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.

KIT FOR A BIT: Architectural Assemblage and Leisure is part of a series of interrogations at the intersection of architectural materiality and temporary pleasures that looks into how architecture adapts to changing programmatic motivations and how we can devise architectural techniques that incorporate those temporalities in ecologically responsible ways while maintaining cultural complexity. This semester we will focus on the relationship between our bodies and all scales of the material and digital environments in which we leisure, with particular attention to the design of exercise and recreation. We will be designing spaces for physical enjoyment, whether indoor and outdoor, collectively or alone, spaces where the bodily and the architectural come together through materials, objects and social protocols. Gyms, sporting clubs, courts, parks, these spaces are designed to withstand wear and tear, sweat, friction, impact, heavy equipment or exposure to the elements, often requiring the use of durable and robust materials, making it all the more important to design them through responsible material strategies that allow for their use and reuse. Architecturally then, this studio will use assemblage, layering, found materials and modularization to design futureproof architectural kits. Given the program, the design challenge will be to imbue these kits with social appeal, with body readiness and engagement.

In addition, leisure environments often combine the physical and the digital, with their immersive sound systems, remote workouts, digital trainers, Point of View track shots, obstacle course simulations or interactive technologies. The studio will dedicate a generous portion of the semester to incorporating these mediums to the projects.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Intensive introduction to architectural design tools and process, taught through a series of short exercises. Covers a broad range of topics relating to the discourse of geometry as the basis of architectural design process. Focuses on projective drawings, explicit 3D modeling, and the reciprocity between representation and materialization. Lectures, workshops, and pin-ups address the architectural arguments intrinsic to geometry and its representation. 

8/25/23: Note schedule change to: Lecture R 7-10, Lab: W 9-12

Provides an introduction to visual communication, emphasizing the development of a visual and verbal vocabulary. Presents the fundamentals of line, shape, color, composition, visual hierarchy, word/image relationships and typography as building blocks for communicating with clarity, emotion, and meaning. Students develop their ability to analyze, discuss and critique their work and the work of the designed world. 

Overview of design as the giving of form, order, and interactivity to the objects that define our daily life. Follows the path from project to interactive product. Covers the overall design process, preparing students for work in a hands-on studio learning environment. Emphasizes design development and constraints. Topics include the analysis of objects; interaction design and user experience; design methodologies, current dialogues in design; economies of scale vs. means; and the role of technology in design. Provides a foundation in prototyping skills such as carpentry, casting, digital fabrication, electronics, and coding.

Provides instruction in architectural design and project development within design constraints including architectural program and site. Students engage the design process through various 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional media. Working directly with representational and model making techniques, students gain experience in the conceptual, formal, spatial and material aspects of architecture. Instruction and practice in oral and written communication provided.