Entrepreneurship in the Built Environment

This course is designed for Architecture (A), Management in the Built Environment (MBE), and Building Technology (BT) students eager to (1) explore opportunities for starting their venture in the built environment (such as an architectural firm, development company, tech startup, etc.) and/or (2) discover how organisations within the built environment operate and function from an inside perspective. This course allows students to analyse how organisations (such as architectural studios, developers, contractors, and industrial construction companies) in the built environment operate, how they change in time, and how they can contribute to innovation. In the course students delve into the position of these companies in the built environment and learn how companies align their business goals with their surroundings. Moreover, the course provides students with the unique opportunity to analyse existing organisations and go beyond this. Students learn to identify how they can contribute to taking on challenges in the built environment using their personal skills, interests, and characteristics. To do so, students will develop an entrepreneurial attitude and investigate the opportunities for a (design) venture in the built environment. Students will focus on identifying the kind of impactful work they aspire and exploring how they can bring about meaningful change. The course is suitable for students of the tracks Management in the Built Environment (MBE), Architecture (A) and Building Technology (BT). The course contains a shared theory component focusing on fundamental elements of entrepreneurship, including theory about legal, financial, business modelling, market forces and organisational issues. In addition to the shared theory component, students can choose from several projects. For example, A and BT students can choose to explore the nuances of starting their architectural design studio. MBE , A, and BT students can create and defend a business proposal for an existing or new, innovative venture. For Architecture students the course also contains a design component.