Program
Y ARCH immerses students and working professionals in the field of architectural design through a rigorous, production-intensive curriculum. UIC's thriving studio culture forms a foundation for Y ARCH, a program unlike any other in the city. By bringing together those considering a career change or advanced study and others simply taking the time to explore an interest in depth, Y ARCH lets participants learn from the school, the city, and one another.
Engaging Chicago as both a city with a rich architectural heritage and a changing, living metropolis is one of Y ARCH's major objectives. Through sketching trips, guided and self-led walking tours, and visits to local architecture firms, Y ARCH participants will develop a sense of historical context while keeping a finger on the pulse of architecture as it is practiced today. For those already familiar with Chicago's geography, Y ARCH activities and discussions will throw a new light on the unknown, unexpected, and overlooked.
Y ARCH studios and discussions will explore the impact of the built environment on qualities of life and consider how politics, economics, and cultural values inform the process of creating architecture. Introductions to critical theory will support formal investigations throughout a series of studio projects that build upon new knowledge as it is acquired.
Y ARCH instruction will be led by full-time faculty and assistants devoted to the program. At least once a week, participants interact with a wide range of UIC and Y ARCH faculty through lectures covering their recent work and areas of interest. A list of Y ARCH faculty members and lecturers will be available soon.
