가장좋은 미국 건축대학교 평가 (The Best US Architecture Schools for 2014 are…)

The Best US Architecture Schools for 2014 are…

1014년 미국에서 가장 좋은 건축대학은 어디가 있을까?보통 평가하는 종합적인 학교평가 기준보다 체계적인 평가기준에 의한 발표라 건축에 관심있는 분들에게 도움이 되었으면...

Gund Hall, Harvard University. Image Courtesy of Harvard University

It’s that time of year again: Design Intelligence has released their 2014 rankings of the Best US Architecture Schools. Though many students and professionals are curious to know just who is number 1, we encourage you to forget the rankings and consider the  survey’s invaluable insight on the current state of architecture and architectural education.

단순히 최고대학이 어디인가라는 생각보다 좀더 소중한 여러가치를 기준으로 고려 해 보았으면한다.

Hundreds of design educators and professionals participated in the 2014 survey to identify the profession’s biggest challenges, as well as just how design education is evolving to reflect those challenges and which schools are really producing students best equipped for the profession today.

수백명의 디자인 교육자들과 교수들이 2014년 설문에 참여하였고 전문직업의 가장 큰 도전들이 무엇인지 또한 알아 보았다. 그리고 디자인 교육이 현제 학교에서 현장직업에 필요하고 준비를 갖출 수 있도록 학생들을 생산해내는 데 요구되는 그러한 도전들도 함께 평가기준에 포함되었다.

Out of all the data, two Universities stood out. 

모든 자료들 가운데, 2학교가 아주 눈에 뜨인다.

Read more to find out which two Universities are best preparing students in 2014, after the break…

What Firms Want (건축사무소에서 원하는 것은?)

When comparing DesignIntelligence’s 2014 survey to last year’s results, it seems that priorities amongst firms have remained fairly consistent. While practices search for design excellence amongst new hires, they’re also aiming to find someone who can provide insight and ideas into sustainability, interdisciplinary design and technology changes. 

건축실무자들이 보는 우선순위는 학생들의 탁월한 디자인 능력 뿐만 아니라, 조금씩 더 촛점을 두는 곳은 학생들이 통찰력과 아이디어들은 얼마만큼 지속가능한 친환경 요소, 다양한 학문분야의 디자인 그리고 과학변화에 적용하여 풀 수 있는 학생들을 찾고있다.

According to the survey, 48.5% of firms (the highest percentage) identified design quality as the architecture profession’s premier concern. Following close behind (multiple responses were allowed) were issues of integrated design (47.2%), sustainability/climate change (45.8%), and technological change (45.8%).

Sustainability continues to be a running theme throughout the report, as 58.0% of firms believed to have benefitted from their new hires’ ideas about sustainability and 67.4% of Deans cited sustainability and climate change as one of the profession’s biggest concerns. 

However, interdisciplinary collaboration and integrated practice has begun to move towards the spotlight. While Deans and professionals agree that integrated design is the profession’s second leading concern, the Deans have noted that more emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration has been the primary change in architectural education over the past five years. This change was noted by 74.2% of the survey’s educator participants.  

What Students Need
학생들이 준비하고 필요한 것은...

Now, what do students need to be competitive in this market? According to the survey, a great attitude, stellar portfolio and a well-rounded understanding of sustainability as well as a fair amount of confidence with the latest programs are all highly important. Previous work and study abroad experiences are considered a notable bonus, but not necessary. 

그렇다면 이제 학생들이 이러한 실무/교육 현장에서 경쟁력을 갖추기 위해서 필요한 것은 무엇일까? 조사에 따르면 훌륭한자세, 뛰어난 포토폴리오, 그리고 여러분야의 이해력, 예를들자면 친환경건축에 대한 이해 그리고 최신의 건축디자인관련 컴퓨터 프로그램에 대한 상당한 양의 자신감 등이다. 이전의 실무경험 그리고 해외연수경험도 눈여겨 볼 만한 보너스이지만 반드시 필요한 사항은 아니다.

Gund Hall, Harvard University. Image © Flickr user Cesar Harada

Which School’s “Best”?

According to firm’s hiring experience in the past five years, these schools are best preparing students for success in the profession:

BEST UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS

• Calif. Polytechnic State Univ., San Luis Obispo
• Cornell University
• Rice University
• University of Texas at Austin
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS

• Harvard University
• Yale University
• Columbia University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Cornell University
• 5. Rice University

Now let’s break down which Universities, at least in the eyes of the hiring firm, excel in these 4 fields. According to Design Intelligence’s report, these are the collegiate programs that hiring firms deem strongest in each of these skill areas:

DESIGN

• 1. Harvard University
• 2. Yale University
• 3. Columbia University
• 4. Southern California Institute of Architecture 
• 5. University of Southern California

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN PRACTICES & PRINCIPLES

• 1. Calif. Polytechnic State Univ., San Luis Obispo 
• 2. University of California, Berkeley
• 3. Auburn University
• 3. University of Oregon
• 5. University of Southern California

CROSS-DISCIPLINARY TEAMWORK

• 1. Harvard University
• 2. Auburn University
• 2. Calif. Polytechnic State Univ., San Luis Obispo 
• 2. Kansas State University
• 5. University of Southern California

CONSTRUCTION METHODS & MATERIALS

• 1. Calif. Polytechnic State Univ., San Luis Obispo
• 2. Auburn University
• 3. Kansas State University
• 4. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 
• 5. University of Southern California

Hanging Bench built by students in a design-build studio. . Image © CAED

It is evident that two schools stand out from the rankings: Harvard University and California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). 

Once again, Harvard was ranked by professionals as the #1 Graduate University for Architecture this year. It was also deemed the “most admired” by Deans “for its history of quality, its focus on global practice and its world class faculty and studio critics.” On top of this, 83% of Harvard architecture students ranked the program’s quality as “excellent” – the highest possible ranking.

As for Cal Poly, it was ranked by professionals as the #1 Undergraduate Program for Architecture this year. In addition to this, the program dominated the Sustainable Design Practices and Principles survey as well as Construction  Methods and Materials, and came in near the top in Cross-Disciplinary Teamwork – all categories that are key concerns of the profession today. Deans praised Cal Poly for its “integration of design and technology, as well as its committed faculty,” while 77% of its students believe the program’s quality deserves the highest possible ranking.

Want more info on Architecture Schools? Check out our AD Architecture School Guide.

More rankings and surveys at DesignIntelligence.