Directive of Rules and Regulations for EiABC Architectural Design Thesis Projects

INTRODUCTION: A thesis work demonstrates a students capacity to develop independently a hypothesis and his/her capacity to choose the appropriate methodologies and instruments which helps her/him to guide and steer a design process. The final product of this process needs to echo this process and a student should be able to communicate the process as well as the product of the process in line with the hypothesis, the chosen methodologies as well as the used instruments. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation or an assumption for a certain set of design requirements (for example density/program/materiality) and certain existing phenomena (for example climate conditions/social conditions). It is used to develop a proposition; thus in the proposition if P, then Q, P denotes the hypothesis; Q can be called a consequent design proposal. A method is setting rules for a procedure on how to layout a design process (time and content) and proposing a systematical way of accomplishing it with a product. Instruments are different tools, which help to guide and steer the design process, such as interviews, modules, plans, videos, mock-ups, texts, readings, reference projects, plans, section, etc. A thesis work needs to be represented by as many appropriate instruments as possible. Schedule: The design thesis period starts with the beginning of the semester and has to be finalized through the thesis submission not later than two weeks after the end of the same semester in accordance with the calendar of AAU. The exact dates will be announced through the Program Directors. The thesis defense shall be arranged between 2-7 days after the thesis submission. Sometime around four weeks the final thesis submission the responsible internal examiner together with the responsible chair shall organize a pass/Fail Review. Directly after this presentation the external advisor, the internal advisor and the responsible chair have to decide on Pass/fail and conditional passes for each individual student. All students will be informed about this decision no later than three days after the pass/fail Review. In the case of a conditional pass, a written statement has to be given to the student and conditions have to be set, under which the student will pass his/her thesis project. The thesis can be repeated once in the coming year if a student does not pass the review or the final thesis review. A pass in the pass/fail review does not guarantee a pass in the final thesis defense.

Architectural Thesis Project Design Outputs:

- Architectural Design - Structural Design - Sanitary System Design - Data system Design - Electrical and/or energy system Design - Building Material and Construction System Design - Preliminary Cost Estimation

NB: The student together with his/her advisor(s) should develop a working schedule that helps them deliver these expected outputs.

Thesis Project Nature:

- Architectural Design - Study scale of 1:1 1:200 - Physical size of the project is decided based on the nature of the project and in

consciences between the student and the advisor(s) - A process that navigates from thesis/hypothesis formation until realization designs - Level of complexity:

o Sustainability (social, economic, environmental) o Urban contextual Understanding o Climatic and environmental response o Permanence vs Temporality o Mega vs Mini o Understanding of prevailing multiple issues o Formulating Consistent solutions in design o Understanding and responding to historic and cultural complex realities o Both pragmatic, solution oriented approaches and projective, futuristic

tendencies can prevail o Bottom Up vs Top Down approaches o Challenging trends and showing progressive means and technology

FORMAT The following general format is suggested as minimum requirement:

- 8 to 12 plans (A1 portrait format, character Arial) with the most important information about the project in plans, section, 3D-Drawtings, axonometric drawings, sketches, texts, etc.

- Presentation models and working models in an appropriate scale and amount(to be discussed with the internal advisor )

- A research booklet (no less than 30 pages, A4 format, portrait) describing the hypothesis and documenting the design process as well as the final product. This booklet has to be submitted with the final master thesis.(3 copies).

THESIS DEFENSE: The date for the public thesis defense session has to be announced in the during the first four weeks of the thesis semester by the Bachelor Program Director and the session will be conducted by an examining board consisting of:

- Internal Examining Unit (Competence Centre Architecture and Architectural Design Examining Unit)

- Internal Advisor from the responsible chair - External Advisor - Director of study programs EiABC - Invited Jury Members (could be a faculty member to the EiABC or an outside

professional) (optional) Only if the top four members are present, the reviews can be conducted. It is the students obligation to select the external advisors latest within the four week of the thesis semester in close coordination with and approval from the responsible chair. Grading: The thesis should be graded directly after thesis defense by using the following criteria:

- Quality of oral presentation - Quality of analytical work - Quality of applied concept/strategy methodology - Quality of design process and final product - Quality of visual presentation(Graphics/Mode) - Quality of research booklet

The grading of the

- Internal Examining Unit will grade 60% - The advisor of the responsible chair will grade 25% - External advisor will grade 15%

The final mark shall be announced not later than 14 days after the thesis defense. In case of a medical or other unforeseen problem during the thesis period, the internal advisor in coordination with the Program Director and the examining unit can consider an extension of the deadline after sufficient evidence is presented by the student (see EiABC regulations for sick leaves).

IDENTITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Thesis Project Student In reference to the curriculum of the study program and as approved and registered by the office of registrar EiABC, the thesis project student is a final semester student of the program. Responsibilities:

o Identifying, accessing and arranging both advisers o Following the guidance and teaching process set by the internal adviser

and thus the responsible chair. o Preparing the final submissions of the thesis project and presenting

punctually to the examining board on the time and place scheduled by the responsible chair.

Important dates to follow November 8th, 2013 first milestone

Progress report including the time line for your thesis approved by your internal advisor and stamped by the chair

December 6th, 2013 second milestone Progress report

January 3rd, 2014 Third milestone Progress report

January 6th, 2014 Submission of final thesis project January 20-24, 2014 Jury week