A combined approach to engineering and architectural education

The majority of students starting an engineering degree in the UK have studied mathematics and one or more of the science subjects with their knowledge assessed through closed book examination. They have little or no experience in applying the subject material to a project brief and, it is this application, mixed with many other considerations, that translates the understanding of science into engineering. Engineering and architecture are both design disciplines so why do we teach them so differently? Our four year integrated Masters programme in Civil Engineering and Architecture is aimed at those who wish to design structures; the core elements of the programme being Structure, Material and Place. This programme shares its first two years with our other civil engineering programmes. It was apparent that our design curriculum (across all civil engineering programmes) specified many of the expected key design skills but that it was not producing graduates who were agile design thinkers. During the last three academic years strategic investments have been made to improve our design curriculum, encourage design thinking within our students (and staff) and to foster a greater design culture within the Faculty. This paper will describe the rationale for the development of the curriculum and some of the issues encountered in its implementation with reference to recent student outputs.