Synthesis of Architectural Design
Head of Department: prof.dr. Mihai COCHECI
The Synthesis of Architectural Design Department administrates the design pedagogy during the senior cycle; it manages the fourth-year and the fifth-year architectural design studios in the Faculty of Architecture, and the fourth-year design studio in the Faculty of Urban Planning.
The department is formed of two distinct chairs, as follows: the Architectural Synthesis Chair 1, in charge with the fourth year, and the Architectural Synthesis Chair 2, in charge with the fifth year and the administration of the diploma activity.
Architectural Synthesis Chair 1 & 2
Head: assoc.prof.dr. Daniela RĂDULESCU ANDRONIC (the fourth year)
Head: assoc.prof.dr. Georgică MITRACHE (the fifth year)
The diploma project is a highly individual work, where the student is asked to demonstrate his/her professional maturity. The student has the possibility to choose an advisor for the project among the whole faculty. That is why there is no need of a special chair in charge with this design activity.
The two Chairs are closely connected, not only in what concerns the curriculum, but also in what concerns the faculty. One can say that the division into chairs is only administrative.
A large number of professors are involved in the design education in both years, which ensure a certain teaching continuity: some of them have studios with students in the forth and in the fifth years, others, in charge with their own studios, participate to studios led by their colleagues.
This cross-studios involvement of the faculty could affect the variety of approaches; however this does not happen. One of the main concerns of the department was to stimulate the independence of the studios and to help the development of different approaches. Thus, sharing various experiences in the project teaching constitutes a base of debates, and it is expected to end in a wider variety of pedagogical approaches.
The Department established a general framework and timing in the project teaching activity, to be observed by each studio. In order to stimulate the development of individual, differentiated approaches, this framework is put in terms of general targets and timing.
There is no real difference between the specific targets of the two chairs; only the optional possibilities increase, as increases the complexity of the projects, too.
The complex urban problems, the relation between the old context and the new interventions represent the common concern of the studios. Here, the collaboration with the Chair of History, Theory & Restoration turned out to be extremely rewarding.
The old habit to approach the design education based on building types was given up; however there is an unspoken inclination towards the study of more complex building types. This is related to other important theme, namely the technological impact. In this respect, a long and fruitful collaboration with the Chair of Technological Sciences has been operational.
The simulation of real practice, repeatedly asked by the students, is achieved through complex cross-chairs projects, once in a year. The one-day projects, the competition-like projects, are also attempts to simulate particular circumstances in the architectural practice.
\
