Harvard University has been offering a free online architecture course that comes to an end on May 30th 2018. The course, dubbed ‘The Architectural Imagination’ is offered by Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, runs for 10 weeks and targets students from Kenya and other countries across the globe.
The 10-module course teaches students “How to read architecture as a cultural expression as well as a technical achievement. Vivid analyses of exemplary buildings from a wide range of historical contexts, coupled with hands-on exercises in drawing and modelling, bring you closer to the work of an actual architect or historian.”
Therefore, at the end of the course, students will have learned:
- Basic principles that will help them create and generate their own architectural drawings and models.
- How to read, analyse, and understand various forms of architectural representation.
- Social and historical contexts behind major works of architecture.
- Pertinent content for academic study or a professional career as an architect.
Based on the QS World University Rankings by subject in 2017, Harvard University ranks seventh in the top 10 best architecture schools in the world.
Additionally, some famous architects such as Frank Gehry went through Harvard University. Gehry studied Urban Planning at the Graduate School of Design, however, he did not complete the program. Gehry’s famous works include Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and the Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada.
According to Harvard University, the free online course does not offer a certificate or credits although students can buy one for $124.