Here are the ten best colleges to attend if you want to study architecture, and be surrounded by stunning architecture as well.
10. Harvard Graduate School of Design
Harvard University demonstrates architecture from the Colonial era, 19th century, 20th century, and 21st century but not everyone appreciates the fact that they have a great architecture program as well. The Harvard Graduate School of Design (also known as The GSD) is located at Gund Hall, Cambridge, Massachusetts and boasts programs in not only architecture but landscape architecture, urban planning, urban design, real estate, design engineering, and design studies. The school is considered a global academic leader in the design fields and has 13,000 alumni and counting to support that. Gund Hall’s most notable architectural feature is the stepped, clear-span roof that spans five levels over the central studio space, also known as the “Trays.”
9. Yale School of Architecture
The Yale School of Architecture is one of the most prestigious architecture schools in the world, and the department has been around since 1916 though the real school was created in 1959. At its core, the program stresses design as a fundamental discipline, which might seem intuitive to some people but few architecture programs are created equal, and when it comes to Yale the unique qualities don’t stop there. The School of Architecture is housed in Rudolph Hall, the masterwork of former Dean, Paul Rudolph. It was renovated once since opening, and the building re-opened in November 2008 with a new addition created and produced in part by renowned New York architect, Charles Gwathmey, a member of Yale’s proud alumni.
8. Columbia University, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation
Columbia in New York City is a large campus that spans six city blocks and counts many different styles of architecture within the Morningside Campus. There, you will find the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (also known as GSAPP) and the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, which is the largest architectural library in the US, home to the earliest books published on architecture, and the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals.
