Dezeen promotion: applications are now open for the University of Luxembourg's 2017 Architecture, European Urbanisation and Globalisation masters, which will offer an unorthodox approach to studying architecture.
The two-year masters degree, which will be taught in English, will begin at the University of Luxembourg in September 2017. The university is now accepting applications from European students.
Students on the Architecture, European Urbanisation and Globalisation course will start out by researching global design, before focusing on smaller-scale projects – a structure that reverses how architecture masters are typically taught.
"Unlike traditional architectural curriculums, which proceed from smaller to larger design scales and contexts, the programme suggests an inverted pathway, starting from design research at the global and European scale, and moving down to the regional, urban and building scales," explained the university.
Each intake of students will receive a theme that will run for the duration of their two years of studying. It will provide the focus for studio work, seminar discussions and thesis projects in all four semesters.
The theme for the first year group will be Architecture and Economy, and will run from 2017 to 2019.
The degree will be divided into three key sections, with the first focusing on architectural design, and encompassing both technology and construction, as well as social, political and artistic elements.
Projects in the design studio will be interdisciplinary, incorporating geography and geospatial analysis; regional and urban development; circular economy; sustainable transport systems and energy performance of built environments.
The aim is to equip the students with a broad skill set that will better equip them for the architectural profession.
"Architecture is not conceived as a static discipline, but as a profession within which a multitude of interrelated actors constantly have to adapt to shifting demographic, political, social, environmental, cultural or technological contexts," said the university.
The second section of the course, European Urbanisation, will address the characteristics of urbanisation in Europe. Themes will include intervention within historical environments, public housing, the relationship with communal and regional policies, as well as administrative regimes, and a typological approach to urban planning and design.
The final element, Globalisation, will see students assessing the impact that global developments have on cities and regions, and the architecture profession.
Applicants must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent, or a technically suitable degree in architecture and urban design to apply for the programme.
Students will be asked to submit a motivation letter and a portfolio of design work, and selection will be based on the application documents and a personal interview.
The application deadline for European applicants is 30 June 2017.