Professors: W. Brown; S. Choudhury; R. Daniel; A. J. Davis; D. Dunay; R. Dunay; D. Egger; M. Frascari; J. Holt; W. Kark; D. Kilper; H. L. Rodriguez-Camilloni; H. Rott; R. Schubert; J. Wang
Associate Professors: K. Albright; E. Dorsa; D. Dugas; S. Gartner; W. Galloway; W. Green; D. Jones; F. Krimgold; S. Martin; M. O'Brien; M. Paget; S. Piedmont-Palladino; H. Pittman; S. Poole: F. Ruiz; P. Sarpaneva; Heiner Schnoedt; M. Setareh; J. Stoeckel; S. Thompson; M. Vernon; F. Weiner.
Assistant Professors: E. Braaten; Q. Cao; M. Cortes, A. Cromer; K. Edge; P. Emmons; M. Ermann; M. Feuerstein: J. Jones; M. McGarth; S. Molesky; R. Schwaen, H. Woofter
Visiting Professors: M. Lutz; M. Luck; M. Moser; C. Vorster
Instructors: R. Holt
Visiting Instructor: L. Mason
Adjunct Facutly; A. Cromer; L. Ferrari; K. Fischer; D. Lever; C. Magruder; L. Moser; S. Pomajambo, J. Ritter; R. Reuter; S. Small; J. Wheeler
The professional curriculum in architecture requires five years of study for the first professional degree, the Bachelor of Architecture (BArch). The five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree and the Master of Architecture degree at Virginia Tech are fully accredited for the maximum five-year term of accreditation by the national Architectural Accrediting Board.
The undergraduate Architecture curriculum is structured as two programs, or stages, of study: the Foundation Program and the Professional Program.
These studies develop the student's capacity to experience and gain knowledge through a command of media and method coupled with an environmental design overview. These studies stimulate a dialogue based on the student designers' attitudes, knowledge and concerns in working with multiple scales of environmental design activity. All architecture, landscape architecture and industrial design majors take the first year of the Foundation Program together. The primary teaching format employed by the Foundation Program is a four-semester Design Laboratory sequence over the first two years. The design laboratory is intended to invite students to experiment.nded to invite students to experiment responsibly.
The Professional Program begins with design theory and process, covering building design as an interactive investigation of human factors, environmental forces, and technology. During the fourth and fifth years, the program focuses on building design and the fifth-year thesis project. Areas of special interest such as advanced offering in building technology are also pursued.
The third year provides for study of fundamental design principles, technical concepts and applications, and measures of quality in architecture. The Architecture I design studio gives the student experience with practical design problems and provides order to the student's gradual exploration and learning of the nature and means of achieving architecture. Associated with Architecture I am a lecture series intended to expose the students to accumulated background and practical experience in the design and construction of buildings.
Fourth Year design offers students the option to participate in one of the off-campus programs: the Extern Program, the Washington-Alexandria Center, or the Study Abroad Program. Fourth year on-campus studio options encourage the student to define himself or herself within the professional to summarize his or her abilities as an architect. It is a time in which practical and qualitative constraints bring the student into a confrontation with standards. At this point, the responsibility of development shifts from assignment to formulation by the student.
Off-campus options for fourth year architecture majors:
The fifth year is conducted as advanced independent study with individual faculty advisors in a mode comparable to graduate studies and is intended to provide the student an opportunity to develop depth and expertise within a particular area in the field of architecture. Fifth-year students formulate and accomplish independent work in the form of a terminal project. Working with their advisors, students prepare programmatic statements, meet informally on a regular basis, and have formal periodic reviews throughout the year. Students are required to leave a portfolio with the school upon graduation.
The first professional degree programs (BArch, MArch) in architecture are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board, and the degrees are recognized by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards as the necessary educational qualification for registration examinations.
In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes two types of degrees: the bachelor of architecture and the master of architecture. A program may be granted a five-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established standards.
Master's degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
The four-year, pre-professional degree, where offered, is not accredited by the NAAB. This degree is not offered at Virginia Tech. The pre-professional degree is useful for those wishing a foundation in the field of architecture, as preparation for either continued education in a professional degree program or for employment options in architecturally related areas.
| Required University Core Curriculum Courses | 32 credits |
|---|---|
| English 1105-1106; Freshman English: Writing and Discourse | 6 credits |
| Math 1525-1526; Elementary Calculus w/Matrices | 6 credits |
| Society and Human Behavior Option (Social Sciences) | 6 credits |
| Scientific Reasoning and Discovery Option (Lab Science) | 8 credits |
| Ideas Cultural Traditions and Values Option (Humanities) | 6 credits |
| Creative and Aesthetic Experience (satisfied by Arch 3115) | |
| Critical Issues in a Global Context (various Arch. courses meet this req.) | |
| Required Foundation Program Courses | 37 credits |
| Arch 1015, 1016; Foundation Design Lab (1st year) | 12 credits |
| Arch 2014: Allied Design Laboratory (2nd year) | 6 credits |
| Arch 2024:Architecture Design Laboratory (2nd year) | 6 credits |
| ESM 3704, Basic Principles of Structures (2nd year) | 3 credits |
| Arch 3115, 3116: History of Architecture (2ndyear) | 6 credits |
| Required Professional Program Courses | 63 credits |
| Arch 3115, 3116: History of Architecture 2nd or 3rd year | 6 credits |
| Arch 3015, 3016: Architecture I (3rd Year Studio) | 14 credits |
| Arch 3035, 3036: Sources in Architecture (3rd year) | 4 credits |
| Arch 4055, 4056; Environment & Building Systems (3rd year) | 6 credits |
| Arch 4075: Building Structures I (3rd year) | 3 credits |
| Arch 4076: Building Structures II (3rd year) | 3 credits |
| Arch 4015-4016: Arch II (4th year studio) | 12 credits |
| Arch 4044: Professional Practice (5th year) | 3 credits |
| Arch 4515: Architecture III (5th year studio) | 9 credits |
| Arch 4516: Architecture III (5th year studio) | 6 credits |
| Arch 4524: Thesis Documentation | 3 credits |
| Professional Elective Courses | 9 credits |
| To be selected from an approved list of courses supplied by the department | |
| Free Electives | 15 credits |
| Can be taken at any time allowed in the student's program of study | |
| Total required for BArch | 156 credits |
In addition to the university requirement, upon completion of 72 semester credits, students must have completed the following:
Upon successful completion of program requirements of the foundation level of study and the professional levels of study in architecture and with completion of 157 credit hours of study, a first professional degree of Bachelor of Architecture is awarded.
1015,1016: FOUNDATION DESIGN LABORATORY
Laboratory, lectures, and seminars in which students and faculty explore the nature of problems with which architecture is concerned and experimentally develop design methods for the structuring of concepts and forms that respond to identified need. (2H,12L,6C).
2014: ALLIED DESIGN LABORATORY
Laboratory, lectures, and seminars in which students and faculty explore the nature of specific architectural setting and experimentally develop design methods for the structuring of concepts and forms that respond to identified need. Pre: 1016. (2H,12L,6C).
2024: ARCHITECTURE DESIGN LABORATORY
Design laboratory for the core professional studies level for the curriculum. Provides for exploratory investigation and analysis of the interaction between architectural concepts and forces of nature and the human intentions to which they respond. Pre: 2014. (2H,12L,6C).
2025,2026: PARAMETERS IN DESIGN
Parameters in Design presents a comprehensive overview of the differences and the relationships of history, technology, and culture in terms of impacts on design, analysis, and synthesis. As a complement to ongoing design laboratory investigations, concepts of "form-generation" with respect to human settlement cultural factors will be stressed. Pre: 1015, 1016. Co: 2014, 2024. (2H,2C).
2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
3015,3016: ARCHITECTURE I: CORE PROFESSIONAL STUDIES LABORATORY
Design laboratory for the core professional studies level of the curriculum. Provides for exploratory investigation and analysis of the fundamental design principles, technical concepts and applications, and the measures of quality in architecture. Pre: 2024. (2H,12L,7C).
3035,3036: SOURCES IN ARCHITECTURE
Examination of the fundamental human purposes of architecture and the study of the principal measures by which people judge the architecture of useful objects, buildings, and cities. (2H,2C).
3115,3116: HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
A comprehensive review of world architecture and urban planning from Neolithic to recent times, predominantly but not exclusively with reference to Western Civilization. Ideology, analysis, and criticism through reading and writing are important aspects of the course. 3115: Prehistoric times to the Renaissance. 3116: Baroque to Contemporary. (3H,3C).
3514: DESIGN-RELATED MEDIA
Properties and uses of various media, materials and processes as tools for analysis, documentation and presentation of the designed environment. Basic skills and techniques relating to photography, printmaking, and pottery will be explored. Repeatable with a maximum of 6 credits. (3H,3C).
3954: STUDIO-STUDY ABROAD
The Europe Studio offers students the opportunity to make comparative studies of European cultures, as well as to study the relationship of culture to the physical environment, the organization of cities, and the history and behavior of their inhabitants. Exercises include analysis and documentation of elements of the physical environment, exploration of the interface between buildings and the fabric of the existing city, and examination of the professional community's reactions to urban design solutions. X-grade allowed. (16H,6C).
3984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course. X-grade allowed.
4015-4016: ARCHITECTURE II: DESIGN & ALLIED STUDIES
Design laboratory in conjunction with alternative studies in one of the college's off-campus centers. Focus on the evaluation of skills developed in the core professional studies and emphasis toward individualized topical areas of study leading to the development of a thesis project. X-grade allowed. Pre: 3016. (2H,12L,6C).
4044 (LAR 4124): PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Introduction to scope and diversity of the building enterprise, addressing private and public macroeconomic, industrial, technical, professional, and regulatory institutions. Analysis of historic evaluation of professional roles and practices; emergence of new modes of practice, including innovative facilities procurement methods. (3H,3C).
4055,4056: ENVIRONMENT & BUILDING SYSTEMS
A design oriented study of environmental forces, environmental impacts of the built environment, and related building environmental control, life safety and service systems, with concern for the human psycho-physical impacts of building form and systems performance. Pre: 2014. (3H,3C).
4075-4076: BUILDING STRUCTURES
Building structures in steel, timber, and reinforced concrete; design of typical components: beams, slabs, columns, beam-columns, connections, and foundations; design of retaining walls; the resistance of buildings to gravity and lateral force action; building stability; floor/roof framing systems; design of simple buildings. Pre: ESM 2705, ESM 2706. (3H,3C).
4144: ADVANCED BUILDING STRUCTURES I
Study of long-span building structures. Introduction to geometry, form, and structure of folded and bent surfaces. Study of space grid geometry, close-packing systems, and cellular tensegrity. Approximate design of folded plate structures, single and double curvature shells, single and double layer space frames, suspension roofs, tents, and pneumatic structures. Pre: 4075, 4076. (3H,3C).
4154: ADVANCED BUILDING STRUCTURES II
Study of high-rise structures ranging from building slabs and blocks, terraced buildings, and skyscrapers to towers. The complexity of load action including wind, earthquake, and hidden loads. The effect of building height, form, and proportion on force action; considerations of stability and redundancy. Preliminary design of masonry buildings, core structures, suspension buildings, braced skeletons, rigid frames, interstitial systems, staggered truss buildings, tubes and hybrid structures. Pre: 4075, 4076. (3H,3C).
4164: COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN DESIGN
Computer system fundamentals. Very brief introduction to assembly programming. Programming in a high level language. Construction of a simple text editor. Construction of a simple relational file. Computer graphics fundamentals. Geometric transformations. 3-space geometry and projections. (3H,3C).
4204: URBAN TECHNOLOGY & ARCHITECTURE
Architecture as determinant of urban spaces and urban form; perceptual, morphological, and typological characteristics of urban spaces as expressions of social values, ideals, and technological innovation. Theoretical models of technological, function, environmental, and social determinants of urban configurations are related to their cultural and historic precedents. X-grade allowed. (3H,3C).
4214: TOPICS IN ARCHITECTURE HISTORY & THEORY
Topics in the history of architecture and theory, predominantly with reference to the Western World. Special emphasis on methods of analysis and interpretation. Repeatable with a maximum of 9C. X-grade allowed. Pre: 3115, 3116. (3H,3C).
4304: TOPICS IN DESIGN METHODS
Topics in systematic methods of design and the nature of the design process including application of creative techniques, analogous thinking, analytic methods, computer-aided procedures, and information handling in design. Repeatable with a maximum of 6 credits. X-grade allowed. (3H,3C).
4414: ADVANCED ENVIRONMENT BUILDING SYSTEMS
Advanced studies of environment and building systems, including development in building systems, urban systems, service systems, construction systems, materials and component systems, psycho-physical considerations, systems analysis, and computer technology. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credit hours in varied options offered. X-grade allowed. Pre: 4055, 4056. (2H,3L,3C).
4515-4516: ARCHITECTURE III: DESIGN & ALLIED STUDIES
Students enrolled in Architecture III conduct advanced independent architectural research requiring their articulation of a conceptual and professional position. This position is realized in a terminal thesis project completed in the second semester of the fifth year. X-grade allowed. Pre: 4016. 4515: (2H,20L,9C) 4516: (2H,16L,6C).
4524: THESIS DOCUMENTATION
During the second semester of the fifth year, the student takes a required three-hour thesis documentation course where their conceptual and professional position is defined and tested by the documentation of the terminal architectural project. Pre: 4515. Co: 4516. (3H,3C).
4705-4706: QUALIFYING DESIGN SEMINAR
Exploratory overview of selected theories and issues relevant to the design and use of the environment. 4705: Emphasis on history, human behavior, and environmental context as it relates to architecture. 4706: Presentation and discussion of the nature of principal construction materials in relation to building design. Characteristics of primary structural materials: wood, steel, concrete, masonry; environmental control systems; supporting technologies. Not for credit for majors holding a first professional degree in architecture. (3H,3C).
4715-4716: QUALIFYING DESIGN LABORATORY
4715: Design laboratory in which student and faculty teams explore the nature of problems and potentials with which architecture is concerned, and experimentally develop methods and process through which existing contexts are transformed into new conditions. 4716: Provides introduction to basic concepts of building structures, materials, and enclosure systems, and appropriate site and climate responses. Not for credit for majors holding a first professional degree in architecture. X-grade allowed. (3H,18L,9C).
4755-4756: BUILDING ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
This sequence concentrates on defining different intervention techniques available to the architect to articulate the relationship between the outside and inside environment of buildings. These intervention techniques strive towards a fit between built form and the thermal, luminous, sonic, and water/waste environment. Pre: 4706. (3H,3C).
4765-4766: BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
The design of buildings as controlled by geometry, construction, assembly, materials, details, structure, function, enclosure, and finish work. Pre: 4706. (3H,3C).
4775-4776: BUILDING STRUCTURES
Building structures in steel, timber, and reinforced concrete; design of typical components: beams, slabs, columns, beam-columns, connections, and foundations; design of retaining walls; the resistance of buildings to gravity and lateral force action; building stability; floor/roof framing systems; design of simple buildings. Pre: ESM 3704. (3H,3C).
4904: PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
Pass/Fail only. X-grade allowed. (1H,1C).
4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course. X-grade allowed.
4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.
Please see the Graduate Catalog for graduate course listings.
Virginia Tech -- Undergraduate Catalog, 2002-2004
Last update: August 2002
URL: http://www.vt.edu/academics/ugcat/ucdArch.html