Through examination and analysis of three arenas of the culture of building - tectonic, social / economic, and urban - this seminar seeks to develop an awareness for the complexity of built form, a capacity for criticism in the process of design, and an understanding of the relationship between the traditional and the innovative. We will work toward developing a sensitivity to the multiple levels at which the built environment conveys cultural significance and shares a common structural and ethical approach, a process which is open-ended and attuned to human needs, neither scriptive nor prescriptive. Through lectures, readings, discourse, debate and hands-on workshops, this course is a pointed examination of architectural space, an intimate inquiry on making, on engagement, and on finding real, working solutions while being challenged by intellectual and practical intensity, challenged by experimentation, dialogue and critique, providing a platform for students to establish their own specific agenda and clarify their personal direction of work in architecture. The next step for the work is implementation. [2009-2010]

Using a variety of digital softwares, students will learn the practical and theoretical application of computer modeling: representation, simulation and fabrication. The computer will be used to inform design ideas and explore various modes of representation, including analytical, algorithmic and perceptual models. Students will be asked to design and present their design object using Flash, Autodesk Viz, Autocad, Rhino and Illustrator. The second half of the course will introduce students to basic algorithmic design thinking and rapid prototyping CAD/CAM technologies (Wire EDM, Lasercutting, CNC Milling) covering nurb and surface modeling fabrication tools. Students will ultimately prototype 'sheet samples' of their fabrication design research. Familiarity with AutoCAD and Rhino modeling software required and the course is open to all departments at RISD and Brown University. IBM PCS platforms will be used. Prerequisite: Basic familiarity with Windows bases programs [2009-2010]

This course addresses the fundamental characteristics of materials, their use in complex geometric assemblies as structure, and as enclosures. A basic vocabulary of construction terminology will be presented along with visual references of possible materials' applications to establish a basic awareness of those determinants which effect the selection of materials when designing buildings and spaces. Readings, projects, and assignments will supplement lectures. Field trips complement case studies of important historic and contemporary buildings presented during the lectures. Satisfies Architectural Technology I requirements. [2009-2010]

The analysis and design of concrete structures, including reinforced and pre-stressed concrete members, concrete foundations and reinforced masonry. Working stress and ultimate strength design methods will be presented. [2009-2010]

The study of basic concepts of Human Environmental Comforts. Inherent within 'physio-environ' considerations are principles of temperature, humidity, heat transfer, air movement, and hydrostatics. Conventionally defined, the course will deal with heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and plumbing, plus the building systems used to accommodate the environmental/technical requirements of the built space. Emphasis will be placed on the principles behind the technology, the behavioral characteristics and the qualities of the systems' operation considered in making building design decisions. Topics and principles to be included are: Energy and Alternate Energy; Solar/Orientation; Natural Ventilation, Co-Generation; Fire Protection and Conservation. [2009-2010]

This course will address directly its place within the Degree Project course sequence, as the beginning of what the curriculum understands to be the students' first independent work. However, it will develop this condition, not for its place in the normative, deterministic teleology of a project, but as the site of becoming, invention, and desire. We will look at beginnings in order to excavate and expand on their radicality, partiality, openness, and ambiguous relationship to form. The attentuation of this idea of beginning is not simply the deferral of an inevitable and predictable closure, but a means of reconceptualizing our relationship to making and to the roles architecture plays within the complex social formations that condition its creation and use. The course requirements will include completion of assigned readings, several brief essays, a series of conceptual projects related to the Degree Project, and active participation in class discussions. Instructor will also collect and evaluate all Degree Project requirements (portfolios, board, and book). [2009-2010]

Cities are complex artifacts shaped by powerful forces such as history, geography, culture, building and landscape. In turn, they become a stage for human drama, shaping the very life of people connected with them. This course understands cities as both physical and cultural constructions that can be subject to a variety of readings. Lectures, presentations, assignments and discussions will focus on individual cities--such as Havana, Vienna, Lisbon, Istanbul and Beijing--looking at their physical form and history, as well as some of their major cultural figures, materials, including maps, aerials, historic documents, fiction and non-fiction readings, theatre, film, visual arts, music, dance and food. This course satisfies the prerequisite requirement for Degree Project. [2009-2010]