Time Schedule:
Rena M Klein
ARCH 596
Seattle Campus
On-location study under the supervision of a practicing professional involved in an aspect of environmental design.
Class description
This course is an introduction to the history, theory and practice of project leadership/management in design firms. Similar to design studios taught by noted designers, professionals who are accomplished project leaders will act as practitioner/mentor to students, offering their practices as living laboratories for observation. Students will learn project management theory and technique in the classroom and observe related operations in practice.
Firms participating in past years include Arai Jackson, Calison, NBBJ, Integrus, LMN, Mahlum, Miller Hull, Mithun, Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen, Weber/Thompson,Bassetti,SRG and others
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Classes will include lectures and participatory activities. Emphasis will be placed on building skill in observation, writing, verbal presentation and understanding of real world architetural practice.
As part of the requirements of the course, each student will shadow a practitioner/mentor for 8 hours per week in each of the second, forth and sixth weeks of the term. There will be only one student placed in each firm, increasing the possibility of varied exposure to the project management process.
Recommended preparation
No previous experience working in architectural firms reqired.
Class assignments and grading
Student will shadow a practitioner/mentor at a particular architectural firm, spending a minimum of 8 hours per week at the firm in each of the second, forth and sixth weeks of the term. Stuudents will be asked to document, report and reflect on their engagements with the firm. This will be done through individual homework assignments and a team presentation, due at the end of the term.
The success of student engagement with the firms will be evaluated by the quality of related homework and the final presentation. Active and thoughtful class participation, and completing the reading assignments, is essential to success in this class.
