• #21408, 4F, Engineering Building I
  2066, Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea (16419)
• +82-31-290-7550
  bluecoin15@skku.edu
• http://arch.skku.edu

Introduction

Creativity, intelligence, sensitivity, and a comprehensive knowledge of the arts and sciences are critical to achieve expansive depth of professional knowledge-based insight in architecture.

In 2003, the Department of Architecture at Sungkyunkwan University started a 5-year undergraduate professional program, to meet the demanding challenges posed by contemporary society, and to realize the high standards of architectural education. The aim of the program is the harmony between sustainability & innovation. Instructions and research encompass wide ranges of issues; design studios, building technology, digital and media technology, history (Korean, Asian, European, and American) and theory, urbanism and urban design, and professional practice, to establish pleasant environment. It also focuses on educating students to an enhanced level for international cooperation with professional expertise.

Vision

Due to the 'Digital Revolution', the openness and transparency of Democracy and Capitalism is expanding rapidly. The size of a market is no longer bound to the physical territory of a nation. Talented professionals are obtaining opportunities around the globe. The vision of Department of Architecture at Sungkyunkwan University is therefore, to prepare the future architects of Korea, if not the world, with international competitive edge.

To meet this, it is crucial to hold three key-words of the contemporary international architectural scene: Innovation, Sustainability, and Transparency. The department is committed to equip future experts, both as an individual and as a community, with the heart and mind to meet the challenges of global capitalism and to serve and advance the quality of built-environment of the world.

Ideal Stduents

The prospective alumnus of the Department of Architecture at Sungkyunkwan University could contribute to the global design community in diverse fields; a professor, a registered architect, an urban designer, a researcher in R&D centers, a developer in real estate companies; a bureaucrat in government, a manager in global asset management companies, a lawyer in urban policy, and a top executive in construction companies. It is the interest of the department to broaden the specialization of 'Design Experts' in diverse fields of building industry.

Brief History of the Department

Curriculum & Features

Studio details as following:

• The basic and foundational design studios in the first two years focus mainly on hands-on learning and practice
• The complex design studios in the third year focus mainly on integrated sustainable design in high-rise and renovation projects using digital tools.
• The urbanism related design studios in the fourth year integrate issues related to interdisciplinary research, smart master planning, and innovation district planning
• The research based design thesis studio in the fifth year is the capstone of the 5-year architecture program. The 5 studios focus on various social issues, which result in sensible and coherent design proposals presented by means of thesis works and exhibitions

All other theoretical and technological courses support the Design Studios. As the years progress, the size and the complexity of the projects will grow, accordingly the ramifications of base-knowledge in supporting courses will widen and elaborate. Currently, under the leadership of the Faculty Meeting of the Department, it is stressing the importance of the following fields in the next ten years; Media Technology, Sustainability, and Global Experience.

On the other hand, the graduate program in the Department of Architecture is centered around research. The Graduate Program has 4 Research Divisions and Major Field Areas.

Department of Architecture has +/- 40 adjunct professors from the fields of design, building technology (HVAC systems and Structure systems), construction management, environmental design. Department of Architecture is closely linked to the Department of Architecture Engineering, Landscape Architecture, and Civil Engineering. Hence, the prospective graduate student can easily reach to other fields of knowledge.

Facilities, Resources and Scholarships

Every enrolled student has access to their own personal workplace and studio seat. The Design Studio courses are taught in critic rooms and supporting lecture courses are taught in lecture rooms. The department possesses an independent library, which is updated with new volumes every semester. The architectural library provides immediate access to the most needed books and a variety of important national and international journals and audio/visual sources.

The Department of Architecture also possesses a separate model shop, a computer room, and an exhibition hall. The Architecture Department’s competitive scholarship program includes e.g. GPA merit-based scholarship, Sooheon scholarship, and Garam scholarship which is available to outperforming students.

Exchanges & Partnerships

The Department of Architecture at Sungkyunkwan University affirms the following proposition: 'Architecture is a unique field that guarantees maximum growth when one part of a culture blends with the other part of a culture.'
It is in this act of fusing that the Department of Architecture sees its future identity, possibility, and potentiality.

The internationalization program of the department aims to send out a portion of 50% of the every enrolled undergraduate student abroad for at least one semester during the 5-year residency. The department aims to attract equal amounts of foreign students to study at SKKU.

In order to facilitate international mutual exchange of undergraduate and graduate students, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) of exchange programs has been established on university, college and department levels. The department currently holds such MOUs with top universities in Europe (Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium) and the USA. The Department also has a well established relationship with China, Japan, and Taiwan. For the past 11 years the Department of Architecture has successfully engaged Urban Architecture International Workshop with HIT, KU, and NTUST. The department is an active member of the International Forum on Urbanism (IFOU), and has organized international conferences and workshops with world leading partner universities in Asia, Europe and America.

Reputation

Since Samsung became the owner of Sungkyunkwan University in 1996, the reputation of SKKU rose dramatically. According to Thomson and Reuters QS, SKKU's Department of Architecture is ranked amongst the top 51~100 architecture departments in 2015 and 2016.

Since 2000, the department has appointed outstanding new faculty to promote new forms of education and challenge existing norms of knowledge. The research areas have been expanded, particularly focusing on sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism, digital design, preservation, materials, and theory. The support from alumni is particularly strong. Every year, alumni endow a significant amount of scholarship to the department.

Courses for International Students

The department consists of 11 tenure-track and of 35 adjunct Professors. More than 80 percent of the 45 faculty members have studied abroad. Accordingly more than 80% of the courses could be taught bilingually. 70% of the courses are provided officially in English (2017).

International Engagement

The Department of Architecture has a very strong international engagement. International faculty include: Dr. Santiago Porras (Foreign Adjunct Professor 2010-2012, Spain), Prof. Thorsten Schuetze (Full-Time Faculty since 2012, Germany). The Department of Architecture has successfully hosted the IFOU conference and the East Asia International Workshop in 2015.