Architectural Design V-IX: HouseEurope! (A.Brandlhuber)

Abstract

This course offers students the opportunity to understand and navigate the process of conceptualizing and designing an entire exhibition, from initial ideas to final implementation. Beyond practical exhibition design, the course also delves into the theoretical considerations that shape the impact of architectural representation.

Objective

The course guides students through the different phases of exhibition making: * Research-based argumentation: students learn to define a field of research, collect relevant data and analyze it in order to develop sound and convincing lines of argumentation for the exhibition. This research is cross-disciplinary and integrates different areas of knowledge. * Curatorial framework: A key component of the course is to condense the knowledge gained into a clearly defined curatorial framework. Students learn how to select the essential elements and combine them into a coherent whole. The entire studio works together on the curatorial concept. * Exhibition formats: The course encourages exploring different formats to effectively communicate the ideas presented in the space. This involves choosing the right tools and media to best communicate knowledge to visitors. * Resource management: Students learn how to plan and implement exhibition projects within a given budget. * Filming: Students will be equipped with the technical proficiency necessary to produce short documentaries and fictional films, gaining an invaluable set of tools to tell their stories effectively. * Writing: Students will develop the ability to create clear, compelling, and contextually appropriate written content, ranging from wall texts to exhibition catalogs. They will explore various text formats, learning how to effectively communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences while supporting the overall narrative and thematic goals of the exhibition. * Exhibition design and model making: The design of the exhibition and some of the materials to be exhibited will be built by the students themselves. * Collaboration: Another focus is on collaboration with the HouseEurope! campaign team and the opportunity to design the exhibition so that it can travel. Students will learn how to collaborate with different actors and how to creatively use the specific possibilities of exhibition spaces. * Collective work: Finally, the course emphasizes the importance of collective work. Students will learn to organize their own work in the context of a group and to put their critical thinking into a collective project.

Resources