The need for housing is a global phenomenon. The growing urban demographics in all regions of the world highlight the great need for adequate and affordable housing in all areas. However, housing is not only a response to a real need for shelter but also an opportunity to create added value in various aspects: promoting inclusivity, livability, diversity, community health, sustainability, etc.
From the smallest housing unit to the residential collective, the Housing Subspecialization aims to provide Architecture students with an expanded vision of the potential that this typology has in city generation. Its core subject is the Housing Workshop (single-family and collective cases) and will explore European examples in housing promotion.
Students will attend a semester at the GAIAS Europe campus in Valencia, Spain, and will be actively exposed to various aspects of contemporary housing. Using design and analysis at different scales, the main objective is for students to develop skills that not only allow them to design a residential building in detail but also understand housing promotion and the exploration of housing design as a contribution to the generation of neighborhoods and cities.
The subspecialization will allow students to engage with new alternatives for contemporary housing needs through:
- Electives focusing on managerial and innovation skills in housing projects.
- Local field trips.
- Electives focused on architecture.
- Design workshops complemented by a theoretical seminar.
This proposal is aimed at fourth-year Architecture students who are taking the Taller 8 Formación course.
| CODE | NAME | CREDITS | PREREQUISITES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory Courses | |||
| ARQ 4079 | The Space In Between | 3 | |
| ARQ 4207 | Housing Workshop | 5 | |
| ARQ 2606 | Housing Theory Seminar | 1 | |
| ADM 3090 | Leadership and Skills | 3 | |
| ADM 3088 | Innovation Projects +Lab | 3 | |
Proposed Curriculum for the Minor
The proposed curriculum for the minor combines courses that complement the design approach with managerial, constructional, theoretical, and innovation aspects focused on housing. It will work together with GAIAS Europe to correlate classwork with the housing focus. All offered courses are validated with the main curriculum of the Architecture degree:
OPT:
- 3 credits taken at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (ARQ 4079 The Space In Between) / 3 elective credits for the degree.
ELECTIVES:
- 6 credits taken at GAIAS Europe (ADM 3090 Leadership and Skills, and ADM 3088 Innovation Project +Lab) / 6 free elective credits.
ARQ:
- 5 credits for ARQ 4207 Housing Workshop / 5 credits for ARQ 4206 Workshop 8 Formation.
- 1 credit for ARQ 2606 Housing Theory Seminar / 1 credit for ARQ 001 Colloquiums.
- The program is planned to complete all the subjects of the curriculum during the semester at GAIAS Europe, so the minor requires students to spend their semester in Valencia, Spain.
- The subspecialization is aimed at eighth-semester (fourth-year) Architecture students.
