Sustainable Architecture Studio Lab

The design of the built environment is the area of human endeavour that has one of the largest impacts on the environment. Buildings consume vast amounts of natural resources during their construction and subsequent operation. They constitute primary energy consumption and demand the exploitation of natural resources to supply the materials. In use, building emissions add to global warming, damage the environment, and create waste disposal problems. Buildings can also cause ill health and discomfort for their occupants due to poor air quality and inadequate internal conditions. This course will examine a range of issues associated with sustainable architecture including energy consumption, use of materials, health and environmental concerns, and how these issues impact the design of built space. It does this through a studio lab context, where we will investigate current strategies for incorporating sustainability into design. This will include examining the Heimbold Visual Arts Center and the strategies used in creating its award-winning “green” building status. Through our own research and designs, we will learn how to identify and integrate environmental concerns into design practice. We will learn the basic language of drawing architectural space and the mechanics of designing within that language. This will include traditional architectural drawing and the use of 3-D design software. Our work will rely on drawing, writing, and oral and graphic presentation skills. Students will  work on short and longer projects in an individual and group context. Experience in drawing and/or 3-D computer graphics is helpful.