[HARC 0130]
Intro. to Architectural Design

Rate This Class

Professor: Kerz-Murray, A

Value of Course / Overall Score

Not Much (9.1%
Average (18.2%)
Valuable (72.7%)

Material

Friendly (0%)
Average (90.9%)
Competitive (9.1%)

Class Atmosphere

Boring (63.6%)
Average (27.3%)
Fascinating (9.1%)

Prep Time Needed

1-2hr (0%)
3-5hr (9.1%)
6-8hr (27.3%)
9-11hr (18.2%)
12+ hr (45.5%)

Grade Weighting

Harder (60%)
Average (0%)
Easier (40%)

Adequate Assistance

Yes (70%)
No (30%)

Would Recommend Class

Yes (60%)
No (40%)

Evaluation Comments for Kerz-Murray, A

  1. Andrea is superficially nice, but I think that she can sometimes be a little bit passive agressive, initially giving good comments and then giving a less then adequate grade to an assignment. The material in the course was very engaging and I liked the majority of the projects. I spend a ridiculous amount of time in the studio preparing for almost every project, but unfortunately, the grade for projects mostly lies in the presentation and not very much on the time spent and devotion to the project. The final project was really cool and I enjoyed it a lot. Although it was tons and tons of work it was quite rewarding. I haven't gotten the grade back on the final yet, so I'm not sure if I'll get what I think I deserve, but we'll see. Overall, Andrea is good at explaining material, but can be a bit off putting unless she likes you (she has favorites). The course is a lot of work but is great if you are at all interested in architecture.
  2. No Comment
  3. No Comment
  4. No Comment
  5. I believe this class is valuable as an introduction to Architecture. However, Andrea can seem not too hands on or inspiring. Take this class, but don't base your expectations of the Architecture department on it. Basically, prepare to spend long hours. Secondly, while Andrea grades by effort, its difficult to see how she does it, and seems arbitrary.
  6. Now that I look back at it, I think I have learned a great deal from this course. How intense this course can be really depends on how much time you are willing to spend on it. Readings were minimal and discussions about the readings went into all directions most of the time. We did several projects throughout the semester while keeping a sketching journal. I would recommend this class to those who love design- not necessarily architecture, but any kind of design- since the idea and practice behind different designs have a lot of common grounds. But it is true that you do not sleep for couple of days before the final project.
  7. Andrea seems nice and pretends to give you feedback, but she has favorites. Even if you work incredibly hard and put all of your time and effort into the class, you will probably not get the grade you feel you deserve unless she likes you. The reviews I got from my final presentation were great and I spent an inordinate amount of time preparing for it. Though she seemed to liked my project, I didn't get the grade I was expecting. Take it with another professor. This was the biggest disappoint I've had at Middlebury so far.
  8. The assignments were great. The reading was great. The professor was average. I learned a lot because of the material presented, not because of Andrea.
  9. Designing things can be a lot of fun, but be prepared to put in a lot of work. There isn't much that they teach in this class; it is really more about developing your own internal critical design process, which they can't help too much with. Andrea is super super nice, and is good at throwing lots of ideas at you, but isn't so great at giving you a solid direction when you need it. Also, grading is somewhat arbitrary.
  10. Andrea doesn't teach - she invited speakers/practicing architects to talk about drawing skills and such, but never did the job herself. This class frustrated me a lot because there was tons of drawing work but be it in class discussions or outside of class Andrea doesn't give much advice or own opinions about architectural designs. Take some architectural courses with other professors from the department before taking this class. Andrea's grading is also quite arbitrary.
  11. This class really does take a lot of time outside class. The projects were fun, but don't wait until the last minute, or you WILL NOT have enough time.

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