Critical Inquiry

Abstract

A new required course linking architectural and critical theories in the Bachelor of Architecture curriculum of the School of Architecture at the University of Arizona was developed in order to provide a hinge between the predicated courses of the core curriculum and students’ choice of a Research and Innovation (R&I) track for their final three semesters of study, culminating in a Capstone Project. Featuring a plurality of voices in the instructional team, the course, Critical Inquiry (CI), broaches theoretical lenses for equity, ecology, and architectural agency, framed by an introduction to critical theories and research and a conclusion that showcases contemporary critical practices. Students are required to formulate a research project proposal meant to help chart a curricular path that will inform their R&I choice a semester later. This paper discusses our pedagogical innovation, our research into the course’s realization of individual and institutional objectives via assessment activities with multiplestakeholders, and the iterative refinement of the course that has resulted. That refinement has affected the content and sequence of course topics, and the overall scope of the class, from its inauguration in 2020 through the pandemic, the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, and other socio-cultural and political developments. CI increasingly approaches our goals to address equity, diversity, and inclusion in our professional curriculum and prepare students to construct and assert their individual agency during the final stage of their education.