Each academic year combines lectures, design studios, research and professional practice. Classes take place on Fridays (from 9:30 to 16:00) and Saturdays (from 9:00 to 13:00). On Friday afternoons, after class, there is space for excursion preparation, in-depth sessions or special encounters. During the week, you will work at an architectural office. Twice a year, you will present your work at the office in a professional practice portfolio.
In the first year, you will build a broad foundation in design skills through four Design Labs. You will also work on your drawing skills, and you will learn how to document and publish your work. You will take lectures in architectural history, urban planning and landscape.
From the second year onwards, you will deepen your design skills through longer studios, where multiple design aspects come together. You will learn how to analyse buildings and how to work with existing structures in your designs. In lectures, you will further expand your knowledge of urban planning, landscape and architectural history. You will also organise your own architecture study trip this year and create a comprehensive travel guide for the destination.
In the third year, you will focus on your own vision of design. You will choose your own studios, conduct research into a social or discipline-related question, and develop the research question for your graduation project. In the Research module, you will work on design-based or artistic research, and in the related design studio, you will translate this research into a design process. You will end the year with a proposal that sets the direction for your graduation phase.
The fourth year is entirely devoted to your graduation project. You will choose a topic, supervisor and working method that match your ambition and are relevant to the discipline and society. Through spatial design, you will develop a response to your research question and work towards a well-grounded final result. You will present your project during the annual graduation exhibition, ArtEZ finals. After completion, you will be ready for registration in the Dutch Architects’ Register and be well-prepared to start your professional career as an architect.