Attendance Policy

Attendance to studio classes from 3pm to 7pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is mandatory. Do not arrive late or leave early. Students are expected to arrive on time and remain in studio, working, for the full duration of the class . Attendance at all studio periods, forums, and colloquia is required. A student will be asked to withdraw or will receive a failing grade for the course for three unexcused absences. All student cell phones and beepers are to be turned off during class meeting hours.

The instructors must be notified in advance by telephone prior to class time, regarding excused absences. Excused absences are as follows:

•  Personal illness --please notify the instructor within one Iek after the period of illness; verification may be required.
•  Serious illness or death of a member of the student's immediate family --please notify the instructor within one Iek after the funeral or period of illness; verification may be required.
•  Official College trips --notice must be given prior to the event or no later than one Iek after the event; verification may be required.
•  Major religious holidays - a student must notify the instructor in writing of these dates; please submit to the instructor no later that the last day for adding class.

 

Readings and Seminars:

Periodically during the semester we will be handing out readings. These should be carefully prepared for reading seminars, which will be set for a future studio time. Part of that preparation will be to take critical notes while you are reading. You should also be prepared to actively discuss reading.

 

Desk Critiques/ Pin-ups:

Desk crits and class pin-ups are an essential component of architectural education. Since architecture is a medium, this means having new and thoughtful work (drawings/ models/other media) each class session. If we come to your table for a desk crit and find that you have no significant new visual work (a scribble in your sketch book does not count), we will move on to the next student. Such lack of preparation will negatively impact your grade.

Reviews:

During the studio we will work on graphic, modeling, and verbal presentation skills. These are crucial professional tools that can also help even while you're in school. I expect each one of you to be present for the entire time of every pin-up and review out of support and courtesy to your classmates.

 

Lectures:

We highly urge that you get into the habit of attending the School's lecture series, both within the Architecture series and beyond. The School of Architecture Lecture Series will take place on Monday nights at 7pm in Timken Lecture Hall. See upcoming poster for details on speakers and exact dates.

Evaluation:

Your performance will be evaluated using the following criteria:

1.       Willingness and ability

      a.   to explore; to work with given combinations of considerations you may not be familiar with (or in some cases, perhaps, not even comfortable with)

      b.    to initiate personal searches for provocative considerations not already given in the design situation, which might open up new perspectives

1. to take risks in order to learn

2.    The quality of the physical design responses to the challenges and objectives of the overall course and the individual project statements.

3.    The quality of development of the physical design work - pursued far enough in depth so that the consequences of the design intervention may be understood.

Quality of the work includes such possibilities as depth and originality of insight; strength of involvement; willingness to venture into the ambitious and unsettled possibilities of the design opportunity; evidence of personal growth; etc.

These are ongoing goals for you to keep in completing this and any studio course:

•  substantial new work prepared for each class meeting;
•  sustained and thoughtful response to criticism;
•  ability to develop a clear and workable idea and move it forward in a coherent and inspired manner;
•  sustained quality of work from beginning to end of exercise;
•  completeness of work at each class meeting, pin-up, and review;
•  success of collaboration in joint/group projects; constructive class participation;
•  attendance and promptness, ability to meet deadlines;
•  and significant progress over the semester within your own frame of reference. Please note that criteria are process oriented: every day affects your grade.

Grading Policy Students will not receive a grade on each of the numerous studies during the semester.   At mid-semester there will be individual discussions of overall progress: those not doing satisfactory work will also receive a written notice indicating both this evaluation and what steps might be taken to bring the work up to a satisfactory level. Final grades will be accompanied by written evaluations or by discussion with me.

Final Grades will be based upon:

•  active engagement with the work of colleagues as Ill as with group discussions, pin-ups, & reviews;
•  consistency of effort and work product throughout the semester;
•  development of critical thinking exhibited through studio assignments;
•  progress of architectural skills over the course of the semester;
•  completion of all required studio work, including readings;
•  attendance at all scheduled studio hours.
•  respect for your own work, your classmates, and instructors.

An "A" indicates an unusual development of insights, etc. (as above) based on the relevant materials considered.   A "B" indicates a thorough understanding of the relevant materials.   A "C" indicates a relatively perfunctory engagement.   "D" and   "F" indicate two degrees of insufficiency, the latter, of less than a passing level.

 

Studio Etiquette:

Students are expected to work in the studio. This will immeasurably enrich the student's learning potential. If everyone is to work in the studio, certain etiquette is necessary to ensure a civil working environment. The design studio should be a place where students eke their thoughts part of a public discourse of peers and faculty. This can only happen if everyone listens, considers what is being said or proposed by everyone else, and then thoughtfully responds to what is put forward. It also requires you to cogently and carefully put your own ideas forward for discussion. The studio will be a very crowded place.   Please keep all work that has value; discarded work should be placed in trash bins.   I will try to maintain some degree of order in the studio.