Design/Build in Architectural Education: studying community-focused curriculum

• Main Author: Sutter, Matthew K
• Format: Others
• Published: ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst 2015
• Subjects: Design/build education; public interest architecture; nipmuc; White Ash; steam bent wha; Architectural History and Criticism; Architectural Technology; Other Architecture
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2/206; https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1245&context=masters_theses_2

Design/Build education in architecture schools is growing in popularity across North America. I have researched the development of this movement, particularly as it has influenced educational programs. This paper begins with a review of the history of design/build at the University level. These historical precedents chart the course of several major benchmarks that have influenced design/build in the United States over the past 100 years. The second part of the study features a matrix highlighting seven current academic programs with long-term success in design/build. Then, I highlight my own design/build experiences within this format. After determining successful design/build programming, I used this information to develop a new curriculum. To test this new system, I led the development and realization of a local design/build project involving a Five College undergraduate team. This small-scale project was chosen in January and the physical build occurred in March, 2015. Completion of this project allowed for a critical analysis of this new method. This paper compares my results with the initial definition of program successes in an attempt to determine best practices for design/build curriculum moving forward.