Royal Institute of British Architects

Transcription

1 Royal Institute of British Architects Report of the RIBA Exploratory Board to AKMI Metropolitan College, Athens, Greece in collaboration with the University of Portsmouth, UK MArch Architecture & Urbanism Date of exploratory board: 14/15 March 2017 Confirmed by RIBA Education Committee: 31 May 2017

2 AKMI Metropolitan College 74 Sorou Street Athens, Marousi Postal Code: GREECE Introduction The board wishes to thank the AKMI Metropolitan College for its invitation to consider the MArch Architecture & Urbanism programme for candidate course status. The board is also grateful to the staff and students of the College for their work in preparing the portfolios and exhibition of work, together with making the logistical arrangements for the board s visit. 1 Course/s offered for candidate course status MArch Architecture & Urbanism Name of awarding bodies University of Portsmouth, UK Head of Architecture Faculty Mr Yiannis Kerabos Programme Leader Dr Elena Douvlou 2 Members of the exploratory board Professor David Dernie, Chair Nick Hayhurst, Vice Chair Richard Rose-Casemore The Board would like to thank Mr Andreas Akratos who acted as interpreter during the visit. 3 Procedures and criteria for the visit The exploratory board was carried out under the RIBA procedures for validation and validation criteria, effective from September 2011/second revision May For more information see 4 Recommendations of the exploratory board The Board was invited by the AKMI Metropolitan College to consider its MArch Architecture & Urbanism programme for the award of candidate course status at RIBA Part 2. The designation candidate course for recognition implies that the programme is considered to have the potential to meet RIBA criteria, if implemented as anticipated. On 31 May 2017 the RIBA Education Committee confirmed that Candidate Course status for Part 2 be granted to the: MArch Architecture & Urbanism A full visiting board to consider the programme for initial validation and full RIBA recognition of Part 2 will take place at a date to be agreed 2

3 between the RIBA and the AKMI Metropolitan College. This will allow the department time to consider the action points recommended by the Exploratory Board, and a full visiting board to consider the work of the graduating cohort of the academic year TBC. 5. Academic position statement The MArch Architecture and Urbanism was introduced at AMC (Marousi campus) in 2015, in the belief that its philosophy distinguishes it from the other architecture programmes in Greece. AMC s focus is primarily on quality, therefore launching the course with small cohorts with the aim to expand numbers gradually. The academic staff at the MArch Architecture and Urbanism course are all qualified architects, having worked as academics, practitioners, researchers or consultants, with an educational background from various national and international institutions, offering a diverse approach to architectural design. The course s philosophy is grounded in the belief that graduates in architecture should be answering the challenges posed by contemporary society for a globalised world and a sustainable future. The course aims to prepare graduates for the full range of professional activities in the field of architecture with a solid intellectual base of knowledge in architecture and urbanism, theory and culture, structural and environmental design, the social environment and professional practice. As this is a franchised course, in its collaborative basis, it adopts the Portsmouth School of Architecture framework and specifications. The constant communication with the Portsmouth School of Architecture link tutors, ensures that procedures are followed and the course delivered at AMC, adhere to the standards set by its definitive specifications. Through an intensive series of design studio, structural, environmental and theory-related briefs, students are required to follow a curriculum in which the aim is to stimulate their creative powers through a sequence of problem-solving exercises. The scale and depth in which these are explored distinguishes the course from the Part 1 course delivered at AMC, while they serve as a transition from graduate school to professional practice as part of the process of developing independent thinking and resolving design issues. The MArch Architecture and Urbanism course structure is based on the passage from the pragmatic and applied, and the role and ethos of the architectural professional practice, in the first year, to a more critically engaged project in the second year. The first year studio theme relates urban design to architecture through various scales of design processes, furthered and supported by staff specialism, professional practice and research, as well as external links, offering opportunities to engage with contemporary and challenging projects. The ARCHE unit engages students in a critical, ideas-driven approach to architecture, starting from group research that can relate to the Design Studio thematic or particular site, then to an individually chosen research topic that leads to a Manifesto. The TECHNE unit is underpinned by a strong sense of technical, environmental and professional practice sense of reality of the discipline through group work and individual projects and essay. 3

4 The second year Thesis Dissertation, Thesis Preparation and Professional Practice and Thesis Design units, engage students in a critical design process, developing projects iteratively towards a level of completion that encapsulate their individual design philosophy, seeking to create a culture of innovation and enquiry, framed within the professional context. A key emphasis of the course is to encourage the development of a range of transferable skills such as problem- solving, decisionmaking, design development, critical thinking, independent learning, as well as team-work that will be of value to students in employment, in society and in their individual lives. The ever-changing social dynamics, the topography, nature and landscape, the historical past and the current challenges of the architectural profession are researched, analysed and debated. Consequently, students are requested to prioritise issues as individual designers to create their own original and rigorous architecture, integrating their knowledge and skills acquired in other units into their design unit portfolio. This also distinguishes the course from other architectural schools in Greece where each unit has an independent role within its programme structure. The unit descriptors state the intended learning outcomes developed for the overall programme by Portsmouth School of Architecture. A mapping diagram locates the RIBA/ARB criteria against the learning outcomes and demonstrates the way in which these criteria are delivered and assessed. 6 Commendations The visiting Board commends the following: 6.1 The College s pioneering strategic action to provide an alternative postgraduate educational offer in the Greek national context. 6.2 The College s aspiration to produce graduates with international aspirations and mobility. 6.3 The step change in achievement between the first two years of portfolios. 6.4 The energy and commitment of the Programme Leader and her team in establishing the Master s Course. 7 Action points The visiting Board proposes the following action points: 7.1 The College should ensure a continuing development of its exchanges at both student and staff levels with the University of Portsmouth. Areas of focus should include student experience, studio culture, collaborative research and quality assurance systems. 4

5 7.2 The College should ensure that the integration of structural and environmental design is fully demonstrated through all stages of portfolio development. (GC8 and GC9) 7.3 The College should ensure further development of the students ability to critically analyse precedents in the development of thesis projects. (GC7.1) 8. Advice The visiting Board proposes the following advice: 8.1 The Board encourages the programme team to continue to engender a strong sense of studio culture. 8.2 The Board supports the College s delivery of the Master s level course in English but advises a provision of continuous language support for its students. 8.3 The Board advises further focus on the quality and range of drawings and artefacts, expanding representational techniques. 8.4 The Board advises access be made to laser cutting and other digital facilities, and the installation of a materials outlet. 8.5 The Board advises the College to further explore the use of digital tools, including HD web conferencing, in communicating with external partners. 5

6 9. Delivery of graduate attributes No further commentary. 10. Additional comments No further commentary Resources and facilities The Board noted adequate provision of teaching spaces, computing facilities and traditional workshop areas. The café and external space provides a pleasant social environment. The studio space was adequate but the Board would urge the development of its use to achieve a greater studio culture (see above). The library provided a good working environment and academic resource. In order to develop craft and the quality of artefacts it will however be necessary to invest further in digital equipment (e.g laser cutters/3d printers, see above) Documentation The documentation was adequate and sufficient for the Board to be able understand the programme Franchise arrangements It was recognised that the University of Portsmouth has provided the College with a good framework and the liaisons are noted to be working well. The Board noted no apparent problems with the arrangement and recognised the ambition to embed the programme more fully in the context of the College in time. The Board noted the sensible time frame described to build a local identity to the generic model and would hope that more student and staff exchange would be integral to further development being potentially of mutual benefit Programme development The Board inquired as to the development of the programme in relation to research into the discipline and its practice. Development in the absence of a research context would, in the opinion of the Board, be to its long-term detriment External examining processes The Board were satisfied with examination and assessment procedures Relationship with Greek professional bodies The Board assumed this aspect of provision to be well established due to a good portion of the staff being active practitioners. Notes of meetings *Notes of meetings On request, the RIBA will issue a copy of the minutes taken from the following meetings: Budget holder and course leaders 6

7 Students Head of institution External examiners Staff 7