The Architectural Graduation Project - English

1. The Architectural Graduation Project
Prepared by: Dr. Yasser Mahgoub
Introduction
The Graduation Project is considered the vehicle of demonstrating the students' accumulation of
knowledge and experiences throughout their undergraduate education in the department of
architecture. All the students’ education including lectures, studio work, practical training, field
trips, seminars, etc. are reflected in their graduation project. It is the last step in preparing the
student for professional practice after graduation. It also requires continuous work and
commitment to achieve the required goals.
It is recommended that the selected project is an actual project needed by the country and listed in
its future development plans. This reflects the obligation of the university to service the
community. It is also important that students do not select graduation projects that were selected
before during the last year or projects designed during their previous design studios. Students
should be encouraged to select new topics and involve other departments and disciplines, where
applicable, in the development of design problems and solutions.
Catalog Description
Architectural Graduation 1
Data collection on selected topic under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Formulation and
preparation of space programme and design brief and requirements in the form of design report
study and analysis of selected site constraints and environmental factors. Prerequisite: Design
Courses.
Architectural Graduation Project 2
Formulation of schematic design as translation of the previously prepared design brief under the
guidance of a faculty advisor. Development of the schematic design into preliminary design
drawings. Modification of the design report toward the final design drawings. A thesis is required
to be submitted. Prerequisite: Architectural Graduation 1

2. The Architectural Graduation Project
Detailed Description
The graduation project is a comprehensive project that reflects the student’s accumulated
knowledge and skills in architectural design, planning, building construction, building systems,
landscape architecture, and other subjects related to architectural education. The project should
address a real problem in the area of architectural design, urban design and urban planning. The
end product is composed of architectural drawings, data collection, and oral presentations to a
jury committee and a written report. The project is composed of two parts:
1. Graduation Project 1
Graduation Project 1 is a one-semester course of 2 Credit Hours. During Graduation Project 1,
the student collects information, statistics, selects site, and develops the architectural program.
The student is required to select 3 project titles for discussion with the advisor illustrating the
goals of selecting each project. One project is to be selected after consultations with the
Graduation Project Committee to avoid repetition of projects. At the end of this stage the student
is required to present the process of site selection and analysis, building codes and regulations,
program development and analysis, data and examples collection, and zoning design ideas in the
form of a “dissertation” using a scientific report format.
2. Graduation Project 2
Graduation Project 2 is a one-semester course of 4 Credit Hours. During Graduation Project 2,
students develop their preliminary design ideas into a full architectural project including
architectural drawings, models, and final report.
The goal of Graduation Project is to train students to deal with complex architectural design
problems from a practical and comprehensive point of view starting from problem definition,
context analysis, function and utility requirements study, and structural and aesthetic
considerations. The student should progress through different design phases to suggest solutions
and implementation strategies. The Graduation project is a comprehensive experience similar to
professional practice after graduation.
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3. The Architectural Graduation Project
Phases and Activities of Graduation Project
Under the supervision of course instructor, the student is required to undertake the following
activities according to a specific time schedule:
1. Selection of an Appropriate Architectural Design Problem
The student should work on selecting an appropriate architectural or planning problem upon
initial consultations with the course instructor from community during the vacation preceding the
semester of his/her Graduation Project 1. The problems should be appropriate for graduation
project in order to achieve a high level of reality and direct benefit to community. The student
should collect all relevant data, standards, and statistics from governmental agencies. Whenever
possible, the student should also visit similar projects to the selected project in size and function
in order to estimate the amount of effort and work required to design the project. The student
should submit 3 suggestions for discussion with the course instructor at the beginning of the
graduation semester.
2. Literature Review
The student should undertake a comprehensive literature review of the project topic in reference
books, textbooks, periodicals, magazines, and newspapers. This literature survey forms the
academic base upon which the student depends for calculating and developing program
requirements. The student should collect and study most recent examples similar to the selected
project. The study should include detailed analysis of all aspects of design in order to prepare the
student for project development from an architectural program to design alternatives suitable for
the site and context.
Internet sources:
http://www.archiprix.net/
www.arcspace.com
www.archiseek.com
www.a-matter.com
www.byggeinfo.dk
www.architactic.com/en/index.html
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4. The Architectural Graduation Project
3. Selection of Appropriate Site
Students are required to select more than one site for the project and conduct comprehensive
evaluation to select the most appropriate site. The student should collect maps, information and
pictures from site visits and any other information useful for comparing between available sites.
The student should select with the course instructor the appropriate site after evaluation,
comparison, and site visits.
4. Preparation of the Architectural Program
The student should prepare a comprehensive architectural program that includes definition of
functions, activities, utilities, areas, and volumes. The suitable size of Graduation Project ranges
from 5,000 to 15,000 m² of usable area. The program should be relevant to the needs of the
owner and expected users and consistent with architectural theories and design data. The program
should respect local and international standards. The student should work with the advisor and
the client if possible, to calculate the required areas in relation to the physical, environmental, and
social context. The program is presented in the form of functions, areas, and relationships.
5. Function and Zoning Analysis
At the end of Graduation Project 1, students are required to present a dissertation outlining their
activities and achievements throughout the semester to a jury committee including the following
items:
Program development and analysis
Site selection and analysis
Examples presentation and analysis
Zoning alternatives
6. Development of Architectural Design Alternatives
During Graduation Project 2, the student is expected to work on transforming the project program
into design alternatives and ideas relevant to the selected site. This phase ends with the selection
of the appropriate design ideas according to a reasonable evaluation process.
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5. The Architectural Graduation Project
7. Preparation of Preliminary Project
The student should follow a clear design process to develop the selected ideas into a preliminary
design project. Design should be seen as an organized process of transforming architectural
program of needs into a three dimensional configuration of space suitable for execution through
several linear and non-linear design decision stages.
8. Development of Final project, report and model
At the end of Graduation 2, students are required to present to a jury committee a final
architectural project that reflects the skills and expertise throughout undergraduate education. The
final project should include the following items:
Complete architectural drawings (studies, layout, plans, elevations, sections, perspectives,
computer animations, etc.)
Model of the final project
Final report describing all the above design process.
(See appendices for details.)
Evaluation of the Graduation Project
A jury committee twice per semester during each phase evaluates the Graduation Project. The
first jury is held after selection of project title, contents and site. It includes presentation of
similar examples. This jury is to insure the student’s proper selection of the project size, contents,
and site. The second jury is held at the end of Graduation Project 1 to evaluate the student’s
development of program and design ideas. The third jury is held after completion of final
drawings of the project during Graduation Project 2. The fourth jury is held at the end of
Graduation 2 after completion of drawings, model and final report. Graduation project design
instructors evaluate the first and third juries while the second and graduation project design
instructors and guest jurors from the profession will conduct fourth jury. At the end of the
semester an exhibition should be held to display the best graduation projects and to praise the
distinguished students.
The evaluation is based on the following criteria:
Design General Aspects: Program analysis and Site fitting
Design Functionality: Space utilization and Circulation
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6. The Architectural Graduation Project
Design Form and Expression: Compositional and spatial aspects
Technical Considerations: Environmental respectability and Structural stability
Presentation: Graphical and oral presentations of the project, models and written report
Grading
Grading is based on the following:
Attendance 10 %
Progress 50 %
First Jury 10 %
Second Jury 30 %
Appendices
Appendix 1: The Final Drawings
The final drawings should be presented on A1 sheets including the following minimum
requirements:
Studies and analysis of site and program with an appropriate scale
The layout scale 1:400 / 1: 500
Plans scale 1:200 or 1:400 / 1:500
Sections and Elevations 1:200
Interior and Exterior perspectives with an appropriate scale
The final model should be made by the student using simple material and techniques
scale.1:400 / 1:500
The project should be presented and arranged in a professional form. All the accumulated skills
in drafting, shade and shadow, perspective, and computer presentation should be demonstrated in
the final project. The student should put effort in arranging and presenting their project imitating
professional architectural offices.
Appendix 2: The Final report
The report should include the following:
1. Introduction
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7. The Architectural Graduation Project
2. Description of the project and its goals
3. Analysis of similar local and international examples
4. The Final Project
4.1. Need
Space program and definition of the design problem,
Functions, relationships, areas, and volumes.
4.2. Context
Site selection and analysis,
Zoning of programme functions.
Environmental analysis
4.3. Form
Design alternatives and design decisions
The proposed design idea
Structural and specialized studies
Drawings and pictures of the final model
Use of computer drafting & Design Software is recommended and shall be adequately rewarded
in the assessment.
Appendix 3: The Project File
The project file is an important tool to document the development and progress of design ideas. It
also facilitates the preparation of the final report. Each student should maintain a course file from
day 1 of his/her graduation project. The project file is a large folder that is divided into the
following sections:
Program
Site
Examples
Design Data
Design ideas
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