Case Studies in Contemporary Construction is an experimental seminar/lab that will explore the complexities that both influence and shape the final physical form of a building and its delivery.
In this project-based lab, students will explore case studies of contemporary architectural constructions through analytical drawings and models that seek to understand and explicate the interrelationships of material flows, logistics, climate and the imperatives to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions among other pressures that are changing the way buildings are conceived and developed.
The course assumes a basic knowledge of construction methods, and will focus on the development of material assemblies, and the synthesis of building components and systems. In this course students will be asked to take a comprehensive approach to understanding architecture with regard to building enclosure and performance. Students will work in small teams to develop representational strategies to explore integrated approaches, including environmental and structural systems, building envelope performance, material and workforce economies as well as methods of project delivery.
The team project will be explored through drawings and digital models that describe the interrelationships of these various aspects of architectural form and the various forces that differentiate its complex material organization. Supplemental lectures will cover code analysis, climatic research, material systems, and sustainable building practices. Class meetings will primarily be structured as workshops with short supplementary lectures throughout the semester.
