ARC 300 / ARC 2016

Instructor: Harry Wei

Summer 2026

Travel Dates: Friday, August 14 to Tuesday, September 1
Course Dates: Friday, July 3 - Tuesday, September 1

Watch video HERE

Overview

This course examines architecture through the study of its constituent parts in relation to the building as a whole. It focuses on elements such as windows, façades, thresholds, stairs, considering them as cultural, technical, and historical constructs. Each element is scrutinized as a site where materiality, construction methods, climate, regulations and broader political, economic forces converge to shape architecture at the scale of the detail. By examining each element across multiple buildings students will uncover a deeper understanding of how buildings are constructed and experienced.

The course situates this inquiry within the context of Swiss architecture, using it as a lens to explore the narrative potential of building elements. Over the span of 19 days, students will participate in a series of walking tours, building visits, office visits, and lived experiences through shared accommodations. These immersive tours—primarily in Basel, Zurich, Lausanne, Bern and Graubünden—will expose students to a broad range of work by architects such as Herzog & de Meuron, Peter Zumthor, Valerio Olgiati, Peter Märkli, Christ & Gantenbein, Buchner Bründler, Christian Kerez, Gion Caminada, Boltshauser, Le Corbusier, and others.

A central component of the course is the systematic documentation and comparative analysis of selected architectural elements across multiple buildings throughout the Swiss landscape. Students will be assigned intensive documentation tasks during site visits focusing on a single architectural element, tracing its variations, continuities, and adaptations across different projects and contexts.

The final assignment is the production of an ‘Elements of Architecture’-style book. Each student will compile a booklet dedicated to one element, including original drawings, photographs, sketches, construction details, and a series of short critical texts that speculate on the micro-narrative of each detail in relation to the larger architectural project. Through this process, students will develop a rigorous method of observation and representation, learning to read architecture critically through the agency of its parts in relation to its totality.

Application

Students wishing to apply should submit three work samples, a CV, and complete the short exercise outlined below.

Select one element from the provided list and document it in a built project that you can visit in person.

• Door/Threshold

• Window

• Facade

• Vertical Circulation (Stairs, Elevators, Ramps)

• Horizontal Circulation (Corridors, Enfilade)

• Ceiling

• Floor & Wall

• Structure (vertical and horizontal)

• Toilet

• HVAC

The final submission should include:

1. One photo of the chosen element (close-up)

2. One photo of the building (exterior or interior).

3. A short paragraph speculating how the chosen element impacts the overall building design.

Applications are to be submitted HERE. Please upload all documents in ONE single PDF file (max. 10MB). (Please note the form is limited to one submission for the summer course. Further editing and amendments are NOT allowed after the form has been submitted.) 

The deadline to apply is Friday, March 13, 2025 at 9:00 AM EST.