PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND COURSES

Program Overview

1^st MODULE: PORT CITY DIALOGUES

1^st semester (FALL) // Research + Travel

Studio: “Port City Dialogues”

ARCH 560: Master Design Studio I: Research in Architecture and Urban Design (7.5 ECTS):

• A) Design Studio: In the first design studio of the Program, students will comparatively study the architectural and urban history of three post cities: Istanbul, Trieste and Hamburg. The focus will be on the social, cultural and spatial facets of urban development that have shaped these cities since the 19th century, and the transformation of their natural and built environments. Studio framework includes;

• Study of current architectural forms & territorial organization of selected parts of the city (tbc)
• Contextualising research through reports and existing data sets
• Critical positioning of ongoing and future policies by formulating an argument
• Design architectural strategies that adapt, transform, relocate or create economies of life.

• B) Field Study and Research: The second module will consist of a ten-day intensive field study and excursion program, which will complement the Master Design Studio I. The diverse approaches to master planning followed in each city will be closely examined.

*Students need to complete a 30ECTS workload this semester taking two compulsory courses and two electives.

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2^nd MODULE: TRANSFORMING MEMORY

2^nd semester (SPRING)  // Design Studio

Studio: “Transforming Memory”

ARCH 561: Master Design Studio II: Practice in Architectural and Urban Design (15 ECTS): The second design studio will consist of two inter-related modules described below:

• A) Design Studio: The first module of the studio will be the design phase of the Program and build upon the findings and outcomes of ARCH560. Students will utilize emergent building technologies and digital tools to transform the memory of the three cities under examination into architectural projects. The topics of interest will be sustainable and resilient environmental design, post-pandemic housing, retail design, and art and cultural buildings. Studio framework includes;

• Designing a territorial unit, a new building block centered around previous semester’s study
• Experiment with the full potential of projects in terms of sustainability and emergent technologies
• Resolve design aspects at the smallest scale possible.

• B) State-of-the-Art Seminars|Interdisciplinary Approaches: The second module will consist of a series of seminars from professionals who are experts in their fields to support the master design studio.

*Students need to complete a 30ECTS workload this semester taking one compulsory course and two elective from the pool. 

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3^rd MODULE: EXHIBITING NARRATIVES

3^rd semester (FALL) // Production+Exhibit

Studio: “Exhibiting Narratives”

SGS 580 Project: The third design studio will consist of two inter-related modules described below:

• A) Design Production and Exhibition: The first module of the third design studio begins with study tours to selected city museums and exhibitions. Students will work on the communication and curatorial aspects of the research and design completed in the first two modules, and produce a publication in line with the exhibition. The guest lectures on exhibition design, curatorial practices, visual communication design, the intersection of art and design, and architectural publications will enhance the content of the studio. Studio framework includes;

• Visits made to selected exhibitions and museums
• Research on exhibition design both in theoretical and practical frameworks
• Identify the key moments of previous modules’ studies & fine tune them in respect with an overall argument
• Create a publication and design the exhibiton collectively.

• B) State-of-the-Art Seminars |Interdisciplinary Approaches: The second module will consist of a series of seminars from professionals who are experts in their fields to support the master design studio.

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