News and Information

Studio Culture Initiative-Resources


Publications

		Toward an Evolution of Studio Culture (2008) The document contains the results of the 2007 Administrators Survey on Studio Culture, the 2008 AIAS Council of Presidents Survey on Studio Culture, lessons learned from peer reviewed studio culture policies, and a summary of best practices, guidelines and recommendations for a more effective studio culture narrative. As such, it represents a significant step forward in the Studio Culture initiative. Download (Low Res Version)
		Studio Culture Summit Report (2004) This Overview Report of the 2004 Studio Culture Summit, held October 8-10, 2004 at the University of Minnesota, was written by Clark Kellogg, the facilitator. The Report covers the Summit proceedings, as well as the outcomes and initiatives that were discussed. Download (High Res Version) Download (Low Res Version)
		The Redesign of Studio Culture: A Report of the AIAS Studio Culture Task Force (2002) This publication has been praised by many of the collateral organizations for forging new ground in the analysis of studio life. The report outlines the five values of Optimism, Respect, Sharing, Engagement and Innovation which serve as a basis for making changes to studio culture. Download (Low Res Version)

Studio Culture Articles and Links

The Redesign of Studio Culture - A Report of the AIAS Studio Culture Task Force
Released in the Fall of 2002, The Redesign of Studio Culture has been praised by many of the collateral organizations for forging new ground in the analysis of studio life. The report outlines the five values of Optimism, Respect, Sharing, Engagement and Innovation which serve as a basis for making changes to studio culture .

AIASinfo
April 2003 issue
The April 2003 issue focused entirely on the studio culture issue. This issue is filled with background materials including articles, statistics and resources.

Archvoices.org Studio Culture Section
The ArchVoices Web site has a page devoted to Studio Culture that contains additional articles and commentaries.

AIAS White Paper for the NAAB Validation Conference
The Studio Culture Taskforce produced a White Paper on the issue of Studio Culture that was presented at the 2003 NAAB Validation Conference.

NAAB Studio Culture Condition
Condition 3.5: The school is expected to demonstrate a positive and respectful learning environment through the encouragement of the fundamental values of optimism, respect, sharing, engagement and innovation between and among the members of its faculty, student body, administration and staff. The school should encourage students and faculty to appreciate these values along with an understanding of time management as guiding principles of professional conduct throughout their careers.

Studiomania
An interview with Richard Quinn, FAIA,
President, National Architectural Accrediting Board
(Crit 48, Fall 2000, p. 24-25)

At What Price
by Brad Lunz, 2000-2001 South Quadrant Director
Savannah College of Art and Design
(Crit 51, Spring 2001, p.24-25)

Studio Culture in the Spotlight
by Aaron Koch, 2001-2002 AIAS Vice President
(ACSANEWS, January 2002, p. 6)

Who do we really want to be?
An editorial by Sarah Peden, 2002-03 AIAS West Quadrant Director,
Studio Culture Task Force Chair
AIASinfo, April 2003

For Additional Information:

American Institute of Architects (AIA). The Client Experience, 2002. Washington: American Institute of Architects, 2002.

Boyer, Ernest, and Lee Mitgang. Building Community: A New Future for Architecture Education and Practice. Princeton, NJ: Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 1996.

Cramer, James P., and Scott Simpson. How Firms Succeed: A Field Guide to Design Management. Atlanta: Greenway Communications, 2002.

Fisher, Thomas. In the Scheme of Things: Alternative Thinking on the Practice of Architecture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2000.

"Patterns of Exploitation." Progressive Architecture. May 1991:9.

Monaghan, Patrick. "The 'Insane Little Bubble of Nonreality' That Is Life for Architecture Students." The Chronicle of Higher Education. June 2001.

Swett, Richard Nelson. "Leadership By Design." ArchVoices.

Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead. New York: Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1943, New York: Penguin, 1994.

Temkin, Jody. "For Would-Be Architects, Grad School Like Boot Camp." The Chicago Tribune. January 6, 2002.

NAAB Condition 3.5 on Studio Culture

The school is expected to demonstrate a positive and respectful learning environment through the encouragement of the fundamental values of optimism, respect, sharing, engagement and innovation between and among the members of its faculty, student body, administration and staff. The school should encourage students and faculty to appreciate these values along with an understanding of time management as guiding principles of professional conduct throughout their careers.

Studio Culture Summit 2004

Proceedings
On the weekend of October 8-10, 2004 the 2004 Studio Culture Summit convened. This was a meeting of practicing architects, interns, architecture students, professors of architecture, professors of related fields, authors, representatives of each of the five collaterals, deans, authors, psychologists, a lawyer and a gifted facilitator. The Summit served as a forum for engaging these parties with investments in architectural education. We learned a little bit about the history of studio, a little bit about why studio exists as it does today and a lot about studio's potential as an educational model.

For four years the AIAS has been talking about Studio Culture. A question often heard was, "why?" "Stop complaining," they heard, "we all went through it and we've all turned out just fine." In fact, there was a lot of complaining. That can be attributed to, more than anything else, the lack of information on the subject. When someone demands change to a culture, without first understanding the history, statistics and policies shaping that culture, they can rarely maintain an argument that holds water.

However, by Sunday evening, we had embraced the culture that we had only recently (unofficially) held as fundamentally flawed. So, we need a cultural change, not a new culture, not a new model. Dean Thomas Fisher of the University of Minnesota took us back to studio's roots in apprenticeship. Illinois' Kathryn Anthony, described the fundamental lack of respect present in the studio model. Both of these presentations helped shape a series of breakouts and group discussions on what happens when studio functions at its best and the ideals of the "perfect studio."

The Summit began to transform from a critical to optimistic, thorough disection of studio. Dr. Van Weigel then presented to us opportunities for digital and virtual integration in studio. We learned about new ways of teaching and new, innovative means of educating designers. Dr. Richard Farson empowered us with a presentation on leadership and it was at this point that the group began to realize just how clear the necessary improvements were, and that it would not be as painful as many expected, to implement them.

We left the meeting with 9 initiatives. Because the studio is so central to an architect's training it is vital that it be a productive learning environment and we see these 9 initiatives as the rather simple set of means to lead to a healthy, cooperative, collaborative, integrated model which will serve as an inclusive discussion of the educational model in architecture. Through an open critique of studio culture, attendees may identify avenues for implementation of the suggested improvements outlined in The Redesign of Studio Culture (AIAS, 2002).

List of Attendees
See who took part in the conference.

Photo Gallery
See some of the images from the summit.

Participant Feedback
Read some of the thoughts of the summit participants

The Summit was sponored by:

Titanium
The American Institute of Architects
AIA Large Firm Round Table

Gold
Boston Society of Architects
American Institute of Architecture Students

Bronze
AIA Minnesota
AIA Nebraska
ArchVoices

Ongoing Studio Culture Activities

The attendees of the Studio Culture Summit charged the Stateholders, particularly the AIAS, to focus their efforts on nine initiatives generated at the summit.

1. Communicate Outcomes
   Disseminate outcomes and information regarding the proceedings of the Summit and provide resources related to studio culture
2. Share Studio Policy Resources
   Research and share a databank of methodologies used in creating studio culture policies, as per NAAB Condition for Accreditation 3.5.
3. Award Successes
   Honor the success and diversity of studio cultures among degree-granting programs nationwide.
4. Track Studio Trends
   Survey architecture programs and collect studio culture policies to understand system-wide trends influencing studio culture.
5. Create Assessment Tools
   Define a system of assessment that represents performance indicators for studio.
6. Study Studio Settings
   Research and aid in developing models for "hybrid studios" which join physical and virtual studios.
7. Promote Citizenship
   Utilize the studio as the premier place to teach architecture students their ethical obligation to become active, engaged citizens.
8. Engage Communities
   Encourage and promote examples of studios and studio educators who engage communities in projects.
9. Expand Studio Model
   Promote and provide resources about the studio learning model for other academic settings including K-12, interdisciplinary studies and business.