3rd Year Design Studio

Architecture

The focus of the architecture program is the design studio. Studio projects take full advantage of the pervasive wealth of historically significant art and architecture. The scale of these projects ranges from elemental façade studies and interiors to the  larger concerns of urban design.

The area of study is the relationship between a building and its context. In particular it will focus on issues related to intervening in historical contexts as approached by the contemporary architectural culture.

The studio addresses the complexity of the discipline through its various issues, such as site conditions, accessibility, construction technology, codes and standards, and representation, and integrates these issues in the design practice.

A series of lectures, along with student research and readings, will support the development of studio projects that will have to demonstrate student technical precision, aesthetic sophistication, and conceptual rigor.

The studio fosters an interdisciplinary approach to architectural research and aims at promoting critical thinking on the disciplines and activities that shape our environment. In particular, it provides an understanding of the Italian/European approach to architectural design in comparison with the American one, together with the discovery and exploration of Italian/European urban environments and design in historical contexts.