Overview:

The Design Research Laboratory (DRL) is a 16-month post-professional design research programme leading to a Masters of Architecture and Urbanism (MArch) degree. For the last 20 years, the world-renowned lab has been at the forefront of design experimentation, pioneering advanced methods in design, computation and manufacturing. The lab is structured around an evolving framework of three-year research cycles that interrogate architecture and urbanism from the city scale to the nano-scale. Led by experts in the field of architecture, design and engineering, the AADRL pursues innovation and interdisciplinary design recognised in many fields outside of architecture and fostered through partnerships with companies such as Ferrari, Festo, AKTII, Reider and Odico Robotics. The lab remains a space of collaboration and curiosity and looks to develop the next generation of architects who will actively participate and influence their field. Distinguished graduates have gone on to found offices, lead advanced research groups or teach at schools worldwide.

Course Structure

Four terms of study are divided into two phases. Phase I, a three-term academic year beginning each autumn, introduces design techniques and topics through a combination of team-based studio, workshops and seminar courses. In Phase II, which begins the following autumn, teams develop their Phase I work into comprehensive design thesis projects. At the end of January these projects are presented to a panel of distinguished visiting critics who have included Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, Jeff Kipnis, Wolf Prix, Ali Rahim, Marta Male-Alemany, Alisa Andrasek, Michael Hansmeyer, John Frazer, Ben Van Berkel, David Ruy, Hernan Diaz Alonso, Tom Wiscombe, Caroline Bos, Mark Cousins, David Greene and Marcelo Spina.