American University of Beirut | Department of Architecture and Design | SPRING 2019-20
SYLLABUS
ARCH461 Professional Practice
Professional
3 credits | Friday 10am-1pm
Rana Samara Jubayli,
rs15@aub.edu.lb + ranasamarajubayli@gmail.com + rana@polypod.com.lb
CATALOG DESCRIPTION
The course exposes students to key aspects of professional design practice, and is
divided into three parts; (1) Now that you have graduated emphasizes the value of
design and business as one holistic creative process, focusing on the components and
skills it takes to set up, run, or contribute to a creative business, and on the legal and
regulatory requirements, finances, and marketing strategies, (2) Now that you got your
first design job discusses the pre-design planning and process that enables the synthesis
and translation of a project brief and design research into multiple solutions, a process
that drives the lifecycle from initial design intent to production and post-occupancy, and
finally (3) Now that you need to engage in HOW you practice introduces design
management strategies based on team building, collaboration, empowering gender in
practice, instilling professional ethics, and engaging in the future of design practice.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course exposes students to the scope and key aspects of professional design practice,
and is divided into three parts.
In the first part of the course, NOW THAT YOU HAVE GRADUATED the aim is to value
design and business not as mutually exclusive disciplines, but as one holistic creative
design process and product. This section focuses on introducing the components and skills
it takes to set up, run, or contribute to a creative business. Students investigate the
establishment and management of a design-focused practice with emphasis on financial
planning, legal and regulatory requirements, and establishing marketing strategies. Models
of practice and professional career options, as well as prospects for post-graduate
education and specialization are also discussed.
The second part of the course NOW THAT YOU GOT YOUR FIRST DESIGN JOB covers the
designer’s responsibilities in the pre-design phase of a project. It focuses in particular on
the programming process, which is seen as an integral part of the design process that does
not precede design but works with it, and that follows a cyclical, interdisciplinary approach
rather than the mere qualitative and quantitative aspects of space allocation. The intent is
to delineate a pre-design methodology based on academic research and practical
knowledge to synthesize and translate a project brief – such as client requirements,
legalities, allowable exploitation and spatial needs, site context, partnerships, outcomes
and deliverables, timeline– into pre-design strategies and solutions through the
collaboration of multiple participants and decision-makers. This process leads to a general
understanding of a design feasibility study, which culminates in visiting the tool of postoccupancy evaluation for design quality assessment.
The third part of the course NOW THAT YOU NEED TO ENGAGE IN HOW YOU PRACTICE
introduces cultivating design management that integrates elements inherent to good
practice; team building and collaborations, maintaining professional ethics, leadership
and gender equity, and evolving with the future of design practice.
American University of Beirut | Department of Architecture and Design | SPRING 2019-20
F.24.1
COURSE SRUCTURE / SESSIONS
TENTATIVE OUTLINE + READER
Seminar # & Title
Readings
INTRODUCTION
1. The Business of
Design – The
Conventional v/s
progressive models
PART I
F.31.1
ISSUE
ASSIGNMENT 1
2.Setting up a Design
Practice – or not
F.7.2 + F14.2
3.Professional
Practice
Workshop
F.21.2
4.Managing a Design
Practice
PART II
F.28.2
5.From Research
Based Design Practice
To Post occupancy
evaluation
DUE
ASSIGNMENT 1
Cherry, E. 1999. Programming for Design: from theory to practice. Chapter 3 Clients.
Lewis, R.K. Architect? A Candid Guide to the Profession. Chapter 1: Why be an
architect? & Chapter 2: Why not be an architect.
Waldrep, L.W. Becoming an Architect: A Guide to Careers in Design. Chapter 1: The
Definition of an Architect.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE GRADUATED
Professional Design Profile
Granet, K. The Business of Design: Balancing Creativity and Profitability. Chapter 1:
The Foundation of a design business.
Hyde, R. Future Practice: Conversations from the Edge of Architecture. London:
Routledge. 2012. Any chapter.
Rubeling, A. W. Jr. How to start and operate your own design firm: A guide for interior
designers and architects. Chapter 2: Facing the hard questions.
Davy, K.V. and Harris, S. Value Redesigned: New models for professional practice.
Part I: The Case for Change + Part II: Evolving the Core of Professional practice.
Greenstreet, G. Greenstreet, K., & Schermer, B. Law & Practice for Architects.
Chapter 2: The architect in practice
Segal, P. Professional Practice: A Guide to Turning Designs into Buildings. Chapter 1:
About the Profession, Chapter 2: The Parties in the construction industry & Chapter
5: Owner/Architect Agreements and Architects’ Services.
Waldrep, L.W. Becoming an Architect: A Guide to Careers in Design. Chapter 5: The
Future of the Architecture Profession.
Order of Engineers and Architects.
Building Law + Registration Law + OEA Documents
Rules and Regulations: Practice Law in Lebanon 2013
Granet, K. The Business of Design: Balancing Creativity and Profitability. Chapter 4:
Human resources.
Segal, P. Professional Practice: A Guide to Turning Designs into Buildings. Chapter 3:
Marketing Architectural Services.
Littlefield, D. An Architect’s Guide to Running a Practice. Chapters 1 to 6.
Moser, C. Architecture 3.0: The Disruptive Design Practice Handbook. Part 3, Chapters
12 & 13.
NOW THAT YOU GOT YOUR FIRST DESIGN JOB
Kumlin, R.R. Architectural Programming. Chapter 4 Program Document and
Chapter 5 Tools and techniques of information gathering.
Lucas, R. Research Methods for Architecture. Introduction: What is Architectural
research? and Conclusion: Theory & Practice.
Van der Voordt, T.J.M and Van Wegen, H.BR. Architecture in Use: An Introduction
to the Programming, Design and Evaluation of Buildings. Chapter 5 Evaluating buildings
and Chapter 6 Quality assessment: methods of measurement.
American University of Beirut | Department of Architecture and Design | SPRING 2019-20
F.13.3
T.10.3 F.6.3
6.Design Feasibility
& Process
ISSUE FINAL
ASSIGNMENT
7.Programmatic
Cherry, E. Programming for Design: from theory to practice. Chapter 7: Identifying
Strategies
Programmatic Strategies & Chapter 8 Establishing quantitative requirements.
& Calculation of areas Kumlin, R.R. Architectural Programming. Chapter 3: Programming Strategy & Chapter
8 Language of Area.
Pena, W.M. and Parshall, S.A. Problem Seeking: An Architectural Programming Primer.
Part One.
PART III
NOW THAT YOU NEED TO ENGAGE IN HOW YOU PRACTICE
F.8.5
F.24.4
F.3.4
F.27.3
F.20.3
(RE)ISSUE ASS. 2
ETHICS
8.Design Management Segal, P. Professional Practice: A Guide to Turning Designs into Buildings. Chapter 4
& Collaboration
Project Delivery Methods & Chapter 8 Owner/Contractor Agreements and
Contractors’ Services
Emmitt, S. and Ruikar, K. Collaborative Design management. Chapter 3 Design
management Chapter 5 Discussing and reviewing design
Granet, K. The Business of Design: Balancing Creativity and Profitability. Chapter 5:
Project Management.
9.Management of
Emmitt, S. and Ruikar, K. Collaborative Design management. Chapter 7 Visualization
Design Production
and BIM
Kumlin, R.R. Architectural Programming. Chapter 7 Program cost evaluation
Race, S. BIM Demystified. Section 1 BIM: the movement not the acronym Section 15:
Where will BIM go in the future?
10.Ethics in the
Fischer, T. Ethics for Architects: 50 dilemmas of Professional Practice. Assigned
Design Profession
chapter.
Ray, N. Ed. Architecture and its Ethical Dilemmas.
Royal Institute of British Architects. Code of Professional Conduct.
AIA Code of Ethics & Professional Practice. 2018.
Order of Engineers and Architects. Rules and Regulations: Practice Law in Lebanon
2013. Section 9.
DUE ASSIGNEMNT 2 ETHICS
11.Design Practice,
Adams, A. and Tancred, P. Designing Women: Gender and the Architectural
Leadership & Gender Profession. Chapter 3: Images in the Mirror: The profession’s perspective on women
architects.
Davy, K.V. and Harris, S. Value Redesigned: New models for professional practice. Part
IV.
Maeda, J. Redesigning Leadership: Design, Technology, Business, Life. Chapter 2:
Creative as Leader.
12.The Future of
Hensel, M.U. and Nilsson, F. eds. The Changing Shape of Practice: Integrating
Practice
Research and Design in Architecture. Chapter 7. “Make it Whole on valuing means and
end in the practice of SHoP” by Philip Nobel. Pp74-84.
13.Final Presentation
F.22.5
Cherry, E. Programming for Design: from theory to practice. Chapters 5: Identifying
Goals and Objectives.
Lewis, R.K. Architect? A Candid Guide to the Profession. Chapter 10: How Architects
Get Work.
Van der Voordt, T.J.M and Van Wegen, HBR. Architecture in Use: An Introduction to
the Programming, Design and Evaluation of Buildings. Chapter 4: from brief to design.
A STORY OF PRACTICE
DUE
DIGITAL ARCHIVE
FINAL PRESENTATIONS
American University of Beirut | Department of Architecture and Design | SPRING 2019-20
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Course Learning Outcomes
After completing this course, students will be able to:






Describe the requirements of the legal framework for establishing or
joining a design practice, through the interpretation of comparative
registration laws, codes and regulations.
Employ basic principles of design management to run a practice,
including soliciting design work, providing consultancy, marketing &
branding, drafting contracts, calculating fees, & building a team.
Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of professional ethics
including responsibilities and duties towards colleagues, clients, user
groups, community and the environment.
Illustrate the role of the architect as an integrative figure representing
various interests and taking leadership in the design and building
process, and in collaboration with intra- and inter-disciplinary teams.
Analyze the components of a design feasibility study emphasizing
contextual implications.
Identify owner and users’ vision, goals, objectives and needs and translate
them into a comprehensive project brief & program to be
communicated in written and graphic forms.
American University of Beirut | Department of Architecture and Design | SPRING 2019-20
BIBLIOGRAPHY / REFERENCES
Adams, A. and Tancred, P. Designing Women’ Gender and the Architectural Profession.
Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 2000.
AIA Code of Ethics & Professional Practice. 2018.
Anthony, K.H. Designing for Diversity: Gender, Race and Ethnicity in the Architectural
Profession. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press. 2008.
Blau, J.R. Architects and Firms: A sociological Perspective on Architectural Practice.
Cambridge: The MIT Press. 1988.
Brown Stephen A. Communication in the design process. London: Spon Press. 2001.
Bryant, Chris. ”The Changing Forms and Values of Architectural Practice”. Architectural
Design. Vol. 88, Issue 5, pp 6-13.
Buntrock, D. Japanese architecture as a collaborative process: opportunities in a flexible
construction culture. London: Spon Press. 2002.
Cherry, E. Programming for Design: from theory to practice. New York: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. 1999.
Cuff, D. Architecture: The Story of Practice. Cambridge: the MIT Press. 1992.
Cuff, D. and Wriedt, J. eds. Architecture From the Outside In: Selected Essays by Robert
Gutman. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. 2010.
Davy, K.V. and Harris, S. Value Redesigned: New models for professional practice. Atlanta:
Greenway Communications. 2005.
Demkin, J. The architect’s handbook of professional practice. American Institute of
Architects, Reeder, L.C. Ed. 2008.
Demkin, J. Executive Ed. The architect's handbook of professional practice. Hoboken, N.J.:
Wiley. 2008.
Emmitt, S. Design Management for Architects. Second Edition. London: John Wiley &
Sons. 2014.
Emmitt, S. and Ruikar, K. Collaborative Design management. London: Routledge. 2013.
Faimon, P. The Designer’s Guide to Business and Careers. Cincinnati: HOW Books, 2009.
Fischer, T. Ethics for Architects: 50dilemmas of Professional Practice. New York:
Princeton Architectural Press. 2010.
Franklin, J. R. Architect's professional practice manual. New York: McGraw Hill. 2000.
Granet, K. The Business of Design: Balancing Creativity and Profitability. New York:
Princeton Architectural Press. 2011.
American University of Beirut | Department of Architecture and Design | SPRING 2019-20
Green, R. The architect's guide to running a job. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Architectural
Press. 2007.
Greenstreet, G. Greenstreet, K., & Schermer, B. Law & Practice for Architects.
Architectural Press. 2005.
Gutman, R. Architectural Practice: A Critical View. New York: Princeton Architectural
Press. 1997.
Harrigan, J.E. and Neel, P.R. The executive architect: transforming designers into leaders.
New York: Wiley. 1996.
Hensel, M.U. and Nilsson, F. eds. The Changing Shape of Practice: Integrating Research
and Design in Architecture. London: Routledge. 2016.
Hyde, R. Future Practice: Conversations from the Edge of Architecture. London:
Routledge. 2012.
Kullack, T. ed. Architecture: A Women’s Profession. Berlin: Jovis Verlag GmbH. 2011.
Kumlin, R.R. Architectural Programming: Creative Techniques for Design Professionals.
New York: McGraw-Hill.1995.
Lewis, R.K. Architect? A Candid Guide to the Profession. Revised Edition. Cambridge: MIT
Press. 1998.
Littlefield, D. An Architect’s Guide to Running a Practice. New York: Architectural Press.
2005.
Lowell, W. and Tawny, R.N. Architectural records: managing design and construction
records. Chicago: Society of American Archivists. 2006.
Lucas, R. Research Methods for Architecture. Laurence King Publishing. 2016.
Maeda, J. Redesigning Leadership: Design, Technology, Business, Life. Cambridge: the MIT
Press. 2011.
Moser, C. Architecture 3.0: The Disruptive Design Practice Handbook. London: Routledge.
2014.
Pena, WM. and Parshall, SA. Problem Seeking: An Architectural Programming Primer. 4th
Edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2001.
Pou, E. S. Function Follows Strategy: Architects’’ Strategies from the Fifties to the Present.
Munich: DETAIL. 2015.
Race, S. BIM Demystified. 2nd Edition. London: RIBA Publishing. 2013.
Ray, N. Ed. Architecture and its Ethical Dilemmas. London: Routledge. 2005.
Royal Institute of British Architects. Code of Professional Conduct. London: RIBA
Publishing. 2005.
American University of Beirut | Department of Architecture and Design | SPRING 2019-20
Royal Institute of British Architects. Good Practice Guide: Fee Management. London:
RIBA Publishing. 2009.
Rubeling, A. W. Jr. How to start and operate your own design firm: A guide for interior
designers and architects. Second Edition. New York: Allworth Press. 2007.
Segal, P. Professional Practice: A Guide to Turning Designs into Buildings. New York: W.
W. Norton & Company. 2006.
Serraino, P. The Creative Architect: Inside the Great Midcentury Personality Study. The
Monacelli Press. 2016.
Stasiowski, F. Staying small successfully: a guide for architects, engineers, and design
professionals. London: Wiley. 2001.
Symes, M and Eley, J. Architects and their practices: a changing profession. Oxford:
Butterworth Architecture. 1995.
Temple, N and Bandyopadhyay, S. eds. Thinking Practice: Reflections on architectural
research and building work. London: Black Dog Publishing. 2007.
Van der Voordt, T.J.M and Van Wegen, HBR. Architecture in Use: An Introduction to the
Programming, Design and Evaluation of Buildings. Amsterdam: Architectural Press.
2005.
Waldrep, L.W. Becoming an Architect: A Guide to Careers in Design. 2nd Edition. New
York: John Wiley & Sons. 2010.
Yaneva, A. The Making of a Building: A Pragmatist Approach to Architecture. 2009.
____________. Made by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture: An Ethnography of Design.
2009.
American University of Beirut | Department of Architecture and Design | SPRING 2019-20
DELRIVERABLES & SCHEDULE
The department semester calendar is attached to the syllabus. Mid reviews and Final
reviews/exams will only be scheduled during the assigned period. The dates for the
reviews/assignments due dates are listed below:
Reading Prompts:
These are in-class assignments, issued sporadically, and are critical reflections of
assigned readings. The top 5 grades of your reading prompts will count; top 3 before the
course withdrawal period, and 2 after.
Assignment 1: Professional Design Profile
Logo + Portfolio + Profile + Resume + Cover Letter + Brand Collateral
Issue Friday 31 January
Due Friday 21 February
Assignment 2: Ethics (group work)
Issue Friday 20 March
Due Friday 3 April
Final assignment: A story of Practice (group work)
Issue Tuesday 10 March
Due Thursday 7 May 8pm or Thursday 30 April
Presentations Friday 8 May or Saturday 2 May
GRADING
The following requirements will determine your final grade for this course:
Reading Prompts 15%.
Assignment 1 20%
Assignment 2 20%
Final assignment 30%
Active class participation 15% (5% presence + 10% participation)
At least 45% of your final course grade shall be issued before the withdrawal date of the
semester. Any student at the risk of failure will be notified by then.
Digital Archive
At the end of the course, students are expected to submit a work archive CD or DVD that
documents their work during the semester. The CD is required for the finalization of the
course grade. Students who do not provide this material by the deadline will have a hold
on their grades. The CD SHOULD include the following documents, all placed in one file
folder labeled with your name:
1- Sample papers/assignments: Samples of your work (papers / presentations)
during the semester in PDF or WORD format at high resolution (no less than 300
dpi), file size should not exceed 50MB. Presentations PDF, where applicable,
should include a short 500 word descriptive text. (file name: Year-CourseCodeNameSurname.pdf (ex: 2018-ARCH202-CarlaAramouny.pdf)
Archive Due Date: Friday 22 May 2020
ARCH 461 Professional Practice. Spring 2019‐20
Trait
Purpose:
‐ Addresses the
assignment in detail and
depth
‐ Clearly articulates the
findings
‐ Based on multiple
research sources and
methodologies
Synthesis:
‐ Organizes text / ideas /
information / images
into a cohesive, well‐
organized structure
Support:
‐ Assertions &
conclusions are
developed and based on
appropriate support
material
Outcome:
‐ Content is clearly
expressed, both visually
and in writing, and
designed to best reflect
the particularities of the
assignment subject
Superior 90‐100
Good 70‐80
Average 60‐70
Poor 50‐60
‐ Assignment goals are
fully achieved
‐ Consistently expresses
knowledge of content &
findings
‐ Very well researched
‐ Assignment goals are
achieved
‐ Usually expresses
knowledge of content &
findings
‐ Well researched
‐ Assignment goals are
partially achieved
‐ Sometimes expresses
knowledge of content &
findings
‐ Research is basic
‐ Assignment goals are
not achieved
‐ Does not express
knowledge of content &
findings
‐ Research is poor
‐ Content is synthesized
with expertise
‐ Content is organized in
a deliberate structure
that compliments the
topic
‐ Content is mostly
synthesized with
expertise
‐ Content is organized in
a structure that
compliments the topic
‐ Content is somehow
synthesized with a level
of knowledge
‐ Content is not very
well organized in a
structure that
compliments the topic
‐ Content is not
synthesized with an
acceptable level of
knowledge
‐ Content organized in
an incoherent structure
that does not
compliment the topic
‐ Work draws relevant
and strong assertions
and conclusions based
on findings
‐ Details are consistently
included that reflect in‐
depth research
‐ Work draws assertions
and conclusions based
on findings
‐ Details are included
that reflect research
‐ Work draws a some
assertions and
conclusions based on
findings
‐ Details are sometimes
included that reflect
research
‐ Work does not draw
assertions and
conclusions based on
findings
‐ Details that reflect any
level in‐depth research
are missing
‐ Written
communication is
flawless with almost no
errors and reflects flow
of content very well.
‐ Graphic output is very
well thought of
conceptually, and best
reflects the topic.
‐ Written
communication is good
and reflects flow of
content.
‐ Graphic output is well
thought of conceptually,
and reflects the topic.
‐ Written
communication is
average and could
better reflect flow of
content.
‐ Graphic output has
been given some
thought conceptually, to
reflect the topic.
‐ Written
communication is poor
with many errors and
disrupts the flow of
content.
‐ Graphic output is not
thought of conceptually,
and is irrelevant to the
topic.
Grade
American University of Beirut | Department of Architecture and Design | SPRING 2019-20
GENERAL POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
Office Hours
To schedule meetings outside of class time, you can contact your professors via email to
set a meeting during their office hours.
Attendance
Attendance for the class is mandatory and will be recorded. Students are expected to
attend all sessions of the class. All missed work must be made up. A student is
responsible for the work that is done and for any announcements made during her/his
absence. Students who miss more than one-fifth of the sessions in the first ten weeks of
the semester can be dropped from the course. For Withdrawal and Incomplete policies,
please refer to the AUB Undergraduate catalog.
Plagiarism
Students who fail to properly credit ideas or materials taken from another commit
plagiarism. Putting your name on a piece of work—any part of which is not yours—
constitutes plagiarism, unless that piece is clearly marked and the work from which you
have borrowed it is fully identified. Plagiarism is a violation of the University’s academic
regulations and is subject to disciplinary action.
Accessibility
AUB strives to make learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or
experience academic barriers due to a disability (such as ADHD, learning difficulties,
mental health conditions, chronic or temporary medical conditions), please inform the
Accessible Education Office (AEO). In order to ensure that you receive the support you
need and to facilitate a smooth accommodations process, you must register with the
AEO as soon as possible. AEO's email address is accessibility@aub.edu.lb. The Office is
located in West Hall room 318, and its AUB phone extension is 3246.
Counseling
All students go through periods of stress and difficulties in coping with the demands of
their program. Personal counseling is offered to AUB students to help them identify and
address their issues and problems. The counseling team also provides assistance to
students with study-related issues such as test anxiety and time management.
Counseling is free and confidential.
You can find the contacts of the Counseling team in the AUB Undergraduate Catalog.
Non-Discrimination and Anti-Discriminatory Harassment, including Sexual Harassment
at AUB
In line with its commitment to the principle of equal opportunity in education and
employment, AUB policies protect you from discrimination on the basis of protected
characteristics, including discriminatory harassment and sexual harassment. Protected
characteristics include: race, color, religion, age, national or ethnic identity, sex, gender
or gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, disability, genetic
predisposition or carrier status, alienage or citizenship status, and political affiliation.
The policies are applicable to all the AUB Community including: officers, faculty, staff,
academic appointees, students (including medical interns and residents), visiting
students, alumni, trainees, visitors, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, located on
campus and at AUB Medical Center, Advancing Research Enabling Communities Center
(AREC), or any other facility or program affiliated with the University. The “AUB
American University of Beirut | Department of Architecture and Design | SPRING 2019-20
community” also includes the dependents and domestic employees of faculty and staff
dwelling on campus and at AREC.
If you think you have experienced discrimination, discriminatory harassment, or sexual
harassment, we encourage you to inform the Equity/Title IX Coordinator, Mitra Tauk at
01-350000 ext. 2514, titleix@aub.edu.lb, report to a Title IX deputy at your faculty or at
any other faculty (www.aub.edu.lb/titleix), or report online (www.aub.ethicspoint.com).
Reports may be submitted anonymously or not. Please know that the University will
maintain the confidentiality of the complaint and privacy of the persons involved to the
greatest extent possible, consistent with its goal of conducting a thorough and complete
investigation and to the extent permitted by law.
You need to also know that the University has designated academic and administrative
department/unit heads, managerial level staff, academic advisors, protection officers,
and residence hall staff/monitors, as responsible employees or “mandatory reporters”,
and may designate others at its discretion. These individuals are obligated to report
actual or suspected discrimination or discriminatory harassing conduct to the
Equity/Title IX Coordinator, unless they are a “confidential” resource. The following
have been designated as confidential resources: on campus counselors in the Counseling
Center of the Office of Student Affairs and AUB Medical Center counselors, and
healthcare providers at the University Health Services (UHS) and at the AUB Medical
Center. Confidential resources are not required to report actual or suspected
discrimination or harassment to appropriate university officials, except in cases of
suspected abuse of a minor, in the event of an external investigation or prosecution, or
in the event of imminent danger to the reporting party or others.