Contact Information

• Contact Advisor
• School Directory
• Other Questions

During the first three years of the program, architecture students pursue a common core sequence of studio, history and technology courses. This shared experience builds esprit de corps among the students and provides the bedrock for the more extended range of design investigations in the fourth and fifth years of the program.

First Year Studio: Learning to See

The first year studio experience engages students in the acts of observation, documentation and design. Drawing and modeling in a wide range of media are used to advance students’ understanding of form, space and materials.

Second Year Studio: Site + Program

Students begin to focus on a building’s relationship to its social and physical context. Projects in the first semester are generally small in scale and geared for both undeveloped and urban sites. In the second semester students tackle more complex projects with both public and private functions – for example, an artists’ colony.

Third Year Studio: Urban Emphasis/Technology

In the third year, studios focus on urban form, dynamics and the role of housing as a building block of the city. Projects in the first semester address exurban sprawl, while second semester projects focus on infill strategies in more traditional urban sites. Charged with analyzing the cost, fabrication and performance of materials for their final project, students deepen their understanding of structure and enclosure systems.

Fourth Year Studio: Study Abroad + Electives

By the fourth year of study, students are ready for the required semester of international study. They may choose between a fall or spring semester in Rome or summer studies in Mexico. Vertical studios present topics ranging from urban issues to sustainable design, advanced building systems and site specific interventions. Students also may participate in studios offered by the University of Arkansas Community Design Center (link to 4.5)

Fifth Year Studio: Comprehensive Design

In this capstone studio, students address a specific problem for an entire year. They will consider and resolve all aspects of design in an urban context, including site, structure, enclosure, human comfort, sustainability, spatial sequence, materials, and symbolic meaning.