Archinect - Features

NYIT School of Architecture & Design's M.Arch Graduate Studio Explores 'Designing (Inter)Scalar Domains'

2023-08-01T15:05:00-04:00

Continuing with our Archinect Studio Pin-Ups series, we connect with Archinect Partner School New York Institute of Technology to learn more about its Fall/Spring semester M.Arch studio led by Marcella Del Signore, the school's Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Science in Architecture, Urban and Regional Design.

The ARCH 802 Design-Research Studio "Designing (Inter)Scalar Domains" built upon the preceding M.ARCH 801 Studio from Fall 2020/21 and continued to focus on "interscalar design processes, translating research and design scenarios into the development and production/fabrication phase," asking students to "explore the continuity and interdependence of scales in their project proposals while emphasizing strategies that address micro and macro scales." The concept of 'interscalarity' served as a "methodological framework, investigating scalar relationships and the co-dependency of material, spatial, social, cultural, political, and environmental concerns."

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Breaking Down Architectural Techniques With USC School of Architecture’s Foundational Graduate Studio

2023-01-13T08:30:00-05:00

Kicking off 2023, we've connected with USC School of Architecture to learn more about one of its graduate studios taught by instructors Ryan Tyler Martinez of Studio Ryan Tyler Martinez and Jimenez Lai of BUREAU SPECTACULAR.

For our latest installment of Archinect Studio Pin-Ups, we explore Graduate Studio 1: Form, Order, and Representation. This foundational studio focused on giving students with no previous architecture backgrounds an opportunity to gain "experience to foundational design concepts, disciplinary knowledge, and techniques for thinking about and developing fundamental architectural principles." Comprised of three studio projects and a field trip to Chicago, first-year graduate students could learn, explore, and apply these foundational design principles as they continue their studies.

UCLA AUD's M.Arch Research Studio Explores Speculative 'Future Histories' of Los Angeles

2022-12-15T13:57:00-05:00

The latest installment in Archinect's Studio Pin-Ups series presents graduate student work from one of UCLA Architecture and Urban Design (AUD)'s Research Studio Seminars. The studio, titled "Future [Hi]Stories of the City," is led by Kutan Ayata, AUD's Vice Chair, Associate Professor, and co-founder of Brooklyn-based architecture practice Young & Ayata.

This research-based studio encouraged M.Arch students to explore and document "speculative future histories of Los Angeles through the design of episodic instances. In pairs, students choose an issue that currently pressures and influences the development of LA; the task is to document the state and impact of these issues towards the Year 2062."

Exploring First-Year Student Work With Cal Poly Pomona's Architecture Foundation Design Studio

2022-10-27T11:41:00-04:00

Continuing with our new Archinect Studio Pin-Ups series, we showcase work from Cal Poly Pomona's Department of Architecture (CPP ARC) First Year Spring Studio. The ARC 1011A Foundation Design Studio is led by Studio Coordinator Robert Alexander (CPP alumn and coordinator of the Department of Architecture's First Year Design Studio) and Associate Coordinator Claudia Wainer (CPP ARC lecturer and Senior Architecture Associate at OWUI).

This course provides students with an "introduction to the process of design through studio projects addressing the role of process in the development of form. Focus on drawing and model construction as a means to seeing and understanding."

The University of Texas at Austin's Green Core Studio Explores Sustainable Energy Production in Residential Building Design

2022-09-29T12:35:00-04:00

Design studios are one of the core components of an architectural education. Through the guidance and expertise of dedicated faculty members, students are taught the skills and design perspectives needed to navigate architecture studios.

Studios encourage students to explore new ways to design, prototype, think, and build. To bring closer attention to architecture studios, their committed instructors, and the exciting work being developed, we present Archinect Studio Pin-Ups, a new series highlighting architecture studios focusing on new and thought-provoking topics.

To kick off the series, we dive into the University of Texas at Austin's Advanced Spring 2022 Studio - Green Core, led by Jing Liu (Visiting Professor and co-founder of SO–IL) and Claire Townley (UT Austin Alumn '19 and Associate Architect at Pollen Architecture & Design).

Fostering Civic Engagement in Architecture School With Jeanine Centuori, Director of Woodbury’s ACE Center

2022-02-23T10:46:00-05:00

How can architecture schools better engage with the communities surrounding them? For faculty and students at Woodbury School of Architecture, the words civic engagement are more than just umbrella terms used as curriculum aides for student learning. Instead, they are pillars to facilitate ongoing discourse and action towards helping underserved communities in Southern California. Through architecture, design, non-profit work, and business initiatives, the school's Agency for Civic Engagement (ACE) program uses a multidisciplinary approach to designing for the public.

ACE stemmed from an idea led by a group of dedicated Woodbury faculty members. What began as a visionary project has become an essential public interest program. To learn more about ACE's history and the community-driven projects born out of the program, I spoke with its Director, Jeanine Centuori, FAIA. During our conversation, we also discussed public art and its relationship to architecture, the importance of exposi...

NJIT’s Hillier College of Architecture and Design Fall 2021 Super Review Showcases Civic Engagement and Climate Action

2021-12-17T09:30:00-05:00

For the Fall 2021 school term, the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Hillier College of Architecture and Design (HCAD) welcomed its students back to in-person learning. The College is comprised of the School of Art and Design and the New Jersey School of Architecture, a vibrant community of undergraduate and graduate architecture and urban design students and faculty. As the academic year comes to a close for the winter holiday Archinect was invited to sit in on the Fall 2021 Super Review which took place virtually on December 9 to learn more about the pedagogy and studios at Hillier College.

The review focused on the Master of Urban Design Studio and Bachelor of Architecture Option Studios, featuring presentations from seven studios. The virtual review was moderated by Associate Professor and Director of the School of Architecture Kelly Hutzell, Senior University Lecturer and B.Arch/B.S. Arch Coordinator Mark Bess, and Associate Professor and M.Arch/M.S. Arch Coordinator Gernot ...

Fellow Fellows: Jennifer Meakins Interrogates Power Imbalances Within Architectural Pedagogy

2021-08-23T13:37:00-04:00

Fellowships can help spark critical career-changing moves for designers and academics looking to establish their research and design perspectives through teaching. However, besides the teaching experience, research exploration, and funding, what else can an architecture fellowship provide young professionals? In Jennifer Meakins' case, she received much support as the 2020—2021 Schidlowski Emerging Faculty Fellow at Kent State University College of Architecture and Environmental Design.

For this iteration of Archinect's Fellow Fellows series, we unpacked Meakins' research and studio she taught. While her research primarily focused on "architecture's role in upholding and furthering systems of inequity and injustice," we also dove into the current state of fellowships and how they impact the careers of design professionals. In addition, Meakins provided insight into why she pursued a fellowship versus a full-time position at a firm and her thoughts on fellowships as a vehicle or con...

M.Arch Students From Washington University’s Sam Fox School Publish Studio Work Investigating International Housing From a Social, Cultural, and Environmental Framework

2021-05-10T09:00:00-04:00

The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis recently announced the publication of International Housing Studio: 2017-2019, which highlights the work of the 419 International Housing studio in the Master of Architecture program.

A core studio taken by all graduate architecture students, the 419 International Housing studio draws from the diverse expertise of Washington University faculty and visiting faculty, with project sites located in different parts of the world. The studio begins with a set of rotations, where students work for two weeks in one city with one instructor before moving to another city with a different instructor, with whom they develop their project for the remainder of the semester. Students explore how each city’s climate, history, and sociocultural particularities inform the making of collective housing.

To dive into the collection of student and faculty research, Archinect previews the publication that was published in Marc...

Studio Visits: Lehrer Architects

2020-01-29T12:00:00-05:00

When you first walk into Lehrer Architects’ studio you’re struck by something you can’t quite put your finger on. It only takes seconds to get a full picture of the studio’s essence. Absent of obstructions and barriers, large arrayed work surfaces centralize the primary workstations and activity, computer screens illuminate the faces of the staff, some peering intently, mouse in hand, and others cutting away at rough mock-ups.

On the western end of the space, adjacent to the centralized desks, are an aggregation of working models of varying scales. The eastern end holds the firm’s libraries and works as a subtle divider of the layout. The south sports two large garage-style doors that lead to a quiet outdoor space and to the north is a raised wooden platform, staging another large model encircled by a gallery of the studio’s numerous awards.

Troy Schaum on Challenging Architecture Studio Pedagogy Through "Totalization"

2020-01-22T12:42:00-05:00

Design studios play a crucial role during a student's time in architecture school where students are given opportunities to gain new skills, experiment with fabrication techniques, and implement design theory, all while creating prototypes and learning how to effectively present their designs. However, not all studios are executed in the same way. Depending on the institution's focus and pedagogy, studio instructors are often challenged to create new methods of interpreting studio culture, while continuing to implement applicable themes and briefs that challenge and initiate creative thought and reasoning for students. As stressful as it is memorable, students and instructors engage in an almost symbiotic experience through studio: Both parties learn together while conducting research and experimentation through design.

Archinect connected with Troy Schaum, Associate Professor at the Rice University School of Architecture, to discuss his Totalization studio and his recently publish...

What the Broke Architecture Student Can Learn From the Work of Glenn Murcutt

2019-08-06T09:00:00-04:00

Architecture school can be a rewarding and overwhelming experience. The long hours, harsh criticisms, and competition amongst peers are only a few factors the student faces daily. And, of course, there’s the question of the material costs that come along with model building, 3D printing, software, computers, and the pile of other commodities one must acquire during their time in school. Of course, there are those students who are fortunate enough to have the funds needed to do as they desire during their academic progression. But, there are also those who can hardly afford to buy a few sheets of material. Do they just take out a loan to keep up with the more well-off students? What if their professors expect them to use an expensive material and they do not have the means to obtain them?

How do you view architecture school when you’re broke?

Studio Visits: Gruff Architects

2019-08-03T12:28:00-04:00

For the first time on this studio visit I not only visited the studio but got to go on-site. Gruff Architects are based in Brockley south London as are many of their projects including founder Rhys Cannon’s own house, currently under construction. Exploring the house in it’s early stages of construction the team talked me through all the details often referencing early developments originating from previous projects. Now being their own client all these exciting, bold and fun ideas melting away in the boiling pot over the years are being fully explored without limitations.

A team of seven, they are also working on several other house refurbishments, a tennis pavilion as well as some outdoor public installations in Lincolnshire. Rhys along with director Emily showed me around the studio and their workshop across the road telling me all about studio life at Gruff Architects along the way.

Studio Visits: dMFK

2019-07-31T13:39:00-04:00

The short walk to dMFK from the tube is a uncommonly green one. Upon arrival Julian, the founding director, showed me the secret communal gardens the studio shares with their residential neighbours which includes several tennis courts, a BBQ and the recent addition of a pizza oven. It is easy to understand why they have called this studio home for so long.

A proudly collaborative studio, (currently they are working with other London based practices Hawkins\Brown and ACME), they are particularly skilled within the heritage and residential sector. I met with the three directors, Julian de Metz, Paul Forbes and Ben Knight to find out more about their approach, current projects, and how they socialise as a team.

The Architecture Student’s Guide to Studio

2019-05-30T12:53:00-04:00

Throughout your years in architecture school, one thing is always true — everything revolves around studio. It’s your living quarters for five years, where you’ll succeed and fail with a small group of comrades crazy enough to choose a career path in architecture. Studio is a kind of ecosystem we learn to obsess over. Every other class kind of becomes an afterthought. Your time in school is dominated by this phenomenon, and it comes with many cultural and social nuances, things that have been passed down year after year. In this article, we’ll look at some aspects that you, as an architecture student, experience every day, whether you’re aware of it or not. We’ll also explore some of the bizarre characteristics of studio culture and how it influences your time as a student.