Projects with impact

During your master’s, you will be involved with projects that combine working in research, education and industry. Through applied research you come up with innovative solutions for genuine societal issues. Below, you can find some examples of projects our master’s students engage in.

About this programme

The four-year programme is a design master where you will combine your study with working in professional practice. Therefore, after you finish your studies, you can immediately register yourself in the Architects’ Register (Architectenregister in Dutch) as you are exempt from the required two-year practice experience.

Course overview

First year
In the first year you will work on your basic design skills, which will involve familiarising yourself with various design methods. You will do this in the so-called design studios, by working on a topical theme with students from other years. We will encourage you to embark on a journey of discovery in your field of interest. In the research studio, you will do field research and we will discuss a number of academic articles.

Second year
The second year will focus on experimentation. In the design studios, you will learn to formulate your own design assignment and test your design methods. You will engage in discussions with users, research materials and immerse yourself in utopias. We will facilitate your growth by throwing you in at the deep end, allowing you to fail and carrying out evaluations together.

Third year
Your studies will become more in-depth in the third year. In the design studios, you will position yourself as a critical thinker. You will challenge yourself by formulating complex design assignments. You take a position as an architect. We will coach you towards becoming the architect that you want to be and that society needs. You will write a paper during the research studio.

Fourth year
The fourth year will focus on your graduation. Everything you learned in the design studios, research studios and from your work in professional practice will come together at this stage. You will work on your qualifying examination and show how you, as an architect, are making a positive impact.

Work in professional practice
Throughout your studies, you will spend 20 hours a week working in a relevant work environment (an architect's firm or related).

After graduation

Graduates of the master’s programme will receive the title Master of Science (MSc) and will be able to register in the Dutch Architects’ Register (Nederlands Architectenregister). This registration licenses you to work as an architect anywhere in Europe.

Admission procedure

Entrance examination

Prior to the admission interview, prospective students will sit an entrance examination. In the interview, the results of this examination will be discussed. The examination will assess aspects of creativity, technique and empathy. In addition, attention will be paid in the admission interview to a personal portfolio to be brought along.

Non-EEA students have to send their results, CV, motivation and portfolio to [email protected] before the 1st of April.

Admission interview 

In all cases, an admission interview is part of the admissions procedure. The admission interview is aimed at assessing whether the student has sufficient motivation, knowledge, insight and talent to take the programme at the Academy. During the interview, the results of this examination will be discussed. The examination will assess aspects of creativity, technique and empathy. In addition, during the interview, the personal portfolio will also be discussed.

Assignment 1: Design

Design a building that consists of two linked cubes of 3x3x3 m. The way you link the cubes is free, as long as the cube is recognisable. Think of an environment (city, beach, forest, etc.) where you place the cubes. Create a house for yourself by editing the cubes. Present the design on max. 2 A3-papers. Draw and imagine anything that is needed to present your idea, think of a situation drawing, ground plans, facades, intersections, spatial images, references, materials, etc. If you wish, you can add an explanatory text (max 200 words). 

Present your design on up to two A3 sheets. Draw and visualize everything that is necessary to communicate your idea properly, such as a site plan, floor plans, façades, cross-sections, spatial images, references, materials, etc. If desired, you can add an explanatory text (no more than 200 words).

Assignment 2: Execution and technique

Make a cross-section (scale 1:20) of the most characteristic façade of your cube design and a few principle detail drawings (scale 1:5)

Assignment 3: Theory and empathy 
Choose from the list of architects below a (favorite) architect and motivate your choice on the basis of concepts of the architect in his/hers time in the architectural debate and the architectural movement the architect can be counted in. And describe the architectural quality of their work. Process your answers in an essay of max. 1000 words.

Lina Bo Bardi

Oscar Niemeyer

Toyo Ito

Carlo Scarpa

Francis Kere

Edwin Lutyens

Sverre Fehn

Kazuyo Sejima

Louis Kahn

Mario Botta

Lacaton Vassal

Work in practice 

Master's students are obliged to gain practice experience. A student has to work a minimum of 32 hours a week in a relevant practice (Architect's firm or related). 

Work in practice for Non-EEA Students

In general Dutch law does not allow students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to work in the Netherlands in regular employment. The Academy of Architecture is an exception to this rule. A limited number of non-EEA students is permitted to have regular employment in the Netherlands for a maximum of 32 hours per week under a number of strict conditions. 

Contact
Do you have questions about the application and/or admission? Contact the secretariat of the academy by calling (050) 595 54 05 or mail Angelique van Werd at [email protected]