What We Do
The program guides students through a process of learning about the built environment, not just by being able to name places, dates, design styles and designers, but by understanding why a site, building or city looks the way it does and by interpreting the influential forces.
Students gain knowledge and insight though shared courses and especially though exploration and travel outside of the classroom. Service opportunities, local site visits and workshops aimed at developing specific skills provide a measure of aptitude and awareness. Finally, social activities provide an outlet for informal interaction and a way to engage with students across years of the program.
Architecture Scholars develop close ties with each other and demonstrate academic success on many levels.
Courses
All first-year Architecture Scholars will enroll in Architecture 1210 or Landscape Architecture 1210, Outlines of the Built Environment, during autumn semester.
Students who intend to major in architecture or landscape architecture will also enroll in Architecture 1410 or Landscape Architecture 1410, Intro to Design, during autumn semester, while students who intend to major in city and regional planning will enroll in City and Regional Planning 2110, Creating Innovative Cities and Regions. These courses are also available to non-majors who wish to take them as electives.
A clustered Scholars section of the university’s mandatory first-year writing course will also be available to students who need to complete this requirement. Many Architecture Scholars also choose to “self-cluster” themselves in General Education courses by simply scheduling the same classes at the same time.
Additionally, both the Architecture Scholars weekend travel program, and the Knowlton School of Architecture first-year study abroad program, require enrollment in a corresponding seminar. Please view the Travel section for more detail.
Activities
Service
Giving back to the community is an important component of being a responsible citizen. Architecture Scholars participate in service activities related to improving the built and natural environment. Service activities are often selected by students themselves and reinforce the ideas and theme of the Architecture Scholars program.
Site Visits
In addition to the more extensive travel opportunities available to Architecture Scholars, the group also participates in exploration of the local area. As a student at Ohio State, it’s important to get to know the Columbus area and to take advantage of its many resources. Early in autumn semester, the group will spend a day exploring the highlights of the Columbus downtown. Throughout the year, additional local trips and site visits to buildings, parks and firms in different areas of the city will be offered to students.
Skills Development
Aside from required courses, Architecture Scholars will also have opportunities to advance their skills and talents though specialized workshops outside of the typical classroom environment. Whether it be architectural sketching, tips on model building and what to expect in a studio class, or helpful hints about AutoCad and Photoshop, the program offers a way to be a step ahead and to learn skills and software in advance of when many other students might first be introduced to these items. Many workshops are initiated and taught by upper-class students.
Social
Architecture, landscape architecture and city and regional planning are especially collaborative disciplines. To support the need for working together, social activities allow students to have fun and get to know each other in a casual manner. Not only will you get to know the other Architecture Scholars students in your class year, you’ll also get to know upper-class students and faculty and staff. The strong support network created by Architecture Scholars is reinforced though social engagement.
Examples of recent social activities include a pumpkin carving contest, a canoe/kayak trip and a scavenger hunt. While some activities are just for fun, other activities include an educational component as well, such as “Cupakes for Corb” in honor of famous architect Le Corbusier’s birthday or a similar event to celebrate the father of landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted.
Travel
Day Trips
One or more full day trips occur each year for Architecture Scholars. These trips focus on exploring a specific work or works of architecture or landscape architecture within a short driving distance of Columbus.
Recent day trips have included visits to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob in western Pennsylvania, the Contemporary Arts Center designed by Zaha Hadid in downtown Cincinnati, and Allegheny Riverfront Park by Michael Van Valkenburgh and the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. Depending on the trip and associated costs, students may be asked to contribute a small fee.
Weekend Travel Program
Annually, Architecture Scholars have the opportunity to participate in a weekend trip to study a particular city or region in person. This travel opportunity is tied to a required seminar in which students will learn about the historical, cultural and social aspects that influenced and continue to impact the design and development of the city. The seminar course is typically two credits and results in the creation of a student-designed travel guide to match the trip itinerary. The trip itself enables students to experience a new environment and to practice “reading” the city.
Recent destinations for the weekend travel program have included Chicago, Boston, Toronto and Buffalo. The program typically includes transportation, lodging, all group activities and admissions costs as well as several group meals. A fee is required for participation; the average cost per student is typically $225-275 depending on the destination.
Study Abroad
In addition to Honors & Scholars study abroad opportunities, the Knowlton School of Architecture encourages students to study abroad in their first-year through the offering of its own first-year program. This particular program is targeted toward students who intend to major in architecture, landscape architecture or city and regional planning or have a strong interest in one of those disciplines. The abroad program and its corresponding seminar offer an in-depth experience just right for beginning students.
London, Barcelona, and Istanbul have each served as past destinations for this short-term study abroad program. A program fee is required for participation.