UTSA Department of Architecture Studio Guidelines (2015-17)

First Year(Foundation Year)

Studio / ARC 1214 -
Design I: Design Literacy & Creativity Studio
Fall / ARC 1223 -
Design II: Order & Experience Studio
Spring
Issues and Content
(Performance) / Introduction to design through a focus on design literacy and the creative conceptualization of issues fundamental to the design of human environments. Emphasis on the realization and experience
of architectural ideas in materials.
Overall this studio is intended to serve as an introduction to architectural design.
Projects should seek to answer the following questions:
Includes:
  • Use of design vocabulary and critical dialog
  • Use of the tools, materials, and methods of design
  • Role of workmanship, craft, and practical rigor in design.
  • Time management in design
  • Collaborative work
  • Use of geometry, proportion, and other ordering systems
  • Use of experimentation, iteration in design process
  • Relation between program and design
/ Introduction to design through a focus on spatial experience, context, program, building form, representation, and design communication.
Overall this studio is intended to serve
How to design in consideration of spatial experience, human activity, and building form.
Projects should focus on solutions informed by
Includes consideration of:
  • Spatial experience,
  • Contextual response,
  • Relation between program and design
  • Relation between people and the environment.
  • Building form
  • Basic structural issues and principles
  • Design at multiple scales, from detail to building.
  • Use and understanding of scale in design.
  • Development of representational skills including sketching, diagramming, and modeling.
  • Use of architectural elements (column, wall, roof, frame, etc)
  • Use of geometry, proportion, and other ordering systems

Issues and Content
(Exposure) / Includes exposure to:
  • The role of context and culture in design.
  • The studio environment and culture as necessary for design process.
/ Includes exposure to:
  • Basic structural principles and primary building structural systems.

Projects / Variety of small-scale design projects and exercises
Incl. 1 small scale building design project / Variety of small-scale building design projects
Sites / Abstract / incl. 1 actual site
Note: Sites need to allow response to context / Analogical & actual sites
Note: Sites need to allow response to context
Techniques /
  • Drawing by Hand
  • Physical Model-building
/
  • Drawing: Sketching, Diagramming, Orthogonal, etc.
  • Physical Model-building

UTSA Department of Architecture Studio Guidelines (2016-17)

Second Year(Professional Preparatory Year)

Studio / FALL
Site & Context Studio
ARC 2156 - Drawing/Modeling Studio:
ARC 2166 - Digital Studio / SPRING
Urban Studio
ARC 2156 - Drawing/Modeling Studio:
ARC 2166 - Digital Studio
Issues and Content
(Performance) / Architectural design through the agency of model building and drawing or agency of digital design media. Course focuses on the design of buildings (incl. consideration of structure, material, space, and form) responsive to the site and context
Overall the studio should seek to answer:
How should we build in consideration of the Site and Context?
Projects should focus on solutions informed by:
  • Building-to-site integration(topography)
  • Precedents and building types
  • Architectural order
  • Structures
  • Non-urban site response
  • Spatial experience
  • Site planning
  • Introduction to Programming
  • Functional organization
  • Introduction to building assembly
  • Architectural theory
/ Architectural design through the agency of model building and drawing or agency of digital design media. Course focuses on the design of buildings (incl. consideration of structure, material, space, and form) responsive to the urban context.
Overall the studio should seek to answer:
How should we build in the City?
Projects should focus on solutions informed by:
  • Building-to-site integration
  • Precedents and building types
  • Programming
  • Urban contextual response and community
  • Architectural order
  • Structures
  • Spatial experience
  • Programming
  • Functional organization
  • Introduction to building assembly
  • Architectural theory

Readings / Readings that focus on building site integration / Readings that focus on urban design cosiderations
Development / Creative Design Processes, Conceptual Thinking, Iterative Process, Design Communication
Projects / Min. 2 Building Designs /Moderate
Scale(rec.): Small to Med. 8000-12000sq.ft / Min. 2 Building Designs /
Scale(rec.): Small to Med. 8000-12000 sq.ft.
Sites / Non-Urban / Urban

UTSA Department of Architecture Studio Sequence:

Content / Objectives / Projects / Techniques

Studio: Theme / ARC 4156 -
Building Design Studio
Fall / Spring
Issues and Content
(Performance) / Architectural design with emphasis on building technology, materials, assemblies, tectonics, structure, environmental systems, and the inter- relationship of building and environment.
Includes consideration of:
  • Building tectonics
  • Building materials
  • Building enclosure
  • Building structure
  • Complex programming
  • Consideration of the relationship between human activities and architectural environments
  • Critical response to context.
  • Appropriate application and performance of the building envelope materials and systems.
  • Integration of environmental control systems (passive and active)
  • Complex programming
  • Consideration of the relationship between human activities and architectural environments
  • Critical response to context.
  • Application of knowledge gained from collateral building technology courses.
  • Design informed by architectural theory (sustainability, systems, etc.)
  • Introduction to building performance (energy, codes, egress, spatial issues, cost, etc.)
  • Parking and building service systems.
Introduction to structure and detailing, fire and life safety concerns, building codes, accessibility, egress, occupancy, health, and zoning regulations as design criteria.
Application of knowledge gained from collateral building technology courses.
Design informed by architectural theory (tectonics, structures, building construction, etc.)
Issues and Content / Includes exposure to:
TBD
Project(s) / Min. 2 Building Design Projects or 1 complex Building Design Project
Sites / Urban and Non-Urban

UTSA Department of Architecture Studio Sequence:

Content / Objectives / Projects / Techniques

Studio / ARC 6126 - Intro. Advanced Design Studio
Fall / ARC 6136 - Advanced Topics Studio
Spring
Issues and Content
(Performance) / Teaches design skills for the integration of building systems and comprehensive design in the development of a complex building.
Includes direct application and consideration of:
  • Environmental control systems (passive and active)
  • Building performance (energy, codes, egress, spatial issues, cost, etc.)
  • Structures
  • Circulation
  • Building Enclosure, Assembly, and Detailing(incl. water penetration)
  • Technical documentation,
  • Accessibility (ADA, etc.)
  • Building codes.
  • Application of knowledge gained from collateral building technology courses.
  • Design informed by architectural theory and practice (integrated buildings, sustainability, tectonics, etc.)
/ Research-based exploration and application of advanced design theory relative to topics in architecture and urban design.
NAAB
Criteria / This course satisfies the following SPC:
A2. Design Thinking Skills
A4. Architectural Design Skills
A5. Ordering Systems
A6. Use of Precedents: / This course satisfies the following SPC:
A4. Architectural Design Skills
Project(s) / Min. 1 Multi-story Building Design Project
ScaleAppropriate to goals specified above / Varies according to content
Sites / Urban and Non-Urban / Varies according to content
Techniques / Varies according to content / Varies according to content

UTSA Department of Architecture Studio Sequence:

Content / Objectives / Projects / Techniques

Studio / ARC 6146 - Advanced Technical Studio
Fall / ARC 6996 - Masters Project Studio
Spring
Issues and Content
(Performance) / Teaches design skills for the integration of building systems and comprehensive design in the development of a complex building.
Includes direct application and consideration of:
  • Environmental control systems (passive and active)
  • Building performance (energy, codes, egress, spatial issues, cost, etc.)
  • Structures
  • Circulation
  • Building Enclosure, Assembly, and Detailing(incl. water penetration)
  • Technical documentation,
  • Accessibility (ADA, etc.)
  • Building codes.
  • Application of knowledge gained from collateral building technology courses.
  • Design informed by architectural theory and practice (integrated buildings, sustainability, tectonics, etc.)
/ Research-based exploration and application of advanced design theory relative to topics in architecture and urban design.
NAAB
Criteria / This course satisfies the following SPC:
A4. Architectural Design Skills
B1. Pre-Design
B3. Codes & Regulations
B4. Technical Documentation
C2. Integrated Evaluations & Decision-Making Design Process
C3. Integrative Design / This course satisfies the following SPC:
A4. Architectural Design Skills
Project(s) / Min. 1 Multi-story Building Design Project
Scale (recommended): Med-Large 8000–15000 sq.ft. / Varies according to content
Sites / Urban and Non-Urban / Varies according to content
Techniques / Varies according to content / Varies according to content