For a while now, the direction and goals of the University of Minnesota’s School of Architecture have been in flux. With the start of a new school year, the School of Architecture has made some major changes to its faculty; this is the first major shift in the school’s administration since Jennifer Yoos was appointed as the new head of the school in June 2020. With the introduction of new faculty, such as Alex Maymind and Federico Garcia Lammers as directors of undergraduate and graduate studies respectively, as well as a large amount of new tenure-track and adjunct faculty coming into the mix, the School of Architecture will no doubt have a major shift in its curriculum.
At the crux of this shift is a fundamental question that still needs to be asked: what kind of architects does the School of Architecture want to foster? Change doesn’t affect just the faculty and the administration of the school; it is something that current, former and future students engage with as well; what kind of architects do we want to be? While these questions are open ended, the School of Architecture is currently in a strong position to self-reflect and start to build itself around the next generation of architects. The core of this new School of Architecture may span a number of issues, including sustainability, health, social justice, collaboration and more.
Sustainable design has been a growing focus in architectural practice as designers consider ways to reduce the negative environmental impact of both the construction and operation of buildings. Within the school, sustainability has already been a part of architectural education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels with elective courses in sustainable design that students can take to supplement their regular coursework. The curriculum has also included studios based on net-zero design principles in which instructors have folded in other social and environmental issues to tackle. Overall, the core curriculum merely scratches the surface of sustainable design. Is it the responsibility of the school to further stress environmentally-conscious design as core to architectural education?
One of the first things incoming students are warned about in architectural education is the sleepless nights and long hours needed to get their degree. Before COVID-19, the American Institute of Architecture Students hosted events for students and faculty to come together to discuss mental and physical health as well as work-life balance in education and professional practice. When the curriculum moved online in 2020, some students enjoyed the flexibility of remote work. Others felt the strain of continuing to perform under the added pressure of a global pandemic. With the return to in-person instruction, concern for students’ health and wellbeing has continued to vary greatly between instructors, creating inconsistent expectations across the student body. Former and current students wonder, does a new vision for the school begin to put students’ health at the forefront?
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, tensions and discontent seemed to reach a breaking point, and the school came together again to question architecture’s role in the built environment. These questions included what the school could do to bring more social justice issues and community-engaged practices into the classroom. In response, many students have independently tackled topics in equitable design, native land reclamation and other social issues in their studio work. While some new courses have been added to further explore issues of racism in architecture and design, the school is far from having it play an active role in students’ education. Does the addition of the Design Justice in Architecture faculty hire (Jessica Garcia-Fritz) signify the school’s commitment to prioritizing the importance of social justice in architectural pedagogy?
Perhaps the school should also consider whether it strengthens connections to disciplines beyond design. The College of Design is already making strides to better connect its disciplines following the announcement that the School of Architecture, landscape design and interior design would all soon be joined under one department. Will this step be the first in continuing to emphasize collaboration in architectural education?
Whether we look at the school as a potential leader in social justice, health, sustainability or something completely different, it is clear the University’s School of Architecture is at a major turning point in terms of defining its pedagogy and influence. This is a chance for the school to re-envision itself and shift the direction of architectural education. It’s the time for administration, faculty and students alike to come together and ask: what kind of architects do we want to be?
Madeline Juve is an alum of the University of Minnesota’s Master of Architecture program and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Sustainable Design.
Jakob Mahla is an alum of both the University of Minnesota’s Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Design in Architecture programs as well as a current adjunct instructor in the School of Architecture.
