As the impact of embodied carbon catches up with that of operational carbon, the importance of adaptive reuse projects cannot be understated and the reuse of structural materials is often a key, if not the key, driver of architectural design. When you are confronted with the need to premise a building’s design on the retention of a large chunk of existing structure, having an intuitive feel for that structure’s ability to be re-activated under modern codes and the materials that are and are not compatible within, above, or below that structure, is often critical to success.

The course, therefore, will provide students with a deeper understanding of structural systems and assemblies through eight distinct lenses — mechanic/statics, structural failure, embodied carbon, scale, representation, code, pathology, and compatibility — each of which is intended to build, in the student, an ability to become proficient in the language of structure. This is not intended to be a technical proficiency (although you will gain further technical insight and ability) but, rather, a conversational ability that supports deeper, more nuanced, and more thoughtful interrogation of design intent in the collaboration between architect and structural engineer.

Ultimately, the intent is to celebrate existing structures and see in them, even in disrepair, the inspirational potential for reinvention and, often, in learning these histories and strengths, one has new insights into design and detailing within new buildings.