What is Design/Build?
What is Design/Build?The Design/Build program at the University of Oregon is designed to complement the series of technologies classes that students in Landscape Architecture and Architecture are typically required to complete. It is designed to synthesize information learned in the technologies courses with a hands-on design and construction experience. In a collaborative environment, the design-build studio offers students intense exposure to the full design-through-construction process.
Under the guidance of faculty and trades-people, students direct a project beginning with schematic design, following through to design development and completing construction documents, including decisions about what materials to use, where they will be placed, and how they will be assembled. Having theoretically concluded the design phase of the project, students switch roles to those of construction managers and trades-people. They participate in construction scheduling, budget control, sourcing of materials, and scheduling the arrival of those materials, while concurrently learning specific construction skills.
One of the most important aspects of this experience for design students is that they must follow their own design instructions as they build the project. As a result, the inaccuracies and inefficiencies of their designs become readily apparent. Because they are in control of the construction process, however, design continues, with improvements and modifications being made along the way. This studio has been offered as an optional studio to all majors on a regular basis since 1992.
Projects have been chosen and designed so that the learning process is one that emphasizes:
SYNTHETIC LEARNING-experiencing first-hand the full design through construction process. This helps students to bridge the gap between the subject matter taught in landscape technologies and designing.
GROUP LEARNING- a single outcome demands collaborative work. Students exchange their knowledge and skills and creatively solve problems together.
TESTING DESIGN IDEAS- As one of our students reported in the final evaluations: "[The studio] demonstrated the ramifications of design decisions throughout the building process, the value of a simple, well considered connection [or] detail, and the necessity of constant checking, re-evaluation and comparison to the original design goals."
DRAWING LESSONS can be tremendous. Students do construction drawings, then change traditional roles and are asked to use those same drawings, or often drawings done by a colleague. The need for consideration of construction process and for accuracy becomes evident immediately.
Go to UO
Department of Landscape Architecture Home PageGo to UO Department of
Architecture Home PageGo to UO School of
Architecture and Allied Arts Home Page
Site currently under significant
amount of construction, and will be for quite a while.