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ARCH-871VP Concepts Materialized

3 Credits

The seminar explores how abstract conceptual notions take physical or experiential form across differentdomains in architectural design. The course will explore transformation from intangible thought intotangible existence, a core dynamic in creativity, innovation, and making processes.The translation of an idea, theory, or mental image into a formal, system, or spatial/material experience isa foundational process in architectural composition and material expression. This course challengesstudents to investigate how abstract concepts evolve through various stages of design moving from theconceptual to the physical. Through a combination of critical inquiry, iterative making, and reflectiveanalysis, students will explore multiple methods of translating ideas into form. Emphasis will be placed onunderstanding how different processes whether analytical, intuitive, material driven, or spatial canyield distinct architectural outcomes. Students will be encouraged to compare, critique, and deliberate therange of resulting expressions, deepening their awareness of how process shapes form and meaning indesign.Students will work with a diverse set of translational techniques and digital tools to explore howconceptual ideas can be articulated and transformed into spatial, formal, or material expressions. Thecurriculum will incorporate speculative drawing as a means of visualizing abstract narratives and designintentions beyond traditional representation. Students will explore form, structure, and spatialrelationships in both virtual and physical contexts through 3D modeling and advanced representationaltechniques. Artificial intelligence (AI) software will be introduced as a generative and interpretive tool,offering new ways of processing inputs and iterating design outcomes. Students will test and representtheir digital exploration using digital fabrication tools.