This course introduces the typical structural materials, elements and systems used in building construction and emphasizes creative application of technical knowledge. Class projects are designed to foster an appreciation of the potential of structure to be an architectural determinate and develop a facility in the selection and configuration of structural systems integrated with architectural designs. Working from a basic understanding of material properties and assembly configurations, this course focuses on structural behavior including stability, equilibrium, force flow, and force control. Lectures focus on the analytic techniques of measuring, mapping, and evaluating the flow of forces through a range of contemporary structural systems while laboratories utilize direct material investigation to test stability and both local and higher order effects of
forces.