Currently the discipline of architecture is in the process of being actively redefined by shifting political, social, technological, and ecological paradigms. The Computational Design studio places an emphasis on advancing formal strategies beyond the current state-of-the-art. Students integrate extra-disciplinary techniques and technologies into the design workflow in order to develop innovative architectures that respond to changing societal, ecological and technological contexts. Students’ design work engages issues that range from fundamental morphological transformations through rigorous 3D modeling, to the role of the image and digital sampling in the production of architectural form. These issues are explored through a highly resolved building design.

The course introduces students to the use of tools at the forefront of digital design to develop formal techniques, aesthetic sensibilities, and project representation through narratives, and deepen their understanding of architectural principles. The studio focuses on the research and investigation of a specific building typology, considering both the theoretical and creative aspects of the project as well as the pragmatic considerations that influence decision-making. Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the principles at the core of any architectural project and will have the opportunity to explore and engage in depth with disciplinary issues.

Underpinning the 2GBX studio is to transform environmental challenges into opportunities for innovation and creative solutions. Students will explore and understand the ecological issues related to the project brief and will speculate on ethical approaches to sustainability in architecture. The studio aims to reconceptualize the relationship between humans and the natural world, with the goal of creating a more resilient built environment.

The Portfolio Workshop facilitates the production of the mandatory gateway portfolio. It will introduce and reinforce the fundamental concepts and techniques essential to the design of a contemporary architectural portfolio of student work. It is meant to help establish within each student an awareness of the role of the portfolio in their own development and the essential nature of portfolio culture within the school and the discipline. 

The Graduate Thesis Program at SCI-Arc represents the culmination of the master curriculum and it is the most significant test of the students' and school’s ability to synthesize and produce critical and rigorous architecture. Graduate thesis fosters a broad culture of ideas, inquiry and position-taking. At the crossroads between independent researches and the rich culture of the broad architectural domain, SCI- Arc's thesis is structured to promote an open-ended spirit of inquiry, responding to shifts in society, technology and culture that define our contemporary architectural field. Divided into two semesters long -Thesis Research during spring and a Design Thesis Studio during summer- thesis at SCI- Arc is the place in the curriculum where students are asked to produce a personal and original contribution to the discipline of architecture, a contribution that advances the realm of architectural research and ideas rather than one that simply revisits existing paradigms. 

This seminar provides a platform for students to do work on the territory of contemporary, global architectural practice in the interest of formulating their current studio production as well as future professional agendas. Currently practice is in the process of being actively redefined by shifting political, social, technological, and ecological paradigms. Taking as a starting point the idea that various modes of appropriation have been formative in the shaping of architectural history, we will examine the complex terrain defined by the recent shifting of paradigms and examine how these acts of appropriation are actively configuring the contemporary moment. Acting as architectural entrepreneurs, we will identify niches for future action and innovation. The seminar will introduce several contemporary disciplinary themes through readings and project presentations.

Building on the base of ideas established in Theories of Contemporary Architecture 1, this course will examine in detail recent and historical texts on architecture, philosophy, literature, music, and art. Through these texts, a diversity of approaches to architectural theory and practice will be examined and interrogated within broader social, cultural, and historical contexts from the 1950s to the present. Through analysis of and critical writing about these texts as well as buildings and projects of the period, students will develop new vocabularies for contemporary architectural discourse.

This course looks at the new ability of architects to design, develop and produce structural assemblies for highly specific performances and applications. The course explores new materials, as well as the integral manner in which build­ing systems and structures are produced—from design idea to fabrication and erection—to precisely fit designers’ specifications and to provide optimized performance.

This course introduces students to innovative methods of construction, fabrica­tion, structuring and assembly enabled by the advent of new technologies. The class focuses on issues pertaining to structure and its relation to surface and building envelope, with an emphasis on the instrumental and conceptual shift from two-dimensional forms of representation and documentation, to three-di­mensional systems based on material performance and force flow simulation and their consequent impact on architecture’s relation to the building industry. Cur­rent typologies and specific precedents of architectural realization—and their integration of geometry and ordering systems with systems of construction and assembly—are discussed through a series of lectures, group presentations and individual assignments.

This course is a lecture class in structural engineering design of unconventional structures for architecture students. The course will examine how architectural form can be derived from force flow and load path. The class content includes the modern history of structural engineering and architecture, structural mod­els, structures in nature and demonstrations of analysis techniques. Established structural systems such as longspan trusses, arches, vaults, membranes, shells, tension structures, space frames, folded plates, diagrids, pneumatics and cable nets will be studied through evaluations of built projects, current designs and class assignments. Different structural materials will be examined with an em­phasis on making appropriate material choices for different structural systems and methods of construction. The course will focus on engineering fundamen­tals for quick evaluations of structural concepts to develop schemes. Physical models and sketching will be used extensively.

This course focuses on construction systems, building technology, the use of ma­terials and system integration. The course includes a review of basic construction methods, analysis of building codes including occupancy and life-safety issues, the design of structural and mechanical systems and familiarizes students with basic principles of sustainable design. Studio projects from the previous se­mester are developed, focusing on the detailed design of a zone of the building in terms of the resolution of its structural system and building envelope using three-dimensional modeling as well as drafting. Drawings at various scales are produced to introduce students to the language and standards of details, wall sections and overall building representations, culminating in a comprehensive package of drawings. The course also introduces student to the basics of cost control including life-cycle costs. Students receive the Emerging Professionals Companion along with updated IDP information. 

This course examines critically the role of professional architectural practices in the development and direction of architectural design, production and pedago­gy. As its basis, the course comprises a survey of the architectural profession— its licensing and legal requirements, its adherence to the constraints of codes and budgets, and its place among competing professions and financial inter­ests. Attention is place on student’s understanding of registration law, building codes and regulations, professional service contracts, zoning and sub-division ordnances, environmental regulations and other licensure concerns. Students gain an understanding of the architect’s administrative role, and of issues re­lating to obtaining commissions, selecting and coordinating consultants, nego­tiating contracts, project management and issues of egress, code compliance and principles of life safety. They also develop the skills necessary to effectively communicate to clients and user groups. Trends such as globalization and out­sourcing are analyzed in their capacity to substantially affect the practice of an architect. Students also receive the Emerging Professionals Companion along with updated IDP information. 

The course will cover issues of contemporary representation and the development of splines in relation to complex digital form and physical and virtual space. Visualization today encompasses the development, exploration and communication of information and ideas in multiple mediums. The course will engage recent techniques related to splines, gesture interfaces and virtual reality. The course will develop critical visual literacy and review methods for generating and evaluating lines, surfaces and volume.  Modes of drawing and modeling in three dimensional space, including the importance of precision and abstraction will be reviewed. Exercises and associated tutorials provide opportunities to discover novel concepts through transformation and tactical workflows. 

Visual Studies II offers students a selection of courses that focus on advanced techniques of representation, simulation, and visualization. Please note these courses are not offered every semester and are subject to change. Check the latest course schedule for current course offerings, and visit my.sciarc.edu for each semester’s course descriptions.