Studio BA3 (Taillieu)

Summary

A house is the simple topic of this studio. A matter of simple complexity. Learning about a house is learning about architecture. The first part of the year is about learning about a house. The second part is about making your house.

Content

Studio jo taillieu - LIF composes with the idea of the reference, your personal frame of reference, but also its place within architectural practice. The studio teaches a methodology of composition and construction detail. Constructing architecture starts from the small scale, the detail, towards the bigger scale, the whole. It allows one to understand how a detail can give qualities to a space as much as a whole constructive system for a whole building. Observation and contemplation are key, rather than analyzing. Imagination, rather than concept. These attitudes are part of the studio methodology. This studio believes strongly in the variety of media: from handmade drawing and crafted modeling to digital and analog drawings. Mediums are not only a result but rather an ongoing method to think, compose, and conceive your architectural intervention. Your hand is a tool, an instrument on the table to conceive your vision.

studio jo taillieu - LIF 2026-2027 Program

The first semester's exercise is about construction, structure, composition of elements, and certainly about atmosphere. How details make spaces and how construction makes composition are central focuses of our teaching.

Movement I - Crossing Exercice in duo

Teaching goals :

architectural references
construction
learn representation techniques : drawings and model
use
drawing investigation

Assignment : Crossing

that corner ; a meeting between two walls and ceiling ; or between wall, floor and ceiling ; or between three walls ; or between a column and two beams ; or whatever every other kind of corner ; but that corner that defines a space ; represents a program ; changes in light ; gives color to life ; is different from different angle ; that one day might explain how it is constructed ; the other day only let you dream away in wondering why it is made like that...
the 'fragment' - not a 'façade' or building but a 'fragment' of a house
taking focus on a 'fragment'; on construction; material; detail; aspects that all define not only by a quality of space but now also by its meaning
making of that fragment; is about interpretation of what was; could be in the reference house on a precise topic - it doesn't fall apart -;
in fact the issue is; what is material for space; what is detail for material; how does a detail makes space;
and in the frame of the fragment: how is that related to the meaning of construction and the meaning of space;
will it change it and how will it change; eventually
we deliberately do not talk about a facade or building; but about meaning (construction)

The result project will be a FRAGMENT built by a composition of constructive elements.

Tools/Hand-in

Model 1/20

Drawing by hand axonometry as an ongoing tool - 1/50 - 1/20 - 1/25 - to choose

Movement II Repetition Exercice in duo

> Cascade / Iterations / Repetition / Succession / composition-relation

Teaching goal

Evolving to space - Relation between spaces - corner to space iterations

Assignement

In this second part of this exercise students make a 'repetition' of spaces ; rooms - starting from what has been learned from movement I ; the crossing - not a façade or building but a 'cascade' of rooms, a iteration of crossing.

Taking focus on a 'repetition' of spaces but with a focus once again on construction ; material ; detail ; aspects that all define not only by a quality of space but now also by its meaning (the program of each room) ; having the 'crossing' as guiding in deciding and changing depending on meaning of each other room.
That repetition ; a meeting between rooms with different meaning ; changing that first idea 'the crossing' movement I
In fact the issue is ; what is material for space ; what is detail for material ; how does a detail makes space ; and in the frame of the cascade: how is that related to the meaning of space ; will it change it and how will it change ; eventually we deliberately do not talk about a facade or building ; but about meaning (room) once again we make references

The result project will be a fragment duplicated and iterated several time to create a new entity built by a composition of constructive elements.

Tools

- Model 1/20

- Drawing by hand axonometry as an ongoing tool - 1/50 - 1/20 - 1/25 - to choose

Parallel Movement Exercice individual

3 moments to talk of the chair during the semester

Teaching goals

developing the imagination, freedom, absurdity, free will, constructing from what is existing

Assignment

You find one destroyed/broken chair, organise your destruction if needed, you are master of the level of destruction of the chair -

Then you complete it

One quality of a chair is to seat on it, you will celebrate the final jury on your own chair. Every student will seat all day during the final jury on your chair.

Hand-in

- Two A4 format, two pictures, one picture of the starting chair and then the final chair (meanwhile exercice movement I and II), photo paper, two frames.

- the chair completed

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

Demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking
Manage priorities
Use a work methodology appropriate to the task.

Teaching methods

Detail makes space - Life as a definition of space

This course teaches a project methodology based on a strong theoretical foundation of references, with the aim of teaching an approach that starts with an architectural detail and progresses to the whole a cohesive whole that combines function, the significance of the site, construction and composition through imagination with a simple program : the house. Through hand-drawn sketches, drawings and models, students learn tools to communicate and develop their ideas. The course is based on learning a methodology that is simple yet complex, enabling students through a sensitive site analysis, imaginative consideration of uses and a mastery of construction to propose well-considered architectural interventions.

Cost

The amount may vary to lower as the students are free to use cheaper materials and are strongly encouraged to recycle and up-cycle material to produce easy-to-assemble, cheap working models. The LIF Studio Taillieu does not impose upon students a certain material but focuses on the thinking of the student through its pencil, notebook, and paper. Simple tools, complex thinking.

Overall cost estimation of the field trip for the fall semester: 250 CHF maximum

Field trip fall semester: 24.10.26 to 26.10.26 : 250CHF

Field trip spring semester: Belgium, 20.02.27 to 22.02.27 : 250CHF - 60CHF subvention = 190CHF

Overall cost estimation for model making, drawing, and production: approx. 150 CHF (depending on student choice of material, size of project, etc.)

Expected student activities

Logistic and organisation of the course

The course is structure around outputs listed in the calendar given on moodle. The rest of the days of course is ongoing work without mandatory outputs for students. The goal is for the student to define their own media and form of communication (between drawing and model making) to explain their ideas and to have constructive discussion with the teaching team. Sketchbook and tracing paper drawings are always a good way to explain to the teaching team your ongoing work. Models can be test model to express ideas if needed for your working process.

Discussions / Tutorat

- Mondays : Project 9:15-12:00 / 13:15-18:00

Two teaching team are walking around for tutorat and discussions at the desk around your project to help you in progressing. A paper is produce by your assistant team with key words for following each student the best way possible within the teaching team and to communicate effectively. The goal of those discussions is guidance and answering your questions the best way possible for you to enjoy and succeed the course.

- Tuesdays : Project 9:15-12:00

Teaching team is present for answering remaining questions and understanding details.

Assessment methods

Semester I: 30% - 14 weeks

Mid-term jury - 15% or the final grade
Final jury - 15% or the final grade

Semester II : 50% - 14 weeks

Mid-term jury - 20% or the final grade
Final jury - 30% or the final grade

General progress of the student : 20%; through curiosity and research, development of an opinion for architecture, readings, general attitude, involvement, progress, etc.

Criterias of evaluation :

Quality of the drawing, readability, cleanliness of the models, coherent use of materials in the representation, development of a detail with understanding of the structural and constructive system, understanding and consistency of the structural system used in the project, quality of the rendering in cohesion with demand of the exercice, development of a personal imagination via the project, decision-making capacity and independence, coherent application of the exercise data, oral presentation.

Supervision

Office hours	No
Assistant.e.s	Yes
Forum	No
Others	Céline Carrière, Benoit Perrier, Eline Faché.

Resources

Moodle Link

https://go.epfl.ch/AR-201_m

	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
16-17	CE12
17-18	CE12
18-19
19-20
20-21
21-22