Architecture + The Social-Cultural-Economic-Political Context

Arch 481 Senior Architectural Design Project Studio/
Arch 492 Senior Design Thesis Seminar

Architecture + The Social-Cultural-Economic-Political Context

Philosophy

All architecture is physically contextual (whether consciously conceived or not); it is also always political (whether consciously calculated or not). The primary goal should be to make architectural proposals that are strategic rather than reactive, appropriate to the space and time of the given situation.

Design Performance Objective

All students are challenged to consider the social, cultural, economic and political contexts of their chosen projects. As an instructor, I encourage students to select strategic projects, and then realize strategic solutions to those projects. No project is simply an object, or “building.” Every project is full of portent beyond its mere physical presence.

• course and project outline

This inquiry begins with multiple short writing assignments (500 word abstracts) and one-on-one consultations with the instructor. Reading and research as well as discussion are essential to the process. Suggested readings range from directly on the thesis topic, to more “poetic” explorations of the topic (from literature, art, music, dance, etc.). Cross-cultural references are encouraged. Intensive site investigations and documentation are required, as is a finely produced site/issues video.

Final presentations and final iterations of the thesis “book.”

Demonstration of sensitive responsivity to the given social-cultural-economic-political situation of the given project challenge, through the thorough investigation of site issues (physical as well as human), through referencing appropriate precedents, and through the demonstration of applied learning as evidenced in the proposed design solution.