university of colorado denver college of...

THE PARTNERSHIP. . .

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

AND DAR AL‐HEKMA COLLEGE

A Document by Janis Nowlan, CAP Assistant Dean

May 2012



COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

AND DAR AL‐HEKMA COLLEGE


May 2012

◊ TABLE OF CONTENTS ◊

Page

ESTABLISHING THE PARTNERSHIP 1

DEVELOPMENT OF DAH’S BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM 1‐6

- Vision, Goals and Process 1‐3

- Development of the B. Arch Curriculum and Program Documents 4‐6

- Approval of the B. Arch Program and Curriculum 7

COLLABORATIVE STUDIO PROJECTS 8‐10

- Vision, Overall Goals and Student Participation 8

- Collaborative Studio Affordable Housing in Jeddah, KSA 8‐9

EXCHANGES

10 ‐ 12



COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING AND DAR AL‐HEKMA COLLEGE


May 2012 ESTABLISHING THE PARTNERSHIP The idea for a partnership between the University of Colorado Denver and Dar Al‐Hekma College (DAH) was initiated in 2007 by Zuhair H. Fayez, DAH College Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Dr. Mark Gelernter, the Dean of CU Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning (CAP). Zuhair Fayez, a successful international architect, is an alumnus of CU Denver’s College of Architecture and serves on CAP’s Advisory Board. Throughout 2007, Janis Nowlan, Assistant Dean at CAP, established groundwork for the partnership agreement, communicating extensively with Dr. Suhair Hussan al Qurashi, DAH Dean, and Vice‐Dean, Dr. Saleha Abedin. Dr. Carolyn North, Assistant Vice Chancellor for International Affairs, worked with CAP to develop a letter of agreement. In January 2008, Mark Gelernter traveled to Saudi Arabia with members of the CAP Advisory Board to finalize the agreement.

Highlights of our partnership are ‐‐

Development of a Bachelor of Architecture Degree Program for Dar Al‐Hekma College.

Collaborative studio projects connecting students of Dar Al‐Hekma and graduate students at CU Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning.

Faculty and student exchanges and intercultural educational opportunities.

DEVELOPMENT OF DAH’S BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE DEGREE PROGRAM

VISION, GOALS AND PROCESS

From February through October 2008, Assistant Dean Nowlan’s communication with DAH focused on their desire to establish a Bachelor of Architecture program. DAH management wanted to be certain

CAP‐DAH Partnership ‐‐A Summary by Janis Nowlan, Assistant Dean

May 2012 ‐‐ Page 2 of 12

that their future architecture degree program would meet accreditation standards of the United States. Ms. Nowlan collected information regarding requirements for accreditation through the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB) and other relevant accrediting organizations. The communication increasingly focused on DAH’s ideas and goals for the B. Arch program. After many months and exchanges, Janis proposed a four‐day intensive work session with DAH faculty and administrators with specific outcomes. Mark Gelernter asked Lori Catalano, Associate Chair of Landscape Architecture, to be involved in preliminary discussions regarding development of the proposed B. Arch program because of her expertise in Learning Outcomes. In November, 2008, Janis and Lori traveled to Jeddah to work with the DAH faculty and administrators.

Using an Open Systems Process, Ms. Nowlan, whose background is in organizational development and systems change, led the group through four days of strategic planning. Like a funnel, the conversations moved from the viewpoint of global changes and trends to hopes for a better future, and what the DAH architecture/urban design students would need to know and be able to do to bring that vision into reality and make a contribution for the desired future of their region and globally. Janis and Lori took a non‐prescriptive approach in their work with Dar Al‐Hekma; the process honored the values and expertise of the Dar Al‐Hekma participants.

In discussions regarding potential learning outcomes, Ms. Catalano guided the group in examining four categories of potential emphases in design education: social/human, environmental, process, and technology.

The DAH faculty recognized that the values and direction of their college most strongly aligned with the

social/human perspective, representing cultural heritage and urban design to address the needs of a

changing society, and the environment, in particular green building and planning. Most of the

architecture programs within public universities in Saudi Arabia are geared to technology and

engineering. Dar Al‐Hekma’s program will be different with its holistic inclusion of urban design,

sustainability and cultural heritage.


May 2012 ‐‐ Page 3 of 12

Dr. Saleha Abedin, Arch. Zuhair Fahez, DAR Faculty and

preservationist Sami Nawar, Lori Calalano and Janis Nowlan


May 2012 ‐‐ Page 4 of 12

Curriculum and Instruction

The architecture curriculum is comprised of general education

courses, foundational courses specific to the School of Design and

Architecture, required architectural courses, and architectural

electives totaling 167 credits over five years of study.

ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM CREDITS

General Education 45

School of Design and Architecture Foundation 22

Architecture Required Courses (design studios, building technologies, architectural history and theory, communication and representation, and professional practice)

88

Architecture Electives 12

TOTAL 167

The architecture curriculum has been divided into three phases:

foundational, contextual and integrative to provide a coherent

educational experience for students. This sequence of courses and

design studios are intended to build depth and complexity as the

student moves through the program.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE B. ARCH CURRICULUM AND PROGRAM DOCUMENTS

December 2009 – April 2010

Lori and Janis began the next steps following their work in Jeddah in November 20. There was much to be done. And at the time, the full scope of the project was not yet known or understood. Among the items on their “to‐do” list were:

- Refine vision for the degree program - Refine program goals and learning outcomes - Develop strategy for implementation - Document the process (Executive Summary) - Define timetable/timeframe‐‐ for all these tasks and program implementation - Review Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) requirements - Revisit NAAB requirements - Find out if there are other requirements and standards - Map curriculum - Create electives sequences - Trim credit hours - Define dissertation and internship - Map program outcomes to courses - Define pre‐requisites - Develop course descriptions - Determine core electives - Determine course numbers - Develop course syllabi - Determine need and requirements for space, equipment and resources

May 2009

Dr. Mona Helmy and Arch. Nehal Kandeil traveled to Denver to participate in intensive work sessions with faculty and staff of the College of Architecture and Planning May 4‐7, 2009. Mona and Nehal represented the DAH architecture committee, chaired by Samiah Khashoggi, MA, Director of Interior Design Program. Following are highlights of our accomplishments during their visit:

Determined that the DAH program is a five‐year B. Arch Degree

Finalized list of courses: Foundation requirements and electives; architecture core curriculum and electives; studio sequence and topic emphasis

Developed course description summaries for all of the above


May 2012 ‐‐ Page 5 of 12

Exchanged presentations

Worked out plan for collaborative studio

Introduced DAH faculty to local professionals and students

Provided tour and overview of CAP facilities

Summer – Fall 2009

While the CAP team continued work on the curriculum

framework and Learning Outcomes, Assistant Dean Nowlan also coordinated the development of a

facilities guide. Chuck MacBride, architect and CAP faculty member, was enlisted to produce the

document; its purpose was to provide DAH with comprehensive information on facilities: a model shop,

an image resource library and portfolio area, and computer lab. T.J Brauer, Design Fabrication Lab

Coordinator, and Lynn Lickteig, Director of Visual Resources, with Jen Kirshke, Assistant Director of

Visual Resources, delivered useful information and tools to include in the guide. Although Dar Al‐Hekma

has an already‐established computer lab for its various programs, we

also involved Mike Harring, Lab Coordinator and IT Professional I, to

provide input specific to use of a computer lab for architecture

students. Chuck completed the

beautiful and useful Guide over

the summer and we delivered it to

DAH November 2009.

Nehal (second from left) and

Mona (right) visit CAP’s model

shop and meet TJ Brauer (left).

Nehal (left) and Mona (second from left)

visit a final jury with Chuck MacBride

(next to Mona) and his students.


May 2012 ‐‐ Page 6 of 12

2009‐2010

During 2009 and a good part of 2010, the vision for DAH’s B. Arch program informed the extensive, intensive and detailed work to produce everything required for a new degree program in Saudi Arabia. In August 2010, the CAP team assigned to this project – Janis, Lori and Leo Darnell, Program Development Specialist ‐‐ delivered a full program curriculum with documents required by the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and their National Council for Academic Approval and Accreditation (NCAAA). CAP’s primary team welcomed and benefitted from expertise and involvement from the following individuals: Kenny Wolf, UC Denver Director of Assessment and Laura Malinin, Architecture Faculty. Several CAP architecture faculty members produced draft syllabi for courses; DAH’s team of faculty and consultants reviewed all documents and provided regular feedback and suggestions.

Bachelor of Architecture

Degree Program

CURRICULUM DOCUMENT August 2010

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

DIVISION OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS DAR AL‐HEKMA COLLEGE, JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

Developed by The Architecture Program Design Team at the College of Architecture and Planning, University of Colorado Denver:

Ms. Janis Nowlan ‐‐ Assistant Dean, Organization Effectiveness and Outreach

Ms. Lori Catalano – Associate Chair, Landscape Architecture Department

Mr. Leonard Darnell – Program Development Specialist

Ms. Laura Malinin – Architecture Faculty

Dr. Kenneth Wolf – Director of Assessment, University of Colorado Denver

ARCHITECTURE CORE COURSES STUDIO COURSES AND CAPSTONE RESEARCH ARCH 2601 Studio I – Form and Order in Cultural Context ARCH 2602 Studio II – Small Scale Building and Sustainability ARCH 3601 Studio III – Contextual Cultural and Environmental Design ARCH 3602 Studio IV – Construction‐Based Green Design and Documentation ARCH 4601 Studio V – Mixed‐Use Design ARCH 4602 Studio VI – Urban Design ARCH 5201 Capstone Research ARCH 5601 Studio VII – Comprehensive Design ARCH 5602 Studio VIII – Capstone Project HISTORY AND THEORY CLASSES ARCH 2301 History of World Architecture I ARCH 2303 History of World Architecture II ARCH 3301 History of Islamic World Architecture ARCH 4301 Theory and Practice of Urban Form and Housing ARCH 4304 Theories of Contemporary Architecture TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL CLASSES ARCH 2302 Building Materials and Construction Methods I ARCH 2304 Structural Analysis ARCH 3302 Building Materials and Construction Methods II ARCH 3303 Structural Design ARCH 3304 Building Systems and Environmental Controls ARCH 4302 Building Information Modeling ARCH 5303 Professional Practice INTERNSHIPS ARCH 3101 Internship I ARCH 4102 Internship II ARCHITECTURE ELECTIVE COURSES ARCH xxxx Advanced Computer Modeling and Rendering ARCH xxxx Architectural Saudi Heritage ARCH xxxx Community Housing Design ARCH xxxx History and Theory of the City ARCH xxxx Introduction to Conservation Theory and Practice ARCH xxxx Islamic Architecture and Design ARCH xxxx Livable Cities ARCH xxxx Regional Cultural Identity

The final document included –

Course descriptions and syllabi for thirty‐three courses, including recommended texts, other materials and experiential learning approaches

Course Specification Documents for each course as required by the NCAAA

Learning Outcomes for each course and for the entire program, integrating NAAB learning outcomes with MOHE outcomes

A Program Specification Document as required by NCAAA


May 2012 ‐‐ Page 7 of 12

APPROVAL OF THE B. ARCH PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM

Dar Al‐Hekma’s Bachelor of Architecture program was approved by the MOHE in 2011, and the first class of Architecture entered the program in fall of that year. The NCAAA approval process will occur after Dar Al‐Hekma College graduates the first group of architecture students.

-- Inshallah


May 2012 ‐‐ Page 8 of 12

COLLABORATIVE STUDIO PROJECTS VISION, OVERALL GOALS AND STUDENT PARTICIPATION The initial thinking regarding joint studios with students at the College of Architecture and Planning and Dar Al‐Hekma College had a competition focus. During ongoing deliberations, the concept shifted to collaboration. One reason was that the DAH students were undergraduates studying interior design, while CAP students were in a graduate program pursuing architecture and urban design. One important desired outcome was providing students with a deeper experience in cross‐cultural learning. The collaborative approach seemed better suited for this outcome. Objectives of Collaborative Studios:

Exchange knowledge and design ideas between CAP and DAH

Provide the opportunity for each group to learn about the other’s culture, traditions, history, region and built environment

Provide an experience of working in “virtual” collaboration which should better prepare students for global practice

Serve local communities through projects that have real application

Broaden cultural and design understanding of professionals who serve as jurors Now that Dar Al‐Hekma’s Bachelor of Architecture program is underway, future studio collaboration projects will involve architecture students in each college. It may also be possible that DAR interior design students could still be involved.

COLLABORATIVE STUDIO: AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN JEDDAH, KSA In the 2009 fall semester, CAP and DAH students participated in the first collaborative studio between the two schools. The idea for this initial collaborative design studio was developed by Dr. Mona Helmy (DAH) with Professor Keith Loftin (CAP) earlier in 2009 when Keith met with Mona in Jeddah. During her visit to CAP in May, 2009, Dr. Helmy and Professor Loftin had the opportunity to discuss her proposal and project statement for an affordable housing project on a site in Jeddah.

The studio was structured so students work jointly in small groups of two students on each site. The urban design and architectural components of the design projects were carried out by CAP students; students in DAH’s Interior Design program (IDES) modified the CAP proposals and designed the interiors space. The exchange between students was facilitated through an online discussion

process; the mutual exchange of ideas and design development took place under the supervision of the project instructors, Dr. Helmy and Professor Loftin.


May 2012 ‐‐ Page 9 of 12

One goal of the affordable housing project was to link traditional Saudi residential customs and contemporary spaces. It presented challenging design opportunities encompassing permanence and change of living traditions in the culturally rich and varying economic conditions in the city of Jeddah. The scope of the project was to plan an affordable housing complex and to design a housing unit that

allows maximum usage of the space and minimum expenditure. The proposed site was located within a large scale redevelopment project located in the heart of Jeddah City. The intent of the collaborative studio was to stimulate innovative design solutions and creative ideas that respect Saudi living traditions and residents’ cultural needs and requirements, while at the same time, utilizing modern technologies and applications, beyond a superficial reproduction of traditional elements.

In December 2009, the CAP students submitted their projects for final review and jury deliberations at the University of Colorado Denver, on which occasion Dr. Helmy was invited to Denver to review the projects. The students’ studio achievements were outstanding and accomplished significant design results.

At the end of January 2010, DAH students participating in the design studio submitted their design projects for final review and jury in Jeddah. The jury was composed of Dr. Mark Gelernter, CAP Dean, Professor Keith Loftin, Dr. Helmy and a number of professors and experts in the field, who reviewed the projects that were prepared collaboratively between CAP and DAH student groups. The projects were exceptional. To celebrate the results of this unique collaborative design studio, and to extend the benefits to a wider local, academic and professional community, DAH organized a Design Exhibition on “Affordable Housing Design”. The exhibit was held in Jeddah in January, 2010 and showcased ongoing activities at Dar Al‐Hekma that connect its students with the regional community and highlighted DAH’s efforts to exchange knowledge with international universities and colleges.

The objective of the design exhibition was to address the important need for affordable housing design while exchanging different national and international ideas and display the results of the CAP‐DAH collaborative design studio.


May 2012 ‐‐ Page 10 of 12

EXCHANGES

CAP has greatly benefitted by our involvement with Dar Al‐Hekma College. We have had the pleasure of hosting events and conversations with our colleagues from Jeddah. This section highlights some of those activities.

Zuhair Fayez is co‐founder and Board Chair of Dar‐Al Hekma College, one of the first colleges for women in Saudi Arabia. CAP is always pleased to have Zuhair Fayez visit and share his wisdom, expertise and knowledge. He is a visionary for many important issues, including the education of women in Saudi Arabia. He is an amazing example for our students and a true friend of the College.

The President of DAH College, Dr. Suhair Hassan Al‐Qurashi, visited CAP in April 2009.

Architecture Professor George Hoover and his

students talk with Suhair about what makes a

livable city.

Suhair and CAP colleagues listen as Kat Vlahos,

Architecture Professor and Director of the Center

of Preservation Research, presents a compelling

story of Colorado ranches, her research and her

students’ work.


May 2012 ‐‐ Page 11 of 12

In addition to their work on the B. Arch program in Denver May 2009, Arch. Nehal Kandeil and Dr. Mona Helmy presented to CAP faculty, staff and friends of the college Nehal’s presentation, “The Cultural Identity of Saudi Arabia ‐ an Architecture Experiment,” captured the interest of architects, landscape architects, preservationists, historians and educators, all who were represented in the audience of faculty, staff and students. It was clear that those in attendance would have been happy to talk with her about this subject for a much longer time than the schedule could accommodate.

As a preview to the collaborative studio scheduled for fall 2009, Mona provided valuable insights in her presentation, “Jeddah: Affordable Housing between Living Traditions and Contemporary Spaces.” Dr. Helmy’s understanding of the interrelationship between architecture, culture and urban design was apparent and refreshing.

One of the most memorable moments during Suhair’s visit involved a conversation with Suhair in a circle of students, faculty and staff.


May 2012 ‐‐ Page 12 of 12

In August 2009, the College of Architecture and Planning was pleased to host Sami Saleh Nawar,

preservationist in the Municipality of Jeddah and friend of Dar Al‐Hekma College.

Mr. Nawar traveled to the U.S. to speak at the International Preservation Trades Workshop and International Trades Education Symposium (IPTW‐ITES) in Leadville, Colorado. His talk was there was well‐received and a provided a unique addition to the agenda. CAP was able to take advantage of Sami’s visit by involving him in conversations in Denver. Since we had just begun the fall semester, it was timely that Sami could meet with our students participating in the collaborative studio, introduce them to Jeddah and help them think about the concept of affordable housing in Jeddah. Keith Loftin and the students in this studio found his presentation to be extremely valuable and helpful. Sami Nawar gave yet another talk to a large group of faculty, students, staff and professionals from the design/preservation professions. The feedback was very positive. Sami captured the group’s interest and encouraged them to think about important issues.