Arch2O.com

Arch2O.com - Architecture & Design Magazine
Do you think architecture is your calling" Do you have the passion and drive to explore this creative field and learn from the best" Every year, many young people decide to take on the challenge of an architecture education, but how many have any idea what is in store for them on that first day in the design studio" In truth, the exercises given to new students by their professors reveal a lot about the architecture world.
I reached out to hundreds of professors, assistant professors, and adjunct and visiting professors to find out their favorite first-year studio design prompt. The responses varied from the abstract to the concrete, as well as from simple drawing exercises to complex steps to end at a completed work. Most projects were designed for individuals, however some required a team effort. The following is a peek into that world from a variety of educators from schools around the globe. The Concrete Exercise
These exercises are very straightforward and allow the student to take something they know and expand upon it. Coming into a foreign environment and being thrown into the study of architecture can be very intimidating; these prompts seem to ease a student into the process of thinking through a problem by starting with the familiar:
“I typically give a real design problem, something that was designed by a professional team. The studio class would develop their own design solutions. ...