Department of Architecture

Developments in information and communication technology have an impact throughout the entire life cycle of a building, not only from a process and technical point of view but also from a creative design and materialization point of view. The rise of spatial modeling and form creation techniques enables architects to deal with forms that previously could barely be drawn or built, and that require non-standard engineering and construction methods for their materialization. Therefore, the exploration and adoption of new techniques and methods for design and manufacturing, including parametric design approaches, performance-based design approaches and digital manufacturing techniques, are necessary.

Parametric design enables the exploration of alternative designs within a single representation using parameters and associative relationships to control geometric and constructive aspects of the design. In performance-based design, performance goals with respect to various aspects, such as comfort and structure, are explicitly developed and updated during the design, and assessed and guarded throughout the design process. Digital manufacturing enables innovative design exploration through physical prototyping during the design process, and mass-customization of non-standard architecture towards industrialization in a cost- effective manner.

The Master of Science Program on Computational Design and Fabrication Technologies in Architecture focuses on Computational Design and Fabrication Technologies in Architecture with the goal of teaching cutting-edge design technologies and new design tools as well as new design paradigms in architecture. Students are expected to be fully adequate in research and have a background to follow up new design technologies and to enrich research and design in the field of architecture as explained in the vision above.