Carleton University

Carleton emphasizes architecture as a practical art
that brings together the physical realities of
building within the cultural conditions of our complex
society. In our teaching methods we emphasize
discovery through making, discipline through craft,
imagination through drawing and other media arts,
conviction through writing, and advocacy through
public presentations.

The School's facilities are recognized as the finest
in Canada and among the best in North America. The
building houses extensive fabrication facilities for
woodworking, metal machining and welding along with an
assembly room for full-scale projects; a
twelve-station darkroom, photographic studio, and
video editing suites; extensive computer facilities on
the Macintosh, Wintel and Silicon Graphics platforms;
a technical library and reading room; an electronic
resource centre; and the Michael Coote Gallery. The
quality and availability of these facilities exerts an
important influence on what is produced in the School.
Students are encouraged to explore ideas through
making, to think creatively with their hands and
minds, and to understand that ideas cannot be
evaluated apart from human experience.

Among the School's programs are design/build studios
in which students construct a building or full-scale
details of their designs; a mentor program that places
students in architectural offices for credit; a summer
Design Clinic where students run their own
architectural practice; a wide array of international
programs and exchanges; an excellent lecture series; a
Visiting Critics studio taught by architects from
around the world; a variety of publications; a unique
series of workshop courses on topics from stage design
to real-estate development; and a number of joint
programs with other academic departments.

Graduates from Carleton practice around the globe in
traditional and non-traditional architectural
practices as well as in disciplines ranging from
film-making, graphic design and fashion design, to
highly technical fields such as computer animation,
building science, environmental design, and project
management. Most graduate go on to practice, some are
attracted to further academic work and teaching and,
some have formed design/build firms that craft their
own designs to finish.

The built environment has changed significantly in the
past fifty years and continues to transform with
ever-advancing electronic technologies At Carleton we
are committed not only to affirming and exploring
architecture in its traditional sense, but to
critically redefining it at the advent of the new
millennium.

Finally, being at the heart of the National Capital
Region, Carleton offers contact with agencies such as
the National Research Council, the National Arts
Centre, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation,
the National Capital Commission, the National Gallery
of Canada, the Canadian Museums of Civilization,
Science and Technology, Aviation, and Contemporary
Photography.