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Architecture Masters Theses Collection

Theses from 2023 2023.

Music As a Tool For Ecstatic Space Design , Pranav Amin, Architecture

Creating Dormitories with a Sense of Home , Johnathon A. Brousseau, Architecture

The Tectonic Evaluation And Design Implementation of 3D Printing Technology in Architecture , Robert Buttrick, Architecture

Designing for the Unhoused: Finding Innovative and Transformative Solutions to Housing , Hannah C. Campbell, Architecture

Investigating Design-Functional Dimension Of Affordable Housing With Prefabrication On Dense Suburbs Of Chelsea, MA , Siddharth Jagadishbhai Dabhia, Architecture

Architecture of Extraction: Imagining New Modes of Inhabitation and Reclamation in the Mining Lifecyle , Erica DeWitt, Architecture

Utopian Thought and Architectural Design , Anthony L. Faith, Architecture

Building Hygge In-Roads into Incremental Living , Tanisha Kalra, Architecture

NATURE INSPIRED ARCHITECTURE , Salabat Khan, Architecture

Sustainable Architecture in Athletics: Using Mass Timber in an Old-Fashioned Field , Zach C. Lefever, Architecture

Off-grid Living for the Normative Society: Shifting Perception and Perspectives by Design , Patsun Lillie, Architecture

The Evolution of Chinese Supermarkets in North America: An Alternative Approach to Chinese Supermarket Design , Ruoxin Lin, Architecture

Refreshing Refinery: An Analysis of Victorian Architecture and How to Translate its Elements for Contemporary Architecture , Richard J. Marcil, Architecture

After Iconoclasm: Reassessing Monumental Practices and Redesigning Public Memorials in Twenty-First-Century Massachusetts , Lincoln T. Nemetz-Carlson, Architecture

Earthen Materials In Organic Forms: An Ecological Solution to the Urban Biosphere? , Rutuja Patil, Architecture

Adaptive (Re)purpose of Industrial Heritage Buildings in Massachusetts A Modular Strategy for Building a Community , Riya D. Premani, Architecture

Community Design: A Health Center Serving the Greater Boston Population , Brandon E. Rosario, Architecture

The Food Hub as a Social Infrastructure Framework: Restitching Communities in Boston After the Pandemic , Connor J. Tiches, Architecture

Theses from 2022 2022

Equitable Housing Generation Through Cellular Automata , Molly R. Clark, Architecture

Beneficial Invasive: A Rhizomatic Approach to Utilizing Local Bamboo for COVID Responsive Educational Spaces , Megan Futscher, Architecture

Architectural Activism Through Hip-Hop , Micaela Goodrich, Architecture

Addressing Trauma Through Architecture: Cultivating Well-being For Youth Who Have Experienced Trauma , Megan Itzkowitz, Architecture

Buildings Integrated into Landscape & Making People Care for Them: Exploring Integrated Land-Building Ecosystems and the Lifestyles Needed to Support It , Sara Mallio, Architecture

Reimagining Black Architecture , Esosa Osayamen, Architecture

Prefabricated Homes: Delivery At Your Doorsteps , Obed K. Otabil, Architecture

Memory and Resistance , Cami Quinteros, Architecture

Mycelium: The Building Blocks of Nature and the Nature of Architecture , Carly Regalado, Architecture

IN-BETWEEN SPACES: ATMOSPHERES, MOVEMENT AND NEW NARRATIVES FOR THE CITY , Paul Alexander Stoicheff, Architecture

Theses from 2021 2021

Creating New Cultural Hubs in American Cities: The Syrian Diaspora of Worcester, Massachusetts , Aleesa Asfoura, Architecture

Firesafe: Designing for Fire-Resilient Communities in the American West , Brenden Baitch, Architecture

The Beige Conundrum , Alma Crawford-Mendoza, Architecture

Cultivating Food Justice: Exploring Public Interest Design Process through a Food Security & Sustainability Hub , Madison J. DeHaven, Architecture

Physical to Virtual: A Model for Future Virtual Classroom Environments , Stephen J. Fink, Architecture

Detroit: Revitalizing Urban Communities , David N. Fite, Architecture

The Homestead Helper Handbook , Courtney A. Jurzynski, Architecture

An Architecture of a New Story , Nathan Y. Lumen, Architecture

Border Town: Preserving a 'Living' Cultural Landscape in Harlingen, Texas , Shelby Parrish, Architecture

Housing for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Creating an Integrated Living Community in Salem, MA , Tara Pearce, Architecture

From Sanctuary to Home in the Post-Interstate City , Morgan B. Sawyer, Architecture

Exploring the Use of Grid-Scale Compressed Air Energy Storage in the Urban Landscape , Connor S. Slover, Architecture

Bridging the Gaps in Public Conversation by Fostering Spaces of Activism , Karitikeya Sonker, Architecture

Re-envisioning the American Dream , Elain Tang, Architecture

Tall Timber in Denver: An Exploration of New Forms in Large Scale Timber Architecture , Andrew P. Weuling, Architecture

Theses from 2020 2020

Urban Inter-Space: Convergence of Human Interaction and Form , Clayton Beaudoin, Architecture

The Hues of Hadley Massachusetts: Pioneering Places for Preservation and Growth , Elisha M. Bettencourt, Architecture

Reinvigorating Englewood, Chicago Through New Public Spaces and Mixed-Income Housing , Givan Carrero, Architecture

Architectural Agency Through Real Estate Development , Hitali Gondaliya, Architecture

Multimodal Transit and a New Civic Architecture , Samuel Bruce Hill, Architecture

Rethinking The Suburban Center , Andrew Jones, Architecture

Resilient Urbanism: Bridging Natural Elements & Sustainable Structures in a Post-Industrial Urban Environment , Nicholas McGee, Architecture

Adaptive Airport Architecture , Yash Mehta, Architecture

Rethinking School Design to Promote Safety and Positivity , Emily Moreau, Architecture

The Built Environment and Well-Being: Designing for Well-Being in Post-Industrial Communities During the Age of Urbanization , Tyler O'Neil, Architecture

Brutalism and the Public University: Integrating Conservation into Comprehensive Campus Planning , Shelby Schrank, Architecture

Spatial Design for Behavioral Education , Madeline Szczypinski, Architecture

Theses from 2019 2019

THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY: FOR REFUGEES , Raghad Alrashidi, Architecture

From Archaic To contemporary : Energy Efficient Adaptive Reuse of Historic Building , Nisha Borgohain, Architecture

(RE)Developing Place: The Power of Narrative , Kinsey Diomedi, Architecture

Rethinking Ambulatory Care Delivery , Senada Dushaj, Architecture

Photosynthesizing the Workplace: A Study in Healthy and Holistic Production Spaces , Kaeli Howard, Architecture

Museum Design As A Tool For A City , Cunbei Jiang, Architecture

Architecture and Wilderness: An Exchange of Order , Ashley Lepre, Architecture

Cross-Species Architecture: Developing an Architecture for Rehabilitative Learning Through the Human-Canine Relationship , Jake Porter, Architecture

Intermodal Transit Terminal: Integrating the Future of Transit into the Urban Fabric , Guy Vigneau, Architecture

Theses from 2018 2018

Bangladeshi Cultural Center: for the Bangladeshi Population Living in New York City , Sabrina Afrin, Architecture

THE ENHANCEMENT OF LEARNING THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCCESS: RENOVATING THE FORT RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN AMHERST, MA , Reyhaneh Bassamtabar, Architecture

LEARNING SPACES: DISCOVERING THE SPACES FOR THE FUTURE OF LEARNING , Michael Choudhary, Architecture

ARCHITECTURAL SYNERGY: A FACILITY FOR LIFELONG LEARNING IN ACADEMIA AND PRACTICE , Ryan Rendano, Architecture

Resilient Architecture: Adaptive Community Living in Coastal Locations , Erica Shannon, Architecture

Theses from 2017 2017

New York City 2050: Climate Change and Future of New York | Design for Resilience , Abhinav Bhargava, Architecture

The Performance of Light: Exploring the Impact of Natural Lighting in the New UMass School of Performance , Dylan Brown, Architecture

Regional Expression In The Renovation Of Remote Historic Villages , Jie chen, Architecture

An Incremental Intervention In Jakarta: An Empowering Infrastructural Approach For Upgrading Informal Settlements , Christopher H. Counihan, Architecture

UMASS Dining Hall. A Path to Resiliency , Lukasz Czarniecki, Architecture

LIVING CORE OF THE FUTURE: PROPOSING NEW APPROACH FOR THE FUTURE OF RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX IN METROPOLITAN AREAS , Mahsa G. Zadeh, Architecture

HUMANITY IN A CHILDREN’S CANCER HOSPITAL , Sara Jandaghi Jafari, Architecture

Designing Symbiosis for the New Church Community , Evan Janes, Architecture

A Visible History: A Synthesis of Past, Present and Future Through the Evocation of Memory Within Historic Contexts , Nicholas Jeffway, Architecture

Creating A Community A New Ecological, Economical, and Social Path to Uniting a Community , Andrew Stadnicki, Architecture

Z-Cube: Mobile Living for Feminist Nomads , Zi Ye, Architecture

Theses from 2016 2016

Music and Architecture: An Interpresence , Rachel J. Beesen, Architecture

Intervening in the Lives of Internally Displaced People in Colombia , Amy L. Carbone, Architecture

Designing Waste Creating Space: A Critical Examination Into Waste Reduction Through Building Techniques, Architectural Design, and Systems , Courtney M. Carrier, Architecture

Umass September 11 Intervention , Mohamad Farzinmoghadam, Architecture

Merging Social Science and Neuroscience in Architecture: Creating a Framework to Functionally Re-integrate Ex-Convicts , Kylie A. Landrey, Architecture

From Shelters to Long Living Communities , Yakun Liang, Architecture

Building Hope: A Community + Water Initiative, La Villa de San Francisco, Honduras , Christopher D. Mansfield, Architecture

THE SPATIALITY IN STORYTELLING , Xiang Yu, Architecture

Innovation of the Residential Buildings and Community in the Emerging City Rongcheng , Xing Yu, Architecture

Art and Life - Make invisible visible in Cao changdi village, Beijing, China , peng zhang, Architecture

Theses from 2015 2015

The Dialogue of Craft and Architecture , Thomas J. Forker, Architecture

MOSQUE IN THE VALLEY: A SPACE FOR SPIRITUAL GATHERING & CULTURAL LEARNING , Nabila Iqbal, Architecture

EXPLORATION OF CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN URBAN PLAZA AND MIXED USE BUILDINGS , Youngduk Kim, Architecture

Design Of A Housing For Urban Artisan-Living Work , Fahim Mahmud, Architecture

Membranes and Matrices: Architecture as an Interface , Nayef Mudawar, Architecture

Building for the Future: Revitalization through Architecture , Rebecca N. Perry, Architecture

Developing Maker Economies in Post-Industrial Cities: Applying Commons Based Peer Production to Mycelium Biomaterials , Grant R. Rocco, Architecture

Design of Children's Event and Cutural Center in Osu, Accra, Ghana , Rudi Somuah, Architecture

Sustainable Design of Student Centers Retrofitting and Adaptive Reuse of UMass Student Union , Tianye Song, Architecture

Design/Build in Architectural Education: studying community-focused curriculum , Matthew K. Sutter, Architecture

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Master of architecture (march) thesis, fall term 2023 theses deadlines (february 2024 degree candidates).

MArch students are required to register for 24 units of thesis (4.THG) the final term. The thesis proposal, including a thesis proposal form signed by all the thesis committee members, is due the first week of the term in which the student registers for thesis.

Friday, February 10, 2023: Registration Day (Penultimate Term)

• Petition must include approved pdf of dual degree coursework plan and indication of co-thesis advisor in secondary department (some dual degrees require additional paperwork)

Tuesday, September 4, 2023: Registration Date

• Deadline to Submit Thesis Committee Members: Email [email protected] with names and email addresses of Thesis Committee members
• You and your committee will then be sent a DocuSign version of the Thesis Proposal Form to fill in and collect esignatures
• Each DocuSign form must be generated separately and cannot be created until all email addresses are collected

Friday, September 8, 2023

• Registration: 4.THG, 24 units
• Degree list: Put yourself on the February degree list by applying for a degree
• All signatures must be on a single form (this includes a working thesis title and signatures; it does not include an abstract)
• Joint Thesis writers must also submit an OGE General Petition to [email protected] , including a statement of contribution from each writer (see Joint Thesis for details)

September 11–15, 2023: Proposal Review (scheduled in conjunction with Thesis Coordinator )

Wednesday, september 27, 2023: 10–11am.

• STOA equipment reservation system
• MIT AV pricing
• Scaled version of Media Lab 6th floor

October 2–6, 2023 ( exact date TBD ): Critic Requests due to Thesis Coordinator

Friday, october 6, 2023 – add date, week 7 of term: international students only.

• Earliest date to begin OPT authorization process
• It is important to plan ahead as processing times for F-1 Post-Completion OPT, by application with USCIS, can take on average 90 days for USCIS to process.  J-1 Academic Training requires that a student secure a training position/job that begins within 30 days of degree completion in order to apply for AT authorization.

October 25 AND 26, 2023: Midterm Reviews, 9am–noon in Long Lounge and adjacent dome spaces

• With invited internal critics
• 10/12/23 update note: Previously, these were listed as October 16–20, 2023, in line with the Graduate Handbook; however, the Architecture's Committee on Graduate Programs (COGS) ratified a widening of the Midterm Review window on 10/4/2023. This change shall be updated in the Graduate Handbook as soon as possible.

Monday, October 23, 2023, 12–1pm in Long Lounge

• Lunch & Learn: Library Resources and THESIS BOOK SPOTLIGHT please   RSVP HERE

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

• Lord Jim visits MArch Thesis

Friday, November 3, 2023: Thesis need requests due to this GoogleForm

• 3 iPads without tripods (STOA)
• 4: 65”, 2: 70”, 2: 55”, 1: 47” from studios (7-434 65” * 2 70” 55” 47”  7-403 65”  3-415 70” 55”  10-485 65”)
• TV Wall in Silverman Room (Media Lab)
• 1 Projector in Lecture Hall (Media Lab)
• 4 projectors in the Multi-Purpose Room (2 each on 2 walls adjacent to each other) (Media Lab)
• Banquet tables ( Media Lab )
• Notes on space:  We are unable to pinup anywhere except on the pinup boards specifically rented for the event and nothing may be placed on the glass floor in the Winter Garden: Media Lab Space Restrictions . We work to accommodate accessibility principles (no less than 36” between doorways or around presentations to allow for access, etc.): ADA compliance . Scaled version of Media Lab 6th floor
• There are 48 pinup panels and 42 lights, which can be attached to the top of individual panels

Week 10 of term: Website Materials due to cohort's Dropbox

• 1. A text document (Word, Pages, txt, or rtf), including Thesis Title (exact formatting), Name(s) as you would like it/them displayed on the thesis website (i.e. Jim or James), Committee (advisor and readers indicated), Thesis statement (200-500 words)
• 2. Media 5 - 10 images (JPEG or PNG), each file as compressed as possible, Thesis PNG ‘icon' or ‘logo' (i.e. a ‘cut out’ image without a background, maximum dimension 250px for main page), Audio recording (MP3) of you reading your thesis statement

November 6–10, 2023: Penultimate Review (scheduled in conjunction with Thesis Coordinator )

Wednesday, november 8, 2023.

• STOA visits MArch Thesis

Monday, November 27, 2023

• Submit digital information and images about your thesis for the Final Review Pamphlet via GoogleForm by 9am
• Review pamphlet proof due. This is for typos only: this will not be a time to switch images or content
• Final pamphlet link

Week 15 of term ( exact date TBD )

• Final website ( https://marchthesis.mit.edu/ ) submissions due via cohort's Dropbox
• Note video files are not compatible with the platform, so moving media is restricted to GIF-type files
• Please include any images, thesis statement, and roles/names of thesis advisor and readers

Friday, December 15, 2023

• Last date to change thesis title via WebSIS
• You must return to the online site of your application and add or make a change to your thesis title by this deadline. The title on your final thesis must be an exact match of the one you submit on your Application for Degree. If you add your title after this date, you will be charged a late fee.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023: late afternoon/evening

• The "All clear" to start bringing your materials over will probably be after 2pm (may be as late as 5pm!).
• MIT ID card will allow you to swipe your way through the main doors to E14 at any hour and use any E14 elevator card reader. There is a freight elevator by the loading dock at the rear of the 1 st floor.
• A representative sample only of Long Lounge model bases will be brought over by truck. These will be available on a first-come, first-served basis in E14 6 th floor. If you have some special requirement or need for a particular shape or size base, then contact Lord Jim well in advance.
• If you have a large, heavy model that would be best transported by truck, please contact Lord Jim well in advance. It must be ready for pickup on (date TBD), at 8:00am in one of the thesis studios.
• Anything that we transport will be returned by truck on (date TBD).
• PLEASE NOTE: OUR TRANSPORTATION OF YOUR MODEL IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE WILL NOT BE REPSONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE OR LOSS.  We will make every effort to move your work carefully, but these are movers, not art conservators.
• The E14-670 catering kitchen will be used as a storage area for your materials. Do not block the circulation path or the rear door of the freight elevator.

Thursday, December 21, 2023: Final Review & Load-Out

• With invited external critics
• From Lord Jim: ALL MATERIALS MUST BE REMOVED FROM E14 BY 8:00AM ON 12/22. We are under a lot of pressure to return these rooms promptly to a clean and empty condition.  YOUR COOPERATION IS EXPECTED AND APPRECIATED.
• Studio Clearout notes from Lord Jim: MArch thesis students to use the designated space in 5-414 for storage *** BUT only until the day of the thesis review Thursday, 21 December***.    All must be removed by 21 December.  I will be cleaning out the 5-414 studio for the end of the semester and anything left behind will be disposed of without exception.   Remember that the 11.360 class will have ended by then and you will also have one-half of the 7-403 thesis studio available to store your models after the E14 review.
• Lord Jim will post the updated assignment plan to the studio door.  PLEASE DO NOT place any thesis materials elsewhere in the 5-414 studio.

Friday, December 22, 2023:

• Please arrive 15 mins early to the space. Outside, you will find a table and brushes for dusting off your model.  Please clean and assemble your model (including the bottom) outside of the space before you enter the room.
• A single speck of dust on the camera lens can trigger the sensors and ruin not only your photos, but those of your colleagues.
• If you have any questions or concerns, please email [email protected] .

Thursday, January 4, 2024, 1pm

• Thesis Formatting Q&A via Zoom: https://mit.zoom.us/j/95737990306

Friday, January 5, 2024: 9am deadline to submit theses to the Department Thesis Submission Portal

• Note: Your final thesis book must be reviewed and approved by thesis advisor(s) via eSignature pdf before submission to the Department Thesis Submission Portal.
• This is for the purpose of making certain the document is in compliance with MIT archive requirements. You will be contacted quickly if adjustments are needed. Please do not email separately.
• Dual degree candidates must abide by their home department's deadlines and protocols (for example, Architecture cannot accept digital copies of the thesis with signatures).

Friday, January 19, 2024

• All theses must be cleared by each department (multiple departments for dual degrees) and submitted to the Institute.
• If a thesis is not approved by both thesis advisor and the Department this point, the student may be pulled from the February degree list.

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

• Degree award date.

Last week of May 2024

• Wednesday, May 29, 3–5pm – Architecture Department's End of Year Celebration / Awards Ceremony on Walker Lawn
• Spring 2024 Thesis students' degree award date
• 11am–12:30pm, SA+P Advanced Degree Ceremony in Kresge Auditorium
• 3–4:30pm, OneMIT Ceremony on Killian Court for all graduates
• More details, as they become available, will be posted on https://commencement.mit.edu/

Formatting, Specifications & Thesis Submission

Spring term 2024 theses deadlines (may 2024 degree candidates), friday, september 8, 2023: registration day (penultimate term).

• Attachments must include dual degree coursework plan and indication of co-thesis advisor in secondary department (some dual degrees require additional paperwork)

Wednesday, November 22, 2023: Drop Date (Penultimate Term)

Friday, december 15, 2023: end of reading period (penultimate term).

• All signatures must be on a single form
• Joint Thesis writers must also submit an OGE General Petition to [email protected] , including a statement of contribution from each writer (see Joint Thesis )

Thursday, December 1, 2023 – Monday, January 8, 2024

• PreRegistration: 4.THG, 24 units

Friday, February 9, 2024

• Registration deadline. Note: You will be unable to register until your completed Thesis Proposal Form has been received with all esignatures
• Degree list: Put yourself on the May degree list by applying for a degree
• Please note the Institute requires joint thesis writers to graduate on the same degree list (September, February, or June). So, if joint thesis writers decide to unjoin their thesis, each writer must submit a wholly separate thesis to the Institute.
• It is filled out by one student (but includes both students’ information), then is esigned by the thesis advisor(s) as “Academic Advisor,” then comes to Kateri as “Graduate Administrator,” and it includes a pdf attachment with a 1- or 2-page proposal (see https://archthesis.mit.edu/joint for guidelines).

Monday, February 12–Friday, February 16, 2024

• Proposal Reviews (scheduled by each student with thesis committee)
• Week 2 of term: International Students Only
• Earliest date to begin OPT authorization process: It is important to plan ahead as processing times for F-1 Post-Completion OPT, by application with USCIS, can take on average 90 days for USCIS to process.  J-1 Academic Training requires that a student secure a training position/job that begins within 30 days of degree completion in order to apply for AT authorization.

Friday, March 8, 2024: Add Date

Monday, march 18–friday, april 5: mid reviews (scheduled by each student with thesis committee), spring break: monday, march 26–friday, march 29, 2024.

• GoogleForm for May Review requests open (remaining open until 4/12)
• May Review Schedule Draft emailed

Friday, April 12, 2024

• You must return to the online site of your application and add or make a change to your thesis title by this deadline. The title on your final thesis must be an exact match of the one you submit on your Application for Degree. If you add your title after this date, you will be charged a late fee

Monday, April 15–Friday, April 19: Penultimate Reviews (scheduled by each student and committee)

Monday, april 22–friday, april 26, 2024.

• Tuesday, April 23: Drop Date
• Tuesday, April 23: Submit digital information and images about your thesis for the Final Review Pamphlet via Dropbox by 9am: Dropbox link (please reach out to Joél Carela for access issues)

Monday, April 29, 2024–Friday, May 3, 2024

• Review pamphlet proof 5/2–5/3 (due 5pm 5/3). This for typos only: this will not be a time to switch images or content.
• ( choose "Single Sign On" and log in with your MIT email address )
• Note: Your final thesis book must be reviewed and approved by thesis advisor(s) before submission to the department portal
• If you are having difficulty when logged into Office 365 or Sharepoint under a different log in, try clearing your cache on your browser so that you can log in to the form with your MIT Kerberos account
• This is for the purpose of making certain the document is in compliance with MIT archive requirements. You will be contacted quickly via the portal if adjustments are needed. Please do not email separately
• Dual degree candidates must abide by their home department's deadlines and protocols (for example, Architecture cannot accept digital copies of the thesis with signatures)

Friday, May 10, 2024

• If a thesis is not approved by this point, the student may be pulled from the May degree list.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024: Final Reviews

Friday, may 24, 2024: studio cleanup deadline.

• Wednesday, May 29, 4–6pm – Architecture Department's End of Year Celebration / Awards Ceremony on Walker Lawn

Approved summer extension

• Monday, June 3, 2024: Summer registration for 4.THG
• Around Friday, August 1, 2024: 9am department thesis deadline via the Department Thesis Submission Tool
• Around Friday, August 9, 2024: All theses must be cleared by each department (multiple departments for dual degrees) and submitted to the Institute. If a thesis is not approved by this point, the student may be pulled from the September degree list.
• Around Wednesday, 9/18, 2024: Degree award date

MArch Thesis Contacts

• MArch degree administrator: Kateri Bertin
• MArch thesis coordinator (Fall only): Rosalyne Shieh
• MArch thesis submission: Kateri Bertin and Tonya Miller
• MArch presentation booklet coordination: Joél Carela

DigitalCommons@RISD

Home > Architecture > Architecture Masters Theses

Architecture Masters Theses

RISD’s Master of Architecture program is one of the few in the US embedded in a college of art and design. Here, architecture is taught in a way that understands the practice of design and making as a thoughtful, reflective process that both engenders and draws from social, political, material, technological and cultural agendas. The program aims to empower students to exercise their creativity by understanding their role as cultural creators and equipping them to succeed in the client-based practice of architecture.

The degree project represents the culmination of each student’s interests relative to the curriculum. A seminar in the fall of the final year helps focus these interests into a plan of action. Working in small groups of five or six under the guidance of a single professor, students pursue individual projects throughout Wintersession and spring semester. Degree projects are expected to embody the architectural values that best characterize their authors as architects and are critiqued based on the success of translating these values into tangible objects.

Graduate Program Director: Hansy Better Barraza

These works are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License .

Theses from 2023 2023

Ghost Hotel , George Acosta

Cohabitation x Adaptation, 2100: A Climate Change Epoch , Kyle Andrews

Reintroducing Hemp (rongony) in the Material Palette of Madagascar: A study on the potential of Hemp Clay components and its impact on social and ecological communities. , Henintsoa Thierry Andrianambinina

Norteada- En Busca De un Nuevo Norte. Cocoon Portals and the Negotiation of Space. , Kimberly Ayala Najera

Decolonial Perspective on Fashion and Sustainability , Haisum Basharat

Psychochoreography , Nora Bayer

Whale Fall·Building Fall , Jiayi Cai

Means and Methods: Pedagogy and Proto-Architecture , Daniel Choconta

The Miacomet Movement , Charles Duce

Unpacked: Consumer Culture in Suburban Spaces , Jaime Dunlap

you're making me sentimental , Chris Geng

Myths, Legends, and Landscapes , Oromia Jula

Old and New: Intervention in Space and Material , Yoonji Kang

Urban Succession: an ecocentric urbanism , Anthony Kershaw

An Architect's Toolkit for Color Theory , ella knight

WAST3D POTENTIAL , Andrew Larsen

Sustainable Seismic Architecture: Exploring the Synergy of Mortise-and-Tenon Joinery and Modern Timber Construction for Reducing Embodied Carbon , Cong Li

Recipes for Building Relationships , Adriana Lintz

Water Relations, Understanding Our Relationship to Water: Through Research, Diagrams, and Glass , Tian Li

Exploring Permanent Temporariness: A Look into the Palestinian Experience through Refugee Camps , Tamara Malhas

A Study of Dwelling , Julia McArthur

Appropriate that Bridge: Appropriation as a way of Intervention , Haochen Meng

Toronto Rewilded , Forrest Meyer

Confronting and Caring for Spaces of Service , Tia Miller

Reorientation , Soleil Nguyen

The De-centering of Architecture , Uthman Olowa

[De]Composition: Grounding Architecture , Skylar Perez

Soft City: Reclaiming Urban Public Spaces for Play , Jennifer Pham

We Have a (Home) - Co-operative Homes for Sunset Park , Lisa Qiu

The Incremental Ecosystem: Hybridizing Self-Built + Conventional Processes as a Solution to Urban Expansion , Shayne Serrano

Liberdade para quem? - Layered Histories , Vanessa Shimada

Tracing as Process , Lesley Su

The Design of Consequences , Yuqi Tang

On the Edge of the "Er-Ocean" State , Mariesa Travers

Beyond the White Box: Building Alternative Art Spaces for the Black Community , Elijah Trice

Translational Placemaking: The Diasporic Archive , Alia Varawalla

Unearthing Complexity: Tangible Histories of Water and Earth , Alexis Violet

Ritual as Design Gesture: Reimagining the Spring Festival in Downtown Providence , wenjie wang

Spatial Reveries , Alexander Wenstrup

Public-ish , Aliah Werth

Phantom Spaces , Craytonia Williams II

Navigating Contextualism: An architectural and urban design study at the intersection of climate, culture, urban development, and globalization Case Study of Dire Dawa , Ruth Wondimu

Green Paths - On the Space In-Between Buildings , Hongru Zhang

Blowing Away , Ziyi Zhao

Uncovering Emotional Contamination: Five Sites of Trauma , Abigail Zola

Theses from 2022 2022

Revisionist Zinealog : a coacted countercultural device , Madaleine Ackerman

Reengineer value , Maxwell Altman

Space in sound , Gidiony Rocha Alves

Anybody home? Figural studies in architectural representation , David Auerbach

An atlas of speculating flooded futures ; water keeps rising , Victoria Barlay

Notes on institutional architecture ; towards and understanding of erasure and conversation , Liam Burke

For a moment, I was lost ; a visual reflection on the process of grief and mortality within the home , Adam Chiang-Harris

Remnants , Sarah Chriss

A thesis on the entanglement of art and design , Racquel Clarke

Community conservation & engagement through the architecture of public transportation , Liam Costello

Sacred pleasures : a patronage festival of the erotic and play , David Dávila

Caregivers as worldbuilders , Caitlin Dippo

Youkoso Tokyo : Guidebook to a new cybercity , Evelyn Ehgotz

Home: a landscape of narratives ; spaces through story telling , Tania S. Estrada

A digital surreal , Michael Garel-Martorana

Moving through time , Anca Gherghiceanu

Rising to the occasion : a resiliency strategy for Brickell, Miami , Stephanie Gottlieb

Food for an island : on the relationships between agriculture, architecture and land , Melinda Groenewegen

Towards a new immersion , Kaijie Huang

Astoria houses: a resilient community , James Juscik

Healing the Black Butterfly: reparation through resources , Danasha Kelly

Immortal/ ephemeral/ versatile , Zhenhong (Brad) Lei

Objects in transformation , Caroline Coxe Lippincott

System as a living organism , Xinyi Liu

Unnoticeable city corners , Yuchen Liu

Immaterial realities , Tyler Lovejoy

Houston, TX Walkable Circuit interventions to aid Houston’s safe/accessible walk-ability , Isabel Manahl

Reference: a field guide for new practices , Eric Mason

With water , KT McLeod

Scaffolding: medium, mediator, mediated , Mono Yingyi Mo

Solar panels , Marco Nuno Mourão

Post-standardization , Hengrong Stanley Ni

Domestic disturbance: cleaning, labor and maintenance of architecture , Valeria Portillo

Cycle of care: a study based on home-care elderly living in Beijing, China , Wenyue Remi Qiu

[daymeh] a postmemory database , Natalie Rizk

The value in intentional impermanence , Dominique Tsironis

Salt infrastructures & geographies , Jordan Voogt

Framing: embracing trauma in your "surrounding world" , Zheng Xu

Flexing boundaries : tectonic strategies for the multi-generational home , Elise Young

Unseen body, unheard voice , Chunxin Yu

Together: a transformational sequence of healing , Deborah Zhuang

Reclaiming memory through soft spaces , Wendy Zhuo

Space of ambience : learning the relationship between environment, emotion, and behavior , Xueyun Zou

Theses from 2021 2021

Responsive markets: structures supporting economic activity in postcolonial Mumbai , Bilal Ismail Ahmed

Whores, sluts, and bitches; the perceived limits of sexualisation and the affects on space , Chloe Jenny Bennie

Black exposure: a new typology , Teisha Bradley

Imprints of home , Sara Burashed

Architecture of aging care: a field through architectural innovation , Eve Huining Guo

Preserving modern architecture & new railway infrastructure in New Delhi , Yash Sahai Gupta

Manahatta , Nicholas Hinckfuss

A house on a street: a proposal for the multi-generational house in America , Ian Johnson Kienbaum

Play & protest , James Kloote

Breaking the mold: a journey of the brick , Sumanth Krishna

Balance the conversations , Karen Kuo

Community Healthcare Clinic - adaptation system to the pandemic and post pandemic periods , Nhu Le

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Architecture Research @ Yale: Dissertations & Theses

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WHAT EXPERT RESEARCHERS KNOW

A thesis is typically the culminating project for a master's degree, while a dissertation completes a doctoral degree and represents a scholar's main area of expertise. However, some undergraduate students write theses that are published online, so it is important to note which degree requirements the thesis meets. While these are not published works like peer-reviewed journal articles, they are typically subjected to a rigorous committee review process before they are considered complete. Additionally, they often provide a large number of citations that can point you to relevant sources. 

Find Dissertations & Theses at Yale

Dissertations & Theses @ Yale University A searchable databases with dissertations and theses in all disciplines written by students at Yale from 1861 to the present.

Yale University Architecture Theses   Included in  Art, architecture, and art history theses and projects, Yale University (1915–2014)

Yale University Master of Fine Arts Theses in Graphic Design​ Finding aid for Arts Library Special Collections holdings of over 600 individual theses from 1951 to the present. The theses are most often in book format, though some have more experimental formats. Individual records for the theses are also available in the library catalog.

Yale University Master of Fine Arts Theses in Photography Finding aid for Arts Library Special Collections holdings of over 300 individual Master of Fine Arts theses from 1971 to the present. The theses are most often in the format of a portfolio of photographic prints, though some theses are also in book form. Individual records for the MFA theses are also available in the library catalog.

Find Dissertations & Theses Online

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PhD Building Technology

Phd computation, graduate programs.

Degree Requirements

See an overview of sa+p groups and chart of all degree programs.

Details below for each graduate program’s degree requirements:

• PhD- Building Technology
• PhD- Computation
• PhD- History and Theory of Architecture; and the History and Theory of Art

See MArch program overview

March curriculum chart.

Those who are admitted to MArch require 3½ academic years of residency to fulfill the degree requirements.

Faculty Advising

A faculty advisor with a design background will be assigned to each MArch student before the first term of registration. The advisor will monitor the student’s progress through completion of the degree. 

Subjects and Credit Units

The MArch is awarded upon satisfactory completion of an approved program of 282 graduate units and an acceptable 24-unit thesis for 306 total graduate credits.

Subjects required for the 3½-year program include the following:

• Six architectural design studios (3 core studios and 3 research studios)
• Geometric Disciplines and Architectural Skills I (4.105)
• One Computation restricted elective (4.117, 4.511, 4.521, or 4.567) 
• Three Building Technology subjects (4.464, 4.462, and 4.463)
• Architectural Assemblies (4.123)
• Precedents in Critical Practice (4.210)
• Professional Practice (4.222)
• Architecture from 1750 to the Present (4.645)
• One History, Theory and Criticism restricted elective (4.607, 4.612, 4.621, 4.647, 4.241, or 4.652)
• One History, Theory and Criticism elective
• One Computation/Media Lab elective (4.5xx or MAS.xxx)
• Urban Design elective (11.xxx)
• ACT elective (4.3xx)
• Three open elective subjects (or 24 total credits)
• Preparation for MArch Thesis (4.189)
• Graduate Design Thesis (4.ThG)

Credit for Previous Academic Work

MArch students who have successfully completed the equivalent of one or more required architecture subjects outside MIT (or within MIT as undergraduates) may be given advanced credit for those subjects by submitting a petition for curriculum adjustment with as much relevant material as possible (including a transcript, syllabi, reading lists, problem sets, paper assignments, or portfolios). Petitions are submitted to [email protected] before the first day of class each term and are then reviewed by the MArch Program Committee by the end of the first month of term. The Committee is composed of one faculty member from each of the discipline groups. Depending on the subject for which MIT credit is requested, students may substitute an elective in the discipline group or substitute a free elective. All requests must be resolved by the beginning of the student's penultimate semester. 

A single course at MIT must be specified for each petition (a Petition for Curriculum Adjustment cannot simply indicate “ACT Elective/4.3xx). However, a single petition may use several classes to map onto a single MIT course (i.e., Photography I and Fundamentals of Filmmaking at an undergraduate institution that together seem to cover what MIT's Introduction to Photography and Related Media course indicates).

Alternate Course Petitions

MArch students may submit a petition for an alternate course to be considered for required coursework (i.e., all non-Open Electives). Submit as much relevant material as possible (syllabi, reading lists, problem sets, paper assignments, or portfolios) to [email protected] before the first day of class each term. Please indicate the course title, number, credit units, and for which required course you are requesting the alternate course be substituted. These requests are then reviewed by the MArch Program Committee by the end of the first month of term. The Committee is composed of one faculty member from each of the discipline groups. All requests must be resolved by the beginning of the penultimate semester. *Note: Alternate Coursework Petitions asking for an Independent Study to count towards an elective will not be entertained.

Please note Restricted Electives (COMP: 4.117, 4.511, 4.521, or 4.567 and HTC: 4.241, 4.607, 4.612, 4.621, 4.647, or 4.652) may not be fulfilled by cross registration.

English Proficiency Requirement

An Institute-wide requirement, all students whose first language is not English are required to take the English Evaluation Test (EET) prior to registration at MIT. Even students who satisfy the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) requirement for admission may be required to take specialized subjects in the English Language Studies Program  (ELS), depending on their EET results. These subjects do not count toward the required units, but will prove helpful to students who need to develop the skills necessary to write a thesis.

Faculty advisors may not waive these requirements for their advisees, and students may not defer registration in any English grammar review subject. They should take the courses within their first term or year. The most common results from the EET for Architecture students are to take the following two courses, and they must be taken in sequence:

• To be completed in the first term, for a letter grade only.
• To be completed in the second term; may be taken as optional P/D/F grading, but not as Listener status.

However, MArch students are exempted from the Advanced Writing Workshop course, due to the nature of their research and thesis work, unless otherwise flagged by their instructors and MArch faculty. Failure to take these required courses will result in an internal registration hold being placed on your account. 

Jumpstart  

MIT Architecture's Jumpstart is designed to prepare incoming MArch students for the rigors of the first design studio and to develop basic skills. The course is intended for students with little architectural studio experience but is also open to others who would benefit from introductory exposure to unfamiliar software. Jumpstart is created for our MArch student community by our MArch student community. This experience is taught through exercises that have been handed down from year to year and taught by our esteemed teaching fellows (recent graduates).

Policy on Incomplete Subjects and Thesis Semester

MArch students may have no more than one incomplete in a required subject when they register for thesis (4.THG). This incomplete can be no older than one term (received the term prior to thesis registration).

Students who have incompletes from several subjects or incompletes from earlier terms will be denied registration until those subjects are finished and graded. This policy applies to incompletes in subjects required by the degree curriculum or necessary for units toward the degree. 

Academic Audits

A chart indicating progress through the academic requirements will be maintained as part of each student’s file. The administrator of master’s degree programs will distribute this audit to students and to faculty advisors each term.

Thesis Preparation and Thesis

An MArch thesis at MIT operates as an independent thesis project, interrogating the discipline of architecture. The thesis is developed by the student and is supported by a committee of readers and an advisor. In the next-to-last term of registration (the semester prior to thesis), students enroll in Preparation for MArch Thesis (4.189). This course guides students towards declaring a thesis statement as well as forming the thesis committee. The result of this 9-unit subject is a thesis proposal.

The MArch thesis committee is composed of two members. The thesis advisor must be an eligible faculty member* of the Department of Architecture faculty with an architecture design background. Co-thesis supervision is permitted for dual degree students as long as one of the supervisors is a permanent member of the Department of Architecture faculty with an architecture design background. Download the Thesis Committee Guidelines here .

*A list of eligible faculty is available from the degree administrator.

MArch students are required to register for 24 units of thesis (4.THG) the final term. 

The thesis proposal, including a thesis proposal form signed by both thesis committee members, is due the first week of the term in which the student registers for thesis.

The MArch Thesis Review Schedule includes deadlines for proposal review, public mid-review, penultimate review, final review, and final thesis document.

The MArch degree is awarded after all the degree requirements have been met and the approved, archival-ready thesis has been submitted to the Department of Architecture by the Institute deadline for master’s theses as published in the MIT Academic Calendar . Students must adhere to the Specifications for Thesis Preparation published by the Institute Archives.

SMArchS degree requirement chart

The SMArchS degree may be pursued in one of six areas:

Architectural Design Urbanism Building Technology Design and Computation History Theory + Criticism Aga Khan Program in Islamic Architecture

With one of these areas as an intellectual home, students are encouraged to explore connections in their research across these areas, and beyond to other programs and departments throughout MIT. See the SMArchS degree requirement chart for information on the degree requirements for each of the six areas.

The minimum required residency for students enrolled in the SMArchS program is two full academic years, to be completed in four consecutive semesters of enrollment.

A faculty advisor from the Department of Architecture is assigned to each SMArchS student at matriculation. The advisor weighs in on the student's initial plan of study and on each subsequent term's choice of subjects. This individual should be a faculty member with whom the student is in close contact. The advisor monitors the student's progress through completion of the degree.

The SMArchS degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of an approved program of at least 96 graduate units and an acceptable thesis. 

Students, with their advisors, construct individual programs of study focused on their particular interests. Individual areas have slightly different requirements. See below for more information. 

English Proficiency Requirement 

All students whose first language is not English are required to take the  English Evaluation Test (EET)  prior to registration at MIT. Even students who satisfy the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) requirement for admission may be required to take specialized subjects in  the English Language Studies Program (ELS), depending on their EET results. These subjects do not count toward the required units but will prove helpful to students who need to develop the skills necessary to write a thesis.

Faculty advisors may not waive these requirements for their advisees, and students may not defer registration in any English grammar review subject. Students should take the courses within their first term or year. The most common result for Architecture students are to take either the following two courses or only the secondary course. When both are recommended, they must be taken in sequence:

• To be completed in the first term, for a letter grade only.
• To be completed in the second term; may be taken as optional P/D/F grading, but not as Listener status.

SMArchS students may have no more than one incomplete in a required subject when they register for thesis (4.THG). This incomplete can be no older than one term (received the term prior to thesis registration).

Students who have unresolved grades (incomplete, missing, or O/X) from several subjects or unresolved grades from earlier terms will be denied registration until those subjects are finished and graded. This  policy  applies to incompletes in subjects required by the degree curriculum or needed for units toward the degree as well as all O/X grades. 

SMArchS Thesis Preparation and Thesis Schedule

Thesis preparation.

Students enroll in Preparation for SMArchS Thesis (4.288) their third term of registration.

By Week 7, students finalize selecting a thesis advisor. The result of this 9-unit subject is a well-formulated thesis proposal and a department-scheduled presentation of the thesis proposal at the end of the term. By Week 14, students must submit an e/signed copy of the thesis proposal form and thesis proposal to the degree administrator for master's programs. Once the SMArchS Committee has approved the thesis proposals in consultation with the thesis advisor, students are permitted to register for thesis the following semester. Any student who is not able to produce an acceptable thesis proposal by the end of their penultimate term will be given until the end of IAP to produce a thesis proposal. If the proposal is still not acceptable, the student will be required to retake Preparation for SMArchS Thesis (4.288) their fourth term of registration.

The SMArchS thesis committee is composed of at least two and no more than three members. The thesis advisor must be permanent member of the Department of Architecture faculty. The first reader must be a permanent faculty member of the Department of Architecture or a related department at MIT. The optional third member (second reader) may be any member of the MIT faculty or research staff, an outside professional, or a faculty member from another institution.

Co-thesis supervision is permitted as long as one of the advisors in a permanent member of the Department of Architecture faculty.

SMArchS students who have an approved thesis proposal are required to register for 36 units of thesis (4.THG) in their fourth and final term.

During Week 7 (before Spring Vacation), each discipline area will schedule the thesis review for its students. At the review, students will submit a draft or prototype or complete conceptual design of the thesis to their thesis committee, and reviewers from across the discipline areas will attend the reviews. If a student's progress is not satisfactory, the student will not be permitted to present at the final review.

During Week 11, SMArchS students will submit one copy of the thesis book to their thesis committees and meet with their thesis committees to formally defend the thesis.

NOTE: The Week 11 defense is a penultimate review. Presenting at the Final Review is seen as a privilege, not a right. Faculty is under no compunction to pass inadequate work. If a student's work is found wanting, the student will not be allowed to present at the public final review. The committee may decide not to pass the thesis or, alternatively, pass it only after the student undertakes additional work to meet targets set by the committee (on a date agreed on by the latter). An extension beyond the academic year will only be granted in response to a written petition by the student concerned. The petition must be addressed to the SMArchS Committee, upon which the committee will reach a decision in consultation with the thesis advisor.

By Week 14, students will submit a digital copy of the final approved, archival-ready thesis to the  Department of Architecture thesis portal. Consult the SMArchS Degree Administrator to confirm the thesis submission deadline, which is prior to the Institute deadline for master's theses as published in the MIT Academic Calendar.  Students must adhere to the Specifications for Thesis Preparation published by the Institute Archives.

The SMArchS thesis final presentations are scheduled by the Department during the last week of the term (Week 15). These presentations, also known as Final Reviews, are made to the Department of Architecture community, faculty, students, and invited external reviewers.

The SMArchS degree is awarded after all the degree requirements have been met and after the approved, archival-ready thesis has been submitted to and approved by the headquarters of the Department of Architecture.

SMArchS Design

The SMArchS Design degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of an approved program of at least 96 graduate units and an acceptable thesis. 

Students, with their advisors, construct individual programs of study focused on their particular interests. Subjects that must be taken include the following:

• 4.221, Architecture Studies Colloquium (1st term) 
• 4.130, Architecture Design Theory and Methodologies (1st term)
• Six subjects within the student’s area of interest
• Thesis Preparation: 4.288, Preparation for SMArchS Thesis (12 units, 2nd term)
• Thesis: 4.THG, Graduate Thesis (final term)

SMArchS Urbanism

The SMArchS Urbanism degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of an approved program of at least 96 graduate units and an acceptable thesis. 

• 4.228, Contemporary Urbanism Proseminar: Theory and Representation (1st term) 
• 4.163J, Urban Design Studio (1st term)
• In Urbanism, two of these subjects must be 4.241J, The Making of Cities, and one approved Option Design Studio or a second 4.163J, Urban Design Studio
• Pre-Thesis Preparation: 4.286, SMArchS-URB Pre-Thesis Preparation (2nd term)
• Thesis Preparation: 4.288, Preparation for SMArchS Thesis (9 units, 3rd term) 
• Thesis: Graduate Thesis, 4.THG (final term)

SMArchS Building Technology

The SMArchS Building Technology degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of an approved program of at least 96 graduate units and an acceptable thesis. 

• 4.481, Building Technology Seminar (1st term)
• Thesis Preparation: 4.288, Preparation for SMArchS Thesis (9 units, 3rd term) 

SMArchS Computation

The SMArchS Computation degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of an approved program of at least 96 graduate units and an acceptable thesis. 

• 4.580, Inquiry into Computation and Design (1st term)
• Pre-Thesis Preparation: 4.587, SMArchS-COMP Pre-Thesis Preparation (2nd term)
• Thesis Preparation: 4.588, Preparation for SMArchS COMP Thesis (3rd term) 

SMArchS HTC / AKPIA

The SMArchS History Theory + Criticism degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of an approved program of at least 96 graduate units and an acceptable thesis. 

• 4.661, Theory and Method in the Study of Architecture + Art (HTC students are required to take this subject both fall terms of their residency, 1st & 3rd terms) 
• Pre-Thesis Preparation: 4.688, SMArchS-HTC Pre-Thesis Preparation (2nd term)

The SMArchS Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of an approved program of at least 96 graduate units and an acceptable thesis. 

• 4.619, Historiography of Islamic Art + Architecture
• 4.621, Orientalism, Colonialism + Representation
• in AKPIA, one of these subjects must be 4.612, Islamic Architecture + the Environment 
• Pre-Thesis Preparation: 4.686, SMArchS-AKPIA Pre-Thesis Preparation (2nd term)
• 4.THG, Graduate Thesis (final term)

See SMACT program overview

Smact degree requirements.

The minimum required residency for students enrolled in the SMACT program is two academic years. SMACT students do not register for summer term.

A faculty advisor from the Art, Culture and Technology Program is assigned to each SMACT student at matriculation. The advisor will consult on the student's initial plan of study and on each subsequent term's choice of subjects. This individual should be a faculty member with whom the student is in close contact; changes in advisor may be made to make this possible. The advisor monitors the student's progress through completion of the degree.

A minimum of 135 units of graduate-level coursework is required, not including thesis. Subjects to be taken:

• 4.390 Art, Culture and Technology Studio is taken each of the four terms of enrollment in the program 
• Two ACT graduate subjects, one of which must be taken with an ACT core faculty member
• Two elective subjects that support student's area of study
• 4.387, SMACT Theory & Criticism Colloquium, taken during first term
• 4.388, SMACT Thesis Preparation, taken during second term
• 4.389 SMACT Thesis Tutorial, taken during third term
• 4.THG, Thesis (registration for thesis), taken during fourth term

Art, Culture and Technology Studio

Art, Culture and Technology Studio (4.390) is restricted to SMACT degree students and serves as the core of the curriculum. It is coordinated by an ACT faculty member and involves the participation of all faculty currently advising SMACT candidates. Students are expected to participate in all class meetings. Attendance at the ACT Lecture Series and other ACT events is expected.

SMACT Thesis

For requirements, timeline, and updates, please visit the ArchThesis Website .

See SMBT program overview

Smbt requirements form.

The minimum required residency for students enrolled in the SMBT program is three terms, one of which may be a summer term. However, many take two academic years to complete all the requirements.

Each student in Building Technology is assigned a faculty advisor at matriculation. The advisor weighs in on the student's initial plan of study and on each subsequent term's choice of subjects. This individual should be a faculty member with whom the student is in close contact; changes can be made to make this possible. The advisor monitors the student's progress through completion of the degree.

A Report of Completed SMBT Requirements form is kept by the degree administrator in the headquarters of the Department of Architecture. It is the student's responsibility to work with the thesis advisor to keep this report updated and on file.

A minimum of 66 units of graduate-level coursework is required. Credit received for thesis (4.THG) registration does not count toward this minimum.

Subjects to be taken include the following:

• 4.481, Building Technology Seminar, taken in the fall of the first year of registration. It is expected that the thesis proposal will be a product of this subject.
• 2 subjects in a single field of specialization (major), chosen from thermal science, structures, materials, controls, lighting, or systems analysis.
• 1 subject from another field of specialization (minor) in Building Technology. Other fields may also be accepted for specialization with advisor approval.
• 1 subject in applied mathematics.
• Thesis registration, 4.THG, is allowed only if the thesis proposal has been approved and the Report of Completed SMBT Requirements has been submitted.

A thesis is required for the SMBT degree. The topic is selected from a subject currently being investigated by the faculty, and research is carried out under the direct supervision of a faculty member in the program. This faculty member will be the student's advisor and must approve the thesis proposal prior to thesis registration. Thesis readers are optional.

The SMBT is awarded after a digital copy of the defended, approved, archival-ready thesis has been submitted to Department of Architecture headquarters by the Institute deadline for master's theses as published in the MIT Academic Calendar. Students must adhere to the Specification for Thesis Preparation published by the Institute Archives.

All students whose first language is not English are required to take the English Evaluation Test (EET) prior to registration at MIT. Even students who satisfy the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) requirement for admission may be required to take specialized subjects in  the English Language Studies Program (ELS), depending on their EET results. These subjects do not count toward the required units, but will prove helpful to students who need to develop the skills necessary to write a thesis.

Faculty advisors may not waive these requirements for their advisees, and students may not defer registration in any English grammar review subject. They should take the courses within their first term or year. The most common result for Architecture students are to take either the following two courses, or only the secondary course. When both are recommended, they must be taken in sequence:

See BT/PhD program overview

Bt/phd requirements.

It is the student's responsibility to fill out the appropriate section of the Report of Completed BT/PhD Requirements upon completion of the requirements listed below. This document is submitted to the degree administrator and kept in the student's official departmental file. The degree administrator informs the MIT registrar when the degree requirements have been fulfilled.

Qualifying Paper

The qualifying paper, which often emerges from the Building Technology Seminar (4.481), should demonstrate the student's potential for work at a high standard of scholarship. The paper must be completed and accepted by the dissertation committee before a student can continue to the general examination. Insufficiencies in the qualifying paper may require remedial subject work on the part of the student.

Dissertation Proposal

The PhD dissertation is a major work that makes an original scholarly contribution to the field of investigation. Most BT/PhD dissertation research will be a portion of a sponsored research project. The dissertation is the main focus of the doctoral program and the primary indicator of a PhD student's ability to carry out significant independent research. The Building Technology dissertation must result in advances in the state of the art that are worthy of publication in a respected technical journal in the field.

Approval of the dissertation topic is gained through a proposal submitted to the dissertation committee no later than the end of the second term of registration. Once the proposal has been approved, the student may register for Graduate Thesis (4.THG).

Coursework: Major and Minor Fields

Coursework is selected in consultation with the faculty advisor. A normal registration load is 36 units, which would be a combination of specific subjects and research. Though the core group of subjects will be within the department, students are encouraged to take outside subjects. Building Technology Seminar (4.481) is the only specific subject required for the degree and is taken during the student's first term. Typically a student's program will include at least five graduate subjects in the major field and three in the minor field. Preparation for Building Technology PhD Thesis (4.489) is used as registration for research until the dissertation proposal has been approved. After that point, Graduate Thesis (4.THG) is used as registration for research.

General Examination

The purpose of the qualifying examination is to determine whether the student possesses the attributes of a doctoral candidate: mastery of the disciplines of importance to building technology and ingenuity and skill in identifying and solving unfamiliar problems. The examination consists of two parts. (1) A demonstration of mastery in three areas through coursework and (2) a presentation of research as explained below.

Subject Area Mastery Allowable subjects are listed in Discipline areas for the Building Technology PhD General Exam / Record of subject mastery . To pass the subject area mastery portion of the doctoral general exam, students must earn three As and one B (or four As) in at least four subjects chosen across three of the seven areas from Table 1. Substitutions of subjects not included in the table will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will require approval from all BT faculty.

Research Presentation The research presentation exam will take place over 120 minutes, and should include a 45 minute formal presentation by the doctoral student, followed by 45-60 minutes of questions and discussion with all BT faculty. The research presented should be ongoing research or recently completed research carried out in Building Technology. The presentation should put the work in context, present research findings and propose future work. It will be evaluated both for intellectual content and for clarity of communication. The discussion portion of the exam led by BT faculty may cover both the presented work specifically as well as a broader range of related topics to gauge the student's familiarity with their research content.

Logistics   Examinations are offered in January (last week of IAP) and May (the week after final exams). Students must obtain permission of their advisor to take the exam. In case a student is working on a multidisciplinary research topic with a significant component falling outside the expertise of any BT faculty, an expert (ideally MIT faculty) representing the topic area should participate in the general exam. The advisor will invite this expert in consultation with the student. All students must complete the coursework and research presentation portions of the exam by the end of their fourth semester in the PhD program. Advisors of PhD students will submit to the BT faculty the proposed plan for coursework completion for each of their advisees at least three months before the research presentation. Students who do not pass may be invited to retake certain subjects or repeat the research presentation, or they may be asked to terminate their enrollment in the PhD program.

Dissertation Defense

A dissertation committee of three or more people, generally assembled in the first semester of registration, supervises research and writing of the dissertation. The student's advisor is always a member of the dissertation committee and typically serves as its chair. The chair must be a member of the Building Technology faculty. In special circumstances, one of the three members of the dissertation committee may be selected from outside the Department of Architecture. The student is responsible for arranging meetings with the committee at least once each term.

A final draft of the completed dissertation must be delivered to each committee member one month prior to the scheduled defense. The dissertation is presented orally in an open meeting of the faculty of the department; at least three faculty members must be present. After the presentation, the dissertation is either accepted or rejected.

The PhD is awarded after two copies of the defended, approved, archival-ready dissertation have been submitted to the Department of Architecture at its headquarters. The copies must be submitted by the Institute deadline for doctoral theses as published in the MIT Academic Calendar . Students must adhere to the Specifications for Thesis Preparation published by the Institute Archives.

Nonresident Research Status

Students are expected to carry out thesis research while in residence at the Institute. It is rare that a PhD candidate in BT will need to apply for nonresident status. However, should a student who has completed all requirements except for the dissertation need to continue thesis research in years beyond the awarded funding, he or she may opt to apply for nonresident research status with the permission of the dissertation advisor.

All students whose first language is not English are required to take the English Evaluation Test (EET) prior to registration at MIT. Even students who satisfy the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language requirement for admission may be required to take specialized subjects in  the English Language Studies Program (ELS), depending on their EET results. These subjects do not count toward the required units, but will prove helpful to students who need to develop the skills necessary to write a dissertation.

See Computation/PhD program overview

Computation/phd requirements.

It is the student's responsibility to fill out the appropriate section of the Report of Completed Computation/PhD Requirements upon completion of the requirements listed below. This document is submitted to the degree administrator and kept in the student's official departmental file. The degree administrator informs the MIT registrar that the degree requirements have been fulfilled.

Subject Work

PhD Students are expected to complete at 144 units of subject work while in residency at MIT. This is usually accomplished over two years by enrolling in an average of 36 units per term, which equals three or four subjects per term. In those special cases where the student is awarded advanced standing at admission, the unit requirement is lowered accordingly. The only specific subject requirement is 4.581 Proseminar in Computation. All other subjects are selected in consultation with the faculty advisor and may be taken both in and out of the Department of Architecture. Registration in 4.THG, Graduate Thesis, does not count toward the 144-unit requirement.

PhD students in Computation are expected to enroll in 4.581, Proseminar in Computation, during their first year in residence. The Proseminar is meant to provide a rigorous grounding in the field with a focus on specific research topics related to architecture and design practice.

Major and Minor Fields

Major and minor fields must be approved by the student's advisory committee, which is selected with the assistance of the advisor in the first year of enrollment. Normally, the minor field requirement will be satisfied by outstanding performance in three related subjects (not less than 27 units). The major field requirement is satisfied upon successful completion of the general examination.

The general examination is given after required subject work is completed and is taken no later than the third year of residency. The general examination is meant to show broad and detailed competence in the student's major field of concentration and supporting areas of study. The content and format of the general examination are decided by the student's advisory committee in consultation with the student. The committee evaluates the examination upon completion and may 1) accept the examination, 2) ask for further evidence of competence, or 3) determine that the examination has not been passed. In the event that the general examination is not passed, the committee may allow the student to repeat the examination or may recommend that the student withdraw from the PhD program.

The PhD dissertation is a major work that makes an original scholarly contribution. It is the main focus of the doctoral program in Design and Computation, and it serves as the primary indicator of a PhD student's ability to carry out significant independent research.

The dissertation committee comprises a minimum of three members — one thesis advisor, who also serves as the dissertation committee chair, and two readers. The chair must be a permanent member of the Computation faculty and the student's advisor. The first reader must be a permanent faculty member of MIT. The second reader may come from Computation or may be a faculty member appointed from outside the department or the Institute. Students may add more members in consultation with their advisor. The student is responsible for arranging meetings with the committee members on a regular basis.

Formal approval of the dissertation topic is gained through a proposal, which the student submits and defends to his or her dissertation committee prior to the completion of the sixth semester of registration. The proposal should contain these elements:

• General statement of scope of the thesis
• Significance of the thesis
• Survey of existing research and literature with critical comments and an assessment of the extent to which this material will be utilized
• Method of the thesis work
• Outline or brief sketch of the thesis
• Working bibliography
• Resources for primary material
• Plan of work, including a timetable

An oral examination in which the candidate meets with the dissertation committee to discuss the proposal marks the formal acceptance of the topic. The result of the defense can be that the thesis proposal is accepted, accepted with revisions or rejected.

Students will often register for Preparation for Computation PhD Thesis (4.589) in the term leading up to their proposal defense. Once the proposal has been approved, the student may register for 4.THG, Graduate Thesis. The student may be asked to present his or her dissertation proposal in the class Research Seminar in Computation (4.582).

Students are advised to meet with committee members to obtain comments and guidance throughout the writing phase of the project. Regular contact with committee members during the process of drafting the thesis can ensure a student's readiness for thesis defense. The final draft should be submitted to committee members at least one month prior to the defense. The defense should be scheduled at least two weeks prior to the published Institute PhD thesis deadline.

The dissertation is defended by oral presentation in front of the dissertation committee. At least three faculty members must be present. If a member of the committee is not able to attend, he or she must contact the committee chair with comments and questions. That member must also inform the committee chair of a vote.

The result of the defense can be that the thesis is accepted, accepted with revisions or rejected. If the thesis is accepted with revisions, the student makes the necessary changes to the document and submits them within an agreed time frame to all or some of the committee members. If rejected, the student must re-defend according to a timetable agreed upon at the defense.

The PhD is awarded after a PDF copy of the defended, approved, archival-ready dissertation has been submitted to the Department of Architecture through the Thesis Submission Portal . The copy must be submitted by the Department  deadline for theses as published on the archthesis website . Students must adhere to the Specifications for Thesis Preparation published by the Institute Archives.

Students are expected to carry out thesis research while in residence at MIT. It is rare that a PhD candidate in Design and Computation will need to apply for nonresident status. However, should a student who has completed all requirements except for the dissertation need to continue thesis research in years beyond the awarded funding, he or she may opt to apply for nonresident research status with the permission of the dissertation advisor.

All students whose first language is not English are required to take the English Evaluation Test (EET) prior to registration at MIT. Even students who satisfy the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) requirement for admission may be required to take specialized subjects in the English Language Studies Program (ELS), depending on their EET results. These subjects do not count toward the required units, but will prove helpful to students who need to develop the skills necessary to write a dissertation.

See HTC/ PhD program overview

PhD students complete 204 units (not including registration in 4.THG) during their residency at MIT. This is usually accomplished over the first three years of residency by enrolling in an average of 36 units per term, the equivalent of three subjects. The breakdown of required subjects is as follows:

• 4.661, Methods Seminar, is taken each fall term for first two years—2 x 12 = 24 units
• Nine subjects completed by the end of the second year: lecture, seminar and/or independent study—9 x 12 = 108 units
• 4.684 Preparation for HTC Major Exam = 27 units; taken in the 5th semester
• 4.685 Preparation for HTC Minor Exam = 15 units; taken in the 4th semester
• 4.689 Preparation for HTC PhD Thesis = 27 units; taken in the 6th semester

Independent study subjects may be taken with advisor approval after the first year of residency. No more than one independent study project may be taken per term, and no more than 12 units may be devoted to any one research project. Registration for an independent study project requires completion of a departmental  Independent Study Project  form, this constitutes a contract for the deadlines and deliverables for the subject and the definition of supervisory involvement.

Advancement to Candidacy

A student is advanced to doctoral candidacy upon completion of the following “hurdles,” which should be completed by the end of the third year 

• General exam: major field—register for 4.684 (27 credit units)
• General exam: minor field—register for 4.685 (15 credit units)
• Language requirement
• Dissertation proposal—register for 4.689 (15 credit units)

Students are responsible for planning their hurdles in consultation with their advisor in a timely manner, in order to complete degree requirements by the end of semester 6 or the third year. The planner is submitted in the fall of the second year, with updates as needed. The sequence of hurdles completion is determined by the student in consultation with his/her advisor.  All pre-thesis requirements* must be completed and approved by the end of the third year. Failure to complete pre-thesis requirements by the end of the third year (term 7) may result in recommended or required withdrawal from the program.  When the Dissertation Proposal/Prospectus is filed, with all other hurdles completed, the student may enroll in “Thesis,” 4.THG.

Copies of each hurdle are submitted to HTC Staff for filing and completion. The HTC faculty meet at the end of each semester to review student progress in general and advance students to ABD candidacy status. . The degree administrator communicates with the Registrar when degree requirements have been fulfilled, and allows the Institute to certify candidacy.

General Examination: Major and Minor Fields

The fields of examination are set by mutual agreement between the student and their advisor. The purpose is to demonstrate the breadth and depth of the student's critical awareness of the discipline in which he or she works. Most universities, research institutions and other potential employers require assurance that a graduate has areas of competency beyond his or her specialization.

It is strongly recommended that work on the minor exam be completed in three months. The minor exam may cover a different time period from the major exam, or it may have a theoretical focus that complements the historical focus of the major exam, or it may cover in depth a topic within the broader field covered in the major exam. The minor exam may be a three-hour written test, or it may consist of preparing materials for a subject: specifically, a detailed syllabus, a bibliography, an introductory lecture and at least one other lecture. Register for 15 credit units of 4.685 the term in which the minor is completed (the fourth term). 

It is strongly recommended that work on the major exam be completed in three months. The major exam is a three-hour written test covering a historically broad area of interest that includes components of history, historiography and theory. Preparation for the exam will focus on four or five themes agreed upon in advance. Register for 27 credit units of 4.684 during the term in which the major is completed (the fifth term).

Although it is possible for one professor to supervise both exams, such an arrangement limits the student's collaboration with the faculty. With approval, a faculty member outside HTC may administer one of the exams. In this case, an HTC faculty member will also read the exam and submit the grade.

Topics and examiners for the Major and Minor exams should be finalized no later than the fourth semester. 

Language Requirement

It is recommended that students complete their language requirement by the end of the fourth semester.  Because of the foundational role French and German have played in the discipline of art and architectural history and theory, successful study or testing in these two languages constitutes the usual fulfillment of this requirement. For students working on topics for which there is another primary language, a substitution may be approved by the advisor. The MIT Global Studies and Languages department administers graduate language examinations.

The language exam can only be waived under the following circumstances:

• The student is a native speaker of the language needed
• Two years (or four semesters) of university courses have been completed for a language not administered by the language department, and a “B” or better average grade was maintained

Credits accumulated from language subjects taken to fulfill this requirement cannot be used toward the 204 credits of coursework required for the degree.

A dissertation advisor should be selected by the end of the fourth semester.  During the sixth semester, the Dissertation Topic will be presented to students and faculty colleagues.  It is estimated that the writing and revision of the proposal should take no more than four months. 

Following the Thesis Topic Presentation in the sixth semester, an appropriate dissertation committee should be proposed by the student and approved in principle by the advisor. (The committee may be changed with the approval of the advisor up to the eighth semester.) The  dissertation committee  comprises a minimum of three members; two must be MIT Department of Architecture faculty members, and the chair a member of the HTC faculty (and the student's main advisor). The third member may come from HTC or appointed from outside the department or outside the Institute. Students may add additional members in consultation with their advisor. 

The dissertation proposal should be drafted and defended by the end of the sixth semester.  Formal approval of the dissertation topic is gained through a proposal, which the student submits and defends to his or her dissertation committee prior to the end of the sixth semester of registration. The student is strongly advised to have an informal meeting of the committee some weeks prior to the formal defense, to reach a consensus that the thesis topic is of the right scale and the prospectus itself is ready to be defended. Register for 15 credit units of 4.689 the term in which the dissertation proposal is submitted.

A dissertation proposal (also called a prospectus) should contain the following elements:

• General thesis statement
• Scope, significance or “stakes” of the thesis
• Method of the thesis work 
• Outline or brief sketch of the dissertation, e.g. summaries of proposed chapters
• Archives and proof of access; IRB approval if required
• Plan of work, and may include a timetable

The formal defense of the prospectus consists of an oral examination in which the candidate meets with the dissertation committee; the committee decides whether the prospectus is approved as is, requires further revision, or does not pass the defense.

When the approved proposal is filed with the HTC administrator in acknowledgment of successful completion, the dissertation topic and proposal are approved, advancing the student to candidacy. At this point, the student registers for 4.THG, Graduate Thesis. 

Regular contact with committee members during the process of drafting the thesis can ensure a student's readiness for the final thesis defense. Students are advised to meet with committee members to obtain comments and guidance throughout the writing phase of the project. The final draft should be submitted to committee members  no later than one month prior to the defense.  The defense cannot be scheduled any later than two weeks prior to the published Institute PhD thesis deadline.

The dissertation is defended in the presence of the full dissertation committee. If a member of the committee is not able to attend or participate by virtual means, he or she must contact the committee chair with comments and questions. That member should also inform the committee chair of a vote.

The result of the defense is either accepted, accepted with revisions or rejected. If the thesis is accepted with revisions, the student makes necessary changes to the document and submits them within an agreed time frame to committee members, as determined at the defense meeting. If rejected, the student will re-defend to the committee in a timely manner.   Students are strongly advised to set a defense date three months in advance of the deadline to allow for revisions by the committee.

The PhD is awarded upon submission of the defended, approved, archival-ready dissertation to the Department of Architecture, via the PhD Academic Administrator. The final dissertation is submitted by the Institute deadline for doctoral theses as published in the MIT Academic Calendar. The final document conforms with Specifications for Thesis Preparation published by the Institute Archives.

Thesis Research in Absentia

Acceptance into the program is granted with the presumption that students will remain in residence at the Institute during their degree. However, on occasion, work outside the Institute may be essential to gather archival or other materials. Students who have completed all requirements apart from the dissertation may apply to take one or occasionally two semesters in absentia. A proposal for  thesis in absentia , which outlines work to be accomplished, should be delivered to the director and administrator in HTC no later than the drop date of the semester prior to the one in which the student plans to be away. The student should consult with the Academic Programs Manager in Headquarters as well as HTC staff for a review of the financial and academic implications of TIA status. The HTC faculty, the Department, and the dean of the graduate school grant approval.  Students must return to regular registration status for the final term the dissertation is submitted for their degree.  However, the dissertation draft may be submitted to the student’s primary advisor and committee members at any time during the TIA period. Similarly, the defense may be scheduled at any time (as long as the committee has at least 4 weeks to read the full and final draft). Regular registration status is required in order to file the final archival copy for the degree. Students are required to apply for the degree in Websis during the term prior to degree completion.

Graduate Thesis

The thesis comprises an original investigation, including a written report in English, on a subject approved by the Department of Architecture in advance. The Institute requires that each graduate student research and write an individual thesis and submit a final digital copy to the Institute as a permanent record. In order for a degree to be awarded, the department must receive the thesis in accordance with the Specifications for Thesis Preparation published by the MIT Libraries Institute Archives. Please refer to  archthesis.mit.edu  for timelines, specifications, and other useful information.

Thesis work in all master's degree programs in the Department of Architecture extends over two to three terms. Thesis work in doctoral programs extends over four to six terms. Registration for thesis and pre-thesis subjects differs by degree program.

The thesis process begins with one or more terms of thesis preparation and ends with one or more terms of thesis. Thesis registration (4.THG) for all programs begins once the thesis supervisor and/or committee have approved the thesis proposal. An integral element to a successful thesis lies in choosing an appropriate thesis committee. The  Thesis Committee Guidelines  document (updated January 2024) addresses the composition of a thesis committee for each degree program.

The objective of registering for thesis preparation is to produce an acceptable thesis proposal. Students in every degree program register for the thesis preparation subject(s) specific to their program.

MArch Program

• 4.189, Preparation for MArch Thesis , graded A-F, 9 units, taken the penultimate semester of the program.

SMArchS Program

• 4.288, Preparation for SMArchS Thesis , graded P/D/F, 9–12 units, is taken the second semester of the program for students in Design, and in the third semester of the program for students in Urbanism as a coordinated class with regular meeting times. Students in all other areas (BT, HTC, & AKPIA) take 4.288 as an independent study subject graded by the registration advisor.
• 4.587, SMArchS Computation Pre-Thesis Preparation , graded P/D/F, 6 units, taken in the second semester of the program for students in the Computation area.
• 4.588, Preparation for SMArchS Thesis - Computation , graded P/D/F, 6 units, taken in the third semester of the program for students in the Computation area. 
• 4.686 SMArchS AKPIA Pre-Thesis Preparation , graded P/D/F, 3 units, taken in the second semester of the program for students in the AKPIA area.
• 4.687 SMArchS HTC Pre-Thesis Preparation , graded P/D/F, 3 units, taken in the second semester of the program for students in the HTC area.

SMACT Program

• 4.388, Preparation for SMACT Thesis , graded A-F, 9 units, taken in the second semester of the program. Thesis Preparation will develop a proposal for the written thesis. A ten-page thesis proposal is the final project of this class.
• 4.389, SMACT Thesis Tutorial , graded A-F, 9 units, taken in the fourth semester to support the writing of the thesis book.
• SMACT students will submit a twenty-page thesis outline, select their thesis committee, and submit a SMACT Thesis Proposal Completion form by the end of their third term. These must be submitted to the ACT administrative offices for distribution to ACT faculty, by May 1.

SMBT Program

• 4.481, Building Technology Seminar , graded P/D/F, 3 units. All SMBT students are required to register for 4.481 during the first term of the program. The thesis proposal is expected to be a product of this seminar, but the student may register for 4.488 to complete the proposal.
• 4.488, Preparation for SMBT Thesis , graded P/D/F, variable units. 4.488 is an independent study subject graded by the thesis advisor and taken the second term of the program, if necessary to complete the thesis proposal.

Dissertation and Doctoral Programs

• 4.481, Building Technology Seminar , graded P/D/F, 3 H-level units. All BT/PhD students must register for 4.481 during the first term of the program. The thesis proposal is expected to be a product of this seminar, but the student may register for 4.489 to complete the proposal.
• 4.489, Preparation for Building Technology PhD Thesis , graded P/D/F, variable units. This is an independent study subject graded by the thesis advisor and taken the second and third term of the program, if necessary to complete the thesis proposal.
• 4.589, Preparation for Design and Computation PhD Thesis , graded P/D/F, variable units. An optional independent study subject graded by the thesis advisor and generally taken after coursework is completed. 4.589 is taken as preparation for the general examination and/or the dissertation proposal.
• 4.683, Preparation for HTC Qualifying Paper , graded P/D/F, variable units. Required of HTC PhD students as a prerequisite for work on the doctoral dissertation. The qualifying paper is a scholarly article fit to be published in a peer-reviewed journal that is the result of research in the history, theory and criticism of architecture and art. Topic may not be in the area of the proposed thesis. Work is done in consultation with HTC faculty, in accordance with the HTC PhD Degree Program Guidelines.
• 4.684, Preparation for HTC Major Exam , graded P/D/F, variable units. This is required of HTC PhD students as a prerequisite for work on the doctoral dissertation. The Major Exam covers a historically broad area of interest and includes components of history, historiography, and theory. Preparation for the exam will focus on four or five themes agreed upon in advance by the student and the examiner, and are defined by their area of teaching interest. Work is done in consultation with HTC faculty, in accordance with the HTC PhD Degree Program Guidelines.
• 4.685, Preparation for HTC Minor Exam , graded P/D/F, variable units. This is required of HTC PhD students as a prerequisite for work on the doctoral dissertation. The Minor Exam focuses on a specific area of specialization through which the student might develop their particular zone of expertise. Work is done in consultation with HTC faculty, in accordance with the HTC PhD Degree Program Guidelines.
• 4.689, Preparation for History, Theory and Criticism PhD Thesis , graded P/D/F, variable units. This is required of HTC PhD students as a prerequisite for work on the doctoral dissertation. Prior to candidacy, doctoral students are required to write and orally defend a proposal laying out the scope of their thesis, its significance, a survey of existing research and literature, the methods of research to be adopted, a bibliography and plan of work. Work is done in consultation with HTC faculty, in accordance with the HTC PhD Degree Program Guidelines. Students in this program do not register for thesis (4.THG) until all requirements except thesis have been completed.

Thesis Registration—4.THG

Once the thesis proposal is approved and the degree administrators have been notified, students register for thesis and continue to do so each term until graduation. Students who do not have an approved thesis proposal may not register for thesis. The number of units varies by degree program (upon submission of the thesis, 12 units of the grade awarded for 4.THG are entered into the student's cumulative grade point average).

MArch students Register for 24 units of 4.THG. Except for architectural design studio, other subjects needed to complete the degree requirements may be taken simultaneously. The e/signed Thesis Proposal form is due by 8:59am the first Friday of a student's final term. Several reviews of student work lead to the final thesis.

•  Proposal Review—Week 2
•  Mid-Review—Week 7 or 8
•  Penultimate Review—Week 10
•  Final Review—Week 15

SMArchS  students register for 36 units of 4.THG in their fourth and final term. All subjects needed to complete the degree (except architecture design studio) may be taken simultaneously. The e/signed SMArchS Thesis Proposal form is due to [email protected] by 8:59am the Drop Date of a student's penultimate term. The penultimate semester, a Preliminary Thesis Review is held during Reading Period. These Preliminary Reviews serve as an opportunity for SMArchs students to present a summary of their proposed Thesis Projects in a forum where thesis ideas can gain exposure and feedback from faculty and peers. The final semester, three major reviews of the student's thesis work are held with the advisor(s) and all readers — the first, in Week 7, is scheduled by the discipline area, the second is scheduled by the student with the entire thesis committee for a formal thesis defense in Week 11, and the public final review in Week 14. The department degree administrator schedules final reviews during Reading Period.

SMBT  students register for 4.THG upon approval of the thesis proposal and continue to do so each term until graduation. Units will vary according to the number of other subjects being taken. A normal course load for a term is not more than 48 credit units. SMBT students are expected to schedule a Content Review directly with the thesis advisor to take place near the end of the final term. At this point the thesis should be substantially complete; the Content Review marks the point at which the student may turn to production of the final thesis.

SMACT  students register for 24 units of 4.THG in their fourth and final term. Thesis is taken in conjunction with 4.390, Art, Culture, and Technology Studio, which is taken each term, and 4.389, SMACT Thesis Tutorial, which is taken the final two terms. Thesis reviews are scheduled within the forum of 4.390, which is restricted to SMACT students.

PhD  students register for 36 units of 4.THG for terms in which they are resident and not taking other subjects. Students who have been granted nonresident status register for 36 units of 4.THG only (nonresident status is not permitted in the term during which the thesis is submitted). Regular meetings with members of the dissertation committee to review thesis progress is expected and left to the student to schedule. At the conclusion of the thesis, PhD students are required to hold an oral defense of their dissertation. This defense is scheduled directly with the thesis committee, and the date is reported to the degree administrator.

Policy on Incompletes and Thesis Semester

MArch, SMArchS, and SMACT students entering thesis term may have no more than one incomplete in a subject required for the degree, and that incomplete can be no older than the term previous to thesis. Students with several incompletes and/or incompletes from terms further back will be denied registration until those subjects are completed and graded. This policy applies to subjects required by curriculum or needed for units toward the degree.

Policy on Credit and Thesis

MArch students must have their curriculum credits in order by the end of the thesis prep. No substitutions or petitions for credit will be accepted or processed during the thesis term.

Thesis for Dual Degrees

Thesis research for dual degrees must be done under the supervision of an approved member of one of the two participating departments, with the other department providing a co-advisor or thesis reader. Students expecting to receive two advanced degrees must submit all thesis materials to the department in which they register during their final semester and are bound by the thesis specifications and deadlines of that department.

Thesis Guidelines and Deadlines

The Thesis Committee Guidelines  document (updated January 2024) addresses the composition of a thesis committee for each degree program. The thesis committee must be established and approved before thesis registration is permitted.

• Specifications for Thesis Preparation  is published by the MIT Libraries Institute Archives to assist students in the preparation of the thesis document. The Institute is committed to the preservation of the student’s thesis because it is both a requirement of the MIT degree and a record of original research. The library also publishes a guide for following copyright law, which students should review carefully to make certain they remain in compliance and the thesis is acceptable by the MIT Archives .
• The department upholds the requirements of the Institute specifications. In addition, the Department of Architecture requires that each thesis contain a page listing the names and titles of each member of the thesis committee. This page is to be inserted between the title page and the abstract. Students should review the  thesis checklist  before submitting the thesis to the Department.
• At the beginning of the final thesis term, all students must file an online Application for Advanced Degree at MIT via  WebSIS.  The deadline is the end of the first week of term.
• Graduate Policies and Procedures  can be found on a website provided by the Office of Graduate Education (OGE). This website offers additional information on the thesis process, including joint theses; restrictions on thesis publication; patent protection, privacy and security; intellectual property policy; and thesis holds.
• The deadline for submitting the approved, archival copies of the thesis is set by the Department, and can be found on the  Department Thesis website . Only minor errors in formatting and proofing will be subject to change after this date and only at the discretion of the department administrators.

All theses are submitted to the department degree administrators:

• Master's programs:  Kateri Bertin
• Doctoral programs:  Tessa Haynes

Nonresident Doctoral Research

A doctoral student who has completed all requirements except for the dissertation may apply for nonresident thesis research status. Students granted this status pay approximately 5% of regular tuition for the first three terms of nonresident status and 15% for the following three terms. Students are limited to six terms of nonresident status.

Application

Permission to become a nonresident doctoral candidate must be sought from the Dean of Graduate Students. The  request form  is submitted to the Office of Graduate Education (OGE) by July 15 for the fall term, and November 15 for the spring term (a fee is assessed for late requests). The student’s thesis advisor and the department’s graduate officer must approve the application prior to submission. 

Approval can be granted for two successive regular terms in the same academic year (for example, Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, but not Spring 2022 and Fall 2023). Registration as a nonresident student is not required during the summer. Students must reapply each year for additional terms of nonresident status up to a maximum of six terms. Students must return to regular status to defend and submit their doctoral dissertation.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for non-resident thesis research status, students must be 

• registered in a doctoral program,
• in residence as a regular graduate student for at least four regular terms,
• have completed all degree requirements except for the dissertation and have submitted required paperwork to the Degree Administrator,
• and have an approved thesis proposal.

Privileges of a Nonresident Student

Nonresident students are considered full-time students. They may retain their MIT IDs and are permitted access to the libraries and athletic facilities. They continue to have the same student health plan options as resident students, although, students are financially responsible for their own health insurance.

However, nonresident students are NOT eligible to

• use offices, laboratories, design studios or computer facilities in the Department unless specifically approved;
• reside in student housing;
• serve as graduate resident tutors; 
• nor accept employment of any kind at MIT. 

For the first three semesters of nonresident status, a student may receive fellowship support from MIT for an amount up to 5% of the cost of tuition per semester. In subsequent terms of nonresident status, students are not eligible to receive financial support from any MIT department, lab, or cost center. This includes fellowships, research or teaching assistantships as well as any work-study programs.

Although nonresident students are responsible for payment of tuition and appropriate fees, U.S. citizens or Permanent Resident students may apply for federal and alternative loans. Current loans may be adjusted because tuition will be decreased to nonresident levels. Questions regarding loans should be addressed to Student Financial Services.

Thesis research is ordinarily done in residence at the Institute. However, on occasion, work away from the Institute may be essential for such tasks as gathering data. Students with compelling educational reasons to do so may therefore apply to take one or two semesters in absentia. 

A proposal for thesis research to be done in absentia must be approved by both the faculty of the specific PhD degree program, the Department's graduate officer, and the Dean of the Graduate School. 

Criteria for thesis in absentia include, but are not limited to the following:

• Evidence that this opportunity will provide continuing intellectual growth.
• Evidence of completion of required coursework and all degree requirements except the thesis.
• The thesis must continue to be supervised by an Institute faculty member or by a senior academic staff member approved by the Department.
• The student must be registered as a regular student during the final term.
• The student must devote full time to thesis research while absent from MIT.

Students approved for thesis in absentia will continue to be registered as full-time students and receive tuition plus their normal fellowship stipends.

The proposal needs to include the following and submitted to the Department's PhD degree administrator:

• Current address
• Current phone
• Current e-mail
• Degree program
• Completion date of general exams
• Completion date of thesis proposal and working title for thesis
• Proposed terms in absentia
• Expected degree date
• Reasons for requesting thesis research in absentia—the opportunity for continued intellectual growth must be evident
• Thesis advisor’s name and title 
• Thesis advisor’s signature of approval
• Degree program director’s signature of approval
• Graduate officer’s signature of approval
• A copy of the signed thesis proposal 

The approved and signed thesis proposal must be attached to the research-in-absentia proposal before the latter is submitted to the Department and, subsequently, the Office of Graduate Education (OGE).

20 Types of Architecture thesis topics

An architectural thesis is perhaps the most confusing for a student because of the range of typologies of buildings that exist. It also seems intimidating to pick your site program and do all the groundwork on your own. While choosing an architectural thesis topic, it is best to pick something that aligns with your passion and interest as well as one that is feasible. Out of the large range of options, here are 20 architectural thesis topics .

1. Slum Redevelopment (Urban architecture)

Slums are one of the rising problems in cities where overcrowding is pertinent. To account for this problem would be one of great value to the city as well as the inhabitants of the slum. It provides them with better sanitation and well-being and satisfies their needs.

2. Maggie Center (Healthcare architecture)

This particular typology of buildings was coined by a cancer patient,  Margaret Keswick Jencks,   who believed that cancer-treatment centres’ environment could largely improve their health and wellbeing by better design. This led a large number of starchitects to participate and build renowned maggie centres.

3. Urban Sprawl Redesign (Urban design)

The widening of city boundaries to accommodate migrants and overcrowding of cities is very common as of late. To design for the constant urban sprawl would make the city life more convenient and efficient for all its users.

4. Redesigning Spaces Under Elevated Roads and Metros (Urban infrastructure)

A lot of space tends to become dead space under metros or elevated roads. To use these spaces more efficiently and engage them with the public would make it an exciting thesis topic.

5. Urban Parks (Urban landscape)

Urban parks are not only green hubs for the city, which promotes the well-being of the city on a larger level, but they also act as great places for the congregation and bring a community together.

6. Reusing Abandoned Buildings (Adaptive reuse)

All buildings after a point become outdated and old but, what about the current old and abandoned buildings? The best way to respond to these is not by demolishing them; given the amount of effort it takes to do so, but to enhance them by restoring and changing the building to current times.

7. Farming in Cities (Green urban spaces)

With climate change and population on the rise, there is statistical proof that one needs to start providing farming in cities as there is not sufficient fertile land to provide for all. Therefore, this makes a great thesis topic for students to explore.

8. Jails (Civil architecture)

To humanize the function of jails, to make it a place of change and rehabilitation, and break from the stereotypical way of looking at jails. A space that will help society look at prisoners as more than monsters that harm, and as fellow humans that are there to change for everyone’s betterment.

9. Police Academies (Civil architecture)

Academies that train people to be authoritative and protective require spaces for training mentally and physically; focussing on the complexity of the academy and focussing on the user to enhance their experience would work in everyone’s favour.

10. High Court (Civil architecture)

Courtrooms are more often than not looked at as spaces that people fear, given the longevity of court cases. It can be a strenuous space; therefore, understanding the user groups’ state of mind and the problems faced can be solved using good design. 

11. Disaster-resilient structures (Disaster-relief architecture)

Natural disasters are inevitable. Disaster-resilient structures are build suitably for the natural disasters of the region while also incorporating design into it, keeping in mind the climatic nature of the location.

12. Biophilic design (Nature-inspired architecture)

As humans, we have an innate love for nature, and the struggle between integrating nature and architecture is what biophilic design aims towards. To pick a topic where one would see minimal use of natural elements and incorporate biophilic design with it would be very beneficial.

13. Metro stations and Bus terminals (Transportation spaces)

Bus terminals and metro stations are highly functional spaces that often get crowded; and to account for the crowd and the problems that come with it, plus elevate the experience of waiting or moving, would contribute to making it a good thesis topic.

14. Airport design (Transportation spaces)

Airport designing is not very uncommon; however, it is a rather complex program to crack; thereby, choosing this topic provides you with the opportunity to make this space hassle-free and work out the most efficient way to make this conducive for all types of users.

15. Sports Complex (Community architecture)

If your passion lies in sports, this is a go-to option. Each sport is played differently, different materials are used, and the nature of the sport and its audience is rather complicated. However, to combine this and make it a cohesive environment for all kinds of users would make a good thesis topic.

16. Stadium (Community architecture)

Unlike a sports complex, one could also pick one sport and look at the finer details, create the setting, and experience for it; by designing it to curate a nice experience for the players, the public, and the management.

17. Waste-recycling center (Waste management)

Reducing waste is one of the most fundamental things we must do as humans. Spaces where recycling happens must be designed consciously. Just like any other space, it has been given importance over the years, and this would make a good thesis topic to provide the community with.

18. Crematorium (Public architecture)

Cremation of a loved one or anyone for that matter is always a rather painful process and a range of emotions is involved when it comes to this place. Keeping in mind the different types of people and emotions and making your thesis about this would mean to enhance this experience while still keeping the solemnity of it intact.

19. Museums (Community architecture)

Museums are spaces of learning, and the world has so much to offer that one could always come up with different typologies of museums and design according to the topic of one’s interest. Some of the examples would be cultural heritage, modern art, museum of senses, and many more.

20. Interpretation center (Community architecture)

An interpretation center is a type of museum located near a site of historical, cultural, or natural relevance that provides information about the place of interest through various mediums.

References:

• 2022. 68 Thesis topics in 5 minutes . [image] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NczdOK7oe98&ab_channel=BlessedArch> [Accessed 1 March 2022].
• Bdcnetwork.com. 2022. Biophilic design: What is it? Why it matters? And how do we use it? | Building Design + Construction . [online] Available at: <https://www.bdcnetwork.com/blog/biophilic-design-what-it-why-it-matters-and-how-do-we-use-it> [Accessed 1 March 2022].
• RTF | Rethinking The Future. 2022. 20 Thesis topics related to Sustainable Architecture – RTF | Rethinking The Future . [online] Available at: <https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-perspectives/a1348-20-thesis-topics-related-to-sustainable-architecture/> [Accessed 1 March 2022].
• Wdassociation.org. 2022. A List Of Impressive Thesis Topic Ideas In Architecture . [online] Available at: <https://www.wdassociation.org/a-list-of-impressive-thesis-topic-ideas-in-architecture.aspx> [Accessed 1 March 2022].

Online Course – The Ultimate Architectural Thesis Guide

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Flora is a student of architecture, with a passion for psychology and philosophy. She loves merging her interests and drawing parallels to solve and understand design problems. As someone that values growth, she uses writing as a medium to share her learning and perspective.

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• Architecture Competitions

Architecture Thesis Of The Year | ATY 2022

• Published on July 06, 2022

ARCHITECTURE THESIS OF THE YEAR | ATY 2022

The most amazing Architecture Thesis of 2022!

After the overwhelming response from the first two editions, Charette is elated to announce the third edition of ‘Architecture Thesis of the Year Competition - ATY 2022’.

‘Architecture Thesis of the Year 2022’ is an international architecture thesis competition that aims to extend appreciation to the tireless effort and exceptional creativity of student theses in the field of Architecture. We seek to encourage young talent in bringing their path-breaking ideas to the forefront globally.

PREMISE Academic Design endeavours allow the free flow of unfettered ideas – experimental, bold, promising, and unconventional. An intensive architectural discourse and a collaborative design process are essential to developing ingenious solutions to complex problems of the future.

An Architecture Thesis is considered the avant-garde – pushing the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm in the architectural realm. It is the outcome of months of painstaking research and an excruciating design process yet it hardly gets any recognition beyond the design studio. It is imperative to share such revolutionary ideas with the entire fraternity to open up new possibilities for dialogue.

Competition Brief - https://thecharette.org/architecture-thesis-of-the-year/

AWARDS Exposure and recognition is the key to success for any designer. The ATY 2022 competition provides students with the opportunity to showcase their work on a global stage.

TROPHIES Custom Designed Trophies will be awarded & shipped to the Top 3 Winners.

CERTIFICATES Sharable and verifiable certificates of achievement will be awarded to the Winners, Honorable Mentions & Top 30.

INTERVIEW The Top 3 Winners will get an exclusive interview in both – written and video formats. Photos, interviews, and more information about the winners will be published on our website.

PUBLICATIONS The winning entries shall be published on Charette’s website & social media platforms and other international architecture websites partnered with us.

ELIGIBILITY ATY 2022 is open to architecture students of all nationalities and institutions. All Undergraduate/Bachelors and Graduate/Masters Thesis conducted in the calendar year 2017 – 2022 are eligible to participate. Group, as well as individual entries, are allowed.. The official language of the competition is English.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES A total of 5 sheets of size 30 cm x 30 cm are to be submitted as a combined PDF document, which shall not exceed 5 MB.

Sheets 1 to 4: Graphic Representation Sheet 5: Text Summary

For more details visit - https://thecharette.org/architecture-thesis-of-the-year/

KEY DATES Advance Entry: 15 June - 15 July 2022 Early Entry: 16 July - 15 Aug 2022 Standard Entry: 16 Aug -15 Sep 2022 Last-Min Entry: 16 Sep -15 Oct 2022 Submission Deadline: 16 Oct 2022 Results: 15 Nov 2022

REGISTRATION FEE $25 - $55

Registration Deadline

Submission deadline.

This competition was submitted by an ArchDaily user. If you'd like to submit a competition, call for submissions or other architectural 'opportunity' please use our "Submit a Competition" form. The views expressed in announcements submitted by ArchDaily users do not necessarily reflect the views of ArchDaily.

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2022 Landscape Architecture Thesis Prize: Liwei Shen’s “The Echoes of Sky River – Two Pre-modern and Modern Atmospheric Assemblages”

by Liwei Shen (MLA I ’22) — Recipient of the Landscape Architecture Thesis Prize. The…

Sergio Lopez-Pineiro, Faculty Advisor

Spring 2022

2022 James Templeton Kelley Prize: Isaac Henry Pollan’s “This Is Not A Firehouse”

by Isaac Henry Pollan (MArch I ’22) — Recipient of the James Templeton Kelley Prize,…

Sean Canty , Faculty Advisor

2022 Clifford Wong Prize in Housing Design: Brian Lee’s “People’s Park Complex: Repairing the Modern City”

by Brian Lee (MArch ’22) — Recipient of the 2021 Clifford Wong Prize in…

Grace La and Jenny French , Faculty Advisors

2022 Peter Rice Prize: Hangsoo Jeong’s “Upon Concrete: Retrofitting Architecture with Malleability”

by Hangsoo Jeong (MArch ’22) — Recipient of the Peter Rice Prize   Upon Concrete:…

Mark Lee, Faculty Advisor

2022 Digital Design Prize: George Guida’s “Multimodal Architecture: Applications of Language in a Machine Learning Aided Design Process”

by George Guida (MArch II ’22) — Recipient of the Digital Design Prize. This thesis…

Andrew Witt and Jose Luis Garcia del Castillo Lopez , Faculty Advisors

2022 Urban Design Thesis Prize: Rogelio Cadena’s “How Are ‘We’ Living? Reevaluating the Chicago Boulevard System”

by Rogelio Cadena (MAUD ’22) — Recipient of the Urban Design Thesis Prize. At its…

Stephen Gray , Faculty Advisor

2022 Design Studies Thesis Prize: Allison Hyatt’s “Priorities in Building Decarbonization: Accounting for total carbon and the time value of carbon in cost-benefit analyses of residential retrofits”

by Allison Hyatt (MDes ’22) — Recipient of the Design Studies Thesis Prize. Energy consumption…

Holly Samuelson , Faculty Advisor

2022 James Templeton Kelley Prize: Qin Ye Chen’s “Fluid Permanence – A Shotengai-Archive in Tokyo”

by Qin Ye Chen (MArch I ’22) — Recipient of the James Templeton Kelley Prize,…

Mohsen Mostafavi , Faculty Advisor

2022 Design Studies Thesis Prize: Nicole Piepenbrink’s “HERE LIES DARBY VASSALL: Rendering the obscured and concealed history of slavery at Christ Church Cambridge”

by Nicole Piepenbrink (MDes ’22) — Recipient of the Design Studies Thesis Prize. The material…

Susan Snyder, George Thomas and Krzysztof Wodiczko , Faculty Advisors

2022 Landscape Architecture Thesis Prize: Lucy Humphreys Chebot’s “Reciprocal Optimism: Projecting Terrestrial Analogues”

by Lucy Humphreys Chebot (MLA I ’22) — Recipient of the Landscape Architecture Thesis Prize.

Danielle Choi , Faculty Advisor

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Rescheduled: Master of Architecture Thesis Presentations

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Shattuck Hall 1914 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR

[email protected]

In the School of Architecture, students pursuing the Master of Architecture degree engage in a yearlong investigation in which they select a topical issue, develop a body of research both within and outside the discipline of architecture, and create a complete and detailed architectural design response to the topic. Master of Architecture thesis projects at Portland State range from community-focused public interest design concepts to explorations of architectural materiality and sustainability, from the poetic to the concrete and everything in between. The thesis program culminates in oral presentations to a panel of invited jurors, followed by the production of a commemorative book detailing the students' research, design process, and inspiring results.

*Thesis Reviews have been pushed back one week and will now take place May 13-16.

Schedule of Reviews: Subject to change

Monday 13th:

12:00 - 01:00 Maribel Zepeda | SH 212

01:00 - 02:00 Athena Rilatos | SH 212

02:30 - 03:30 Regina Batiste | SH 212

03:30 - 04:30 Van Khue Do Thai | SH 235

Tuesday 14th:

09:45 - 10:00 Niusha Manavi Namaghi | SH 137

10:45 - 11:45 Eric Giovannetti | SH 235

01:15 - 02:15 Victoria Fuentes-Sotelo | SH 3rd Floor

02:30 - 03:30 Brandi Barlow | SH 212

03:30 - 04:30 Alondra Maldonado | SH 212

Wednesday 15th:

12:00 - 01:00 Zeta Blice | SH 212

01:00 - 02:00 Rebecca Silk | SH 235

02:30 - 04:00 Ethan Goldblatt & Kaleb Huerta | SH 3rd Floor Crit Corner

Thursday 16th:

12:00 - 01:00 Adam Lee Soon | SH 3rd Floor

01:00 - 02:00 Lauren Espinoza | SH 212

02:30 - 03:30 Brianna Montes | SH 212

03:30 - 04:30 Sam Barber | SH 212

Visiting Guest Reviewers

Sharone Tomer | Virginia Tech

Sharone Tomer teaches design studios and courses on urbanism and social issues at Virginia Tech. Her work sits at the intersection of architectural history and urban studies through research that explores how architectural practices operate within and address conditions of urbanized inequality; her teaching and research focus on housing, public space, and architectural activism. Her research topics include spatial change in late-apartheid Cape Town, contested histories, and transforming spaces in Appalachia.

Jonathan Bolch | Woofter Bolch Architecture

Jonathan Bolch is Principal, RA, LEED AP of Woofter Bolch Architecture. A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Jonathan has over 20 years of professional experience practicing and teaching architecture in a diverse array of places, including New York, Boston, Seoul, and Portland. As an architect, he has led the design effort on a wide range of project types and scales, including institutional, commercial, and residential, with a particular focus on creating enduring buildings for colleges and universities. His portfolio of educational projects includes work for leading institutions around the country, from Princeton to Portland State, from the University of Virginia to the University of Hawaii. Jonathan received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Master of Architecture from Yale University. In addition to his work as an architect, Jonathan has taught as Adjunct Faculty at the Portland State University School of Architecture since 2012.

Elisandra Garcia-Gonsalez | El Dorado

Elisandra is a designer, activist, and educator from Ciudad Juárez, México. Elisandra is the Director of Engagement at El Dorado Architects, a national firm with offices in Portland and Kansas City. She leads engagement and design processes for diverse project typologies, from equitable urban frameworks for communities to interior architecture grounded on Trauma-Informed design. Elisandra Garcia served as the Design for Spatial Justice Fellow at the University of Oregon School of Architecture & Environment from 2021 to 2023, where she continues to lead the Urban Violence Lab, an advanced architectural design studio that focuses on social inequities within our shared urban environment. 

Yuki Bowman | Waechter Architecture

Yuki is an architect and project lead at Waechter Architecture. She holds a Master of Architecture degree from UC Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College. She brings a foundation in design writing and Japanese woodcraft to more than a decade of architectural practice focused on conceptual clarity and spatial dynamism. She led award-winning residential projects with Ogrydziak Prillinger Architects in San Francisco before moving to Portland, where she helped spearhead high-profile cultural projects such as the recently opened PRAx building at OSU's campus in Corvallis. On every project, she collaborates closely with consultants, contractors, and client teams to maintain design rigor throughout the detailing and construction of residential, civic, and educational projects. Yuki is also a lecturer, mentor, and educator for architectural students, with experience teaching at UC Berkeley and Portland State University Department of Architecture.

Justin Fowler | University of Oregon

Justin Fowler teaches studios in architectural design and seminars in history and theory in the urban architecture specialization at the University of Oregon. His doctoral work centers on Pragmatism and the tectonic aesthetics of social and psychological relief in U.S. architecture and urbanism from the late 19th Century to the New Deal, and his contemporary research concerns public health and precarity in the built environment, climate action, anthropotechnics, housing, aging populations, narrative practices, games, and exchanges between physical and digital media environments. His writing has appeared in publications such as Volume, Harvard Design Magazine, Thresholds, PIN-UP, Domus, and Topos, and he has given talks at the GSD, the University of Virginia, the Cooper Union, and the Storefront for Art and Architecture, among others. He is an editor of Public Natures: Evolutionary Infrastructures by Weiss/Manfredi (Princeton Architectural Press, 2015) and a founding editor of Manifest: A Journal of American Architecture and Urbanism, the recipient of two grants from the Graham Foundation. He has worked as a designer for Dick van Gameren Architecten in Amsterdam, Somatic Collaborative in Cambridge, and managed research and editorial projects at the Columbia University Lab for Architectural Broadcasting (C-Lab) in New York.

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SCI-Arc Breadcrumbs Home

SCI-Arc Breadcrumbs News

• May 13, 2024

UG Thesis 2024 Explores Architectural Frontiers with Bold Review Weekend

SCI-Arc’s 2024 Undergraduate Thesis has once again concluded with a remarkable exhibition of creative brilliance and architectural exploration. This year's showcase unveiled a dazzling array of projects that pushed the boundaries of design thinking and cultural discourse.

Spanning diverse themes and methodologies, the thesis projects on display offered a glimpse into the future of architecture and its intersection with society, technology, and the environment, as interpreted through the lens of this year’s graduating B.Arch class. From innovative housing solutions to speculative urban interventions, each thesis project reflected unique vision and ingenuity.

One project, titled "Urban Reclamation: Rethinking Public Spaces," reimagined abandoned industrial sites as vibrant community hubs, blending principles of sustainable design and social equity. Through thoughtful programming and adaptive reuse strategies, the project proposed a revitalization model that fosters inclusivity and community engagement.

Another compelling exploration, "Architecture of Memory: Mapping Collective Identity," delved into the role of architecture in preserving and commemorating cultural heritage. Drawing inspiration from local narratives and historical contexts, the project proposed a series of memorial structures that serve as anchors of remembrance and identity in rapidly evolving urban landscapes.

Innovative use of digital fabrication techniques was showcased in projects such as "Materiality in Flux: Exploring 3D Printed Structures," which experimented with novel materials and construction methods to create dynamic architectural forms. By harnessing the power of advanced technologies, the project pushed the boundaries of material expression and structural efficiency.

Environmental sustainability emerged as a recurring theme throughout the exhibition, with projects like "Resilient Habitats: Designing for Climate Change," offering visionary solutions to the pressing challenges of climate adaptation and mitigation. Through integrated design strategies and biomimetic principles, the project proposed resilient habitats that harmonize with nature and minimize ecological impact.

“The forty-seven thesis projects presented by this year’s undergraduate thesis class at SCI-Arc reveal architecture’s profound capacity to affect how we experience and think about the environments that surround us. The projects situate us provocatively at the intersection of multiple histories, presents, and futures with myriad modalities for researching, projective thinking, and designing,” shares Undergraduate Programs Co-Chair Marcelyn Gow.

Undergraduate Co-Chair Kristy Balliet had this to say of the weekend, “Undergraduate Thesis Spring 2024 was a vibrate display of a diverse range of ideas, inquiries, and close observations into issues that matter to communities large and small. The students hosted guests in conversation using immersive visual representation exhibited from small scale sketches, expansive animations, and models that invite you to enter. This class should be proud as it moves beyond these walls to make an impact in the world.”

SCI-Arc UG Thesis 2024 not only showcased the talent and creativity of its graduating students but also underscored the school's commitment to fostering innovative thinking and critical inquiry in the field of architecture. As these emerging architects embark on their professional journeys, their visionary projects serve as a testament to the transformative power of architecture in shaping the world we inhabit.