Complex Projects Design Studio

As an introduction to Complex Projects, the MSc1 design studio called 'Dutch Change' focuses on the Netherlands ground. By getting familiar with the Dutch environment, the MSc students will learn to understand the complex system behind buildings and establish a connection between building design and social changes.

During the design process, students will explore new architectural concepts and building types and they will build up a narrative supporting the architectural design proposal. By identifying and making decisions on the balance between what changes and what remains in Dutch architecture, students will be challenged to explore both the tradition of Dutch planning and building culture. In the end, students will do an architectural design project in a Dutch city. The assignment starts from a broader understanding of the physical context, its past and future planning, environmental issues and climate adaptation on the one hand and an in-depth understanding of the building typological developments on the other hand.

Fall 2025 will be a special edition of the course. The 'Dutch Change' studio extends its focus beyond the Netherlands to include the broader Delta region. The studio will explore the architecture of water infrastructure within the context of the Port of Antwerp, focusing on the design of a nautical coordination centre. Site visits to exemplary buildings in Belgium and the Netherlands are included in the program.

Assessment

The assessment in use consists of two parts:

Research 20%

·       Criteria: Consistency, Precision, Correctness

·       Assignments: Quality of deliverables, Clarity and quality of Presentation

Design 80%

·       Criteria: Argumentation and underpinning of programmatic and spatial Intervention, Completeness, Functionality, Spatial quality, Technical feasibility, Material and structural logic

·       Assignments: Interpretation of the physical and cultural context, Statement of design concept, Quality of technical drawings, Representation and visuals, Clarity and quality of presentation

Marks will be based on the overall performance within the studio. The students performance will be determined by the quality of his/her work, commitment, teamwork, effort and improvement over the entire course of the semester. Concrete aspects for evaluation are: research work, argument formulation, translation argument into the concept, urban plan, architectural design, presentation.

Standard condition for retake and repair:

The design project is awarded a grade that is a whole or half number between 1.0 and 10.0. Students pass the course with a 6.0 or higher. With a grade below 6.0: students who presented assessable work during the course are allowed to do a repair to change the grade into a ‘pass’. The repair is unsupervised and needs to be completed within 2 weeks after the end of the course. When the repair is unsuccessful, the student needs to follow the entire course again.

Marking period within 10 working days