i. institutional support and commitment to continuous improvement

School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Department of Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects
Master of Architecture
Master of Architecture with emphasis in Interior Architecture
Course Number & Title:
ARCH & INARC 5123 Matter and Structures 2 (4.5)
Course Description:
This seminar introduces building materials and their
applications. The structures component of the
course addresses topics related to the strength of
materials.
Course Goals & Objectives:
1) Design practice: an understanding of the role
that materials play in design decisions developed
through a series of case studies of historic and
contemporary buildings.
2) Building science skills: develop the ability to
communicate basic material performance in
technical drawings, through plans, sections, wall
sections and details.
3) Building science knowledge: an introduction
to the performance of building materials in the
broadest sense, including design performance,
technical performance, embodied energy and life-
cycle performance.
4) Structures knowledge: Delivers an understand-
ing of structural concepts such as the distribution
of concentrated and uniform loads, vertical loads
and the resistance of lateral loads.
Student Performance Criterion:
1) Best exemplifies the following criteria:
a) B.12. Building Materials and Assemblies
(understanding)
2) Additional Criteria
a) A.4. Technical documentation (ability)
b) A.7. Use of Precedent (ability)
c) B.9. Structural systems (understanding)
d) B.10. Building materials (understanding)
e) C.1. Collaboration (ability)
Topical Outline:
1) Design practice: After a series of brief investiga-
tions and two case studies, students articulate the
rationale for material choices for a series of historic
and contemporary buildings in short, written
analysis and descriptions, achieving a professional
level of accomplishment; 10% of the course.
2) Building science skills: Through documentation
and case studies of historic and contemporary
buildings, students learn to read and produce
basic technical drawings, including plans, sections
and details; 25% of the course.
Architecture Program Report | 170
3) Building science knowledge: through readings
and lectures, students develop an understanding
of the range and application of building materials,
and demonstrate their understanding through a
series of quizzes and an exam, achieving a grade
of at least 80%; 30% of the course.
4) Structures skills: Delivers an ability to identify
the distribution of loads though a structure of
columns, beams, and shear walls, to determine the
safe member sizes for columns and retaining walls,
including eccentric loads and overturning mo-
ments. Topics include including lateral loads due to
wind and earthquakes, moment connections, shear
walls, and appropriate systems design with good
practice rules of thumb for a variety of related
loading situations. 35% of the course.
Prerequisites:
All required first semester courses.
Textbooks/Learning Resources:
Various sources including:
• Materials for Design, by Victoria Bell
• The Idea of Lasting, by Rafael Moneo from
A Conversation with Rafael Moneo in
Perspecta
• Thermal Bath at Vals, by Peter Zumthor
Offered (semester and year):
• Semester: SPRING
• Year: ONE
Faculty assigned:
• 2009-2010 academic year:
Grimes, Ellen (F/T), Dean, Paul (P/T),
Koenigs, Mark (P/T), Rehmanjee, Yasmin
(P/T)
• 2010-2011 academic year:
Sullivan, Anne (F/T), Sosin, Nate (P/T),
Dean, Paul (P/T), Rehmanjee, Yasmin (P/T)