Critical Writing Sessions

Dr. Nancy Couling

Image credit: Níall McLaughlin’s sketchbook, Detail of a brain, Alzheimer’s respite centre Dublin, ca. 1999. Coloured felt pen on paper. Exhibited in “Opening Lines: The Sketchbooks of Ten Modern Architects”, Tchoban Foundation – Museum for Architectural Drawing, Berlin 2018

Closely connected to selected theoretical positions discussed in the Urban Theory Sessions, plus important references from the MAS courses, these sessions will support students in writing a 3000-word essay of publication quality, to present their research and frame their design project. Through critical writing exercises, discussions, peer-reviewing, and guest inputs, the objective is to offer a pedagogical framework within which students learn to discuss their urban and territorial design work in relation to the sessions, courses and inputs in the MAS programe, and inspired by methods discussed
in this seminar.

Critical writing is the result of critical thinking and reflection. It analyses, takes a position, evaluates and draws conclusions rather than merely describing. The resulting texts should articulate the project’s broader theoretical, disciplinary, geographic, and sociocultural context as well as the specific research and design contribution.

Students gain both theoretical and practical experience in writing, critical reflection, and peer-reviewing. The student’s original design and research hypothesis is embedded in the essay, which will be published on the MAS online platform.