Critiquing Architecture School is a 7-part documentary series (currently in production) about modern day architectural education, investigating the well-known global issues that have been around for decades and continue today, advocating for change from a student’s perspective.
Episode 01
Our Mission
In today’s society, architectural education has become renowned for its unhealthy long hours, brutal criticisms and a breeding ground for negative impact on student mental well-being, not to mention the knock-on effect on poor work culture.
But in order to take a turn for the better, we need to identify the root of the problem. How long has architectural education been this way and why? Do toxic practices get passed down from tutors to students and recycled through practice? Or is it because of unnecessary pressures from the curriculum?
In order to gauge a balanced response, we hope to uncover some of the truths behind how architecture schools are run, the people behind it and of course, opinions and hopes of students like ourselves. Our aim is to come together to find a solution once and for all.
Global Survey
In the early stages of production, a survey outlining various aspects of architectural education was put out to the wider architectural community and received a total of 541 responses. Within these responses, the feelings of discontent were made very clear and so was the need for this discussion to be had from a student’s perspective.
Ultimately, through this series, current and future students will also be provided a framework to tackle these issues at a local scale. By beginning this process and giving the entire global community full access to all resources, individuals will be able to follow suit and pave the way for the next generations.
Disclaimer: The aim of the series is not to discredit or "attack" Architecture Schools in any way, shape or form. Like any critique, the aim is to understand the current systems, put forward the issues, allow the decision makers to make their case and find real solutions that could be the responsibility of the institutes or the student's themselves.
The Team
Alvin Zhu
Writer, Editor & Director
Louise Ouyang
Co-Producer
Sana Tabassum
Co-Producer
Support Us
We're asking for your help to support our project through our Kickstarter campaign. This will help immensly with production and equipment costs and hopefully establish the importance of a series like this. If you aren't able to get involved at this time, we would be grateful if you shared with friends and peers anyway, the more eyes we can get, the better!
