COURSE LIST FALL 2001

P R E V I E W   W E E K
September 17 - 22, 2001.

Instruction begins Monday, September 24, ends
Thursday, December 13, 2001

Fall 2001 Enrollment Form

T H E  C O R E  P R O G R A M  @  S F I A

We recommend the Core Program as a starting point for all students of Architectural and Ecological Design.

The Core Program deals with self-liberating creative processes (D-4), fundamental to everything else you'll do in design.

The program introduces the methods used to design the world's greatest buildings (D-6) and the methods of the greatest architectural innovators and designers of modern times (D-1).

And it provides the fundamentals of construction materials and technology -- the nuts and bolts of making buildings that work, enhance human life, and support the natural environment (T-1 and E-1).

D-1 STUDIO: CREATIVE DESIGN PROCESS

D-4 CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

D-6 HISTORY & THEORY OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

E-1 INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGICAL DESIGN

T-1 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS & METHODS

E C O L O G I C A L   D E S I G N

Ecological design is still the least understood and least utilized of all design disciplines. Most architecture schools still only teach it in part, if at all.

SFIA has pioneered in creating a comprehensive Ecological Design course menu for architecture students and a Master of Ecological Design degree program for those who want to work professionally in this realm.

SFIA offers a full array of courses on alternative materials and construction methods, solar and wind resources, bioremediation, plantscaping and landscaping, recycling in construction, healthy environments, alternative lighting, and related topics. The basic Ecological Design courses for the Fall, 2000 semester are listed below.

E-1 ECOLOGICAL THINK TANK
Instructor: Tracey Mellor, BSc. in Geography and Biology, has worked for 6 years as an ecologist, naturalist and environmental educator.3 units. Mondays, 6:30 - 7:40 p.m. Starts Mon., Sept. 24.
PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Monday, September 17.

An exploration of the science of ecology, it's historical development, and how we measure and understand our place in the ecosphere. We will review some of the basics around our earth's nature systems, how physical and biological processes work together, and how we as humans fit within that sytem. Includes a mixture of lecture, visuals, open discussion and group work. Get a taste of field techniques and observing our beautiful natural ecology by participating in 2-3 weekend fieldtrips, including an optional backpacking trip (Oct. 13th/14th)

D-7 STUDIES IN ECOLOGICAL DESIGN & ORGANIC ARCHITECTURE. Thursday lecture series independent study option. 3 units. Details will be explained Thursdays, September 20 & 24, 8:00 p.m.

DE-3 STUDIO: ECOLOGICAL DESIGN & PLANNING
Instructor: TO BE ANNOUNCED
5 units. Tuesdays, 7:40 - 9:00 p.m. Starts Tuesday, Sept. 25.
PREVIEW: 7:45 p.m., Tuesday, September 18.

Ecological Design has its own technologies, design principles, and procedures that are radically different from traditional architectural practice. This class includes techniques of building with indigenous materials, design with site and sun for maximum sustainability, economies of using recycled materials, and design for environmental sensitivity. This studio explores alternative systems and shows how they can be used economically and beneficially in urban, suburban, or rural design settings.

DE-301 THE GRAND ECO-DESIGN EXPERIMENT.
Fred A. Stitt. Director, SFIA.
3 units. Thursdays, 6:30 - 7:40 p.m. Starts Thursday, Sept. 27.
PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 20.

Experimental design in urban ecology and methods of documentation of design work for website presentation and book publication.

This course provides considerable practice in several remarkably effective and stimulating design methodologies. The first weekend (July 27 - 29) includes a Friday evening, and all-day Saturday and Sunday Design-Shop workshop at Matt Taylor's facility in Palo Alto. This workshop can be attended separately for only $50.

A R C H I T E C T U R A L  D E S I G N

The creative design process is treated as a mystery in many schools -- as an arcane skill that you either "have or don't have." The fact is that anyone can learn how to be a good designer, and with a little extra work, can learn to become a great designer.

But you have to know what the finest designers and architects actually do when they design and learn from their methods. You have to be free to explore, experiment, and make mistakes to hone your skills. That requires a liberating and fully-supportive environment such as offered at SFIA.

D-1 STUDIO: CREATIVE DESIGN PROCESS
Instructor: Fred Stitt, Director, SFIA.
Author of Ecological Design Handbook. 5 units. Mondays, 7:40 - 9:00 p.m. Starts Monday, September 24.
PREVIEW: 7:45 p.m., Monday, September 17.

This core course shows how to create extraordinary buildings -- buildings that are totally integrated with the needs of the users, with the site, and within themselves as works of art. The creative design process is extremely well understood, thanks to the testimonies of generations of the world's most creative architects. The focus of this class is on how to use natural creative skills, experiment with them, and evolve and maximize your inherent and original design abilities.
D-1 is coordinated with other core courses: D-6 (History & Theory of Design), T-1 (Construction Materials & Methods), and D-4 (The Architectural Mind). As with all SFIA courses, no prerequisites are necessary. Free-ranging exploration and experimentation are strongly encouraged.

D-2 THE ORGANIC DESIGN PROCESS. Elizabeth Winnen & Martin Newland, MArch Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. 5 units. Wednesdays, 7:45 - 9:15 p.m. Starts Wednedsay, September 26.
PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 19.

This studio introduces and explores, through weekly design projects,
principles that guide students in the process of designing everything from a teacup to a city. The principles of human scale, proportion,
modularity, grammar (design language), context integration, continuity
(plasticity), craftsmanship, democracy, sustainability, and beauty infuse an organic design process in creating an integrated whole
from many parts. In addition to theory statements, examples and
applications, attention will be given to presentation techniques and drawing, as part of the design process. Students will supply their own drafting supplies and/or model-making materials.

D-7 STUDIES IN ECOLOGICAL DESIGN & ORGANIC ARCHITECTURE. Thursday lecture series independent study option. 3 units.

Exceptional architects and ecological design consultants how their work in this public lecture series. The lectures are open to all. Students can earn 3 units of they want to do an independent sudy project related to the topics of the lecture series.

Details will be explained Thursdays, September 20 & 24, 8:00 p.m.

D-34 STUDIO: TO DESIGN A HOUSE ...
Instructor: Thaddeus Kusmierski, Architect.
5 units. Tuesdays, 6:30 - 7:40 p.m. Starts Tuesday, September 25.
PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 18.

A focused exploration of the professional design process, utilizing
client-centered communication and the principles of Pattern Language, as articulated by Christopher Alexander. Includes client-architect role playing and hands-on demonstrations of how to integrate clients' living patterns and values in a nature-sensitive environment.

Thaddeus Kusmierski is a well-known, respected Berkeley architect who has been instrumental in the preservation and restoration of Berkeley landmark buildings by Julia Morgan and Bernard Maybeck.
He first learned "client-centered" design methods from the visionary
architect Bruce Goff, and has consistently applied it in his own practice.

A R C H I T E C T U R A L  T E C H N O L O G Y

T-1 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS & METHODS
Instructor: Fred Stitt, Director, SFIA.
3 units. Wednesdays, 6:30 - 7:40 p.m. Starts Wednesday, Sept. 26. PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 19.

This course shows how creative architectural design is derived from the nature of materials and construction processes. We start with the simplest materials of earth and stone, then brick, tile, concrete, and wood. In the second semester the progression continues through more complex material combinations, with an emphasis on the causes and prevention of building failures. T-1 is coordinated with D-6 History and the D-1 Studio. Each material is reviewed from the standpoint of its internal nature and how to best utilize that nature in creative architectural design. Each is illustrated in many applications and studied in terms of potential failure and the most creative possible applications.

D-41 DESIGN BUILD: THE INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
Instructors: Suren Gunasekara and Kathryn Sawyer.
5 units. Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Starts Sat., September 29.
PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Saturday September 22.

How to apply the principles of Organic Architecture to interior design and the design and building of permanent new funishings for SFIA.

Includes training in how to design the objects we have closest contact with, how to use craftsman tools, and how to work well with wood, metal, an other materials.

ST-1 INTRODUCTION TO STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Instructor: Joel Carr, Engineer.
3 units. Thursdays, 6:30 - 7:40 p.m. Starts Thursday, Sept. 27. PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, September 20.

Basic engineering concepts and calculations for computing strength of materials; calculating forces that act on materials; and understanding the variety of forces at work within a building. Excellent introductory preparation for the architectural license examination.

A R C H I T E C T U R A L  
M E T H O D S  &  M E D I A

D-201 MATT TAYLOR STUDIO: DESIGN & DESIGN PRACTICE
Instructor: Matt Taylor. 5 units. Tuesdays, 6:30 - 9:00+ p.m. PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday September 18 in Palo Alto. Classes will be held at the "KnOwhere" design & education facility -- 2741 Middlefield Road (at Colorado).

An intensive couse combining architectural design, design and construction management, and web-site design and communication. Architectural education design, and office practice are traditionally treated as distinct and separate subjects. In reality, they are inseparable phases of one continuum, and to the degree they're treated as fragments, we have inadequate education, unsatisfactory design, and architectural offices that fail to match the dreams of their founders.

Students will create a project design of their own future work environmnet on computer. Delivery of data to the instructor and other students will largely be on the Internet. This studio is open to all, but is especially appropriate for those who have completed the Core Program and the D-1 Design Studio.

D-4 THE ARCHITECTURAL MIND: CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING METHODS
Instructor: Fred Stitt, Director, SFIA.
3 units. Mondays, 6:30 - 7:40 p.m. Starts Monday, Sept. 24.
PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Monday, September 17.

This course presents the mental and emotional processes that precede, precipitate, support . . . or hinder the process of design. It teaches today's most advanced methods for inducing inspiration, original thinking, independent thinking, and creative design and problem solving. You'll learn of the latest discoveries on brain function and creative problem-solving techniques, such as: Mind Maps, advanced Brainstorming methods, Lateral Thinking, Synectics, Morphological Thinking, and many others. Includes much new information on the brain, consciousness, the design process, methods enlarging the scope of consciousness, and the most effective methods for solving any type of problem.

D-6 HISTORY & THEORY OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Instructor: Fred Stitt, Director, SFIA.
3 units. Wednesdays, 7:40 - 9:00 p.m. Starts Wednesday, Sept. 26. PREVIEW: 7:45 p.m., Wednesday, September 19.

You can't understand architecture without understanding the little-known systems used to design buildings and the technology required to build them. This course shows how architects designed and built the great monuments of Ancient Egypt, Northern Europe & Stonehenge, Greece, Rome, the Byzantium & Islamic Empires, India, China, and Japan. D-6 is unique among architectural history courses in that it also focuses on the dominant ideas and methods of thought in each historical period.

D-13 ARCHITECTURAL FREEHAND DRAWING
Instructor: Suren Gunasekara, M. Arch, SFIA.
3 units. Tuesdays, 6:30 - 7:40 p.m. Starts Tuesday, Sept. 25.
PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 18.

How to use drawing to solve problems and communicate your designs. Four parts: Freehand Environmental Drawing, 2-D Freehand Drawing, 3-D Drawing, Media & Presentation Techniques. Anyone can draw, and anyone who draws can do it better -- especially in a free, supportive, and collaborative environment.

D-14 COMMUNICATING DESIGNS: PERSPECTIVE DRAWING & MEDIA. 3 units. Video course.

D-19 MODEL BUILDING AS A DESIGN TOOL
Instructor: Suren Gunasekara, M. Arch, SFIA.
3 units. Tuesdays, 7:40 - 9:00 p.m. Starts Tuesday, Sept. 25.
PREVIEW: 7:40 p.m., Tuesday, September 18.

An introduction to design model building, introspective exploration, and experimentation through three-dimensional media. Learn to do site models, massing, quick study models; the professional techniques of making full presentation models; and uses of abstract landscape features, color, and photography.

D-22 DYNAMIC VISUALIZATION
Instructor: Matt Fulvio, M.Arch. SFIA.
3 units. Thursdays, 6:30 - 7:40 p.m. Starts Thursday, Sept. 27.
PREVIEW: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, September 20.

Visualization is one of the most important skills in problem solving and architectural design in particular. It's also essential for learning to draw and to communicate. In terms of implementing creative visions, it is THE most important skill.

There's nothing magic about it; you just have to practice and develop your abilities in a supportive and stimulating learning enviornment. This course will provide a variety of excercise projects, music, sci-fi, poetry, and guided imagery in processes that are enjoyable, life enhancing, and essential to your growth as a designer.