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.

Introduces the tools, techniques and technologies of design across a range of projects in a studio environment. Explores concepts related to form, function, materials, tools, and physical environments through project-based exercises. Develops familiarity with design process, critical observation, and the translation of design concepts into digital and physical reality. Utilizing traditional and contemporary techniques and tools, faculty across various design disciplines expose students to a unique cross-section of inquiry.

Research and project activities, which cover the range represented by the various research interests and projects in the department. Students who wish a letter grade option for their work must register for 4.URG.

Research and project activities, which cover the range represented by the various research interests and projects in the Department.

Students select thesis topic, define method of approach, and prepare thesis proposal for SMArchS degree. Faculty supervision on an individual or group basis. Intended for SMArchS program students prior to registration for 4.THG.

Explores initial thesis ideas and bases for choosing among multiple interests. Assessment of design research strengths and weaknesses. Overview of conceptual frameworks and research methods. Preparation for summer field research and proposal development.

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.

Preliminary study in preparation for the thesis for the SMArchS degree in architecture design. Topics include literature search, precedents examination, thesis structure and typologies, and short writing exercise. 

AI technology is being developed, deployed, and used in a growing number of domains to perform complex tasks such as driving cars and speech recognition; actions that could only have been performed in the past by humans. A recent study by McKinsey Global Institute estimates that about 70% of companies will have adopted at least one type of AI technology by 2030, and that 60% of current occupations can be automated in the next 10 years. Therefore, AI could potentially become the most disruptive technology in human history and will have profound impacts on every aspect of our lives, especially on the technology design and labor market. 

Recognizing the critical role that AI will play in defining the future not only of technology, but also geopolitical interactions, many countries now regard AI as a national priority. The United States launched the American Artificial Intelligence Initiative in 2019 with the mission to promote its leadership in AI research, development, and application. One of the eight national strategies identified in this initiative is to “provide education and training opportunities to prepare the American workforce for the new era of AI”.  

X Machine is a mini accelerator workshop course designed to unite computer science and design/architecture together to create innovative and impactful technological solutions to problems in the built and human environment. This half semester course promotes the development of strategic thinking and technical exploration in the realm of AI, with a focus on problem framing and early-stage ideation. The course will provide students with an opportunity to extend a foundational knowledge of AI within an interdisciplinary context. Working in small teams, students will incorporate design thinking approaches that put the user at the center of the creative process as they develop AI-empowered technological solutions. Teams will work on the ideation and conceptualization of either a product, process, or service-based solution that solves real world problems. Students will learn how to design and create a prototype, learn how to maximize their engage with their users/customers, and learn how to determine the value proposition that will make the startup successful.

By the end of this class, student will be able to develop a conceptual business plan for an AI-based technology solution and apply for other programs at MIT such as Sandbox, DesignX, The Engine, etc. 
 

Biodiversity is declining worldwide, driven foremost by the intensification in land management and the transformation of natural areas for agriculture, production forestry, and settlements. Urban areas have doubled since 1992 and, in comparison with 2020, are projected to expand between 30% and 180% until 2100, depending on the scenario applied. Notably, most of the urban growth is often located in regions of high biodiversity and affects ecosystems far beyond urban areas, through resource demands, pollution, and climate impacts. Therefore, biodiversity conservation in urban areas needs to be shaped in a way that supports global conservation efforts. This course introduces the relationships between urban environments and biodiversity, how urban biodiversity influences ecosystem functions and underlying services that affect human well-being and whether urban habitats are hotspots or ecological traps (or neither) for biodiversity. The course will focus on six key topics: Socioeconomic and social ecological drivers of urban biodiversity, urban biodiversity response to technological change, relationships with ecosystem services, urban areas as refugia, spatiotemporal scale in urban biodiversity assessment, and ecological networks. The course will answer several questions such as: which synergies and trade-offs among biodiversity and ecosystem services exist in urban areas, which factors drive the relationships between socioeconomic, and environmental drivers with biodiversity at different spatial scale, and how do urbanization-induced changes in ecological network complexity and diversity affect ecosystem functions.

As there are gaps in our understanding critical to improving biodiversity conservation policies and management in urban areas that need to be filled to improve global biodiversity outcomes. Students will work on developing strategies for improving and managing biodiversity in three cities in Colombia.

Working on three cities in Colombia, students will various data types to first assess the performance of existing biodiversity policies, design methodology for biodiversity management in urban areas using novel approaches such as aerial technology and artificial intelligence, and develop a research framework to accommodate biodiversity conservation with urban areas and highlight ways forward at the science-policy interface. Throughout the class, students will gain skills to understand how to improve urban habitat mapping; (2) integrate multiple urban gradients in the biodiversity assessment framework; (3) using satellite data and AI based methods to improve our mechanistic understanding of the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services; and (4) approaches to extend the involvement of citizens in biodiversity management in urban areas.  The course is meant to provide a solid framework, broad overview, and a rich set of references for future pursuits involving urban biodiversity.

This course is assumed that enrolled students are interested in learning about and discussing the topic of urban biodiversity. Although the course will generally cover the topic of urban biodiversity and urban ecology, it will be flexible enough to allow for individual student outreach into topics of specific interest with regard to urban, big data, AI applications in urbanizing areas.