410 EAAE no 35 Teaching and Experimenting with Architectural Design: Advances in Technology and Changes in Pedagogy
Engineering of the University of Cyprus are developed based on the integrated design
approach. In a design project in Germany the students in groups of five apply the
fundamental knowledge obtained in the first semesters from different areas of study
and give emphasis on structural, construction and environmental design aspects
(Figure 5). The supervision of the designs is usually performed by three educators,
an architect, a structural engineer and a mechanical engineer.
All areas are interrelated horizontally with each other through construction design.
While aspects of standardization, prefabrication, easy erection and clarity of connec-
tions may have a significant influence on systems development, the composition of
the elements often gains meaning, when observed in the broad architectural context.
In most cases, substantial time and considerations are devoted to the technological
design aspects, from the structural to the construction design and feasibility, to the
energy concepts. In the long run these aspects govern not only the development
of the designs, as this is often orientated towards design vision, but they also lead
to building forms with relevant strong self-identification characteristics. These may
yet refer in absolute terms to spatial design by experimentation with new structural
systems and their construction design.
The experience gained up to now at the University of Cyprus on integrated design
is based on a course in Building Technology. The final designs have characteristics,
derived from the developed and typologically adjusted structures within a “technical
architectural context” (Figure 6).
Figure 6
Design Project “Laboratory of Structural Engineering – University of Cyprus 2006