Question of Pedagogy, Part 4. These provocative questions defined the 1995 summer semester’s work for a group of master students from the architectural programs at the ETH Zürich, Switzerland, and the Fachhochschule in Köln, Germany. The educational endeavor had been in the works for some time, and with friends with whom I had studied at … Continue reading Question of Pedagogy, Part 4
Question of Pedagogy, Part 3. Having taught second-year design studio for half of my academic life, I have always wondered how first year design exercises would benefit by being extended into architecture, thus having students learn the foundations of design and architecture sequentially, but through a single project.
Question of Pedagogy, Part 1. As a student, I remember fondly our first studio day of the semester. It was always magic and full of promise. The faculty member would introduce her or himself, describe the expected requirements for a healthy studio culture, and proceed to share thoughts on the pedagogical intentions offered by the … Continue reading Question of Pedagogy, Part 1
Why Model Sketching? Part 2. As a student attending Cooper Union, I vividly remember the first time I saw one of my peers “sketch” in model form. While I was well versed in sketching through drawing, and was particularly fond of diagraming concepts to develop ideas, I was surprised by this new method of allowing … Continue reading Why Model Sketching? Part 2
What does the choice of furniture have to do with architecture? In recent years, I have proposed a loft renovation project for my second-year architecture studio students, with an emphasis on interior design principles that extend to the selection of furniture and the detailing of cabinetwork.
Question of section, Part 1. Swiss born architect Le Corbusier (1887-1965) wrote in his book Vers Une Architecture (Towards A New Architecture, 1929) in the chapter titled Three reminders to architects [mass, surface, and plan], that:
John Hejduk and Cooper Union. Ask any architect, faculty member, student, or layperson to define architecture, and you will get countless individual responses. I am always astonished by the diversity of the answers, in particular with laypeople who have strong impressions often based on personal memories and stories about family members who are architects. However … Continue reading John Hejduk and Cooper Union
Over the past decades, many European cities and towns undertook robust and sympathetic revitalization programs within their historic centers. By transforming narrow, picturesque streets into human-friendly environments—often restricting vehicular access to the city centers—the notion of a pedestrian zone was re-invented; at least in contemporary terms, as I am not sure that medieval streets were … Continue reading Street pavement: Wittenberg, Germany
About sketching -an iterative process, Part 2. I believe that for any design process to be successful, there is a need for iterative sketching to accompany the production and testing of architectural ideas. To be able to compare and contrast between sketches is critical and allows decisions to be measured on the strength and legitimacy … Continue reading Sketching -an iterative process, Part 2
Design versus project. There is much to say about how curricula are developed and their importance in defining the content of any rigorous academic program; in our case an architectural education. Traditionally, classes within the discipline of architecture are taught according to required and elective professional courses, while additional opportunities provide students with a personalized … Continue reading Design versus project