Tectonics of Habitation (2C)

Tectonics of Habitation (2C) is an architectural design studio that intends to educate future architects to provide excellent alternatives to our society’s ecological challenges for the built environment. The studio investigates the conditions and qualities that make a specific place inhabitable. We focus on acquiring skills for implementing and developing construction principles and building methods and a rigorous knowledge of and avid curiosity for architectural history and theory. These competencies are developed to be operational within a particular cultural context while contributing meaningful improvements. At Studio 2C, the study of living conditions, tectonics, and building cultures converge to produce relevant architectural proposals for societal and ecological present and future needs.

The studio investigates current societal challenges through the lens of architectural design, shifting between urban and rural/suburban contexts each semester. The studies are divided into succeeding phases that provide the student with a basic process methodology for architectural design practice. Continuous shifts between analogue and digital working modes and using various techniques, tools, scales, and media are encouraged. Lectures by faculty and external guests provide theoretical and practical examples to support and inspire the studies.

Students will acquire knowledge of architectural design, building tectonics, and methods relevant to architectural practice through lectures, case studies, and research during the project development. They will develop skills in translating and integrating the acquired knowledge into the project work through experimentation and exercising design skills in project development. The development of such skills builds on previously achieved methods. Through developing visual and verbal presentation methods, the students gain competency in presenting projects using specialist terminology and graphical representation, building design and tectonics.

The level of competency increases through the progression of the semester levels, such that students attending the atelier in their 1st semester will gain theoretical knowledge at an introductory level. In their 3rd semester, students will further develop their knowledge of the theory, method and practice of architectural design and building tectonics through case studies, architectural theory and research into the assignment’s historical, contextual and societal aspects.

Tectonics of Habitation (2C) is primarily taught in English.