Preparatory Architecture course

Students who already have a higher professional education degree in architectural design or interior architecture can take a preparatory course in Architecture. This course lasts one year and is intended to raise their technical knowledge to such a level that students with different starting levels of knowledge of construction and building physics can still start on the course in architecture.

The course begins with a programme on building construction and building physics in general. The objective is to develop the ability to understand these two aspects as a part of architectural design. For building construction insight is provided into the relation between the supporting structure and the design, with the main emphasis on calculating and visualising the force field of the construction. The building physics component offers insight into the physical aspects that attach to buildings, such as acoustic insulation and thermal aspects, in relation to the design process.

The second semester starts with an architectural workshop in which research, design and the ability to reflect critically occupy pride of place. The development and implementation of a concept, the adaptation of the design in its surroundings, the influence that a design exercises on those surroundings, insight into the needs of users, the environment and social trends play a part here.

Combined with the bachelor's study completed and the knowledge about building physics and construction, this will all result in a fully-fledged architectural design. This design is then further elaborated in the remaining weeks until the summer in terms of construction, choice of materials and detail.

Students are expected to follow the Capital Selecta series of the regular course twice a year. A special series of lectures on the history of building technology is organised for the preparatory course in the other quarters.

Attendance of the Capita Selecta and the lectures on building technology is compulsory (signature on attendance register).

Those who successfully complete the course are automatically eligible to embark on the Master in Architecture course. An up to date application form is available at the site.

Materialisation

An exercise is conducted in the first year as a follow-up to the preparatory architecture course. It replaces the morphology in the first term.

The exercise consists of sixteen classes in architectural design, in which the importance of technical skills and knowledge is stressed in order to arrive at a well-considered choice of materials for a design. The adaptation of a design to the surroundings, the influence that a design exerts on the surroundings, insight into the demands of users, the environment, the influence of climatological factors, social trends, and aspects of building engineering are all covered.

Tuition fee
The tuition fee for the preparatory Architecture course for the academic year 2011-2011 is € 2.250,-.

Download the application form (Dutch)