Technology-based Design – Technology and Architecture Studio

The studio uses contemporary design and manufacturing technologies to execute spatial design and expression at various scales. Our students examine the impact of technological developments on architectural and cultural themes and how they are manifested in the architectural language.

Possible topics for work in the studio are numerous and varied. They range from: algorithm-based parametric design, the historical development and processes of manufacturing, understanding patterns in the development of societies, cultures, and evolutionary changes, and more. While the topics are diverse, they all share an affinity for technology and use its capabilities to shape society and space. Parametric design is just one expression of technology and can be used by students in creating new design tools, whether at an urban or architectural scale.

The studio instructors guide the students through defining the topic and developing the research question, grounding the chosen topic in a broad theoretical context, analyzing issues such as tectonics and subject-related materiality, and examining the potential for spatial discovery and expression. After establishing a solid conceptual framework, the studio's work moves between testing boundaries, running iterations, and ultimately applying the conceptual proposals to create architectural design at scale.