Master of Integrated Building Delivery

First Semester

Integrated Building Delivery

Architecture has always been a complex interdisciplinary business, where the management of allied professions and industry affiliates is critical to the success of any endeavor of significant scale. The semantics of acronyms masks the profound advances already underway in the practice of the practice. The sequential introduction of CAD, CADD, DIM (Drawing Information Model), and BIM (Building Information Model) are not indicative of a linear development in the tools of the trade, but should be viewed as a multi-dimensional expansion of mechanisms of management and accommodation of an ever broadening range of participants in the organization of a project.

BIM is currently recognized for the range of functions including; drawing, modeling, document management, clash detection, interdisciplinary coordination, estimating, scheduling, constructability review, production modularization, fabrication protocols, and for the analysis of myriad physical and proscriptive demands such as energy consumption, daylighting, code compliance, egress, circulation, and operation scenarios. The breadth of information embedded in the tools of integrated practice will require the emergence of facilitating professionals to an extent previously unknown in the practice and the industry, practitioners able to manage the assembly of the documentation as well as the extraction of pertinent information as required to construct and operate the project.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Architecture

Teaches future architects the practical aspects of entrepreneurial small business management, to develop a comprehensive opportunity assessment and to develop the skills necessary to improve the odds of success. The course will consider strategies to leverage limited resources for maximum effect. Also covers small organization and group behavior, performance, leadership and motivation in small business settings and focuses on the owner/manager as the principal success factor in the context of a small organization. Emphasis is placed on the circumstances and opportunities of the professional practice of architecture: practice as profession, process, organization, business, and evolving models of practice are covered.

The course also provides a series of concepts, frameworks and heuristics that enable the entrepreneur to anticipate and deal with the challenges that accompany growth of an existing business. Cases, exercises, lectures and speakers are used to focus on choosing opportunities, allocating resources, motivating employees and maintaining control, while not stifling innovation. A key component of the course is how to sustain entrepreneurial thinking in mid-sized ventures as they continue to grow.

Planning Law and Land Development

Since the introduction of basic zoning laws to protect the health, welfare, and safety, of the general population; the numbers and complexity of ordinances attached to any land parcel have proliferated to include those addressing land use, development density, environmental concerns both on and off site, aesthetic mandates, energy use, quality of life concerns, and infrastructure development. The growing understanding that comprehensive and integrated systems must be managed across property lines to effect sustainable planning and communities will only accelerate the number of prescriptive ordinances enforced at the development of a parcel. Many agencies have further created legal linkages between approvals for land development and the provision of social and ideological benefits to the community.

As the cafeteria system of planning law has reached a level of pervasive control which precludes a clear definition of "as of right" mandates, the land development approval system typified as planned development submissions has become more prevalent. The impact on the profession of the panoply of planning options and governmental goals is the result that the navigation of the system of mandated design determinates is one of the most creative acts in the process of project delivery. Project designers must understand the ramifications and trade-offs inherent in the system, especially in any attempt to achieve the highest and best use of any parcel of land.

Introduction to Real Estate Finance Fundamentals

The Art of the Deal is a term best positioning the financial structuring behind any project. The ability of the project team leader in integrated practice to understand and appreciate the motivations and opportunities inherent in the initiation of the project will be essential in guiding team decisions and maintaining a leadership position. The understanding of the financial underpinnings of a project is of paramount importance to those intending to actually engage the process of initiating and effecting a construction activity. The sources, costs, and sequence of funding, budgeting, cash flow, incentives options, and tax ramifications regarding a project are to be addressed as component knowledge to an understanding of integrated project management.

Second Semester

Comprehensive Opportunity Assessment and Entrepreneurship Development Project or Practicum

Two options are available to the student for the acquisition and assimilation of the breadth of knowledge required to bring project ideas to fruition:

The Comprehensive Development Project is a capstone effort which will demonstrate project concept, planning resolution, land acquisition strategies, estimating, scheduling, financial pro-forma, and value capture intents.

The Practicum would entail employment at a vetted office, engaged in the actual process of project assembly. A position requiring a minimum of 20 hours per week, prior review and approval of the work plan and submittal of documentation of the work undertaken would be required for this scenario.

The ultimate objective is to provide a roadmap of the interaction between the architect-entrepreneur, market opportunities and integrated building delivery practices, which facilitates the development of student skills necessary to compete in a rapidly changing socioeconomic environment. This course is designed to help students learn and use tools and frameworks to create, implement and update a strategic plan to shape the future and guide an entrepreneurial organization on its path to success.

Construction and Project Management

Organization of deliverables from the multiple participants in a project plan, estimating, value engineering, scheduling of work, conflict resolution, pay schedules, and project close out and commissioning are essential to managing a project delivery. Many of these requirements will be previously addressed in Integrated Building Delivery, and this course will amplify where needed. The development of managerial skills requisite to the practice of this coordination, and techniques for developing inter-personal relationships will stressed throughout the incorporation of the technical methodologies.

Sector Studies/Case Studies

This course will be advanced as an independent study format. Each student will work independently to research a project option, or building type, and document the particular attributes of that case study which require specialized address. Case studies might be a particular business niche, such as land sub-divisions, condo conversions, change of use conversions, or build to suit options. The studies might pursue particular building types, or social initiatives, historic restoration strategies, or even unique construction typologies.

Elective Options

The elective options are intended to facilitate the student's pursuit of particular interests, advancing the focus of the course of study. The elective course work may be from the College of Architecture, or approved co-listed courses from the Stuart School of Business, the Institute of Design, the Chicago-Kent College of Law, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, or other schools or departments under the University system.