OBJECTIVES OF ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION

DESIGN

• Knowledge of design theory and methods.
• Understanding of design procedures and processes.
• Knowledge of design precedents and architectural criticism.
• Ability to engage imagination, think creatively, innovate and provide design leadership.
• Ability to gather information, define problems, apply analyses and critical judgement and formulate strategies for action.
• Ability to think three-dimensionally in the exploration of design.
• Ability to reconcile divergent factors, integrate knowledge and apply skills in the creation of a design solution.

KNOWLEDGE

Cultural and Artistic Studies

• Ability to act with knowledge of historical and cultural precedents in local and world architecture.
• Ability to act with knowledge of the fine arts as an influence on the quality of architectural design.
• Understanding of heritage issues in the built environment
• Awareness of the links between architecture and other creative disciplines.

Social Studies

• Ability to act with knowledge of society, and to work with clients and users that represent society’s needs.
• Ability to develop a project brief through definition of the needs of society users and clients, and to research and define contextual and functional requirements for different types of built environments.
• Understanding of the social context in which built environments are procured, of ergonomic and space requirements and issues of equity and access.
• Awareness of the relevant codes, regulations and standards for planning, design, construction, health, safety and use of built environments.
• Awareness of philosophy, politics, and ethics as related to architecture.

Professional Studies

• Ability to understand different forms of procurement of architectural services.
• Understanding of the fundamental workings of the construction and development industries, such as finance, real estate investment and facilities management.
• Understanding of the potential roles of architects in conventional and new areas of activity and in an international context.
• Understanding of business principles and their application to the development of built environments, project management and the functioning of a professional consultancy.
• Understanding of professional ethics and codes of conduct as they apply to the practice of architecture and of the architects’ legal responsibilities where registration, practice and building contracts are concerned.

Environmental Studies

• Ability to act with knowledge of natural systems and built environments.
• Understanding of conservation and waste management issues.
• Understanding of the life cycle of materials, issues of ecological sustainability, environmental impact, design for reduced use of energy, as well as passive systems and their management.
• Awareness of the history and practice of landscape architecture, urban design, as well as territorial and national planning and their relationship to local and global demography and resources.
• Awareness of the management of natural systems taking into account natural disaster risks.

Technical Studies

• Technical knowledge of structure, materials, and construction.
• Ability to act with innovative technical competence in the use of building techniques and the understanding of their evolution.
• Understanding of the processes of technical design and the integration of structure, construction technologies and services systems into a functionally effective whole.
• Understanding of services systems as well as systems of transportation, communication, maintenance and safety.
• Awareness of the role of technical documentation and specifications in design realization, and of the processes of construction, cost, planning and control.

SKILL

• Ability to work in collaboration with other architects and members of interdisciplinary teams.
• Ability to act and to communicate ideas through collaboration, speaking, numeracy, writing, drawing, modelling and evaluation.
• Ability to utilize manual, electronic, graphic and model making capabilities to explore, develop, define and communicate a design proposal.
• Understanding of systems of evaluation, that use manual and/or electronic means for performance assessments of built environments.