Mission

The mission of the School of Architecture is to provide intellectual, ethical, and innovative leadership in architecture and urban design through excellence in teaching, scholarly research, creative architectural practice, and community activism.

Faculty and students at the School of Architecture are committed to creating an open-minded and creative atmosphere to pursue research, explore new forms of building, and discover collaborative practices that nurture human potential. Our graduates understand where knowledge comes from and how to integrate their voice with others to influence the art and science of architecture. The School of Architecture opens opportunities to students through interdisciplinary programs, close alliances with the profession, and active programs in the community.

Skills

The School of Architecture believes that architectural practice should embrace broad goals that are pursued through a combination of skills, research, and community engagement.

• Architects must be competent at design, historic and theoretical analysis, visual literacy and design fundamentals, technical and life-safety design, and problem solving.
• Architects understand that the 'making' of architecture is inherently complex: requiring knowledge of effective visual communication tools, building materials and technology, construction methods, codes and standards, legal issues, and managerial skills.
• Architects must influence the societies they are part of through advocacy in governmental relations, community building, communicating environmental quality, and creative leadership.
• Architects understand that to affect change in our communities they must possess the skills of negotiation, persuasion, listening, diversity appreciation, collaboration, teaming, and conflict management.
• Architects must possess knowledge of science and liberal arts, ethics, critical thinking, and research methods.
• Architects understand the value of building an intellectual foundation that embraces the widest possible range of knowledge and ideas.

The School of Architecture believes students must master five areas of competence to effectively realize their intellectual, architectural and leadership potential:

• Critical thinking: the ability to construct relationships between areas of knowledge drawn from theory and diverse cultures;
• Design: innovative and reflective conceptions, refinement and synthesis of architectural form;
• Building: expertise at developing, integrating, and implementing architectural technologies;
• Visual literacy: representational skill to communicate design intent and execution through a wide range of media, both analogue and digital;
• Professionalism: the ability to connect individual career decisions with innovative and ethical business practices.

Action

We invite you to join us in this quest to question, apply knowledge, speculate and engage in how architecture shapes our lives!