. Topics vary between semesters, and specific details can be found in the “Section Details” area in course search.
ARCH 7325-301 Inquiry into Biomaterial Architecture Fabrication Laia Mogas Soldevila W 8:30 AM-11:29 AM Technology Designated Electives enable students to deepen their understanding of architectural issues, and M.Arch students must complete 1 CU of any ARCH 732x and/or ARCH 736x course(s). But these courses are not limited to students in the department of architecture any graduate student at Weitzman is invited to register for a Technology Designated Elective of interest, space permitting. Topics vary between semesters, and specific details can be found in the “Section Details” area in course search.
ARCH 7326-301 Tech Elective: Design Intelligence: AI Prototyping for Architects M 10:15 AM-1:14 PM Technology Designated Electives enable students to deepen their understanding of architectural issues, and M.Arch students must complete 1 CU of any ARCH 732x and/or ARCH 736x course(s). But these courses are not limited to students in the department of architecture any graduate student at Weitzman is invited to register for a Technology Designated Elective of interest, space permitting. Topics vary between semesters, and specific details can be found in the “Section Details” area in course search.
ARCH 7327-301 Tech Elective: Robotic Approaches to 3D Spatial Printing Robert James Stuart-Smith W 9:30 AM-12:00 PM
W 8:30 AM-9:29 AM
Technology Designated Electives enable students to deepen their understanding of architectural issues, and M.Arch students must complete 1 CU of any ARCH 732x and/or ARCH 736x course(s). But these courses are not limited to students in the department of architecture any graduate student at Weitzman is invited to register for a Technology Designated Elective of interest, space permitting. Topics vary between semesters, and specific details can be found in the “Section Details” area in course search.
ARCH 7370-301 Semi-Fictitious Realms: A History and Future of Virtual Reality Jeffrey Anderson R 8:30 AM-11:29 AM The pursuit of immersive digital experiences has long been a goal of the computing industry. Early wearable displays designed in the 1960s depicted simple three-dimensional graphics in ways that had never been seen before. Through trial and error, digital pioneers reframed the relationship between user and machine, and over the last five decades, have made strides that advanced both the input and output mechanisms we are so comfortable with today. As a field, architecture has been reliant on these advancements to design and document buildings, but these tools still leave the architect removed from the physicality of the design, with their work depicted as 2D lines or 3D planes alone.
This course will study the evolutionary advancements made that now allow us to fully inhabit digital worlds through Virtual Reality. Using the Unity Video Game Engine, students will generate immersive, photo-realistic models of unbuilt architectural works and explore digital/physical interactivity. These models will be designed to have compatibility with both 6-DOF and 3-DOF Virtual Reality equipment as well as flythrough-style experiences for keyboard and mouse using various web-hosting platforms. From the terraces of Paul Rudolph's Lower Manhattan Expressway to Boullée's Cenotaph for Newton, the goal of this course is to breathe new life into places and spaces that have, until this time, never been built or occupied.
ARCH 7390-301 New Approaches to an Architecture of Health Mikael L Avery T 12:00 PM-2:59 PM Health care is taking on a new role in our society - with a refocusing from episodic care for those who are ill or symptomatic to providing life-long care geared towards maintaining wellness. These changes are evident across numerous areas of design, from wearable technologies that track and analyze, to large scale building initiatives that aim to create healthier environments and improve lives through strategic planning initiatives. A concrete, physical representation of this paradigm shift can be found within the hospital building itself and in the new manner in which hospitals are looking to serve their patients and care for their clinicians. Simultaneously both public and private spaces, hospitals are complex systems in which sickness, health, hospitality, technology, emergency, and community share space and compete for resource. In order to frame our present day understanding of the role of architecture (and design) in fostering health for individuals and within communities, this seminar will begin with an exploration of the historical and contemporary perspectives on the role of the architect and built environment on health. (Parallels between design and our ever-changing understanding of the biological, social, and environmental causes of sickness and disease will also be explored.) During this conversation, students will read articles and study recently constructed projects in order to examine the ways in which the architects approached these topics through built form. Following from this foundation, students will craft arguments for a new approach to the individual, the community, health, and architecture through a written response and architecturally designed scenario that argues for their perspective on how architecture can and should shape the health of those who inhabit it. Throughout the course, students will engage in weekly readings (and discussions) of critical texts exploring ideas around the role and impact of architecture on health. Various content experts will be included in the course to provide additional insights into key areas of theory and practice in order to lend additional perspectives and ground the conversation.
ARCH 7410-201 Architecture Design Innovation Amy Wu F 10:15 AM-11:44 AM The mastery of techniques, whether in design, production or both, does not necessarily yield great architecture. As we all know, the most advanced techniques can still yield average designs. Architects are becoming increasingly adept at producing complexity & integrating digital design and fabrication techniques into their design process - yet there are few truly elegant projects. Only certain projects that are sophisticated at the level of technique achieve elegance. This seminar explores some of the instances in which designers are able to move beyond technique, by commanding them to such a degree as to achieve elegant aesthetics within the formal development of projects.
ARCH 7410-202 Architecture Design Innovation Bhavana Priya Balasubramanian F 10:15 AM-11:44 AM The mastery of techniques, whether in design, production or both, does not necessarily yield great architecture. As we all know, the most advanced techniques can still yield average designs. Architects are becoming increasingly adept at producing complexity & integrating digital design and fabrication techniques into their design process - yet there are few truly elegant projects. Only certain projects that are sophisticated at the level of technique achieve elegance. This seminar explores some of the instances in which designers are able to move beyond technique, by commanding them to such a degree as to achieve elegant aesthetics within the formal development of projects.
ARCH 7410-203 Architecture Design Innovation Khang Truong F 10:15 AM-11:44 AM The mastery of techniques, whether in design, production or both, does not necessarily yield great architecture. As we all know, the most advanced techniques can still yield average designs. Architects are becoming increasingly adept at producing complexity & integrating digital design and fabrication techniques into their design process - yet there are few truly elegant projects. Only certain projects that are sophisticated at the level of technique achieve elegance. This seminar explores some of the instances in which designers are able to move beyond technique, by commanding them to such a degree as to achieve elegant aesthetics within the formal development of projects.
ARCH 7410-301 Architecture Design Innovation Hina Jamelle W 10:15 AM-11:44 AM The mastery of techniques, whether in design, production or both, does not necessarily yield great architecture. As we all know, the most advanced techniques can still yield average designs. Architects are becoming increasingly adept at producing complexity & integrating digital design and fabrication techniques into their design process - yet there are few truly elegant projects. Only certain projects that are sophisticated at the level of technique achieve elegance. This seminar explores some of the instances in which designers are able to move beyond technique, by commanding them to such a degree as to achieve elegant aesthetics within the formal development of projects.
ARCH 7520-301 EBD Research Seminar William W Braham R 8:30 AM-11:29 AM Directed student research of selected topics in environmental building design. These topics will be further explored in ARCH 7080: Bioclimatic Design Studio and will provide the basis for the research documents developed with each student's design project. Course work will include lectures, discussions, weekly readings, and in-class exercises. Each student will be required to make a presentation and submit a research report.
ARCH 7530-001 Building Performance Simulation Janki Vyas R 3:30 PM-6:29 PM The course provides students with an understanding of building design simulation methods, hands-on experience in using computer simulation models, and exploration of the technologies, underlying principles, and potential applications of simulation tools in architecture. Classroom lecturers are given each week, with a series of analysis projects to provide students with hands-on experience using computer models. This course is required and reserved for MSD-EBD students.
ARCH 7550-201 Environmental Building Design Research Methods Dorit Aviv
William W Braham
MW 1:45 PM-5:44 PM This course serves as preparation for a research project by students in the MSD-EBD or PhD programs. The students will learn how to develop, plan, and conduct experiments and will develop the tools to write research papers based on these experiments. During the semester, topical lectures and case-studies of novel work in architectural technology will be presented to the students by the instructor and guest lecturers. The research proposal developed during the course will be used as a basis for hands-on exercises in the lab portion.
ARCH 7560-301 Thermodynamic Systems and Methods Eric Teitelbaum T 1:45 PM-4:44 PM This course focuses on the study of thermodynamic systems used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) of buildings, and methods for their design, modeling, and analysis. Heat pumps are central to the use of many environmental heat sources and heat sinks, allowing buildings to more efficiently use low intensity environmental resources to keep buildings comfortable and healthy. Students will construct and use physical prototypes to understand the design and performance of heat-pumps based on the vapor compression cycle and will explore their use in a variety of innovative building applications. The course will use a range of modeling tools to explore thermodynamic potentials of environmental sources, validating the models with test data from the prototypes.
ARCH 7610-301 Introduction to Real Estate Development for Architects Richard J Garber T 12:00 PM-2:59 PM The course introduces students to the participants and components to the development process, as well as specific development strategies and design tools for engaging them. Design in this sense is not simply a vision, or a concept utilized for obtaining approvals, it is understood as an encompassing set of procedures that both allow for and ensure that goals are being met at all stages of a project, from early conception through the approval process and building construction. Students will learn how to engage municipal land-use laws and regulations, produce strategies for geometric development based on land-use and environmental constraints, and use simulation to perform value-adding operations to a development proposal. Through lectures and exercises, students will have the opportunity to analyze a building and the redevelopment procedures surrounding it and develop a geometric response and then parse data from that model to drive a series of documents relating to project cost, funding, and schedule. These documents will be analyzed against a variety of construction means and funding models so time- and cost-effective basis that meets design intentions can be developed.
ARCH 7650-301 Project Management Charles A Capaldi F 8:30 AM-11:29 AM This course is an introduction to techniques and tools of managing the design and construction of large, and small, construction projects. Topics include project delivery systems, management tools, cost-control and budgeting systems, professional roles. Case studies serve to illustrate applications. Cost and schedule control systems are described. Case studies illustrate the application of techniques in the field.
ARCH 7680-401 Real Estate Development Alan F Feldman M 3:30 PM-6:29 PM This course evaluates "ground-up" development as well as re-hab, re-development, and acquisition investments. We examine raw and developed land and the similarities and differences of traditional real estate product types including office, R & D, retail, warehouses, single family and multi-family residential, mixed use, and land as well as "specialty" uses like golf courses, assisted living, and fractional share ownership. Emphasis is on concise analysis and decision making. We discuss the development process with topics including market analysis, site acquisition, due diligence, zoning, entitlements, approvals, site planning, building design, construction, financing, leasing, and ongoing management and disposition. Special topics like workouts and running a development company are also discussed. Course lessons apply to all markets but the class discusses U.S. markets only. Throughout the course, we focus on risk management and leadership issues. Numerous guest lecturers who are leaders in the real estate industry participate in the learning process. Format: predominately case analysis and discussion, some lectures, project visits. REAL3210401, REAL8210401
ARCH 7710-001 Professional Practice II Philip J Ryan R 12:00 PM-2:59 PM The discipline of architecture demands an inquisitive mind capable of synthesizing a multitude of technical, aesthetic, social, environmental, and conceptual elements. This essential characteristic is not limited to the mere creation of built spaces; it also extends to formulating a process of labor that is both responsible and fair, and capable of adapting to the ever-changing conditions of the world. In ARCH 7710, students explore the intricacies of running a successful architectural practice within the contemporary construction, liability, and regulatory environment. Building upon the knowledge gained in ARCH 6710, this course examines how an architectural office can be strategically designed to facilitate seamless execution of design and construction processes . Throughout the course, a wide range of essential topics is covered. These include issues related to finance, liability, ethics, and the regulatory codes that significantly impact the design and construction industry . By addressing these critical aspects, students gain valuable insights into the operational aspects of an architectural practice, ensuring they are well-prepared to navigate the complexities of the professional sphere . The lectures in ARCH 7710 effectively bridge the gap between the students' studio design knowledge and real-world practice. Drawing from the instructor's extensive experience in the field, local building examples are presented, enriching the learning experience. Additionally, the course features guest lectures by relevant professionals, who share their expertise, experiences, and insights. This exposure to industry practitioners enhances students' understanding of the architectural landscape and prepares them for the challenges and opportunities they may encounter in their careers.
ARCH 8010-201 Material Agencies: Robotics and Design Lab I: Part I Andrew Saunders MWF 1:45 PM-5:44 PM Material Agencies Section 1 is the half-semester introductory studio to the Master of Science in Design: Robotics and Autonomous Systems (MSD-RAS) program at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design. This course will introduce students to the Robotic Lab through a software / hardware routine to engage the ABB IRB4600-60 6-axes industrial robot with a hot-wire foam cutting end effector. The studio focuses exclusively on working with an industrial robotic arm and a large-scale hot-wire cutter end-effector to cut foam. This relatively simple robotic extension quickly introduces students to the robotic lab, robot interface and ultimately produces tangible results quickly, yet also highlights the designer’s need to develop designs within geometrical constraints that are tightly related to specific manufacturing processes – in this case, the hot-wire cutter’s production of ruled surface geometries. Operating through ruled surface geometries enables the designer to have maximum control over the manufactured output whilst removing the need for post-design geometric rationalization or value engineering activities. The architectural project for the studio is a speculative ceilingscape re-design for one of the large galleries in Meyerson Hall that currently features a ubiquitous hung acoustical tile system.
ARCH 8011-201 Material Agencies: Robotics & Design Lab I: Part II Alicia Nahmad Vazquez MWF 1:45 PM-5:44 PM The Fall Material Agencies course consists of two half-semester long sections and is supported by two aligned Core Technical Seminars of half-semester length each. Students will typically work in pairs. Section 1: Programmed Matter: Introduces students to a generative approach to digital design and robotic manufacturing with the goal of unifying design and production within one creative process. The studio will commence with students gaining first-hand experience programming and operating Penn's industrial robots. 3d design models will be developed in parallel to fabrication experiments and digital simulations. The design brief will focus on a small scale design prototype that is explored at a micro-scale of resolution relative to normative architectural practice. Material placement and material affect will be considered intrinsic to design expression and integral to considerations of space, form, structure and production concerns. The brief will focus on a small scale object or architectural part design with ornamental features. The course introduces material dynamics, robot programming, 3d modelling and computer programming within design. Section 2: Manipulative Matter explores both robotic fabrication and the use of sensors and actuators within responsive fabricated objects or architectural elements. Design Prototyping involving manipulation-based Manufacture. Eg. Sheet metal folding. This will complement the first studio by requiring more pre-determined design intent, fabrication rationalization and robot sensor and electrical integration. A final design prototype will demonstrate embodied material intelligence - through an integrative approach to material organization, electronic circuity, production and design. Electronic wiring and parts will be integrated within larger material prototypes through fabrication methods such as: inlays, additive manufacturing, casting, soldering, painting, laser-cutting, or milling.
ARCH 8030-301 General Overview of Algorithmic Design and Robotic Fabrication Patrick W Danahy R 1:45 PM-4:44 PM Directly supports ARCH 8010 Material Agencies I: Section 1. This seminar will teach students computer and robot programming skills that will be utilized to deliver a complimentary and integral aspect of design-prototyping and fabrication work. Topics will vary in application to suit the studio brief. Participants will be introduced to the Robotics Lab, and will learn to set up ABB Industrial Robot tasks. Design algorithms will be developed that establish a conceptual relationship to the manufacturing process and attempt to leverage it for creative forms of design expression whilst addressing material and production performance constraints. Examples include computer programming that simulates a material placement and robotic manufacturing process such as additive manufacturing, filament winding or weaving, and utilizes these tasks in a generative design methodology, where design character, variation in material organization is evaluated relative to performance criteria such as material quantities, production time, etc. Submissions will be technical in nature and will also be implemented within ARCH 8010 prototypes. The course provides a foundation for more specialist technical development in Semester 2.
ARCH 8050-301 Intro to Cyberphysical Systems Jeffrey Anderson R 1:45 PM-4:44 PM Directly supports ARCH 8010 Material Agencies I: Section 2. This seminar will teach participants to design and assemble electronic circuits using sensors/actuators and micro-controllers, and to program digital and analogue means of data exchange. Students will develop a closed or open loop reactive system that consists of embedded sensor systems that will operate within the Design Studio project prototype, and utilizes feedback from sensors to drive designed affects (E.g. kinetic, lighting, variations in porosity.). The course will consider degrees of control, feedback, energy and force in relation to interactions of matter, space and active bodies (human and non-human). Participants will learn how to design electric circuits, solder and weld these and to integrate circuits with micro-processors, sensors and actuators. Exact equipment and methods will vary over time as these technologies evolve rapidly. At present possible micro-controllers utilized include Arduino, Raspberri Pi, Odroid, Intel Nuc, Atom and others. Sensors such as flex, pressure and proximity sensors will be utilized. Possible forms of actuation include servo and stepper motors, linear actuators, NiTinol muscle wire, pneumatic actuators. A Programming Language will be utilized to for the writing of simple control algorithms that clarify how input and output data is processed and acted upon, with a particular focus on leveraging physical world actions within a designed control loop where possible.
ARCH 8070-301 RAS Theory Emek Erdolu T 10:15 AM-1:14 PM This seminar provides a theoretical context to the program, relating autonomous robotics and fabrication research to architectural discourse, philosophy, science and technology. The course commences with a historical overview of scientific topics including cybernetics, complexity theory, emergence/self-organization, evolution/developmental biology, behaviour-based robotics. The course also critically assesses present and future societal trajectories in relation to technology, exploring socio-political, ethical and philosophical arguments that concern a broader technological shift that has occurred during the last decade which has given rise to our unquestioned reliance on algorithms within our everyday lives (social media, shopping, navigation), and similar impact from Urban OS's, Industry 4 and driverless car technologies. Readings cover philosophy, computer science, cybernetics, robotics, sociology, psychology, and will be discussed in relation to their consideration within the domain of architectural design and building technology. Examples include: Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Maurice Conti, Norbert Weiner, Kevin Kelly, Ray Kurzweil, Ed Finn, Donna Haraway, Andre Gorz, Bruce Sterling, Daniel Kahneman, Timothy Morton, Levi Bryant. A theoretical written statement related to ARCH 801 Material Agencies I Section 1 or 2 will be produced by participants within this core seminar.
ARCH 8110-301 Theories of Architecture: Environments, Techniques, and Expressive Means Fernando Lara M 8:30 AM-11:29 AM This theory seminar provides an in-depth review and discussion of key architectural topics and texts, published from the 19th century until today. It is a required course for students in the PhD program in architecture and in the Master of Science program, who come from both technology and history and theory backgrounds. Both areas of research share the necessity to understand how ideas condition and inspire the practice of architecture, and how architectural creation contributes to the way one thinks discursively about the world. The seminar is designed to equip those embarking on careers in teaching, scholarship, and research in architecture with the practices, methods and habits of scholarly inquiry that are typical in the field. The preparation and experience of seminar activities provide both technical skills and knowledge in a range of topics pertinent to architectural research in the 21st century.