AIAS Studio Culture Task Force

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AIAS Studio Culture Task Force

• A S u p p l e m e n t f o r t h e N a
  t I o n a l C o n v e r s a t I o n

One thing is clear studio culture must change.
We believe that change must begin now.
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Contents

• Current Aspects of Studio Culture
• 5 Shared Values
• A New Direction FORWARD

Change is needed to produce healthier, more
optimistic,
and more
engaging architecture school graduates.
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Current Aspects ofStudio Culture
Diversity

• Students should lead balanced lives
• Design is the integration of many parts
• All classes are significant, not only studio
• Varied studio structures

If we want professionals to lead balanced,
healthy lives,
we should not expect them to put off
that mindset until later in life.
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Current Aspects ofStudio Culture
Community

• Collaboration is the art of design
• Design is inherently an interdisciplinary act
• There is a world outside of design studio
• Critiques and juries are expanded learning
  opportunities

Studio commands an increasingly greater role as
the center of students social lives,
and
consequently, the world outside studio becomes
less important.
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Current Aspects ofStudio Culture
Ideals

• Time Management
• Personal and Physical Health
• Education of Students and Educators alike
• Design process is as important as product
• A significant voice

Without first-hand experience working with a
client, do students
graduate with the necessary skills to practice
architecture effectively?
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5 Values
Optimism

• Anything is possible
• We can succeed
• Foster idealism, passion
• Impact of good design

Architecture has to be greater than just
architecture. - Samuel Mockbee
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5 Values
Respect

• Everyone is accountable
• Diversity is good
• Educational democracy

We envision a studio culture in which students
are respected for their ideas
and engaged as
partners in the design studio decision making.
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5 Values
Sharing

• Collaboration
• Eliminate the independent struggle
• Communication on all levels

To encourage students to work collaboratively,
education must place a priority on communication.
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5 Values
Engagement

• Communities
• Practice
• Clients
• The Profession

Architecture schools can make a commitment to
enhancing citizenship.
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5 Values
Innovation

• Alternative Thinking
• Diversity of Programs
• Foster Creativity
• Exploration

Architecture schools will need to rethink
existing practices and develop creative
alternatives.
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A New Direction FORWARD

• National Conversation
• Personal Viewpoints
• Feedback
• Studio Culture Summit
• October 8-10, 2004
• University of Minnesota
• Objectives
• The Summit Report
• Where to next???

The measure of success is not whether you have a
tough problem to deal with, but
whether its the same problem you had last year.
- John Foster Dulles