Management into design education: a case study

The design project set in a studio learning environment remains central to much of the under- graduate curriculum activity for the aspiring architect. Yet much recent discussion has identified the need to look beyond this design curriculum horizon and to extend into studies in management. The Burton Report, among others, has encouraged diversity in architectural education. A degree course in Architectural Design and Management has been developed at Northumbria University as a direct response to this encouragement. However, challenges continue as students tend to see supporting studies such as management as peripheral, or even irrelevant and professional accreditation authorities seek evidence of performance via an academic portfolio only. Subsequently, management and professional studies in the programme have been developed as the process within which design happens and which allows a direct link into the studio programme. So, as for the professional practitioner, student design activity happens in teams, and has deadlines, studio design programmes have group projects and deadlines and these are structured with learning outcomes such as teamwork, timekeeping, and reflective learning.