The laboratory is the student's first contact with architectural design. The teaching is therefore proposed to provide the student with the knowledge and skills necessary to be able to recognize and design spaces at ARCHITECTURAL scale, also in relation to a deliberately simplified context and program. The articulation of the educational path in several consecutive thematic exercises allows the student to measure himself with the fundamentals of design, progressively approaching the complexity of the architectural project in its entirety. The first Atelier thus introduces the sequence of interdisciplinary design laboratories in which the Bachelor degree is structured.
The laboratory is the student's first contact with architectural design. The teaching is therefore proposed to provide the student with the knowledge and skills necessary to be able to recognize and design spaces at ARCHITECTURAL scale, also in relation to a deliberately simplified context and program. The articulation of the educational path in several consecutive thematic exercises allows the student to measure himself with the fundamentals of design, progressively approaching the complexity of the architectural project in its entirety. The first Atelier thus introduces the sequence of interdisciplinary design laboratories in which the Bachelor degree is structured.
The knowledge and skills whose actual acquisition will be verified during the examination are structured around four thematical axes:
1 Space:
Knowledge: types and characters of the three-dimensional space
Skills: knowing how to read, break down and compose the three-dimensional space into simple units and complex configurations; know how to recognize the different types of spaces
2 Distribution characters:
Knowledge: elementary residential distributive characters
Skills: to know how to analyse the organization of circulation in simple spaces and therefore to compose elementary distribution schemes
3 Design references:
Knowledge: references for the project Skills: knowing how to recognize, choose and consciously redesign design references
4 Principles of constructive morphology:
Regarding the structure:
Knowledge: skin/structure relationship
Skills: recognizing the different possible structural configurations of a simple architecture, proposing and developing the structural form in relation to the characteristics of the space and to the organization of the distribution.
Regarding construction techniques:
Knowledge: relationship between fundamental constructive principles and architectural image Skills: recognizing and using the fundamental building principles and the architectural meaning of the specific technologies of a simple architecture, and to develop its application in coherence with the other aspects of the project.
The knowledge and skills whose actual acquisition will be verified during the examination are structured around four thematical axes:
1 Space:
Knowledge: types and characters of the three-dimensional space
Skills: knowing how to read, break down and compose the three-dimensional space into simple units and complex configurations; know how to recognize the different types of spaces
2 Distribution characters:
Knowledge: elementary residential distributive characters
Skills: to know how to analyse the organization of circulation in simple spaces and therefore to compose elementary distribution schemes
3 Design references:
Knowledge: references for the project Skills: knowing how to recognize, choose and consciously redesign design references
4 Principles of constructive morphology:
Regarding the structure:
Knowledge: skin/structure relationship
Skills: recognizing the different possible structural configurations of a simple architecture, proposing and developing the structural form in relation to the characteristics of the space and to the organization of the distribution.
Regarding construction techniques:
Knowledge: relationship between fundamental constructive principles and architectural image Skills: recognizing and using the fundamental building principles and the architectural meaning of the specific technologies of a simple architecture, and to develop its application in coherence with the other aspects of the project.
Easily managing the fundamentals of geometric design in terms of orthogonal projections and projective geometry,
Discerning and representing scales and dimensions of architectural space through manual tools. Skilfully using the sketch as a tool for representation and conception of space.
Knowing how to make simple physical three-dimensional models with low cost and easily manipulated materials (paper, balsa, polystyrene, cardboard, plasticine etc.)
Students are asked to keep a sketch book and graphic notes from the beginning of the first semester to document his/her introduction to architecture, both through elaborations linked to the contents of the courses of the first semester, both through independent research.
The notebook will accompany the student during the atelier, documenting in graphic form the individual path of introduction to the project. The notebook is subject to evaluation during the final exam.
Easily managing the fundamentals of geometric design in terms of orthogonal projections and projective geometry,
Discerning and representing scales and dimensions of architectural space through manual tools. Skilfully using the sketch as a tool for representation and conception of space.
Knowing how to make simple physical three-dimensional models with low cost and easily manipulated materials (paper, balsa, polystyrene, cardboard, plasticine etc.)
Students are asked to keep a sketch book and graphic notes from the beginning of the first semester to document his/her introduction to architecture, both through elaborations linked to the contents of the courses of the first semester, both through independent research.
The notebook will accompany the student during the atelier, documenting in graphic form the individual path of introduction to the project. The notebook is subject to evaluation during the final exam.
The laboratory is developed through a sequence of 4 exercises that address, individually or transversally, the four proposed thematic axes (space, distribution, structure, techniques), referring to the interpretation of a simple architectural program, focused on to dwelling in its possible variations.
The exercises will be mainly individual, even if the organization of the atelier will include discussions and collective reviews, as well as at least one exercise or parts of exercises in groups of 3 or 4 students.
The exercises will be carried out mainly through hand drawing, both technical and freehand, and the realization of study models.
The start of the exercises will take place in the classroom, under the direction of the teachers, and it will be followed by a subsequent autonomous development by the student outside the laboratory hours, and then concluded by a check and discussion with the teacher, on a weekly basis. Therefore consistent attendance of the laboratory is strongly recommended.
The teachers will present and discuss with the students examples of significant architectures, as a whole or for specific aspects; students are required to have an independent and constant attendance of on-line and paper architecture magazines, searching for references for the different themes proposed. It is also recommended to participate in extra-curricular cultural activities organized by the College of Architecture, and to external cultural activities that can be reported by the teachers.
Each of the four exercises will last approximately three weeks. The last two weeks are dedicated to the reworking of what was done, in a final presentation (graphic tables and physical model). Coordination and exchange with the architecture design and survey laboratory can be activated both at the first and in the second semester, through joint lectures and periodic checks on the progress of the courses.
Possible common exercises in collaboration with the Culture and foundations of architectural technology course and/or with the Morphology and conception of structures course will be communicated at the beginning of the 2nd teaching period, together with the related organizational methods and times.
The laboratory is developed through a sequence of 4 exercises that address the conception of architectural ideas and their development into architectural designs, referring to the interpretation of a simple architectural program, focused on dwelling. The exercises will be partly individual, but the organization of the atelier will mostly include discussions and collective reviews. The exercises will be carried out mainly through drawing and the realization of study models. The start of the exercises will take place in the classroom, under the direction of the teachers, and it will be followed by a subsequent autonomous development by the student outside the laboratory hours, and then concluded by a check and discussion with the teacher, on a weekly basis. Therefore consistent attendance of the laboratory is strongly recommended. The teachers will present and discuss with the students examples of significant architectures, as a whole or for specific aspects; students are required to have an independent and constant attendance of on-line and paper architecture magazines, searching for references for the different themes proposed. It is also recommended to participate in extra-curricular cultural activities organized by the College of Architecture, and to external cultural activities that can be reported by the teachers. Each of the four exercises will last approximately three weeks. The last two weeks are dedicated to the reworking of what was done, in a final presentation (graphic tables and physical model).
Living and housing, core topic of the Design Studio, will be faced through different points of view and exercises of increasing complexity all related each other and linked to the structure of 4 themes and exercises orienting all the parallel studios.
An additional main topic carried on all along the studio will be Observation, conceived as an essential skill to develop along an architect's education. To observation will be dedicated specific weekly exercises to form a thematic section of the personal notebook specifically linked to the progressing of the Studio.
Living and the spaces for living will be explored in terms of features, scale, functions and distributions as well as sensory elements and hospitality features of places, through a constant debate, commenting and comparing in class the outcomes of the different exercises among them and with selected case studies.
Hand working (sketching, drawing, collage and model making) will be the basic tool to transfer the thinking and understanding process to physical objects, easy to handle, to see from different angles, to compare and understand in their materiality.
The correct use of words, naming spaces and architectural elements, to be able to describe and understand what the students are proposing and presenting will be another essential part of the educational process. The students, gathered in small groups, will also be asked to comment some of their colleagues' works as a way to understand different proposal and to learn how to describe and synthetically comment them.
The exercises will start with the study, comparison and definition of elementary spaces through sketches and models (Exercise 1, individual).
The students will consequently enrich a chosen space as a living unit for a specific purpose, presenting and discussing possible alternatives referring to given examples of case studies (Exercise 2, individual).
The following step will be the combining of more units defining structural elements together with the Structure teacher, taking also care of an existing given context (Exercise 3, multiple solutions, group of 2/3).
The final work will be the final composition of a house, with the definition of materials and details together with the Technology teacher, developing the project defined in Ex3 relating it to its site and context (Exercise 4, multiple solutions, group of 2/3).
The course will work on the idea that architectural design can be interpreted as a work of “problem finding” and “problem solving” guided by – or at least representing - a specific set of values. The students’ work will be articulated in 4 projects which are designed in order to challenge one unique architectural problem from 4 different points of view. The architectural problem will be a small residential building in a given easily accessible context. Three out of four projects will be caried out in groups, while one will be individual. 1st project: thinking 3d The given architectural problem will be designed through the use of physical study models on different scales 2nd project: plan The building will be redesigned using only the tool of the plan, retaining at the same time the memory of the models built for the 1 assignment. 3rd project: section The state of the art reached in the previous assignment will be transformed by introducing the possibility of designing in section. 4th project (individual): megadrawing The student will have to finf his/her own way of representing a sintesys of the design of the building, formulating and realizing his/her own set of drawings and models. This method is designed to clarify the powers of each representation method, and its tremendous influence on the design process. Students will be constantly invited to reflect and to express the values/keywords which are always embedded in each design decision.
On a multi-sensory approach on architecture
J.Pallasmaa, The Thinking Hand. Existential and Embodied Wisdom in Architecture, John Wiley and Sons, Chichester 2009
L.Barello, F.Chessa, Ospitalithouse, Triennale di Milano 2018
On drawing rules
F.Cellini, Manualetto. Norme tecniche, costruttive e grafiche per lo svolgimento di una esercitazione progettuale sul tema della casa unifamiliare, Cluva-Città Studi, Venezia-Milano 1991
On dealing with spaces and places
P.Von Meiss, Elements of Architecture: From Form to Place, Taylor & Francis, 1990
H.Hertzberger, Lessons for Students in Architecture, 010 Publishers, Rotterdam 1991
A.Forty, Words and Building. A Vocabulary of Modern Architecture, Thames and Hudson, London 2004
Specific references and an additional bibliography of books and review articles will be given during the Studio.
A datailed bibliography will be given during the semester. Some basic texts which will be extensivley used along the course are:
- Italo Calvino, Six Memos for the Next Millennium, Harvard University Press, Cambridge 1988
- Rafael Moneo, Theoretical Anxiety and Design Strategies in the Work of Eight Contemporary Architects, The MIT Press, Cambridge 2005.
- Adrian Forty, Words and Buildings. A Vocabulary of Modern Architecture, Thames & Hudson, London 2004
- Luca Molinari, Le case che siamo, nottetempo, Roma 2016
- Atelier Bow-Wow, Graphic Anatomy, Toto, Tokyo 2007
Modalità di esame: Prova orale obbligatoria; Elaborato grafico individuale; Elaborato grafico prodotto in gruppo; Elaborato progettuale individuale; Elaborato progettuale in gruppo;
The student receives a continuous feedback from the teacher on his progress through individual and group reviews. A final exhibition of the projects, with a joint critical discussion in the (virtual of physical) presence of invited expert guests. The exam takes place through a brief discussion of the individual project path, supported by the exhibition of the different intermediate materials produced by the student during the semester. The evaluation will take into account the following aspects, assessed on the basis of the final and intermediate group and individual products, weighed in the final evaluation as follows:
· Ability to conceive and propose meaningful architectural concepts: 20%
· Quality of representation and communication 20%
· Ability to interpret and propose spatial configurations: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose distribution configurations: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose structural forms: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose constructive systems: 15%
Exam: Compulsory oral exam; Individual graphic design project; Group graphic design project; Individual project; Group project;
The student receives a continuous feedback from the teacher on his progress through individual and group reviews. A final exhibition of the projects, with a joint critical discussion in the (virtual of physical) presence of invited expert guests. The exam takes place through a brief discussion of the individual project path, supported by the exhibition of the different intermediate materials produced by the student during the semester. The evaluation will take into account the following aspects, assessed on the basis of the final and intermediate group and individual products, weighed in the final evaluation as follows:
· Ability to conceive and propose meaningful architectural concepts: 20%
· Quality of representation and communication 20%
· Ability to interpret and propose spatial configurations: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose distribution configurations: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose structural forms: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose constructive systems: 15%
Modalità di esame: Prova orale obbligatoria; Elaborato grafico individuale; Elaborato grafico prodotto in gruppo; Elaborato progettuale individuale; Elaborato progettuale in gruppo;
The student receives a continuous feedback from the teacher on his progress through individual and group reviews. A final exhibition of the projects, with a joint critical discussion in the (virtual of physical) presence of invited expert guests. The exam takes place through a brief discussion of the individual project path, supported by the exhibition of the different intermediate materials produced by the student during the semester. The evaluation will take into account the following aspects, assessed on the basis of the final and intermediate group and individual products, weighed in the final evaluation as follows:
· Ability to conceive and propose meaningful architectural concepts: 20%
· Quality of representation and communication 20%
· Ability to interpret and propose spatial configurations: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose distribution configurations: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose structural forms: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose constructive systems: 15%
Exam: Compulsory oral exam; Individual graphic design project; Group graphic design project; Individual project; Group project;
The student receives a continuous feedback from the teacher on his progress through individual and group reviews. A final exhibition of the projects, with a joint critical discussion in the (virtual of physical) presence of invited expert guests. The exam takes place through a brief discussion of the individual project path, supported by the exhibition of the different intermediate materials produced by the student during the semester. The evaluation will take into account the following aspects, assessed on the basis of the final and intermediate group and individual products, weighed in the final evaluation as follows:
· Ability to conceive and propose meaningful architectural concepts: 20%
· Quality of representation and communication 20%
· Ability to interpret and propose spatial configurations: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose distribution configurations: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose structural forms: 15%
· Ability to interpret and propose constructive systems: 15%
