Re: End-of-Semester Issues and NAAB Accreditation

To: Design 7 Thesis Faculty

From: Matthias Altwicker, Nader Vossoughian

Re: End-of-Semester Issues and NAAB Accreditation



1. End of Semester Business and Schedule



A) Walk-Thru -- December 18

The Walk-thru provides an opportunity for the entire thesis faculty to take a look at the range of student work and the variety of studio methodologies as a whole. It is also an opportunity for the thesis faculty to identify projects that are problematic or not up to general standards of development.



Nader and I would like the walk-thru to work hand in hand with the book. At the walk-thru, each professor will use the boards to explain their studio methodology, but not each project in particular. The studio critic may voice concern over a particular student's work, but this is only for us to make note of for further review and feedback using the booklet. Detailed scrutiny and feedback of both particular projects and studio methodology - which is the real advantage of having all of us look at each student's work - can only occur over the break while looking at the books, after understanding the studio methodology. The submission of the 30x40 board summarizing work for the semester also serves as a way to collect student work for NAAB. The format is as follows:

- (1) 30x40 board, vertically oriented, mounted on foam core. Include the name of project, location. Your name should be on a card taped to the back of the board.

- Digital version of the same. Your professor will compile these on one CD for the studio.



The walk-thru will take place on December 18 at 2pm in Manhattan. Student work must be there by that time. The walk-thru should take no more than 1.5 hours.



B) Final Reviews -- Manhattan December 21, Old Westbury December 22

We are strongly encouraging studios to pair up across campuses. Please let us know no later than December 4 who you have paired up with and who your other guest reviewers will be for the final review (this information is required by the chairs). Rooms will be assigned by the chairs. If you intend to change your review date you must alert us of this immediately.



C) Booklet – January 11

The booklet, unlike the 30x40 board, can tell the story of the semester and provide the student an alternative format to tell it. We are especially interested in learning about the research produced for the semester and how it has informed the decisions made thus far.



Every booklet should include:

-an abstract or project statement (maximum 250 words)

-a section that gives some background to your project.

-a project description/documentation tied to the concept of your project

-photographs of models and drawings (titled and properly captioned)



The booklet should be no larger that 8.5"x11". As per the requirements for the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), every thesis should show evidence of the criteria listed on the following page.



D) Responsibility

Each professor will collect the work of their studio and drop it off no later than January 11 to the main offices in Old Westbury or Manhattan. This will include the hardcopies of the booklets and digital copies of both the booklets and the walk-thru boards. Projects identified as problematic at the walk-thru can be further investigated and commented on via the booklet.



2. NAAB Accreditation



Our NAAB accreditation is coming up soon - Academic Year 2010-2011 - so we also wanted to take a moment to remind you that this year we need to redouble our efforts to make sure our thesis students are being taught skills that fulfill the 2009 NAAB Student Performance Criteria. Below is a list of the specific skills that we need to be teaching in Design 7. Please see to it that evidence of these skills is demonstrated in student work.







A.2. Design Thinking Skills: Ability to raise clear and precise questions, use abstract ideas to interpret information, consider diverse points of view, reach well-reasoned conclusions, and test them against relevant criteria and standards.

A. 3. Visual Communication Skills: Ability to use appropriate representational media, such as traditional graphic and digital technology skills, to convey essential formal elements at each stage of the programming and design process.

A.5. Investigative Skills: Ability to gather, assess, record, apply, and comparatively evaluate relevant information within architectural coursework and design processes.

A. 7. Use of Precedents: Ability to examine and comprehend the fundamental principles present in relevant precedents and to make choices regarding the incorporation of such principles into architecture and urban design projects.





B. 1. Pre-Design: Ability to prepare a comprehensive program for an architectural project, such as by providing an assessment of client and user needs, an inventory of space and equipment requirements, an analysis of site conditions, a review of the relevant laws and standards and assessment of their implications for the project, and a definition of site selection and design assessment criteria.





C. 3. Research: Understanding of the role of research in evidence-based design in areas such as human behavior and building sciences.

C. 4. Client Role in Architecture: Understanding of the responsibility of the architect to elicit, understand, and reconcile the needs of the client, owner, user groups, and the public and community domains.