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NTNU – THE FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ART
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The theory elements need focus – how to implement them
and what subjects are important.
Challenges for the leadership
• Make sure there are development plans for the
academic staff.
• It is probably a painful but necessary job to consider the
quality of the Master courses, develop the best ones,
and replace or change those which are not up to
standard.
Ideas for solutions/methods to develop
• One should discuss whether there is one or several
paths to becoming an architect and, if there are several,
which ones they are.
• Student intake should be addressed.
• Grades should be addressed.
• The stage between Bachelor and Masters is a critical
point in assessing both the study and the student.
7.c. Content
STRENGTHS
NTNU is an architectural education with a very wide
approach, a willingness to embrace many areas, and to con-
tinue to transform itself. In addition to the more traditional
building architecture, there is a strong field of urbanism. At
the same time the school is exceptional in the Nordic coun-
tries for its 1:1 building studios, or live studios. The duality
of a very local, climate specific context and an orientation to
the world, is intriguing. So is the stress on interdisciplinary
work and group work.
OBSERVATIONS and EVALUATION
What are the potential strengths particular to NTNU?
Knowledge
In terms of knowledge, the School is widely acknowledged
for its technical-oriented architectural competence. This
may no longer be valid, but would probably be possible to
revive, the reputation still being vivid.
Given the position of the School, both geographically in
mid-Norway, and as a part of a university focusing on water
and energy, one would think there would be a potential for
specializing in cold climate energy solution and building
technology. The interdisciplinary weeks within the university
seem to have been a success, and could perhaps be devel-
oped further.
In the Bachelor curriculum, each course seems to have a
thoroughly tested model for what it should contain. This is
a positive quality, but might lead to fatigue on the teachers´
side, if the same course is given every year. Is a shuffling
of the teachers discussed, as well as the theme for the
courses?
Theoretical input is addressed by the students as very
variable, and sometimes invisible in terms of the theory
being swallowed up by the design course. There seem to be
a great possibility for improvement of the theoretical aspect,
both in terms of the overall plan (what should be addressed)
and how to integrate it in the courses. Could researchers
have more direct impact on the courses? How does the
architectural faculty incorporate and exploit the fact that
they are a part of a university with a number of faculties with
related knowledge? Who is formulating the big picture of the
study´s content, and how are curriculum decisions made,
both in theory and design courses?
TRANSark as a pedagogic model seems an interesting
asset and an important field of consciousness for a part of
the academic staff. It seems a little unclear to the Commit-
tee exactly how TRANSark is intended to be used, i.e. if it
is a tool, a forum, a course or a method. Many resourceful
people from the academic staff are involved in this initiative,
which is a strength. However, this group might also be hard
to oppose to for those who are not buying it as an academic
model suitable for their course.
Skills and when to gain them
The live studios (1:1 and hands on) have become a core at
NTNU, and are one of the School’s unique selling points for
international students. The live studios cannot be a substi-
tute for more complex design courses, but as a semester
course they are very valuable, comparable to the furniture
workshop experience architecture students receive in Co-
penhagen.
There is also a solid basic traditional architecture education
in the school. These courses are popular, and it is important
that there are enough of them to make sure that those who
want to will be sufficiently trained in design. Is this the case
at present?