UCLA Architecture and Urban Design has recently launched IDEAS, a new platform for cross-disciplinary research collaborations among students, faculty, industry and other partners that will radically question, challenge and expand the current parameters of architecture practice.
As part of this initiative, the department has added a new Los Angeles satellite location and significantly expanded its master's of architecture program, which will now feature studio courses taught by several of the biggest luminaries in the field-Thom Mayne, Greg Lynn and Frank Gehry, with Gehry Partners and Gehry Technologies.
UCLA A.UD partnered with Hello Design, a Los Angeles-based digital agency, to develop the branding and web presence for SUPRASTUDIO, as well as produced video interviews to capture the vision of the program, including Hitoshi Abe, Chair of A.UD, Neil Denari, Vice Chair, and SUPRASTUDIO instructors Thom Mayne, Greg Lynn, and Frank Gehry.
The revamped, self-supported Master of Architecture II program, which will continue to be known as SUPRASTUDIO, offers yearlong, post-professional studios where students will study with one of the three world-renowned, award-winning architects, focusing on a research theme in collaboration with an industry or nonprofit partner and a broad array of outside consultants. The satellite location includes a 6,000-square-foot Advanced Technologies Lab, sponsored in part by Toyota, providing access to robotics and technology for cross-industry research.
The new applied research platform provided by IDEAS and the expansion of SUPRASTUDIO will allow students to pivot out from traditional architecture to discover new applications for architectural expertise, said Hitoshi Abe, professor and chair of A.UD.
"Industry often uses the language of architecture to speculate on the future of their fields," Abe said. "SUPRASTUDIO, with its unique format, works with these partners in collaborative research and opens up the future possibilities for architecture from the outside in."