Architecture and Building Technology - ARBT.AS

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The Architecture and Building Technology Degree is a two-year program of study that has been developed to build a solid foundation for continued study and professional exploration in the broad fields of architectural design and the construction related fields. It is a new degree program in the School of Engineering Technology. In the first year of the program, students develop basic graphic skills using free-hand drawing, technical drawing and computer aided design. Students become familiar with orthographic projection as well as three dimensional drawings and model building. Students develop architectural design skills by designing their own residential projects, demonstrating an understanding of building forms, passive solar energy and environmental concerns as well as estimating the cost of construction. In the second year of the program students will explore the architecture of public spaces, retail and commercial buildings and how the needs of the community are met through them. Students study in depth the role of International Building Codes and how codes will influence the design of a building. Construction materials and methods are explored in greater depth. Students continue to build their portfolio and develop their design skills through digital photography and a capstone course experience. The final presentation will pull together all of the students design and presentation skills with a final project that will be presented to their class and a visiting architectural design professional. The students portfolio will serve as part of the application requirement for placement in future architectural studies and career placement.

The Architecture and Building Technology Option curriculum is offered in both day and evening formats, allowing our working students the flexibility of taking classes which best fit their own personal schedule. This is especially attractive to incumbent workers who enroll in the program to advance their careers while they continue their current employment. Our faculty all have years of professional experience and can relate the academic experience to real-world challenges.

Upon successful completion of the requirements of the program, an Associate in Science in Architecture and Building Technology from STCC will be awarded.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

Demonstrate the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills
Demonstrate skills in oral, written and visual communication
Demonstrate a knowledge of architectural presentations skills, including perspective, rendering, and illustration
Demonstrate skill/competency in freehand drawing, architectural drafting, and computer aided design
Apply mathematical skills necessary for the major
Demonstrate a knowledge of architectural terminology, building structure, materials, systems and construction methods
Demonstrate a knowledge of basic architectural design and building code principles for residential and small commercial projects
Demonstrate knowledge of energy efficient, passive solar, and sustainable design
Acquire an understanding of Design and Construction education and career options
Demonstrate program competency by assembling a portfolio showcasing design skills and technical knowledge

Computer and Software Requirements

Because of the current shift to online courses, all Architecture and Building Technology students will be required to have a functional computer to complete their Fall 2020 courses. The minimum system requirements for computers are designed to ensure success through the student’s program of study. Systems that do not meet the minimum requirements may be slower or may not run the advanced software used in some of the courses and disciplines. The Architecture & Building Technology Department also requires that all of our students subscribe to the AutoDesk web site, free student downloads and accounts.

Cost of new computers can range from $750.00 to $ 2,400.00 depending on the computer chosen. Refurbished or reconditioned computers could cost less, and can be used as long as the specifications are meet. Windows PC platform works best for the software used in our department, and either a laptop or desk top is acceptable. Apple MacBooks are acceptable and must meet the same hardware requirements as a Windows system with the follow specifications under MacBooks. The mobility of a laptop makes it convenient to work from anywhere. Basic

PC Specifications:

Recommended Processor: Intel, Xeon, or i-Series processor or AMD equivalent with SSE2 (Intel core i5 or higher, Intelcore i7 is recommended; 2.5 GHz minimum or 3 + GHz processor.)

Basic: 8 GH / 16 GH Recommended of system RAM

Hard Drive: 500 GB or larger (recommended)

Operating System: Windows 10, 64 Bit (Windows 7 or 8 will work as well)

Video: 24 bit color

Video Conferencing Tools: Functional Mic, Speaker, & Camera

Graphics card: 1 GB GPU with 29 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant

Monitor: 1920 x 1080 True Color recommended or 1280 x 800 True Color / 13” minimum (recommended)

Storage: SSD recommended - 20 GB to 30 GB

Apple MacBook Computer Specifications:

Same specification’s as PC above with 16 GB of RAM, 500 GB SSD and the latest processor. These hardware requirements are necessary because you will need to install Bootcamp to run software under the Windows operating system.

Web Site with instructions on how to download Bootcamp: https://support.apple.com/boot-camp

Additional Information for downloads:

Student Page to create account and download software needed on AutoDesk. Please refer to course syllabus for correct program and version before downloading software. (https://www.autodesk.com/education/home)

Fusion 360 / free download for students and teachers:

https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/students-teachers-educators

(ARBT.AS) Curriculum

Semester 1

ABT-125 - Architectural CAD 1 2 credits
ABT-125L - Lab: Architectural CAD 1 1 credits
ABT-150 - Architectural Design 1: Design Process 2D 2 credits
ABT-150L - Lab: Architectural Design 1: Design Process 2D 2 credits
ENG-101 - English Composition 1 3 credits
MAT-124 - Technical Math 1 4 credits
EL-HUM - General Humanities Elective 3 credits

Total: 17 credits

Semester 2

ABT-135 - Architectural CAD 2 2 credits
ABT-135L - Lab: Architectural CAD 2 1 credits
ABT-155 - Architectural Design 2: Design Process 3D 2 credits
ABT-155L - Lab: Architectural Design 2: Design Process 3D 1 credits
ABT-120 - Building Construction Estimating 2 credits
ABT-120L - Lab: Building Construction Estimating 1 credits
EL-SCIL - General Lab Science Elective 4 credits
EL-HUM - General Humanities Elective 3 credits

Total: 16 credits

Semester 3

ABT-220 - Sustainability and the Built Environment 3 credits
ABT-250 - Architectural Design 3: Public/Commercial Spaces 2 credits
ABT-250L - Lab: Architectural Design 3: Public/Commercial Spaces 1 credits
ENG-102 - English Composition 2 3 credits
EL-SOC - General Behavioral/Social Science Elective 3 credits
ABT-222 - Sustainable Community Planning 3 credits
ABT-210 - Building Codes and Principles 3 credits

Total: 18 credits

Semester 4

ABT-255 - Architectural Design 4: Portfolio/Capstone Project 2 credits
ABT-255L - Lab: Architectural Design 4: Portfolio/Capstone Project 2 credits
EL-HUM - General Humanities Elective 3 credits
EL-SOC - General Behavioral/Social Science Elective 3 credits
EL SOC - General Behavioral/Social Science Elective 3 credits
EL-SCI - General Science Elective 3 credits

Total: 16-17 credits

Total (ARBT.AS) Curriculum Program Credits: 67-68

Program Personnel

Name	Title	Office	Phone	Email
Warren Hall	Professor	17/203	413-755-4616	whall@stcc.edu
Jennifer DeForge	Assistant Professor/Department Chair	17/215	413-755-5212	jadeforge@stcc.edu