Exploratív

BMEEPIPM2T9 – Theory of Architecture and Design global exam

The main point of the task is to actively apply the skill of recognising and analysing situations, and the knowledge gained during the studies. The written task needs to be completed in 6x45 minutes, any kind of source can be used, but the tasks need to be elaborated as an individual work. Paper is provided by the Departments, drawing tools must be brought by the examinees. The rooms of the exam are not announced in advance.

The exam is set up of a written and an oral part. The part is for elaborating the written and the design task (8.00-13.0). It is followed by an oral discussion (14.00-) regarding the submitted works, besides the expected knowledge on the basics of architecture.

Three particular sites and problem proposals are being elaborated for the global exam dates. One is to be preliminarily selected and given to the examinees for the exam. In the submitted design proposals and the subsequent oral discussion we are evaluating the development of the skills and the application of the knowledge gained during the three semesters of the MSc course or the two semesters of the Design specialization. The topics discussed during courses regarding design theory, contemporary architecture and monuments protection can be involved in the exam. The most important objective of the exam is to prove the skill for synthesis relevant to the designer’s attitude.

Task “A” is the analysis of an exciting, basically natural environment that in cases might have been influenced by man, and the elaboration of a program proposal for that site. Task “B” is the analysis of a potential design area in an intense urban environment based on a design program draft. Task “C” is to locate a small-scale object or building part in a valuable environment under heritage protection, or monument protection.  This might be an outdoor or indoor spatial situation, primarily to test the examinee’s attitude towards valuable architectural environments, as well as the design skills that create real added value and develop a new quality of the space.

The area/site in the task needs to be analysed from the designer’s point of view in regards to the proposed function given in the task. The analysis can be written, and may contain hand-drawn sketches. The analysis should discuss the characteristics of the site well-focused on the goal, should reveal the relevant potentials of the site, moreover, it should point out the occasional disadvantages, limiting factors. During the analysis we are expecting convincing sketches for locating building masses, floorplan and façade sketches, evoking the imagined architectural character. The analysis should be submitted and then presented in A/3 size pages (max. 10 pages) in a tasteful, presentable form.

The submitted pages should have aesthetical, uniform titles, and all sheets should contain the name and Neptune code of the examinee. The committee is to review the submitted analyses and design sketches in a closed session.

In the oral part of the global exam the committee is shortly evaluating the submitted material, and will ask questions regarding the design process of those as well as in the topics of design theory and monument protection. During the discussion we are focusing on contemporary architectural examples, especially those relevant to the task. After the oral exam the committee decides about the grades in a closed session, and announces the results afterwards. The grade is going to include evaluation on the quality of the submitted proposals and the value of their conceptual basics, and the oral discussion as well.