Description

Brief information about the School of Design & Architecture at ADA University

The School of Design and Architecture (SDA) is outlined in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano in the framework of Italy-Azerbaijan University initiative and will offer bachelor's, master's and non-degree certificate programs in Design, Architecture and Urban planning. ADA University is intertwined with the country’s plans where economic and cultural growth is leading the way. The urban areas are growing, and the country landscape and profile are evolving. Together with the leading agricultural sector, other productive sectors aim to evolve beyond oil-offering production towards promising new non-oil areas.

The School of Design and Architecture will share the polytechnic approach to Design, Architecture, and Urban Planning. Graduates will gain foundational disciplinary knowledge and practical experience - thanks to fundamental courses and the learning-by-doing educational approach that pursues up-to-date development lines in project-based design studios. The School of Design and Architecture offers an international level of study suitable for entering the job market as a junior architect or designer.

More information about SDA can be found at www.ada.edu.az/en/schools/sda

Why applying for this position

The School of Design and Architecture is the place for constant education and innovation, where students will develop the knowledge and skills to contribute to the country’s goal. Indeed, the School of Design and Architecture will raise a new generation of Designers, Architects, and Urban Planners who will participate in the country’s progress, sharing and making the vision for it.  

For this purpose, the School of Design and Architecture will collaborate with public institutions to promote coordinated efforts toward progress, indicating priorities, developing projects, and anticipating future scenarios. Furthermore, the School of Design and Architecture will collaborate with local communities to promote the country’s development beyond Baku and with global partners to reach a multicultural environment and international status. 

Due to this ambitious program, joining SDA will be an opportunity for academic growth and engagement within a new international community of designers and architects.

Responsibilities

• Principal responsibilities include teaching undergraduate courses in Architecture;
• Candidates must have a potential or demonstrated commitment to teaching excellence, scholarly research and publication in peer reviewed journals, and academic engagement.

Requirements

• Candidates for Assistant Professor must have a Ph.D. in Architecture in hand from an accredited institution or have an anticipated completion date of August 1, 2025 or sooner from an accredited institution.
• Candidates for Associate Professor must have a Ph.D. and evidence of quality scholarship.

Women and members of minority groups are strongly urged to apply.

Send letter of application (max 1 page), curriculum vitae, portfolio of selected students’ works (if available), list of publications and link/PDF to maximum three papers, summary of teaching evaluations (if available), and contact information of three references to sdarecruitment@ada.edu.az

The cut-off date for application is 19 July 2024.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Details of the job position

Programme: Bachelor in Architecture / Bachelor in Interior Design

Year: 1st

Disciplinary Area: Historical - Critical

Courses (tbc): History of Architecture I/Arts and Artistic Cultures/History of Design

Semester: First and Second

Start date: February 2025 (teaching starts September 2025) /

October 2025 (teaching starts January 2026)

Description of the Disciplinary Area:

In terms of humanistic knowledge, historical disciplines take on particular importance in teaching the history of architecture and art. In the field of humanistic disciplines, the student acquires the methodological base and tools useful for research and the independent deepening of knowledge with particular reference to the historiographical field.

In particular, the student gets the ability to recognise and place the main cultural objects studied within the specific historical context; to use appropriate vocabulary in describing artistic and architectural phenomena; to establish relationships between construction system, typology and historical context; to evaluate and interpret acquired data and information, preliminary actions to the ability to produce an independent judgment on the protagonists and works of art and architecture. Philological and critical examination of the subject will be done with the aim of making students aware of the richness of successive architectural solutions over time.

1) Course in History of Architecture I (Architecture Programme)

The course History of Architecture 1 concerns the study of architecture and city through history and the study of the history of architectural techniques from antiquity up to the beginning of the 19th century.

Great attention will be paid to analyzing and surveying the typological, spatial and formal conception; building and structural characteristics; and the aesthetic and historical values considering them over time and space.

The historical time considered is linked to the history of Azerbaijan and its relationships, especially from the artistic and architectural point of view, with the Western, Middle and Near Eastern cultures. Specific attention will be devoted to the architecture and the constructions connected with the different religions developed in the region before the establishment of Azerbaijan, which is Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Islam, to the domination and the influences of the Roman and Byzantine empires and the Safavid empire; to the relationships with the Russian culture starting from the 18th century.

Moreover, it will be considered the influence of the cultural environment due to being part of the "Silk Road".

Basic knowledge required to teach the course contents

- Understanding of the role of architects in Azerbaijani history and the significance of landscape care in Azerbaijani culture.

- Dedication to providing students with fundamental knowledge and fostering critical and personal learning methods through lectures, exercises, and bibliography.

- Thorough knowledge of architectural history from antiquity to the beginning of the 19th century.

- Understanding of the historical context of Azerbaijan and its relationships with Western, Middle Eastern, and Near Eastern cultures.

2) Course in History of Design (Interior Design Programme)

The course is designed as an in-depth exploration of the dynamic evolution of design since the late 18th century, extending into the early 19th century. Its primary aim is twofold: first, to provide students with a foundational knowledge base that will prove invaluable in subsequent design courses; second, to cultivate a heightened level of critical and analytical aptitude essential for a successful design career. Throughout the course, students will embark on a comprehensive journey through the historicl and cultural dimensions that have shaped the design world over time. They will delve into the significant cultural shifts, historical events, and artistic movements that have influenced design paradigms during the specified period. Understanding these contextual factors is fundamental to comprehending the evolution of design sensibilities and approaches.

Basic knowledge required to teach the course contents

- Comprehensive understanding of design evolution over the centuries

- Proficiency in conveying foundational knowledge essential for subsequent design courses.

- Familiarity with significant cultural shifts, historical events, and artistic movements influencing design paradigms during the specified period.

- Ability to decode the cultural, philosophical, and socio-political implications embedded in design choices.

- Proficiency in exploring design artifacts, visual narratives, and historical contexts to deepen understanding of design evolution.

3) Art and Artistic Cultures (Architecture programme)

The course of Art and Artistic Cultures concerns the analysis of architecture as an artistic and cultural phenomenon, implemented through the study of selected art practices and philosophical concepts and their relationships with the evolution of the idea of architecture as the art of building. Through the critical interpretation of emblematic artworks, esthetic concepts, and cultural ideas, ranging from antiquity to the contemporary era, the course is aimed at providing the basic tools for understanding architecture as a fundamentally techno-artistic discipline and thus as both driver and reflection of a broader cultural discourse.

The main objective of the course is, therefore, to provide students with the basic knowledge and a cultural point of view on art practices, theories, and esthetics, to help them understand the reasons for some founding architectural principles and paradigms, by analyzing both specific critical interpretations of architecture coming from the field of arts and humanities and selected architectural interpretations of specific aesthetic categories and artistic theories.

Basic knowledge required to teach the course contents

• Theoretical knowledge of the evolution of esthetic categories, art practices, and cultural theories, mainly referring to their links with architecture;
• Advanced notions on the artistic interpretations of architecture and on the architectural interpretations of specific esthetic categories and theories;
• Theoretical knolwedge of the links between architecture and other artistic practices, mainly referring to contemporary authors and schools of though.