The three-year Design Studio is the focus of the BFA core curriculum.

Design Studio 1 & 2
Sophomores are introduced to the language of architecture, learning to communicate architectonic ideas through the development of formal and visual communication skills. By the end of this year, sophomores are expected to design a detailed architectural composition that successfully integrates program, materials, structure and light. Projects encompass all scales of environmental design, from the individual to the community, and from private shelter to the city.

Design Studio 3 & 4
Juniors concentrate on perceiving architecture as a spatial dimension of culture. Focusing on the design of small-scale buildings and landscapes, they explore the reciprocal relationship between architecture and society, investigating how buildings shape culture through program, composition and aesthetics.

Design Studio 5
Seniors acquire the skills to handle problems of greater depth and complexity. In addition to the visual, students consider the dimensions of architecture that affect the body's other senses, like the sound of space, movement through space, and the materiality of space. Students also begin to consider their roles as designers and builders within the larger context of the global environment.

Vertical Design Studio
The independent studios, or verticals, allow students to focus on their interests and test their architectural abilities. Typically three studios are offered in which the content is determined by the individual instructors. Topics offered by each studio accommodate diverse investigations across different scales and media. Instructors present their studio topics during the first day of class and students choose a studio through a lottery.