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Architecture & Urban Planning

Semester Program

AiB TAMU Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning

Term: Fall
In Cooperation with: Texas A&M University (TAMU) & Institute for Education and Social Innovation (ibugi)
Directed at students from the College of Architecture, the AiB TAMU LAUP semester program offers students the opportunity to explore and study sustainable urban design and landscape architecture in the modern and progressive environment of Germany‘s former capital and the NGO/UN hub in Bonn, as well as Europe. At the core of the semester stands a design project in which students engage in culturally sensitive, sustainable designs of one or more sites in the city of Bonn or the neighboring region. Emphasis is placed on embedding design work in the teaching, and on a reflection of relevant local, German, and European culture and (design) history, as well as German and European approaches to sustainability and environmentalism. The program is enriched by numerous study tours, student charettes and workshops, which broaden the students‘ design inventory, skills and understanding of the professional and cultural practices of their host environment.
AiB Contact: Mara Teresa Minkler (Senior Academic Manager) – mm@aib-bonn.org

More information

Courses: 

CARC 301 – Field Studies in Design Innovation (6 credits) – taught by AiB & US faculty: 
This course focuses on creating innovative and sustainable design solutions in the context of landscape architecture and urban planning, while also drawing upon the cultural, social, economic, geographical, climatic and technological factors influencing design solutions while being in an international environment. The semester-long studio project prompts students to actively engage with their project site. Depending on student numbers from the two fields, this course may be split into two sections.
 
CARC 311 – Field Studies in Design Communication (3 credits) – taught by US faculty:
This course is about design communication in international and domestic environments away from the University campus; emphasis on the tools, methods and techniques for design communication. Special focus is put on German and European design history.
 
CARC 331 – Field Studies in Design Philosophy (3 credits) / German Language – taught by AiB faculty: 
This course is split in two parts. The German language part is aimed at students without any pre-existing knowledge of the German language. The goal is to give students the ability to speak, understand, read and write German on a basic level. Everyday conversational skills that students will need outside of the classroom are emphasized. Additionally, the academic contents of the course will cover aspects of German history, directly connecting the learning of the language with a better understanding of the students’ study abroad location. 
The second part of the course explores the urban palimpsest with layers in time from Roman antiquity to post-industrialization as well as the evolution of the dense European city. It will show the aspects of sustainability that arise from ever re-using sites and the potentials, but also the challenges, that are an effect of physical and social density.
 
CARC 485 – Directed Studies (1-6 credits) – taught by AiB faculty:
Individual research in architecture, construction science or landscape architecture in an international or domestic environment away from the Texas A&M University campus. May be taken up to two times in the same semester.

 

Academic Extended Study Tours:

4 days Berlin, Germany
4 days Netherlands

 

Academic Regional Study Tours: 

Multiple academic one-day study tours to regional locations such as Cologne, Project Metabolon, Duisburg-Nord, Essen, Braunkohlerevier Garzweiler. 

 

Cultural & Social Activities:  

AiB Charity Day, Bonn Marathon, Rhine River Cruise, Visiting German Castles, Museum of German Postwar History, Intercultural Workshops

 

Special Projects:

A semester-long project prompting students to create an innovative, sustainable, and culturally sensitive re-design of a predetermined project site, while also taking other factors such as demographics, infrastructure, intentions of usage, etc. into account.

 

Accommodation:

Host Family, Hotel/Hostel (during Academic Extended Study Tours)

Semester Program

AiB PSU Landscape Architecture

Term: Fall/Spring
In Cooperation with: Institute for Education and Social Innovation (ibugi) & Penn State University (PSU)
The AiB PSU Landscape Architecture program is directed at students of Landscape Architecture approaching the end of their undergraduate studies. At the center of the semester is a design project in which students create a culturally sensitive, sustainable design for one or more sites in the city of Bonn or neighboring Cologne. Within that context, great emphasis is placed on embedding design work in the teaching and reflection of relevant local, German and European culture and (design) history, as well as German and European approaches to sustainability and environmentalism. The program is enriched by academic study tours as well as student and art workshops which broaden students‘ design inventory, skills and understanding of professional and cultural practices of their host environment.
AiB Contact:  Florian Königs (Senior Academic Manager) – fk@aib-bonn.org

More information

Courses: 
499A – Independent International Studies Project (1 credit) – taught by AiB faculty:
Students develop a “Design Sketchbook” over the course of the semester, documenting design inspirations and introducing designs onsite during the program’s extended study tours.
 
499B – Design Studio (5 credits) – taught by AiB faculty:
Students dive into the analysis and design of one or more urban public spaces in Bonn or Cologne. The designs emphasize culture-based and sustainable design and a German/European urban context. Students take part in interdisciplinary workshops with German students and work in cooperation with the city administration and other interest groups. 
499D – Approaches to Sustainability in Germany and Europe (3 credits) – taught by AiB faculty:
In this seminar, students engage with contemporary representations of sustainable landscape architecture, urban design, and urban practices in Germany and Europe in class and on site.
GERM099 – German Language and Culture – taught by AiB faculty:
This course is aimed at students without any prior knowledge of the German language. The goal is to give students the ability to speak, understand, read and write German on a basic level. Everyday conversational skills that students will need outside of the classroom are emphasized. Additionally, the academic contents of the course will cover aspects of German history, directly connecting the learning of the language with a better understanding of the students’ study abroad location.
 

Academic Extended Study Tours:

6 days Rotterdam and Amsterdam, Netherlands
5 days Hamburg, Germany and Copenhagen, Denmark

 

Academic Regional Study Tours: 

Multiple academic one-day study tours to regional locations such as Cologne, Düsseldorf, Landscape Park Duisburg and Zeche Zollverein as part of the 499D Seminar.

 

Cultural & Social Activities:  

Intercultural Workshops, AIB Charity Day and Bonn Marathon in the spring, visits of historically important sites and museums, castles and cathedrals

 

Special Projects:

Photography Workshop – Students develop a sense of their project site through the lens of a camera.
International Charette with German students in the spring – Students closely work with German Landscape Architecture students on a relevant project in the Bonn area.
Presentation, public exhibition and publication of studio projects

 

Accommodation:

Host family, AiB apartments, Hotel/Hostel (during Academic Extended Study Tours)

Summer Program

AiB TAMU Sustainable Communities

Term: Summer
In Cooperation with: Texas A&M University (TAMU) & Institute for Education and Social Innovation (ibugi)
Directed at students from the College of Architecture, the AIB TAMU Sustainable Communities summer program is a five-week international experience during which students explore exciting and innovative approaches to sustainability-related concepts and practices on different levels, such as urban design, energy production & consumption, waste management, traffic planning, architecture and land uses in Germany, one of the spearheading nations for sustainable initiatives. A multitude of study tours, exchanges with experts from the field and first-hand experiences allow students to discover a variety of challenges, strategies and success stories, revealing to them commonalities and differences between German and US practices in this area. Through the program, students will experience both personal and intercultural growth, as well as prepare for their future academic career goals.
This program has a track A and a track B. 
AiB Contact: Charlotte Korff (Senior Academic Manager) – ck@aib-bonn.org

More information

Courses: 

CARC 311 – Field Studies in Design Communication (3 credits) – taught by US faculty: 
The objective of this course is the study of design communication in international environments and to examine the tools, methods and techniques for design communication. This course will focus on existing sustainable concepts in communities including town centers, office buildings, housing developments, parks, and reclaimed industrial sites. It will explore the city and regional recycling programs, transit systems, and how communities create sustainable infrastructure, including expert insights from the people who are making sustainability actually happen in energy production, resource conservation, and mobility.
 
CARC 331 – Field Studies in Design Philosophy (3 credits) – taught by US faculty: 
This course teaches design philosophy in international environments away from the Texas A&M University campus with a strong emphasis on the historical, philosophical, cultural, social and economic factors that influence design solutions. Through immersive learning, students will learn about the underlying concepts that influence sustainable project decisions throughout Germany and will be able to place them in a broader global context.
 

Academic Extended Study Tours:

2 days Rotterdam, Netherlands (Track A&B)
6 days Berlin, Germany (Track A)
6 days Munich, Germany (Track B)

 

Academic Regional Study Tours: 

Multiple academic one-day study tours to regional locations such as Cologne, Metabolon Project Lindlar, Mosbach Energy Landscape,Duisburg-Nord, Essen, Ruhr Area. 

 

Cultural & Social Activities:  

Rhine River Cruise, Visiting German Castles, Museum of German Postwar History, Intercultural Workshops

 

Accommodation:

Host Family, Hotel/Hostel (during Academic Extended Study Tours)

Summer Program

AiB TAMU Germany Cities, Landscapes, and Architecture

Term: Summer
In Cooperation with: Texas A&M University (TAMU) & Institute for Education and Social Innovation (ibugi)
Directed at students from all majors, the AiB TAMU Architecture summer program offers courses in architecture with a focus on current trends and historical perspectives. Throughout this month-long program, participants will be immersed into German culture and experience the country and customs on a firsthand basis. All excursions, site visits and day trips are tailored to correspond with the coursework and include visits to art and historical museums, historical sites and relevant architectural sites. Courses are taught in English and include photography, German and European cities and architecture, as well as the history of German architecture. Students will photograph and sketch what they encounter and will create images that highlight what they have seen and learned. This interactive approach will enable them to actively engage with German culture and the architectural history of Germany and Europe. 
AiB Contact: Mara Teresa Minkler (Senior Academic Manager) – mm@aib-bonn.org

More information

Courses: 

CARC 311 – Field Studies in Design Communication (3 credits) – taught by US faculty: 
The course is designed to allow students to see, understand and document the life, culture, people, landscapes and buildings of Germany by capturing their encounters with digital cameras. By putting the encounters in a digital format, students are enabled to reflect and analyze their new surroundings and experiences allowing them to gain more in-depth knowledge of the interactions of German history, architecture and culture. 
 
CARC 331 – Field Studies in Design Philosophy (3 credits) – taught by US faculty: 
The course introduces students to the important aspects of European, and especially German, urban design and architecture with respect to the changing meaning and use of space as a result of political, economic, social, and cultural influences. To enable students to better understand cities today, certain time periods from the Roman Empire until Post-Industrialization will be identified and explored by taking closer looks at representative architectural and urban projects. Thus, students do not just learn about past architectural styles, but also how culture and cultural memory influence and shape current and future architectural projects.
 

Academic Extended Study Tours:

6 days Berlin, Germany 

 

Academic Regional Study Tours: 

Multiple academic one-day study tours to regional locations such as Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg-Nord, Essen, Ruhr Area.

 

Cultural & Social Activities:  

Rhine River Cruise, Visiting German Castles, Museum of German Postwar History, Intercultural Workshops

 

Accommodation:

Host Family, Hotel/Hostel (during Academic Extended Study Tours)
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