ARC 560R/695
Advanced Design

Instructor: Larry Speck
Time: MWF 1-6 pm

Educational Objectives: The intention of this course is to make each student a much stronger designer--to hone their skills in analysis, conceptualization, formulation, and creativity. Rather than concentrating on a particular issue relating to design, this course will focus on those skills and capabilities which allow a designer to excel no matter what issues they are addressing.

Educational Approach: A regular studio format will be used, though due to very different work requirements in different stages of design we will not just have desk crits in allotted time periods throughout the semester. In early stages some work will be collaborative. Later, most work will be done individually or in small groups as students choose. We will have a number of guests who will contribute expertise in the building type, the specific urban environment, relevant engineering aspects, etc. External input will be valued as a means to understand its benefit in stimulating excellent design. Periodic juries also using outside guests will focus on synthesis of issues to produce quality holistic design.

Course Content: We will be designing a single rather complex building through the whole semester. It will be a new Public Library and Information Center to be located in downtown Austin. Building on innovative programs that have been developed in new central libraries in cities like Seattle, Montreal, San Francisco, San Antonio, Cleveland, Vancouver, etc. in recent years, this new entity will stretch the boundaries of what libraries have previously been. Using new technologies and the explosion of the field of information science, this new facility will seek to be a social and cultural center which brings a very diverse range of people together around a focus on learning. The building will play an important role in bringing people together, encouraging interaction and a sense of community and should be a landmark symbolizing the importance of learning to the citizens of Austin.

Basis of Evaluation: This will be an intense and demanding course. Students will be expected, at the end of the semester, to have produced a mature, sophisticated building design which represents not only an ability to conceptualize and develop strong design ideas but also a mastery of translating ideas into solid, workable building form. The bulk of the grade for the semester will be based on demonstration of these skills in the final design. However, a portion of the grade will given with consideration of class participation, individual student progress, collaborative contributions, etc.