Classical Architecture & Design
ACBA’s Classical Architecture and Design program acknowledges that there is intrinsic value in being deliberate with the design of buildings and cities. In our contemporary age of immediacy and instant gratification, the act of drawing and creating by hand teaches students to apply classical knowledge to all scales of building while learning the practical applications of contemporary building practices. Studying the elements and principles of traditional architecture equips students with the skills necessary to engage with any place and design not from the student’s own predilections, but with an approach that considers what is in the best interest of a particular place and its citizenry. Students learn how the classical tradition has evolved throughout history and how it can inform our built environments today and in the future.
After mastering the art of drawing by hand, students go on to integrate modern 2D and 3D design technologies such as AutoCAD, SketchUp, and REVIT. Design studio classes focus on categories such as fundamental classicism, as well as more complex subjects in residential, secular civic, classical interiors, and landscape design. In addition, Classical Architecture and Design students integrate theory and application by taking four elective courses in the other building arts (wood, plaster, iron and stone) during their junior and senior years.
“ACBA offers an opportunity for professors like myself to ensure the transmittable knowledge of the traditional arts. As a professor, the most valuable thing at the College is the ability for me to collaborate not only with some of the greatest craftspeople in the world, but also to remain in a state of constant learning, right along with the students, of the various facets of the built environment.”