Selection of thesis topic, definition of method of approach, and preparation of thesis proposal. Independent study supplemented by individual conference with faculty.

Selection of thesis topic, definition of method of approach, and preparation of thesis proposal. Independent study supplemented by individual conference with faculty.

Fundamental research methodologies and ongoing investigations in building tehnology to support the development of student research projects. Topics drawn from low energy building design and thermal comfort, building systems analysis and control, daylighting, structural design and analysis, novel building materials and construction techniques and resource dynamics. Organized as a series of two- and three-week sessions that consider topics through readings, discussions, design and analysis projects, and student presentations.

Note: Lecture room is now 5-234

Addresses advanced structures, exterior envelopes, and contemporary production technologies. Continues the exploration of structural elements and systems, expanding to include more complex determinate, indeterminate, long-span, and high-rise systems. Topics include reinforced concrete, steel and engineered-wood design, and an introduction to tensile systems. The contemporary exterior envelope is discussed with an emphasis on the classification of systems, performance attributes, and analysis techniques, material specifications and novel construction technologies.

4.411, EC.713 U / 4.412 G

Focuses on the design, analysis, and application of technologies that support the construction of less expensive and better performing schools in developing countries. Prepares students to design or retrofit school buildings in partnership with local communities and NGOs. Strategies covered include daylighting, passive heating and cooling, improved indoor air quality via natural ventilation, appropriate material selection, and structural design. Investigations are based on application of engineering fundamentals, experiments and simulations. Case studies illustrate the role of technologies in reducing barriers to improved education.

Additional work required of students taking the graduate version.

4.401 U / 4.464J, 1.564J G

Introduction to the study of the thermal and luminous behavior of buildings. Examines the basic scientific principles underlying these phenomena and introduces students to a range of technologies and analysis techniques for designing comfortable indoor environments. Challenges students to apply these techniques and explore the role energy and light can play in shaping architecture.

Additional work required of students taking the graduate version.

Explores the theory and criticism of intersections between art, culture, and technology in relation to contemporary artistic practice, critical design, and media. Students consider methods of investigation, documentation, and display and explore modes of communication across disciplines. Students develop projects in which they organize research methods and goals, engage in production, cultivate a context for their practice, and explore how to compellingly communicate, display, and document their work. Regular presentation and peer-critique sessions, as well as reviews involving ACT faculty and fellows, and external guest reviewers provide students with ample feedback as their projects develop.

4.390 Syllabus (MIT Certificate protected)

Series of tutorials that includes regular presentations of student writing in group critiques and supports independent thesis research and development by providing guidance on research strategy and written presentation. Sessions supplemented by regular individual conferences with thesis committee members.

4.389 Syllabus (MIT Certificate protected)

Introduces foundational texts in contemporary theory and criticism at the intersection of art, culture, and technology. Through presentations and discussions, students explore the necessary methodological perspectives required of an interdisciplinary approach to artistic practices. 

4.387 Syllabus (MIT Certificate protected)

4.373 U / 4.374 G

The intricate qualities of an object's color, luster, and texture are created by its nanoscale properties, including taste, smell, stickiness, transparency, and many other facets of a unique object design. These characteristics can be tailored and exquisitely shaped by influencing the nanoparticles. In this process, visualization and conceptual imagination play a pivotal role, with decisive microscopes and computer simulations becoming crucial for forming and visually interpreting a novel way of observing the uncovered knowledge.

Through this class, ACT (Art, Culture, and Technology program) and MIT.nano, driven by imagination and investigation, intertwine nanoscience and nanotechnology with toolsets and visualization methods that manipulate matter at an atomic and molecular scale to extend the bounds of what art and culture exploration can lead us to. MIT recognized this unique overlap between art and science a long time ago. The CAVS (Center for Advanced Visual Studies at MIT), founded by Professor Gyorgy Kepes in 1967, brought artists to collaborate with MIT scientists and engineers in probing "vision in motion" – new ways of imagining a fast-changing world altered by the proliferation of new technologies. This class is determined to set a milestone for reviving this collaboration for a new era.

After the first two weeks of introductory lectures and tours of Nano facilities and affiliated labs, the students will collaborate closely with two dedicated TA scientists to gain access to knowledge necessary for their individual or collaborative projects. The class plans to collaborate with two labs. We will provide a list of scientific papers related to the lab research and schedule training on specific lab equipment. Some spaces and equipment will be accessible to students directly and some through dedicated TAs. The art students' goal will be to understand a lab environment and the scientific methods used in the lab’s day-to-day work. On top of this understanding, the students will be asked to develop their own proposals for art projects which will be displayed in an exhibition at the MIT Nano building in the Spring 2023 semester.

Additional work required of students taking graduate version. 

4.373/4.374 Syllabus (MIT Certificate protected)