Design
Design is the central activity of Architecture and Interior
Design, and regardless of how an individual may choose to
pursue a career in either field, the ability to understand
how buildings and space are conceptualized is absolutely essential.
Therefore, the underlying structure of the architecture and
interior design curriculum at Miami is an eight-semester sequence
in design studio. Design studios at Miami help students to:
· evaluate how they view the world around them
· build skills and abilities for creative problem-solving
· challenge conventional interpretations of the visual
and the visible
· encourage students to define and develop a position
in their work
Some students are at first surprised to discover that studio
instructors will not explain the "right" way to
design an environment. In fact, each student is encouraged
to discover an appropriate way to design, one that makes both
intuitive and logical sense, and solves practical problems
while also fulfilling emotional and aesthetic requirements.
In upper level studio, students explore theoretical positions,
test structural possibilities, experiment with materials and
space relationships, or examine sophisticated philosophical
concepts through architectural form. Our size permits low
student/faculty ratios in studio classes (15:1), ample studio
space, and a vibrant community atmosphere which, we believe,
is imperative for a strong design education.
With a fully equipped wood shop at their disposal, students
may also elect to specialize in furniture design and millwork,
two important areas that relate architecture and interior
design together. Testing designs in models "at scale"
rather than in reduced scale is also an increasingly important
part of design studies and is well supported by our shop and
our trained shop manager, as well as by available courses
and facilities in metals and plastics in the Department of
Art.
Advanced studios and elective offerings in the third and fourth
year help interior design students focus on particular issues
such as the organization of space and the arrangement of form,
the design of finishes, furniture and millwork, the design
and uses of artificial and natural lighting and the history
of interiors, as well as designing for special user groups
such as the elderly or the handicapped. Students are exposed
to a wide range of interior project types, including residential,
retail, commercial, institutional, and hospitality projects.
During the last semester, Interior Design seniors undertake
a special capstone design project. They may elect to complete
this project in conjunction with a professional architecture
or interior design firm or to construct the problem in conjunction
with required independent research. The studio is comprehensive,
research-driven, and professionally based.
History and Theory
A more-than-casual knowledge of architectural and
interior design history has become increasingly important
in design work. The Architecture and Interior Design programs
require undergraduate students to take several courses in
history and theory. All students are required to take ARC
221 and 222, a two-semester survey of the history of western
architecture, interiors, city planning, and landscape.
Structures, Construction Methods and
Environmental Systems
Courses in structures, materials, and construction systems
provide students with the necessary background to build an
intuitive structural approach to design projects and to understand
the practical use of various materials for the building envelope.
Beginning in the second year, all students learn to integrate
these considerations with assigned problems in the studio
and are responsible for resolving technical as well as formal
and aesthetic issues in their designs.
Courses in environmental systems and controls deal with the
visual, thermal and sonic requirements of interior environments
and consider the incorporation of the necessary mechanical
and electrical equipment as an integral part of the design
process. In learning how to combine appropriate building materials,
natural and artificial lighting, solar assistance for heating,
and natural ventilation with air conditioning systems, our
Architecture and Interior Design students learn to provide
more comfortable, visually satisfying, and energy-efficient
buildings.
Graphics and Computer Applications
Learning how to communicate in a graphic medium and how to
use drawing as a way of thinking and problem-solving is a
fundamental part of architectural and interior design education.
Instruction in this important area occurs in a four-semester
sequence. The sequence moves fluidly between traditional hand
and digital representation, and is highly integrated with
the studio. Intense personal instruction helps students master
free-hand sketching, mechanical and projective drawing, and
hand rendering in an array of media. Digital work includes
page layout and web site creation, photo-manipulation, and
two-D and three-D modeling.
In response to an increasing integration of computer technology
into the practice of architecture and design, the department
has instituted a requirement for a student-owned laptop computer,
associated software, and digital camera. The department also
provides an extensive computer environment that includes both
conventional and wireless networking for all studios and a
digital laboratory for lighting simulation.
Beyond the core two-year curriculum, the department offers
an array of courses each semester that explore advanced topics
in both hand and digital communication and related topics
such as public speaking.
Download Bachelor of Arts
in Architecture Curriculum Bulletin
Download Interior Design
Curriculum Bulletin
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