ARC 385Q / ARI 385K
Construction (Construction 1 for Interior Design students) is a broad survey of construction, including materials, trades, systems, and methods of fabrication and installation. For students of architecture, Construction is the first course in a series of three required building technology courses, the remainder of which are focused on structural analysis. For students of historic preservation and interior design, the course serves as an introduction to a range of building materials, systems, and concerns to be followed by more discipline-specific technical coursework.
OBJECTIVES:
The material, assembly, and detailing determinations an architect or interior designer makes in authoring a project are vital design decisions. Developing a familiarity with the physical characteristics of materials, functions of assemblies and systems, means and methods of building, legal and cultural conditions affecting the work of the building trades, and ecological ramifications of both the production and operation of projects is a fundamental goal of this class. Upon this foundation of information and experience, the student of design can begin to construct a deeper knowledge of how building propositions engage the physical world. Construction and materiality can be a rich source of architectural ideation and development, and building an understanding of this subject enables material and assembly strategies to reinforce and even generate architectural concepts.