)Academia (Selected)
ARCHITECTURAL / ENGINEERING DESIGN: It is important to recognize that architectural investigation is a form of Design rather than an Art. Design is distinguished from Art by both process and result, where the latter produces products that are beautiful in appearance, having arrived at the final result through freedom of unbridled exploration in media, and the former is characterized by constraint, where the final result expresses a synthesis of multiple requirements, systems, environmental response, and functionality. Architectural Design is a "systems engineering" approach, where the investigator must be a configurator of multiple systems in such a way that the final artifact expresses beauty through its skillful manipulation of optimization versus compromise in "system of systems" performance. It is assumed that mastery over this process will manifest itself in the beauty of the artifact in aesthetics, structure, and functionality. The approach taken for instruction in architectural design follows the Problem-based Learning (PBL) paradigm, and individual requirements are first isolated without context for the benefit of eliminating as many variables as possible, then all the requirements are brought together in context in an integrated design process. This allows the student to optimize a single system at first, then collectively engage in a negotiation between the requirements of integrated systems until an efficient, superior solution is reached.
DIGITAL MEDIA, TOOLS, AND PROCESS: It is assumed that digital media and tools can be influential in the process of Design, far beyond just a medium of expression of the designer or engineer. It is believed that a pure digital form of paperless "sketching" is possible, though the rough, quick recording of ideas and concepts may not take on a form that even remotely resembles hand sketching. However, as a pedagogical approach, this philosopy also takes into account the fact that new digital tools also give the power to mediocre designer to produce deceptively complex representations of flawed designs under the guise of well-rendered presentations, and insists that critical discourse should be vigilant in order to cut through superficial "flash" and "slickness" of non-rigorous Artistic expression (see above definition for "Art"). Digital process is taught in an incremental manner, using small design assignments that build on each other and result in a high skill level for the students. Part of this process involves a set of pre-defined kit-of-parts elements beginner students can manipulate and explore with inside the computer, much like a "Lego" set. Pieces are already well-defined in detail and connection, representing fundamental primitives in architecture: line, point, wall, column, etc., so that when a beginner student finishes manipulating the model, the final result is guaranteed to look nice, providing a boost of confidence. Later, the student will then learn to create their own pieces that can be automatically replaced in their building design using swap functions in the modeling program. This gives the student skills to begin projects from scratch and develop their own design language without a given framework.
CONSTRUCTION PROCESS AND ENGINEERING: It is known that the current worldwide construction industry retains construction techniques that have been around for centuries, with only slight modifications. Digital process in design, manufacturing, and construction can provide a sustainable, promising method for the construction industry to align itself with information age principles. In this pedagogical approach, the process of construction becomes integral with the design, and the condition of a structure at time of occupancy becomes known only as one phase out of many. The designer is encouraged to understand not only the materials and processes that go into the construction of a building, but also the materials and processes that come out of it at the end of its life time. In one successful teaching approach students are required to build 1:1 structures, including design, manufacture, assembly, and site placement. Students can use a variety of traditional methods, but are encouraged to complete the structure using mostly digital and numerical processes. Another manifestation of this method involves thesis students who are capable of designing complex systems and programs, who design construction processes that are automated for self-assembly in an integrated approach of building program, structure, assembly process, and disassembly process as part of the entire final design package. The design of robotic hardware in parallel with kit-of-parts construction systems allows students to follow and sometimes participate in Dr. Howe's current research in automated construction (see Research Topic).
SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN DESIGN: This pedagogical approach takes the stand that regardless of whether the entirety of the architectural design process can be fitted to the scientific method or not, designers will benefit from knowing and operating rigorously within frameworks of established methodologies. These methodologies are theoretical, interpretive, experimental, survey / correlational, simulation, qualitative, and action / applied. Each step in the architectural design process, from sketching to model making to technical drawing to post-occupancy evaluation maps satisfactorily onto one or more of these methodologies. Therefore, if architects were to become aware of the tools available for investigation in these methodologies, every aspect of their technique in the design process is sure to improve and become more rigorous. The scientific method is taught sometimes directly (to thesis and PhD students), and sometimes through methodology as applied to design problems. One approach is a theoretical grammatical approach toward reductionism in design, where elements of a building are quantified in a kit-of-parts library. The kit-of-parts approach allows a quantified approach to the details of structure, connection, and interface, while allowing for more qualitative expression in overall holistic structure. However, students are taught that this approach is not necessarily appropriate for all design solutions. A grammatical approach to design allows students to follow and sometimes participate in Dr. Howe's current research in kit-of-parts building systems (see Research Topic).
EXTREME STRUCTURES: In the case of structures in extreme environments, the difference between conditions in the external found environment and target human comfort ranges is very great, resulting in a heavier dependence on engineering systems in order to compensate. The study of these environments and compensating technologies provide an opportunity for architects to step outside of the box and realize that some conditions we take for granted do not necessarily apply universally. In this educational approach, students become conscious of compensating technologies for temperature extremes, pressure differences, microgravity, variable / reduced gravity accelerations, cosmic radiation protection, harsh sunlight / no sunlight, high wind / currents, planetary surface dust fines, etc. and learn to be creative within very tight constraints. Participation in the design of extreme structures allows students to follow and sometimes participate in Dr. Howe's current research in aerospace architecture topics (see Research Topic).
The following is a list of actual courses taught by Dr. Howe (UG = undergraduate-level, G = graduate-level. Note: some links may be broken within the individual webpages):
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF ART / INDUSTRIAL DESIGN:
art243 Computer Modeling Design Techniques (UG lecture course)
art455 Advanced Computer Modeling Design Techniques (G lecture course)
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE:
arch202 Design Skills (UG lecture course)
arch222/610 Introduction to Architectural Computer Graphics (UG/G lecture course)
arch181 Introductory Architectural Design I (UG studio)
arch182 Introductory Architectural Design II (UG studio)
arch484/584 Kit-of-parts Architectural Design (UG/G studio)
arch484/584 Competition Design (UG/G studio)
arch484/584 Tensile Structures (UG/G studio)
arch584 1:1 Construction (G studio)
arch410/510 Basic CAD (UG/G lecture course)
arch424/524 Advanced Design Media: Advanced Computer Graphics (UG/G lecture course)
arch410/510 Web Programming for Designers (UG/G lecture course)
HONG KONG UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE:
arch1008 Visual Communications II (UG lecture course)
arch2007 Visual Communications III (UG lecture course)
arch2013 Second Year Design (UG studio)
arch4001/4002 Fourth Year Design (G studio)
arch5001/5002 Fifth Year Design (G independent study thesis studio)
arch5304 The Computer in Architecture (G lecture course)
arch5305 CAAD Methods (G lecture course)
arch5306 Changes in Architectural Depiction (G lecture course)
arch5401 Dissertation Writing (G independent study course)
arch5402 Reading in Architecture (G independent study course)
arch5403 Design and Management (G lecture course)
PhD supervision
Studios:
Changes in Architectural Depiction Studio