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063-0560-00L 6 Credits MSC D-ARCH

Focus Work Design and Architecture (IEA)

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Alexandre Theriot
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-06-03 00:14:00

Abstract

Light is not a fixed product but a living material, capable of instantly transforming space and the way we inhabit it.

Objective

In continuation of our investigation during the October 2025 Seminar Week and Workshop in Basel we a looking to explore this potential by developing a luminous installation for the Exhibition at the UIA Congress in Barcelona, taking place during summer 2026. Building on these previous experiments, we will approach light not as a simple instrument of illumination, but as a moving flow, a spatial constellation and narrative agent which tests relationships: between intensity and transparency, between movement and perception, between technology and atmosphere. The piece itself, its concept and formalities are developed with the chair; the Focuswork is its collective realization. Teams will take on different specialized tasks, from form finding, technical research, electrical development, on-site testing, prototyping, structure up to mounting and installation. During an integrated field trip we will familiarize ourselves with the specificities of the building and will have the chance to test first prototypes directly on site. The finished work will be packaged and shipped to Barcelona in Calendar Week 20 and 21, where it will be installed subsequently. The exhibition runs from June 28th to July 2nd during World Congress of Architects in Barcelona.

Content

The course offers the unique opportunity to create an installation for an international exhibition and the experience of carrying out a technically complex and extraordinary task from start to finish. In the manner and scale of public art projects, this Focus Work is constructed around on the technical development, prototyping and production of what can be considered a hybrid between a light installation and kinetic sculpture. As a small team, you will develop the realization of the project in detail from the first tests and prototypes to the final construction and along the process collaborate with partners from research, industry and art production.

General Information

Language
German
Levels
MSC
Frequency
Semesterly recurring

Examination

Type
graded semester performance

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
independent project Focus Work Design and Architecture (IEA)
We will meet weekly on Wednesday evenings from 17:00 – 18:30 in and outside of ONA. The exact places will be communicated during the course. The focus work comprises 6 ECTS. A corresponding level of involvement is expected. Applications with a short portfolio and a motivation letter are to be sent to by Monday 16th, 2026, 18:00. Our first meeting will be in Calendar Week 9.
No time listed 180 h semesterly

Offered In

  • Architecture Master
    • Focus Work (Realization in the respective fields of the institutes. Definition of topics by professors, in consultation with the students. The content may also refer to an elective course.)