AA EE | courses

Design Research Tools & Workshop

Terms 01 and 02

This is a technical course on fieldwork methods and computational tools that are essential for all project work. It is accompanied by a hands-on weekly workshop.

Environmental Design Primer

Terms 01 and 02

The course deals with key topics in building science focusing on current thinking and research.

Myths and Theories of Sustainable Architecture

Term 01

Many architects and students take sustainable design for granted, as if it were now standard practice. Others see environmental performance as a mere corollary of the digital revolution. The course introduces key concepts and performative criteria providing the cognitive grounding and critical framework needed for design research and applications.

Lecture and seminar series review the theories and practices of sustainable design, define criteria for an environmentally performative architecture, present case studies by leading researchers and designers, and provide training in the use of environmental simulation software. The following Lecture and seminar courses are offered this year:

-  Myths & Theories of Sustainable Architecture (Autumn Term)
-  Environmental Design Primer (Autumn & Winter Terms) 
-  Refurbishing the City (Autumn & Winter Terms) 
-  Design Research Tools (Autumn & Winter Terms) 
-  Lessons from Practice (Winter Term) 
-  Modelling & Simulation Workshop (Autumn & Winter Terms)
-  Research Seminar (Autumn, Winter & Spring Terms)

Lessons from Practice

Term 02

The theory and practice of sustainable environmental design as seen by its practitioners. These presentations together with those in the Autumn Term courses, provide the opportunity to study some of the best examples of environmental architecture. Recent contributors to this course have included Architype Architects, Bill Dunster, Feilden Clegg Bradley Architects, Brian Ford, Foster & Partners, Grimshaw Architects, Dean Hawkes, Mario Cucinella of MCA Integrated Design, PCKO Architects, Alexandros Tombazis and other UK and international practices with a stated commitment to environmentally responsive architecture.

Refurbishing the City

Terms 01 & 02

This course provides quantitative and qualitative criteria for the environmental assessment of cities based on local climatic conditions, built density, urban morphology, materiality and anthropogenic activity.