MSc. in Building Technology- A step towards becoming a Sustainable Designer
Lotte Kat (BouT Chair 2022-23), Pranay Khanchandani (BouT Rumoer Chief editor 2022-23)
The Building Technology track encompasses a broad spectrum of engineering and architectural design skills that lead to one of the future’s dominant professions: the sustainable designer. This programme focuses on designing and engineering innovative, sustainable building components and integrating it into the built environment.
The master track aims to prepare students for contributing towards sustainable, comfortable and environmentally intelligent smart buildings by focusing on aspects such as structural, façade and climate design. This programme stands out internationally because it integrates architectural design with technical disciplines, allowing the students to become a bridge between the intangibility of design and the tangible world of engineering.
The course is structured to achieve a spoonful of different building technology avenues during their first few months at a product level. As the course progresses, the students start narrowing down their specific interests by applying the knowledge in studios and projects ranging from a spatial level, building level and finally at an urban level. The course is divided into four semesters, from MSc 1 to MSc 4.
In MSc 1, students deepen their academic skills and technical knowledge through core building technology subjects, seminars and the Bucky Lab engineering and design studio. The primary objective of this semester is to give the students a hands-on experience to construct their project at 1:1 scale.
The students’ experiences and exposure from the different aspects of building technology help them to narrow down their specific interests in MSc 2. In the first quarter of this semester, students can choose from technical electives offered by the building technology track, including Bridge Design, Zero-energy design, Climate design, Facade design, Design informatics and 1:1 interactive architectural prototype. These courses set the foundation for application of concepts on the spatial level. However, to understand the nuances of integrated design, the students also follow studios such as EXTREME technology or MEGA in the second quarter, to utilise the skills honed from the elective courses.
The design studio EXTREME technology is about building in an extreme situation with respect to climate, location or function. Whereas, the MEGA design studio is about large scale complex buildings with multiple functions, dealing with complex design and engineering challenges.
The first-quarter of MSc 3, focuses on understanding Building Technology’s applications at an Urban Scale. Here, students can choose from either the SWAT studio or the EARTHY studio.
The SWAT studio is a sustainable urban design intervention project that responds to challenges at an urban scale with technical innovation. The SWAT studio is structured as an intense two-week workshop, focusing on mapping and understanding the urban dynamics of a particular location from which students develop focused individual projects to address a particular problem.
The EARTHY studio focuses on computational methods for spatial configuration, design, and construction of a settlement for displaced communities. EARTHY dives into a high-tech design approach for a low-tech earth construction methodology incorporating recycled or reused waste materials.
From the second quarter of MSc 3 till the end of MSc 4, the students are devoted to the Building Technology Graduation Studio within the building technology track. The studio offers a wide range of topics within the overarching themes of Structural Design, Climate Design, Façade & Product Design and Design Informatics.
Apart from academics, the master track of Building Technology hosts its very own Student Practice Association BouT, which represents the Architectural Engineering and Technology department in TU Delft. BouT is engaged extensively in enhancing students’ educational and social experience through seven mediums, education, events, study trips, company relations, public relations (media) and Rumoer (the building technology periodical).
To know more about the Building technology track or to connect with the students or just chat with one of the board members contact BouT at info@praktijkverenigingbout.nl or visit our website bouttudelft.nl