Art and Architecture SchoolWaseda University

Learning together beyond generations

TANAKA Aiji
President.Waseda University

Developed from its predecessor Waseda Kousyu School, the Art and Architecture School of Waseda University (AASchool) was established in 2001 as a new center for art communication for the 21st century. Upon the celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2011, the AASchool was reborn as a school for architecture, which represents Waseda’s reaffirmed commitment to nurturing leading architects who have artistic abilities and skills to pass along the long-held cultural tradition and wisdom accumulated at Waseda towards the 21st century.

The AASchool’s curriculum reform, instructor development and studio-based interactive teaching style have established the school as an exceptional higher institution that teaches architecture as a composite art beyond the boundaries between arts and sciences.

The sixth proposal presented by the Education Rebuilding Implementation Council under Prime Minister Abe in March 2015 included “Education for realizing a society where all can continue to learn all through their lives”. Waseda University also seeks to promote continuing education for adult learners as stated in the Waseda Vision 150, the university’s mid-to long term plan formulated in 2012. Those initiatives reflect growing demands in society for academic institutions that offer continuing education for life.

Expecting the AASchool to go ahead of the trend as an academic institution open to society and accommodate passions for learning people of all ages and positions as well as students hold, Waseda recognizes the school of the same academic significance as its professional graduate schools out of its sincere hope that the school will foster excellent human resources in the field of architecture.

We all look forward to seeing you at the AASchool.

It is our sincere hope you will meet various friends here, learn with them, develop yourself and lead the rapidly-changing world of architecture in the future.

Art and Architecture towards the Future

AKASAKA Yoshiaki
Principal, Art and Architecture School of Waseda University

The Art and Architecture School of Waseda University (AASchool) is the only “Art School” officially accredited under Waseda University, a large private university that accommodates around 50,000 students.

The unreasonable gap between humanities and sciences has long been a major obstacle in Japanese education. We are convinced “Art” has a mission to bridge the two. Since “Art” centers around “Architecture”, an integrated field of a 5,000- year history, the AASchool has drastically reformed its curriculum in pursuit of the mission since 2010 and restarted as a world-class institution that aims to foster highly competent architects toward the 21st century.

Waseda University also newly opened a lab for Art and Architecture Design Concepts in its Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering in 2015 spring for students seeking to acquire deeper knowledge. The lab has further accelerated the development of the school’s education by providing a space to learn at higher levels for passionate students.

Based on its open and flexible policy, the AASchool seeks to offer 1) basic and comprehensive education without boundaries among various academic fields 2) studio-based tutorials for individual students by building a new studio 3) short-term intensive programs to boost learning efficiency.

There has been a growing demand for professionals who aim to break new ground of architecture to tackle natural disasters, energy issues and other complicated problems as well as to create a new environment for human beings. I believe outstanding architecture is the key to the development of our environment and also our spirit.

We welcome enthusiastic young people who want to challenge in the field of art and architecture through practical learning at AASchool.

School Introduction

Our school, originally as Waseda Koshu Gakko, was established in 1911. Since its foundation we have been offering evening courses to produce professionals in the field of art and technology. The school changed its name to Sangyo Gijutsu Senshu Gakko in 1964, Senmon Gakko in 1978 and Art and Architecture School in 2001. We moved to a two-regular-courses system focusing on architecture design, and had a new start for the 100th anniversary in 2011.

Our school is one of affiliated schools of Waseda university and is comprised of regular program .The regular program includes course of two years and three years: Architecture course and Architecture and Urban design course respectively. All programs offer classes for five nights a week.

AA Idea

1. collaboration

Students and teaching staff together create new messages for the future generation through architecture and urban design.

2. one on one teaching

Studio-based tutorial finds students’ originality and develop their talent and personality.

3. toward the art and architecture

We nurture professional architects who have innovative and comprehensive designing mind beyond the genre.

Introduction of department

Architecture course (2 years) Architecture and Urban design course (3 years)

The regular program consists of Architecture course (two-years) and Architecture and Urban design course (three-years). The graduates of Architecture course are qualified for a second-class architect license, and after more than 4 years work experience for a first-class architect license. The Architecture and Urban design course graduates obtain a specialist degree and are qualified for a second-class architect license, and after more than 3 years work experience for a first-class architect license. These two courses provide two-years common classes.

Intensive interactive

The studio-based intensive and interactive education ensure developing students’ creativity and designing skills.

Practical

“Think by hand” education representing the school’s tradition encourage to pursue the possibilities of creative and attractive design in architecture.

Professional

The two year Architecture course provides the same as level of undergraduate education. The three-year Architecture and Urban design course consisted of the two-year architectural program and additional one-year diploma program aims to reach higher level than graduate education.

Comprehensive

Interdisciplinary education beyond the traditional boundaries between science and humanities fosters students’ design ability with broad comprehensive understanding on architectural art.

Various

The AA school is a night vocational school of Waseda University. This remarkable unique feature allows to invite many professors from Waseda University and leading professionals to educate young students.

Global

The AA school aims to produce distinguished professionals who play an active role globally with comprehensive design ability integrating theory and practice in the field of architecture and urbanism.

Course Summary First Year ( Basic Class )

The first-year Basic Class with the concept of “Drawing” nurtures students’ basic ability of drawing and making models from various points of view to aim at learning comprehensive knowledge and skills required for architecture designing. In the first semester, students study how to draw and read a plan to achieve basic knowledge of architecture. In the second semester, students apply their skills and knowledge to housing design, and obtain the basic concept of designing and drawing.

Course Summary Second Year ( Professional Class )

The second-year Professional Class with the concept of “Esquiss” make students study higher applied skills through learning specialized fields such as theory of architecture and urbanism, history, structure, production on architecture, law and so on from a basic concept acquired in the first-year class. Also, in project designing exercises students address assignments of planning buildings such as museums, condominiums and accommodations to transform their ideas into concrete form.

Course Summary Third Year ( Diploma Class )

The third-year class with the concept of “Diploma” which gives students the opportunities of finalizing works based on their own themes nurtures students’ professional and practical abilities. This class has a studio system consisted of a project unit of which provide each student intensive teaching. By this studio-based education, students learn theory of architecture, that is higher level than graduate school education, and cultivate their problem-solving abilities.