fabrication methodologies

I'm teaching a collaborative course in Architecture this semester and I am really excited to see the results this collaboration will produce. The course, called Fabrication Methodologies, focuses on fabrication of architectural forms using metal working techniques.


I feel that these types of collaborations represents the future of higher learning. Universities have become too specialized and segmented in what they teach. From my own experience I have seen designers who don't know how to make anything and know nothing other than general facts about materials, engineers who can't design anything that is aesthetically pleasing, artists who can't problem solve or make anything but know how to talk very well. I like to think that to be marketable in the real world that you need to be able to do a little bit of everything.... of course that's just ME talking!


I've been looking into programs that have begun to capitalize on collaborative design and direct fabrication as a method of learning. There are many such programs, but here are a few interesting ones.
Ball State
Michigan
Penn State
Also an interesting architectural site:
Zahner