ARCH71-147: Design Practice Futures and Immersion

This subject will focus on the business and ethics of architecture by applying creative and speculative design methods to develop an emergent and value-driven model of architectural practice that challenges the status quo. The model will be informed by the synthesis of the development of a set of ethical values, an architect’s role as a public advocate, an understanding of the Architects Act and critical analysis and research of practice precedents in the context of contemporary challenges and opportunities of technological disruption, the climate emergency and biodiversity breakdown, population displacement and inequality. Investigations will focus on the management of risks, quality assurance, procurement, organisational systems, marketing, staff resourcing and management, finance, health and safety, copyright and quality assurance. Values explored in the architecture studio subjects will provide a further line of inquiry and focus. The subject is run in an intensive seminar format relevant to the assessment tasks, including reports and student presentations. In addition, students will gain first-hand experience through a 10-day work placement in a practice, selection criteria based on GPA and portfolio will apply. Students not qualified for the work placement will complete a studio-based assignment.