Bachelor of Architecture (First-professional)

170 Credits Required

publications

InProcess

InProcess is the Annual journal of the School of Architecture publishing work from all nine undergraduate and graduate programs. This 200 plus page journal is one of the most recognized journals of student work in the United States.

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chair's statement

Evan Douglis, Undergraduate Chair

With the arrival of each INPROCESS publication comes a momentary pause: an opportunity to reflect upon the diverse and momentous achievements that take place daily within this precious and vibrant architecture institution. It's more than just a chronicle of exemplary projects since that would imply a much more reductive mission placing priority value exclusively on the finality of architecture. On the contrary, INPROCESS should be interpreted as a momentary stoppage, a slice through a continuum of research, interpretive investigations and material embodiments that collectively represent a culture and community dedicated to the authentic study of architecture.

It's about enabling the incandescence of exploration to find a proper setting for self reflection so that the numerous flashes of brilliance and innovation that rise up from our students and faculty on a continuous cycle, are now able to be shared with the world at large.

The school appears to be entering into a very exciting new era as we discover a variety of collaborative efforts within the program that have recently established mutually beneficial affiliations with community organizations, corporate sponsors and industry contacts. Dedicated to broadening the influence of the school beyond the borders of Brooklyn as well as enabling our students to address the discipline as a more complex ecology of interests, these new initiatives collectively represent a significant curriculum achievement which we intend to continue to support.

Professor Silver continued his study of carbon fiber as a new material for the future with his studio 'The Frameless House: Sustainable Prefabrication Using Computer-Automated Fiber-Placement Technology'. This is the second year he has worked directly with the firm Automated Dynamics to bring into the school new technology in the form of prototype models. As one of our esteemed faculty he was also the school's first recipient of a Hunter Douglas grant where applied research related to shading devices and transformable membranes within a design studio context culminated in a full-scale installation in our new Robert and Hazel Seigal Architecture Gallery.

In addition, Professor Caradonna, and Francine Monaco from Pratt's Interior design department once again worked collaboratively together as Instructors on their interdisciplinary design studio. Examining the invaluable benefits of designing full-scale furniture and interior architectural installation accessories, their 'hands on' approach with material fabrication processes offers an alternative model of cross-disciplinary exchange that is often unavailable in most architecture programs.

We are also pleased to announce the launch of our first international collaborative initiative this past summer as we established an alliance between the schools of Architecture at Pratt Institute, SCI-Arc and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, China. Intended as a global partnership, this new program is intended to provide a larger cultural perspective for our students as well as increase the school's reputation internationally. Working closely with Generative Components a new parametric software by Bentley and the school's new 3-D printer the studio initiative placed great priority on integrating new technologies into the development of modular construction.

We have also made great strides in strengthening our Degree Project sequence since increasing our number of faculty team-taught sections and our newly formed Assessment Committee membership. In addition, the creation of an Awards jury at the final linked to a merit-based selection process, has shown to be an effective instrument to increase awareness and offer a productive incentive to excel within the program.

In recognition of our program's increasing international reputation, we were invited to participate this past summer in the '2006 International Exhibition of Student Work', at the Beijing Architecture Biennial. Aimed at highlighting the range of digital innovation currently taking place today we were asked to submit a sample of student work generated from a variety of studios and seminars dealing with this topic. Our entry was comprised of a selection of material acquired from: Lawrence Blough's Digital Tracery seminar, Ed Keller and Chris Perry's Degree Project 'Reflexive Infrastructure Membranes', Michael Silver's, Carbon Fiber Chandelier installation, and David Benjamin's Living Architecture seminar.

In summary, I would like to extend our appreciation to all of our students and faculty whose sustained dedication, hard work and desire to raise the overall intellectual and creative consciousness of our program from one year to the next, has had a dramatic effect on the increasing success of the program.

Evan Douglis, Undergraduate Chair

Undergraduate Architecture is a five-year B.Arch.
program that prepares students with an early interest in architecture to become leading professional practitioners. Students at Pratt learn that architecture is a meaningful cultural contribution, requiring both imagination and material realization within a larger social and ethical context. The five-year design sequence offers a thorough foundation in architecture, integrating critical thinking, design, technology, building, representation and social responsibility. Students strive for creative and intellectual independence and inspired architectural research. Firmly committed to contemporary material practices, the program is currently developing initiatives to integrate new technologies into the curriculum.

Bachelor of Architecture

The Bachelor of Architecture program is a professional program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) requiring a minimum of five years of study. Most states require that individuals intending to become architects hold an accredited degree. These professional degrees are structured to educate those who aspire to registration and licensure to practice as architects.

The 175 credits required for the Bachelor of Architecture degree are organized in three main categories: a core of required courses in architectural study, liberal arts courses, and electives.

The core of ninety-eight credits is primarily taken in the first three years and is designed to give basic professional preparation in architectural design, construction technology, graphic communication, and the humanistic aspects of design.

The liberal arts areas require forty-five credits, of which nine are taken within the School of Architecture (ARCH 206, ARCH 207, ARCH 308), six credits in English, six in cultural history, six in science, and six in social science. The remaining twelve credits are taken as electives selected from the liberal arts courses offered by the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The elective courses are composed of eighteen credits of professional electives selected from courses offered by the School of Architecture’s undergraduate and graduate programs, and fourteen all-Institute electives, selected from courses offered by any school in the Institute. By purposefully selecting courses within all elective areas during their last four semesters, students can develop their own unique architectural education based on their own needs and goals. This personalized fourth-year curriculum is directed toward culmination in the fifth-year degree project.

Individual curricula may be developed to place more emphasis on such subject areas as design, preservation, building technology, history and theory, planning, construction management, and urban design in the final two years of study.

The degree project year completes the student’s academic architectural experience with an in-depth design study, preceded and accompanied by research. The degree project is executed with guidance from critics chosen by the student.

Options combining the undergraduate degrees with various masters’ degrees are also available in planning and facilities management.

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5 Degree Project Studio ARCH 485P
3 Professional Practice ARCH 471P
3 Architectural Elective
3 All-Institute Elective
3 Liberal Arts Elective
17 CREDITS

5 Advanced Design ARCH 403
3 Degree Project Research ARCH 484P
3 Architectural Elective
3 All-Institute Elective
3 Liberal Arts Elective
17 CREDITS

5 Advanced Design ARCH 402
3 Construction Documents ARCH 409
3 Architectural Elective
3 All-Institute Elective
3 Liberal Arts Elective
17 CREDITS

5 Advanced Design ARCH 401
3 Planning ARCH 321
3 Social Science/Philosophy
3 All-Institute Elective
3 History/Theory Architectural Elective
17 CREDITS

5 Comprehensive Design ARCH 302
3 Architectural Assembly Systems ARCH 216
3 Building Services ARCH 313
3 World Civilizations II CH 400
3 Liberal Arts Elective
17 CREDITS

5 Comprehensive Design ARCH 301
3 Building Environment ARCH 312
3 Structures: Concrete ARCH 317
3 World Civilizations I CH 300
3 Social Science/Philosophy
17 CREDITS

5 Design 2 ARCH 102
3 History & Theory of Architecture 2 ARCH 107
3 Representation 2 ARCH 114
3 Introduction to Literary & Critical Studies II ENGL 103
3 Introductory Science: A Guide for the Perplexed SCI 170
17 CREDITS

5 Intermediate Design 1 ARCH 201
3 Architectural Materials ARCH 110
3 Statics & Strength of Materials ARCH 117
3 Representation 3 ARCH 213
3 History & Theory of Architecture 3 ARCH 208
17 CREDITS

5 Design 1 ARCH 101
3 Technics ARCH 103
3 History & Theory of Architecture 1 ARCH 106
3 Representation 1 ARCH 113
3 Introduction to Literary & Critical Studies I ENGL 101
17 CREDITS

5 Intermediate Design 2 ARCH 202
3 History & Theory of Architecture 4 ARCH 209
3 Structures: Steel ARCH 217
3 Ecology SCI 177
3 Architectural Electives: Technology
17 CREDITS