Expanding the Boundaries of Architectural Education: Making a Path to Sustainable Communities

Margot McDonald, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

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Publisher's website: http://www.ases.org

Abstract

Architectural education offers students practice with complex problem-solving, most often separate from the public they will eventually serve. Design education that addresses real clients and real world concerns such as renewable energy and resources, social equity and environmental justice, and economic feasibility demands the skills of coordination, communication, vision, and leadership different from conventional architectural education. This paper outlines an innovative university curriculum that moves in the direction of educating architects as community leaders based on sustainable design and the concept of community in every aspect of the teaching model. Specifically, the teaching model creates an interactive group dynamic in the design studio based on cooperation and sharing, engages students in real world experiences so they can develop as community leaders, and, identifies a knowledge base and design methodology (including computer technology) to fill the information gap created by an emerging field.