4.222

Professional Practice

Gives a critical orientation towards a career in architectural practice. Uses historical and current examples to illustrate the legal, ethical and management concepts underlying the practice of architecture. Emphasis on facilitating design excellence and strengthening connections between the profession and academia. 

Fall
2025
3-0-3
G
Schedule
F 9-12
Location
2-147
Prerequisites
permission of instructor
Required Of
MArch
Open Only To
MArch
Can Be Repeated for Credit
No
4.221

Architecture Studies Colloquium

Aims to create a discourse across the various SMArchS discipline groups that reflects current Institute-wide initiatives; introduce SMarchS students to the distinct perspective of the different SMarchS discipline groups; and provide a forum for debate and discussion in which the SMarchS cohort can explore, develop and share ideas. Engages with interdisciplinary thinking, research, and innovation that is characteristic of MIT's culture and can form a basis for their future work. 

TBA
Fall
2025
2-0-1
G
Schedule
W 9-11
Location
7-429
Prerequisites
permission of instructor
Required Of
SMArchS
Open Only To
1st-year SMArchS
Can Be Repeated for Credit
No
4.210

Positions: Cultivating Critical Practice

Through formal analysis and discussion of historical and theoretical texts, seminar produces a map of contemporary architectural practice. Examines six pairs of themes in terms of their recent history: city and global economy, urban plan and map of operations, program and performance, drawing and scripting, image and surface, and utopia and projection.

TBA
Fall
2025
3-0-6
G
Schedule
W 2-5
Location
9-217
Required Of
MArch
Open Only To
1st-year MArch
Can Be Repeated for Credit
No
4.189

Preparation for MArch Thesis

Preparatory research development leading to a well-conceived proposition for the MArch design thesis. Students formulate a cohesive thesis argument and critical project using supportive research and case studies through a variety of representational media, critical traditions, and architectural/artistic conventions. Group study in seminar and studio format, with periodic reviews supplemented by conference with faculty and a designated committee member for each individual thesis.

Advisor
Fall
2025
3-1-5
G
Schedule
see advisor
Prerequisites
permission of instructor
Required Of
MArch
Open Only To
MArch
Can Be Repeated for Credit
No
4.163
11.332

Urban Design Studio

The design of urban environments. Strategies for change in large areas of cities, to be developed over time, involving different actors. Fitting forms into natural, man-made, historical, and cultural contexts; enabling desirable activity patterns; conceptualizing built form; providing infrastructure and service systems; guiding the sensory character of development. Involves architecture and planning students in joint work; requires individual designs or design and planning guidelines.

TBA
Fall
2025
0-10-11
G
Schedule
TRF 1-5
Location
studio
Prerequisites
permission of instructor
Required Of
SMArchs (Urbanism)
Can Be Repeated for Credit
No
4.154

Architecture Design Option Studio

Individual listings for each section of 4.154 will be posted once closer to the start of the Fall 2025 term.

Mandatory lottery process.

Fall
2025
0-10-11
G
Schedule
TRF 1-5
Location
studio
Prerequisites
4.153
Required Of
MArch
Enrollment
mandatory lottery process
Can Be Repeated for Credit
No
4.153

Architecture Design Core Studio III

Interdisciplinary approach to design through studio design problems that engage the domains of building technology, computation, and the cultural/historical geographies of energy. Uses different modalities of thought to examine architectural agendas for 'sustainability'; students position their work with respect to a broader understanding of the environment and its relationship to society and technology. Students develop a project with a comprehensive approach to programmatic organization, energy load considerations, building material assemblies, exterior envelope and structure systems.

Fall
2025
0-12-9
G
Schedule
TRF 1-5
Location
studio
Prerequisites
4.152
Open Only To
2nd-year MArch
Can Be Repeated for Credit
No
4.151

Architecture Design Core Studio I

Explores the foundations of design through a series of bracketed methods of production. These methods exercise topics such as form, space, organization, structure, circulation, use, tectonics, temporality, and experience. Students develop methods of representation that span from manual to virtual and from canonical to experimental. Each method is evaluated for what it offers and privileges, supplying a survey of approaches for design exercises to follow. First in a sequence of design subjects, which must be taken in order.

Fall
2025
0-12-9
G
Schedule
TRF 1-5
Location
studio
Prerequisites
permission of instructor
Required Of
MArch
Open Only To
1st-year MArch
Can Be Repeated for Credit
No
4.140
MAS.863
6.9020

How to Make (Almost) Anything

Provides a practical hands-on introduction to digital fabrication, including CAD/CAM/CAE, NC machining, 3-D printing and scanning, molding and casting, composites, laser and waterjet cutting, PCB design and fabrication; sensors and actuators; mixed-signal instrumentation, embedded processing, and wired and wireless communications. Develops an understanding of these capabilities through projects using them individually and jointly to create functional systems.

Neil Gershenfeld
Fall
2025
3-9-6
G
Schedule
Lecture: W 1-4
Lab: R 5-7
Location
E14-633
Prerequisites
permission of instructor
Can Be Repeated for Credit
No
4.130

Architectural Design Theory and Methodologies

Studies design as an interrogative technique to examine material sciences, media arts and technology, cultural studies, computation and emerging fabrication protocols. Provides in-depth, theoretical grounding to the notion of 'design' in architecture, and to the consideration of contemporary design methodologies, while encouraging speculation on emerging design thinking. Topical focus varies with instructor. May be repeated for credit with permission of department.

Fall
2025
3-3-6
G
Schedule
R 9-12
Location
5-232
Required Of
SMArchS Design
Can Be Repeated for Credit
No