Why the Architecture Preparatory Programme?
This programme prepares you for the Master in Architecture. You will develop your design skills and connect design, technical knowledge, and social impact, increasing your chances of admission to the master’s programme.
Taught by professionals from the field
Lecturers from architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, and graphic design bring their practical experience into the classroom, providing a realistic view of the profession and current developments.
Easy to combine with work or other commitments
Classes take place on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. This makes it easy to combine the programme with a job or other studies.
Focus on the design process
You will explore the development of a concept into a compelling design. Drawing, thinking, and doing come together. You will learn how to visualise ideas, present them clearly, and collaborate across disciplines.
What you'll learn
In the preparatory programme, you will:
- build a solid foundation in architectural design;
- learn how to develop, elaborate, and present a design concept convincingly;
- practise drawing, analysis, model-making, and consider structural and user requirements;
- learn to critically reflect on your work;
- gain insight into how design works across different scales and in different contexts;
- prepare thoroughly for the Master in Architecture
Programme
Design assignments form the core of the programme. You will create a spatial concept and adapt it to a particular location and programme of requirements, while resolving practical and structural requirements in broad terms. You will also develop a more mindful approach and an understanding of the skills and elements that shape the design process.
Subjects and lecturers
We offer a range of subjects, from design and theory to writing and context, guided by experienced professionals.
Designing a building is a complex process, where every element, from urban planning down to the smallest details like a door handle, requires careful craftsmanship. In Architectural Design, you will develop your abilities through hands-on spatial modelling and interactive group discussions. You will learn to develop your own vision and present it convincingly.
In the first half of the programme, you will complete weekly short tasks, each centred on one element like rhythm, light, or context. In the second half, you will complete a larger final assignment that brings everything together. This is called a small capstone project.
Lecturers: Antoine Bowers and Ted Maters
Architectural Theory involves analysing the built environment in a systematic way. You will investigate the work of prominent architects and thinkers, exploring contrasts such as machine/human, structure/sculpture, and construction/deconstruction.
You learn how to observe and understand the built environment, interpret what you discover, and form your own opinions about it. You also take a critical look at your own work.
Assessment focuses on your critical attitude and approach: your ability to probe further and separate essentials from details; the clear, appropriate use of sources; arriving at an independent, critical position.
Lecturer: Peter Elgersma
In een aantal lessen maak je kennis met basisprincipes van het grafisch ontwerp. Begrippen zoals typografie, stramien, compositie, lay-out komen aan de orde. Je leert de beginselen van InDesign en bent in staat om je eigen presentaties dusdanig vorm te geven. Hierdoor zijn inhoud en vorm in evenwicht. Ook wordt er aandacht besteed aan fotografie.
Docenten: José Smits-Bastiaanssen en Linda Swaap
In a series of lessons, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of graphic design. You will explore concepts such as typography, grids, composition, and layout. You will learn the basics of InDesign so that you’re able to produce your own polished presentations where content and form are in balance. The module also covers photography.
Lecturers: José Smits-Bastiaanssen and Linda Swaap
In a series of lessons, you will be introduced to different approaches to (visual) writing. You will learn how to put your ideas into words and turn them into a story. You will also develop oral communication skills. These lessons help you find your own voice and develop a fitting way to express ideas, supporting your professional practice.
Lecturers: Sare Bakkers
In Context, the emphasis is on landscape architecture and urban planning. You will explore how spaces are organised, encompassing both built and unbuilt areas, with exercises that develop observation, analysis, and critical thinking skills.
The module explores what it means to intervene as a designer in existing areas. By analysing spatial typologies, you identify the tools available to shape new developments.
The module concludes with an urban-design project that responds to its immediate context. During the process, you will experience how different disciplines interact, recognise the role of context, and improve your drawing skills.
Lecturers: Kees Zoon en Ed Joosting Bunk
After the preparatory programme
Solid preparation
This preparatory programme provides a strong foundation for applying to the Master in Architecture. You will also find out whether the programme is right for you, or if a different path would better suit your goals.
Admission procedure
If you would like to apply for admission, check the Master in Architecture programme page to see which steps you need to follow.
Also available as a minor:
