Course Information

Meeting Times

Course Overview

The intent of this course is to introduce students to the various regulatory, performative and technical components of building systems that bridge the development of design with building realization. The course will be structured through weekly lectures on diverse building systems strategies, with a specific focus on environmental, material, structural and regulatory processes of design. These concepts will be illustrated through examples and case studies, reinforced by assignments, discussions and learning checks to encourage further analysis and discussion.

This course provides an overview of the practices, strategies and principles underlying a comprehensive approach to design integration. These include regulatory content (Land regulations and Building Codes), Environmental design approaches and an overview of mechanical, structural, circulation, water systems and facade systems. On a bi-weekly basis, assignments will prompt students to synthesize these principles of design development, evaluating economic, environmental and technical feasibility. In addition, learning checks – paired with the assignments – will gauge students’ understanding and application of these concepts. Overall, the course aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to integrate building systems into the broader framework of design thinking.