Design and technology education: Integration through passive solar design

Architecture students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign recently executed an experimental joint project which integrated basic architectural design and introductory technology course work, The two courses routinely present separate concepts and independent information and assignments are commonly executed without relationship to one another. This experimental project attempted to coordinate and integrate basic spatial design principles (''Parti-Permutare'') and passive solar technology (''Brise-Soleil'') within an urban infill context and emphasize the following goals: Recognize and respond to the influential relationship between spatial design and environmental technology Reduce territorial boundaries and conceptual confusion between assigned academic course work Initiate the beginning architecture student to the multiplicity of the architectural profession The project assignment was prepared, coordinated, and presented as separate programs and completed within four weeks with a formal intermediate review. Project challenges included unanticipated issues, timing and coordination of presented information, and overall project length, Overall, the project goals were fulfilled or exceeded.