Undergraduate

Survey and Documentation of Architectural Heritage

“Survey and Documentation of Architectural Heritage” is a practical 4-week course taking place at the start of the third year. This course has a long tradition, having been in operation for 70 years, and was awarded in 2009 the title of “National Excellent Course”. It integrates the theory of architectural history, surveying methods, and documentation practices, as well as the training requirements for achieving an adequate level of drawing ability. 

The course’s focus is to introduce ways of thinking in traditional architectural culture, thus helping students to understand past design theories and methods, as well as concepts such as space, place and scale with Chinese characteristics; it also leads to the production of archival data for the preservation of our precious architectural heritage.

Map Featuring All of the Sites Investigated by Students in the Course Survey and Documentation of Architectural Heritage

Exploratory Architectural Design Studios 

Besides the main design courses, experts from academia and industry are regularly invited to teach related supplementary courses. In this manner, the teachers of theoretical courses can give targeted advice to students regarding the design process, and therefore help integrate theoretical knowledge into the practical design courses.

Introduction to Architecture

“Introduction to Architecture” is an introductory course on the theoretical systems and knowledge of architecture, and serves as a basic general course for first-year students. We regularly invite external lecturers to participate, including Prof. PENG Yigang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Prof. WANG Qiheng, recognized as an Outstanding Teacher at the national level, as well as other renowned native scholars and architects. 

Teachers for the Introduction to Architecture Course

Postgraduate

Design Studio

The design studio is a crucial component of the professional Master of Architecture degree. It allows for the ongoing improvement of the professional qualities of an architect and provides the necessary training to adequately combine architectural practice with theory. Taking this into account, since 2017 the Department of Architecture has implemented the concept of experimental teaching within the main course. In this manner, the postgraduate design course has been transformed into a parallel design studio model, where reputed architects are invited to lead the studio project, thus giving students a direct experience of practical issues, as well as exposure to a wide range of perspectives.

University and Industry Joint Tutor Group

In September 2013, the School of Architecture launched a teaching pilot program, led by a university-enterprise joint tutor group with the support of Tianjin University’s Graduate School, which focused on ways to better prepare students for a professional Master of Architecture degree. The aim of this teaching pilot program is to encourage experts in the field of practical design to teach classes, discuss thematic adjustments to the degree program, and contribute to the development of design teaching activities through professional cooperation.

Combining the design studio with the construction technology courses

Student works of the M.Arch. Studio

Doctor

Chinese Architectural Tradition and Theory

“Chinese Architectural Tradition and Theory” is a first-year course for doctoral students. It provides a historical perspective of architectural theory rooted in Chinese tradition and introduces examples of what rigorous research should look like. The course is led by Professor WANG Qiheng and is divided into eight lectures for a total of 32 credit hours. It analyzes the formation and role of architecture as a carrier of cultural notions and values in the context of human development, thus encouraging students to seek a deeper understanding of the essence of architecture: namely, the fundamental intermediary of harmonious coexistence between man, nature, and society, with the ontological value of supporting the “existence” of human beings. 

Featured Course: Chinese Architectural Tradition & Theory