College of Architecture & Urban Studies

School of Architecture + Design: Architecture

Overview

Architecture enriches our lives by offering us environments that are sensibly compelling, thought provoking, and capable of lifting our spirits. In addition to being beautiful, architecture is, by ancient definition, functional and durable. Like art, architecture is permeated by dualities. It is stable and transitory, measurable and immeasurable, and capable of both being touched and touching us. Like science, architecture involves systematic study. Its methods are iterative, experimental, and rely on intense observation. By intertwining the poetic and practical, architecture is uniquely poised to address the challenges of contemporary life and build the culture of the 21st century.

The professional curriculum in architecture requires five years of study for the first professional degree, the Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch.).

The first professional degree programs at Virginia Tech, the five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree (B. Arch.), the Master of Architecture II (M. Arch II), and the Master of Architecture III (M. Arch. III) degrees, are fully accredited for the current maximum six-year term of accreditation by the National Architectural Accrediting Board.

All students in the School of Architecture + Design – Architecture, Industrial Design, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture – begin their studies in a common first year foundation program. Following the foundation program, students pursue professional studies in the 2-3 and 4-5 programs.

Foundation Design Program – First Year

The focus in the first year of the Foundation Program is involved with basic elements of design, addressed visually, conceptually, and haptically. Studies are undertaken in two and three dimensions using various materials and tools. Inquiries are focused on the process of design, discovering, through experiment, methods of working that develop aesthetic judgment and means of self-evaluation.

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Professional Program – Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Years

The Professional Program begins with design theory and process, covering building design as an interactive investigation of human factors, environmental forces, and technology. The second year is an introduction to the discipline of architecture, isolating and intertwining fundamentals that contribute to the complex totality that constitute a work of architecture. Students explore how architecture concentrates and conveys natural and cultural forces through means specific to the discipline. Studies focus on fundamentals realized artistically and practically in works by selected architects. The course articulates the unique reality of architecture through the study of basic interrelationships of material, construction, site, and program and introduces the student to the complex interplay of situation, space and time in the making of places. In addition, the course examines interdisciplinary sources such as art, science, and philosophy for the purpose of establishing the content architecture shares with other forms of knowledge and how that content, expressed through architecture, contributes to human well-being. Concepts in the course communicated through drawings and models, as well as written and verbal discourse.


Emphasis is placed on intellectual discipline, dialogue, assertion of interest, and a self-motivated search for critical issues.


The third year provides for study of fundamental design principles, technical concepts and applications, and measures of quality in architecture. The Architecture III 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 Ill are lecture series intended to expose the students to accumulated background and practical experience in the design and construction of buildings.

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.


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 Center for European Studies and Architecture, located in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland, is a 19,000 square foot complex of buildings centered around an 18th century villa and private gardens on the southern tip of Lake Lugano. The Center has residence and dining facilities for approximately 45 students. Each semester approximately 15 students from the School of Architecture + Design are in residence at the Center along with university students from other academic disciplines. Study, research, and travel are structured to advance first-hand knowledge of the architecture, geography, and culture of Europe.

The Chicago Studio is an alternative to the traditional upper-level design studio integrating education and practice in a direct way for architecture and design students. Its distinctive structure and curriculum promotes a collaborative design process encompassing multiple points of view within academia, the profession, and the broader community.

The Professional Xtern Program allows students to spend a minimum of one semester in an approved professional setting and receive 12 hours of academic credit. This program provides a valuable link between the academic environment and government agencies, museums, architectural offices, industrial design offices, and graphic design offices throughout the world ? educational institutions throughout the world.

The Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center affords students from the School of Architecture + Design and related college disciplines the opportunity to study with students and faculty from a national and international consortium of schools in the historic urban context of Old Town Alexandria. The Center, located in a turn-of-the-century schoolhouse redeveloped for College, has over 14,000 square feet of studio, design and review space, offices, exhibition space, shops, darkrooms and computer labs for the students and faculty of the consortium. The university owns an apartment and an office building adjacent to the facility, which creates an economic and convenient housing option for students studying at the Center.

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 (B. Arch., M. Arch.) 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 qualifications 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 three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted a 6-year, 3-year, or 2-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards.
  
  
• Master's degree programs may consist of a preprofessional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, 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.

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Bachelor of Architecture Program Requirements

Required Curriculum for Liberal Education Courses	33 credits
English 1105-1106; Freshman English: Writing and Discourse	6
Math 1535-1536; Geometry of Mathematics and Design	6
Society and Human Behavior Option (Social Sciences)	6
Scientific Reasoning and Discovery Option (Lab Science)	6
Ideas, Cultural Traditions and Values Option (Humanities)	6
Creative and Aesthetic Experience (satisfied by Arch 1015)
Critical Issues in a Global Context	3
Required Foundation Program Courses	35 credits
Arch 1015, 1016; Foundation Design Lab (1st year)	12
Arch 2015, 2016: Architecture II (2nd year)	12
Arch 2034: The Art of Building (2nd year)	2
ESM 3704, Basic Principles of Structures (2nd year)	3
Arch 3115, 3116: History of Architecture (2nd year)	6
Required Professional Program Courses	68 credits
Arch 3015, 3016: Architecture III (3rd year)	12
Arch 3045, 3046: Building Assemblies (3rd year)	4
Arch 3054: Building Analysis (3rd year)	2
Arch 4015, 4016: Architecture IV (4th year studio)	14
Arch 4055. 4056: Environment and Building Systems (3rd year)	6
Arch 4075: Building Structures I (2nd year)	3
Arch 4076: Building Structures II (3rd year)	3
Arch 4034: Building Cities (4th year)	3
Arch 4044: Professional Practice (4th or 5th year)	3
Arch 4515: Architecture V (5th year studio)	9
Arch 4516: Architecture V (5th year studio)	6
Arch 4524: Thesis Documentation (5th year)	3
Professional Elective Courses	6 credits
To be selected from an approved list of courses supplied by the school
Free Electives or additional Professional Electives	14
Total required for B.Arch.	156 credits

Satisfactory Progress

In addition to the university requirements, upon completion of the second year in the program, students must have completed:

Arch 1015-1016, Arch 2015-2016, Arch 2034, ESM 3704, Arch 4075, Arch 3115-3116, with a minimum in-major grade point average of 2.00 or above.

Graduation Requirements

Upon successful completion of program requirements of the foundation level of study and the professional levels of study in architecture and with completion of 156 credit hours of study, a first professional degree of Bachelor of Architecture is awarded.

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Course Descriptions (ARCH)

1014: INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURE: LESSONS IN FORM & CULTURE
Introduction to the discipline of architecture for non-architecture majors. Emphasis on the basic elements of design and the relationships of a culture to the forms, shapes, and structures it expresses in architectural production. (3H,3C)

1015-1016: FOUNDATION DESIGN LABORATORY
Introduction to the discipline of architecture. Focus on basic elements of design, addressed visually, conceptually, and haptically. Studies undertaken in two and three dimensions using various materials and tools. Inquiry into the process of design, discovering, through experiment, methods of working that develop aesthetic judgment and means of self-evaluation. Emphasis on intellectual discipline, dialogue, assertion of interest, and a self-motivated search for critical issues. (2H,12L,6C)

2015-2016: ARCHITECTURE II
Introduction to the discipline of architecture, isolating and intertwining fundamentals that contribute to the complex totality that constitute a work of architecture. Explores how architecture concentrates and conveys natural and cultural forces through means specific to the discipline. Focus on fundamentals realized artistically and practically in works by selected architects. Articulates the unique reality of architecture through the study of basic interrelationships of material, construction, site, and program. Introduces the complex interplay of situation, space and time in the making of places. Examines interdisciplinary sources such as art, science, and philosophy for the purpose of establishing the content architecture shares with other forms of knowledge and how that content, expressed through architecture, contributes to human well-being. Concepts communicated through drawings and models. Emphasis on intellectual discipline, dialogue, assertion of interest, and a self-motivated search for critical issues. Pre: 1016. (2H,12L,6C)

2034: THE ART OF BUILDING
Lecture/seminar introduction to the discipline of architecture, isolating and intertwining fundamentals that contribute to the complex totality that constitute a work of architecture. Explores how architecture concentrates and conveys natural and cultural forces through means specific to the discipline. Focus on fundamentals realized artistically and practically in works by selected architects. Articulates the unique reality of architecture through the study of basic interrelationships of material, construction, site, and program. Introduces the complex interplay of science and philosophy for the purpose of establishing the content architecture shares with other forms of knowledge and how that content, expressed through architecture, contributes to human well-being. Co: 2016. (2H,2C)

2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3015-3016: ARCHITECTURE III
First design laboratory for the Professional Program in Architecture. Provides for exploratory investigation and analysis of the fundamental design principles, technical concepts and applications, and the measures of quality in architecture. Co: 3045 for 3015; 3046, 3054 for 3016. (1H,12L,6C)

3045-3046: BUILDING ASSEMBLIES
The designs of building assemblies, elements, systems and sub-assemblies are studied. Building assemblies as controlled by formal idea, geometry, construction, materials, details, structure, function, enclosure, and finish work are considered. Pre: 2016. Co: 3015 for 3045; 3016, 3054 for 3046. (2H,2C)

3054: BUILDING ANALYSIS
Study of exemplary built works of architecture through analysis of design documents, interviews, and inspection of actual construction. Course is completed as a group project resulting in both an oral presentation and a written document. Pre: 3015. Co: 3046, 3016. (2H,2C)

3115,3116: HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
A review of world architecture, predominantly but not exclusively with reference to Occidental building art. The study of principles concepts and representations of buildings and structures from the 4,000 BC to the present through reading, drawing, and writing are important aspects of the course. Pre: 1016 for 3115; 3115 for 3116. (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)

3900: CESA CONSORTIUM
College of Architecture and Urban Studies Consortium agreement with peer institutions of higher education. Center for European Studies location only. No academic credit. Special fees apply. (0C)

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. (*H,6C)

3974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

3984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course. X-grade allowed.

4015-4016: ARCHITECTURE IV
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 third year professional studies and emphasis toward individualized topical areas of study leading to the development of a thesis project. X-grade allowed. Pre: 3016 for 4015; 4015 for 4016. (2H,12L,7C)

4034: BUILDING CITIES
Analytical studies in the historical evolution of cities, towns and villages. Comparative studies of urban form in relation to their constructive and imaginative means with an emphasis on modern construction processes. Specific case studies in designing and building cities. Co: 4016. (3H,3C)

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 AND 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. (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 3704. (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 highrise 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 AND 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 AND 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 AND ALLIED STUDIES
Advanced independent architectural research requiring 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 for 4515; 4515 for 4516. 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)

4654 (UAP 4654): URBANIZATION AND URBANISM IN EUROPE
This course is designed to provide an introduction to European urbanization for students who intend to pursue a study abroad program in Europe, or who have already done so. The course adopts a comparative approach to cities, urban form and urban living, and an understanding of urbanization processes, including urban design and planning, in different parts of Europe. Pre: UAP 2014 or ARCH 2016. (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)

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 for 4775; 4775 for 4776. (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.

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