Project 01 – Architecturally Significant Houses - Dwelling Across Time
For this project, students will be developing a set of architectural drawings and construction documents for a historically significant house. Students will research and analyze the work of the house’s architect as well as the design characteristics of the house itself. With this understanding, they will create a set of design drawings that permit detailed exploration of an architectural work while permitting the student opportunities for expressing their own voice about the architecture they observe. This process will require in-depth research, detailed inquiry, and the development of reasonable interpretations.
For students exploring architecture, this project will provide an overview of many different aspects of the profession. We will have the opportunity to explore history, design theory and technique, as well as the various technologies and materials that make architecture possible.
Houses used for this exercise will come from a pre-selected list of homes that:
Students will create the following drawings as part of their effort to understand and express the work they observe:
For students exploring architecture, this project will provide an overview of many different aspects of the profession. We will have the opportunity to explore history, design theory and technique, as well as the various technologies and materials that make architecture possible.
Houses used for this exercise will come from a pre-selected list of homes that:
- are significant in the history of architecture
- reflect the thinking, beliefs, and technologies of their time
- were created by architects who have made or continue to make significant contributions to our built environment
Students will create the following drawings as part of their effort to understand and express the work they observe:
- Concept Drawing of their Architect
- Floor Plan
- Elevation/Facade
- Interior Perspective
Project 02 – Safehouse - Architecture for the Zombie Apocalypse
Zombies are apocalyptic in nature. They belong to a class of monster that doesn't just hunt humans, but seeks to obliterate that entire human race. - Max Brooks, Author, World War Z
To compliment students' work in the past for Project 01, the second project allows students the opportunity to explore an apocalyptic future with a design of their own creation. To establish the premise for this project, students were given the following scenario from which to begin their investigation of a house to survive a zombie apocalypse:
“In a zombie apocalypse, a widespread (usually global) rise of zombies hostile to human life engages in a general assault on civilization. Victims of zombies may become zombies themselves. This causes the outbreak to become an exponentially growing crisis: the spreading phenomenon swamps normal military and law enforcement organizations, leading to the panicked collapse of civilized society until only isolated pockets of survivors remain, scavenging for food and supplies in a world reduced to a pre-industrial hostile wilderness.” (Wikipedia)
As architects, students were asked how they would use design skills to prepare for and survive this event. This is not a situation that will fix itself in a short period of time, so students were tasked to design for the long haul. How can architecture help you get through…alive?
“In a zombie apocalypse, a widespread (usually global) rise of zombies hostile to human life engages in a general assault on civilization. Victims of zombies may become zombies themselves. This causes the outbreak to become an exponentially growing crisis: the spreading phenomenon swamps normal military and law enforcement organizations, leading to the panicked collapse of civilized society until only isolated pockets of survivors remain, scavenging for food and supplies in a world reduced to a pre-industrial hostile wilderness.” (Wikipedia)
As architects, students were asked how they would use design skills to prepare for and survive this event. This is not a situation that will fix itself in a short period of time, so students were tasked to design for the long haul. How can architecture help you get through…alive?
