Structure, Construction, and Space

3 credits · Graduate

In profound buildings, the structural system, construction materials, and architectural form work together to create an integrated work of art. Current practice segregates these three areas by assigning separate and rigid roles to 1) an engineer, 2) a contractor, and 3) an architect. The goal of this class is to blur these traditional boundaries and erase the intellectual cleft through hands-on experience. Students are given weekly assignments which focus on one or more of the three areas. They may be asked to analyze a structure, to construct something from actual materials or research a case study and present it to the class. Each assignment is geared to help students integrate construction and structural issues into their architectural design so that they can maintain control of the entire design process.