Architectural Academics Tendency

The Progression of Architectural Education

As you can see from our recent journal post, the year has slipped away as we have picked up the pieces from the October 2017 fire storm and have settled into our rhythm for a new normal.  For us the new normal has included developing a new perspective on how we offer architectural services to those affected by the fires, focusing on developing meaningful relationships and expressing gratitude to all of the new people who have entered our world, and finding new ways to give back to the profession that has given us so much.  

It has been a big year for us.  Together Tony and I have achieved honors such as being recognized as the “Best of Houzz Design” and the “Best of Houzz Service”, and being named to the class of 2018, Sun Devil 100, celebrating the achievements of Arizona State University alumni who own or lead successful, innovative businesses across the globe.  In addition, Tony was award the National Young Architect of the Year Award by the AIA.  Feeling inspired by our accolades, we decided to give back to the profession through Scholarship and Education.  We have created a scholarship to be awarded to minority women studying architecture at Arizona State University.  And, in June of this year we brought an architectural intern, studying at the New School of Architecture in San Diego, onto our team.  Together we have opened her eyes to the professional world of Architecture.  As part of our commitment to her education, we have asked her to develop her thoughts about how the current state of Architecture Education relates to the professional world.  The passage below is her insight and expression.  Mariana, welcome to Asquared Studios, and thank you for being inspired!

The world is going through fast paced changes of advancement in technology and communications. Businesses such as Tesla, Airbnb, and Amazon -all founded in the past decade- are now influencing the quality of life and the built environment. To follow the pace of these changes, education is driven to connect students to hands-on experiences, training future professionals to become creators of a more efficient and successful society. Christopher Hawthorne, author of “Reinventing Architectural Education” article in Architect Magazine, argues that the field of architecture is going through some major changes. Architecture critic since 2004, he states that new technologies, changes in demographics, and philosophical priorities are reshaping architectural academics. Hawthorne points out the emergence of online classes as the democratization of education, and asserts that the current architectural pedagogy approach is “fading fast” with the rise of the leadership generation. Notion of space is being changed, and as designers, architects are being challenged to rethink architectural education and practice.

All of the architecture schools certified by the National Architectural Accrediting Board require students to work long hours in the design studio. This scenario has its roots in the 19th-century tradition of the Ecole des Beaux Arts, but has not been through any format changes ever since. Heavy course loads combined with rigorous professional requirements, becoming an architect is an long term proposition, demanding from five to eight years of full-time study and other practice hours of internship experience to receive licensure. The average time from starting a degree to becoming a licensed architect is 11 years, according to the architect and historian Jonathan Massey. All the dedication needed comes from the broader range of what architects really do. Architects are not only building designers, but also construction managers, product designers, teachers, developers, leaders, and so much more. Architecture is a complex profession that develops in response to demands of society, contextualizing the past, present, and future concerns. Therefore, architecture education must endure adaptiveness to change by offering professional perspective. 

With the advancement of artificial intelligence, it makes sense to integrate architectural education with the process of making buildings. Artificial intelligence will facilitate the building drawing processes, thus students need more connection with hands-on practicing professionals so that their knowledge is valued in the professional world. The design-build experience can prepare students to face interactions between builders, engineers, and clients. Besides, it also involves the business side of architecture, which is usually forgotten in architectural school. Noticing this change, some of the top Architecture schools in the U.S. have been showing changes in their curriculum, offering new experience and opportunities for architecture students. The School of Arts and Architecture at UCLA offers hands-on experience and cross-discipline collaboration in design and urban planning through its cityLAB, Experiential Technologies Center and The Now Institute. All undergraduates in the College of Architecture at Texas A&M-College Station are required to take part in a semester away program, either studying abroad or completing an internship in the field. The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities School of Architecture, collaborates with research centers and practice communities to offer students the chance to explore community outreach, sustainability and preservation. The University of California-Berkeley encourages an environment of innovation and collaboration through unique research centers and hands-on learning opportunities in its College of Environmental Design. In this movement of technological advancement and scarce resources, it is clear the need for incentive for a more practical education in a collaborative environment. 

Architecture is significantly responsible for the future of society, considering that spaces have great affect in our quality of life. Designing a more livable community to connect people sustainably, influences the environment beyond architectural practice. Architect’s education is crucial to initiate critical thinking abilities, and to grow problem solving skills. It also needs to promote collaboration instead of promoting solitary geniuses, to expand the potential of the profession in multidisciplinary teams. Most importantly, architecture students must be introduced to architectural practice early on. Trends of change are moving with increasing speed, and architecture education will follow and adapt to it if students are given the opportunity to experience school as an introduction to the professional world.