EDUCATION THEN AND NOW

Stuttgart 1988 - 1993

Entry requirements were high, equivalent to those of AAA in the UK, but there was an option to get into university with a wait. As a result, many students were more mature.

Most of my fellow students already had a first profession, such as a technician or carpenter. This was also due to the requirement to prove practical experience: 1. a three-month internship in a construction company 2. a three-month internship in an architectural office of a state-certified architect. The latter requirement acted as a filter and ensured that most students had at least a basic understanding of their field of study.

The architecture and town planning studies were a 10-semester course leading to the academic title of Diplom Ingenieur in Architektur and Town Planning (MArch equivalent).  The curriculum and module structure allowed a wide range of combinations. The first two study years were called Grundstudium, equivalent to undergraduate studies.

Compulsory modules during years 1 and 2 were construction, fundamentals in theory and history, structural engineering, and planning and two smaller design projects.

All other modules could be chosen by inclination and interest.

Most Professors were nationally renowned practicing architects, such as Walter Förderer, Peter Hübner, Boris Podrecca, Arno Lederer, Erwin Herzberger, Karla Kowalski, Kurt Ackermann and many more. The seminars and tutorials were mostly conducted by visiting tutors who were also practicing architects. Therefore, the course was very practice-oriented.

Design, feasibility, and buildability were the focus of every project. In theory modules such as history and design theory there were written assignments, such as investigative or reflective diaries and essays, but the method and format were flexible, little more than 5-6 A4 pages. Research as such was not central to the curriculum. Instead, investigation and exploration. There were two conventional exams, one in history and the other in structural engineering.

The course focused on five mandatory major design projects and one final design, one per semester in the Hauptstudium (PGT) and two semesters for the graduation project. The students were free to choose which specialist institute (department) they wished. Three projects had a given brief; the final two projects were freely selectable according to personal interests.

E.g., my choices were:

1. Revitalising an abandoned castle with the institute for rural development and planning
2. City in need of help, a town in the former GDR, with the institute for urban planning
3. Civic architecture, a town hall, with the institute for architecture and town planning
4. Community centre, with the institute for spatial design (Raumplanung)
5. Graduation project: a music institute, with the institute for spatial design (Raumplanung)

The registration for design project and sequencing of the other modules was the student's choice. For some students, this lead to a considerable delay in their degree, but it was also possible to shortening the course through a denser  module selection.

After graduation, two years practice experience with an accredited architect was required, who certified that you had expreinced all statges of professional work, and your qualification to become enrolled as a registered architect with the Deutsche Architekten Kammer (equivalent to ARB)