Courses

This senior design seminar is a support of independent thesis and/or independent project research, extending methodological inquiry of the project topic to design where students may convene to collectively discuss and experiment with design speculations –representational tests that explore research through the visual and spatial language of architecture.

Architecture is not a single monolithic thing, rather it is comprised of disparate parts and organizational systems operating at different scales.  Design is the considered assembly of these elements. This course is an introductory architectural design studio focused on building foundational architectural concepts and design methodologies studied through a process of making.  A series of physical modeling assignments explore spatial and organizational transformations as a consequence of the changing interactions among material, fabrication technique, and form.  Resultant expressions of space, scale, and perceptual effects are discussed in relation to architectural theory and history discourse.

The practice of architecture fundamentally asks us to continuously engage with, and re-conceptualize, the world for which we are designing. This studio takes on the challenge through a series of design exercises focused on understanding, engaging with, and reimaging the urban condition. Students will produce architectural projects that address existing site conditions, and will develop designs in response to a determined program. Throughout the course, we will approach architectural design as both a method of producing urban environments, and also as an avenue through which to understand our cities.

Present assumptions indicate that the management of our material world accounts for more than half of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly fifty percent of these emissions are attributed directly to building construction. And these numbers are predicted to grow, more than doubling the gross amount of material extraction and flow around the planet by 2060. This course asks how we design new architectures that fit within the circuits, circles, and loops of a healthy, regenerative material ecology.

Through in-class lectures, case studies, and hands-on workshops, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of both contemporary theory and practical applications surrounding lifecycle material design. They will actively research topics such as systems ecology, extractive geographies, life cycle material modeling, circular design, pervasive connectivity, biomaterials, adaptive reuse, indigenous and traditional craftsmanship, healthy materials, social equity, and other pertinent subjects. Additionally, students will acquire advanced proficiency in utilizing software tools and innovate new fabrication processes to address material flows around and through buildings effectively.

Beyond theoretical knowledge, this course offers a unique opportunity for students to actively confront the environmental and human impacts associated with material management in the built environment. Through hands-on, design-led learning experiences, students will be encouraged to tackle these challenges by designing and building real-world prototypes through semester-long team projects that utilize industry and Harvard University material resources. Ultimately, students will develop a robust research framework to investigate, deconstruct, and invent new material life cycle design strategies that critically engage pluralistic design solutions toward a new regenerative architecture.

The list linked here serves as a guide for optional design courses that may be used to fulfill Distributional Requirements in Design Studies.  The courses listed here are composed of course available through the Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, History of Art and Architecture Department as complements to the track-specific design courses listed above.  These course offerings vary each academic term and year.  The linked document is an edited collection of courses for each respective academic year and term.