Master of Architecture (300 credits)

Job opportunities and the future

Architects work with the development of future societies in its widest meaning. Students will utilise artistic, structural and technical skills to design interiors, buildings, towns and landscapes. Students may work within the public sector, in an architect’s office in various project groups or they may start up their own companies. The labour market for architects is becoming increasingly international.

The programme

The central subject is architecture. Students are given architectural tasks to work on in integrated studies carried out in project form. In addition, students take courses in the theory and history of architecture, architectural engineering and artistic subjects. The first three years are the same for all students. Years 4 and 5 use project teaching in a series of elective studios. In addition to projects in studios, students take courses in architectural engineering and the theory and history of architecture. The programme is concluded with a degree project. Educational programmes are governed by a special EU Directive which enables holders of Swedish degrees to work as architects in other countries where the profession is regulated. There are many opportunities to study parts of the programme abroad.

Architecture admission test

A large number of the places on the architecture programme are awarded based on a special admission test. The first part of this test – the home assignment – must be completed before the student actually applies. It is vital that students obtain relevant information on how to apply. Current information on the Architect Admission Test can be found at www.architectprovet.nu

The structure of the architecture programme

The Architecture educational programme is organised into a three-year basic educational programme and a second level that consists of two, more specialised years. It is possible to take out a Bachelor of Architecture degree at the end of the basic programme; however this is not a requirement for continued studies at the second level. In Year 4 students are also given the opportunity to study abroad for a year, around half the students usually avail themselves of this opportunity. The programme consists of both project-based teaching and supporting courses in architectural engineering, theory and history of architecture, fine arts and communication. The development of the ability to formulate problems, analyse, evaluate, summarise, weigh up, synthesise, sketch and identify several solutions is a central activity.

Year 1, EXPERIMENT

The overall objective of Year 1 is to provide students with basic knowledge in the subject of architecture. Work during this year supplies students with a set of tools and concepts that enable them to gain an understanding of, and to develop, the subject and its working processes. In Year 1 students are introduced to various analogue and digital techniques for modelling and drawing as tools to use in organising, generating and presenting architecture, including built structures and urban environments. At the end of this year, students must have learned the basics of this and be able to independently generate, develop, document, reflect on and evaluate their own (and other people’s) work; study references and compile information; incorporate their knowledge, further develop and specialise and be able to describe these in detail in architectonic proposals.

It is important in Year 1 to carry out formative surveys that open up and enable the discovery of the effects of the various parameters on each other. Exercises during the year introduce the complexity of architectonic representation through a focus on problems of limited scope, which at the same time are able to cause complex problems. The various exercises build on each other in a progressive fashion and focus on basic concepts within architecture such as combinations, scale, geometry, spatial connections, landscapes, structure, movement, activity, physicality, position, location and climate. The understanding of these concepts is also expanded through historical and theoretical contextualisation which provides students with the opportunity to place concepts in relationship to issues of power, aesthetic value systems, culture and gender.

Year 2, ARTICULATION

In Year 2 articulation is introduced as an extension of architectural studies. Students examine the complexities of architecture through the processes that are specifically related to this field, with special emphasis on construction engineering. Focus in Term 1 is on learning sufficient knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of architecture for design and building construction through concepts such as structure, location and activity. Exercises, which are based on the concepts and techniques introduced in Year 1, provide methods for students to, based on a series of parameters, develop and maintain a systematic working process up to the final result. These parameters also include social, historical, political, environmental and gender issues. In Term 2, complexity is advanced through studies of concepts and principles for tectonics, ornament, transformation and the problems of the life cycle perspective in a project focussed on the rebuilding of an existing structure. In addition, studies of material, space and detail are extended through a final architecture project. All architecture projects include work with both physical modelling and digital techniques for design and manufacture. In addition to their architecture project, students take courses in architecture, representation and artistic methods and tools as well as the history and theory of architecture and architectural engineering. Collaboration between courses and projects is vital as it is here that the knowledge, methods and techniques acquired from courses and workshops are to be implemented in a design project.

Year 3, INTERNSHIPS, REFERENCES, THE PROFESSION

Year 3 focuses on how the students meet their profession, the position they adopt as concerns closely-related professions and how they understand the larger context. This year deals with how students are to be introduced and gain more in-depth knowledge of urban planning. They learn to understand and apply the relevant concepts and theories in an insightful manner, as well as developing skills in the analysis and design of high-quality urban planning projects, both on the general and at more detailed levels. Students must generally and specifically reflect on the city’s global, historical and cultural role in society, in which insights into various cultures and societal forms provide the physical form for communities as urban planning is central to all this. Students must be especially aware of the role of urban planning in the development of sustainable cities and in social development.

Through practical exercises, students will gain basic knowledge of infrastructure, landscape planning and the processes and bodies of regulations that govern this. Lectures and seminars will provide them with knowledge on the theory and history of urban planning and they will then use this in their own work. Students must be able to carry out tasks on all the different scales from overall to detailed planning as well as being able to integrate this into their work with individual buildings. Students must master digital tools and concentrate on training their abilities to sensibly manage the various forms of reporting techniques. They must provide evidence of their ability to work individually and in groups.

Year 3 is concluded with and advanced project for a Bachelor’s degree. In these projects, students must show that they possess well-developed knowledge on, and skills in, the core competences of the architect profession: architectonic design and its technical, functional and aesthetic dimensions, from urban planning level to the individual details of a building. Students must show that they are able to apply this knowledge in a concrete, cohesive architectonic project and critically argue for and reflect on this work. The project concludes both the basic educational programme and the urban planning year in a complex task stretching across a spectrum from an overall urban perspective to individual construction detail, and in this manner defines the primary field of operations of architects.

Bachelor Degree project A31 KAX

The basic educational programme is concluded by a degree project that is graded. Using the previous urban projects on different scales, this course focuses on the task of developing and presenting a well-considered, complex construction project. The task includes interpreting the potential of the programme and developing its functional organisation to an architectonically designed whole. This course provides a deeper understanding of the specific types of building functions, organisation, technology and design of space. Relationships to the preconditions of the location as concerns surrounding environment/terrain, ecology etc. will also be covered. The specific construction requirements of different types of buildings will be described and developed in projects.

Year 4-5, Master level

In Years 4-5 and in the Master’s educational programmes, project teaching is undertaken in a number of elective studio environments. Studio projects are supported by orientation courses and in-depth seminars in architectural engineering and the history and theory of architecture. Most studies are repeated annually; however changes are made to the range of studios on offer every year. Final application for Years 4-5 and selection of studio occur during a very brief period of time at the start of the term; please see information at School o architecture

In Year 4 there is also an opportunity to study abroad for a year.

All students who have completed Year 3 are guaranteed a place at second level in architecture and have, after two years, the opportunity to graduate as Master of Architecture. However an application must be made in April to attend the second level.

Teaching in the second (Master’s) level is primarily in English. Students also have the opportunity to, if their pre-knowledge is sufficient, apply to Master’s degree programmes such as Urban Planning & Design. Applications are accepted from 1 December to mid-January. Please contact central Study Counselling for further information, utbildning@kth.se.

Master’s programme Architecture / Architecture

The two-year Master’s course in Architecture consists of the same projects and courses as for Years 4 and 5.

Please note! Certain changes may be made to the range of courses.