ARCH V1020

When I took Madeline’s class, though I put in many hours, because of her creative investment in my project, it was work I was happy to do and passionate about, which was a great feeling to have as a student. Her studios are simultaneously rigorous, fun, and you will have a blast seeing all of your classmates’ projects develop alongside your own.

The first assignment starts in Photoshop. I didn't really understand why we started in Photoshop because it wasn't "architecture". However, it was very helpful because we developed a conceptual background which then translated to the midterm project. The midterm was to build a viewing chamber based on the collages we made in Photoshop. We also had to create diagrams in Illustrator which was even harder to navigate than Photoshop. By the final, where we built a public bathroom in Riverside, I was able to take my illustrator skills from the diagrams and build upon them to create detailed and precise plans. Todd is a very generous grader and would tell you if he didn't like something or thought you would need to change it. Also, a major part of the grade was being able to explain and defend your ideas that helped you create the projects and you'd get an A. I did spend a lot of time working on the projects, mainly the final project. We basically only had a week to do the final project so I had to lock in and maybe had a couple of sleepless nights. I will say some people in my class didn't spend as many hours in the studio as me so I think it depends. However, it was very worth it and I am proud of my final project.

3 main projects, the last project involves extensive model making. Also be prepared to spend a lot of money at Pearl/Janoff's

Madeline Schwartzman is magical professor. Her super power is bringing out the best in people; those who take her class will produce intricate, thought-provoking, and original designs/contraptions/objects. She succeeds in elevating her students’ projects through personal and honest critiques. Her curiosity about the world and passion for really SEEING is contagious. Her truly unique perspective will inspire you. She takes the time to look closely at what students bring to class for studio and takes on a very rare, deeply personal approach to teaching. Without fail, her critiques are relevant to each designer in the class and their own specific interests and context; she always asks questions of each student about their design and helps them investigate the meaning of their work which encourages excitement about what they are making. I left better knowing my strengths and weaknesses as a designer/architect/artist. And, it says a lot that when I had her as a professor, our studio was entirely via Zoom, yet she still managed to go above and beyond in analyzing my work and taking a real interest in the construction of my projects. She not only welcomed my out-of-the-box and sometimes crazy or silly ideas, but praised them and helped me realize them even further. Her class solidified my choice to want to be a designer because under her care as a professor I grew to understand my cr…

Todd is such an amazing professor. He is great at giving feedback on projects and creating a supportive environment. I never felt like he belittled my work even when it is an intro studio with a steep learning curve. The classroom vibes are also very casual yet still professional. I was able to joke around with Todd but still receive critical and constructive feedback.

This class is a very interesting introduction to architecture and forces you to see things through an entirely new perspective. The second two projects for this class were more exciting than the first, mainly because it was more hands-on and more related to architecture. While Anda is helpful at times, the way in which she conveys what she wants is rather convoluted. She expects us to extract all information from the vague directions in the project assignment sheets, and when she is asked to clarify the assignment, she tells us to refer back to the assignment sheet. Additionally, be prepared to face incredibly harsh critics- most of them were her classmates from architecture school. An analogy for review day is- swimming in a tank of piranhas, and Anda being one of them. If you think you'll be all alone defending your project in front of the panel of critics, you will be. She does not attempt to save you from any attack from the critics, and attacks you, as well. The class is enjoyable, but be prepared to come back feeling awfully miserable from a critique.

This course is a major time commitment. Expect to spend many hours in studio, especially in preparation for final pinups. The key is dividing a project into small chunks. There are four main projects and one site visit (during the class period). Honestly, I don't think anyone knows exactly how your grade is calculated in this class, but from what I understand, Todd wants to see a concentrated effort on the part of the student.

I am not sure why the reviews below are quite so positive. Yes, I agree that Madeline is a nice person, but she is a terrible teacher! She changes her mind constantly, which is very inconvenient when you've spent time (and usually money) changing something to make it the way she wants, only to have her tell you that you shouldn't have changed it the very next class. I spent most of my time in the class being confused on the content and point of the assignments, as she rarely took the time to fully explain these things. The one good thing I have to say is she does reward effort...if you put in way more effort than should be required in an intro level class intended for non-majors.

Professor Rouhe (or simply Todd, as his students call him) is hilariously sassy and overwhelming amicable. He effectively taught the basics of model-making and hand drafting, emphasizing a clean and careful technique. In terms of project content, he provides explicit guidelines but is intentionally vague in describing what the final product should be. In this way, he allows the student to wield tremendous artistic license (which is particularly refreshing for SEAS students like myself). He provides helpful and constructive criticism during desk crits and pinups, but is careful to let the student work through his/her own ideas. With the exception of final pinups for a particular project, reviews were meant to help students at any stage in their creative process. The overall emphasis seemed to be on a step-by-step progression of ideas.

sufficient, but if you love it, you'll love every minute of the work.