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.
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:Technology/Materials, digital, processing and Technologies
Courses (tbc): Basics of Architectural Technology
Semester: Second
Start date: October 2025 (teaching starts January 2026)
Description of the Disciplinary Areas:
Technology (Architecture programme)
The teaching of Technology, in close connection with the Architectural and Urban Design studios, is focused on identifying the criteria that must be taken during the design phase to direct the choice between different technical options, reaching crucial attention to the social, physical, productive, and economic context. For this purpose, it is necessary to consider the whole building life cycle and users' needs to guarantee the indoor well-being and good functionality/maintenance of the buildings.
Students must study today's resources and construction systems, referring to their performances and mutual relationships within the building system. Students must understand the building process through which the design and construction activities are connected with the stakeholders' role in this process. Within the training course, the Architectural Technology sector contributes to the acquisition of skills relating to architecture's technical feasibility, constructability and affordability. In the three-year teaching experience, in the context of the knowledge and methodologies supporting the project, the student acquires a detailed critical awareness of the different aspects that influence the design choices from the new construction interventions and the interventions on the existibg buuilt environment. In particular, the student acquires the ability to identify the framework of needs and requirements concerning a specific design theme and to identify the complex relationship between the building and its context on the cultural, economic, productive and climatic levels.
Materials, digital, processing and technologies (Interior Design Programme)
This specialised domain delves into the in-depth understanding of materials, encompassing their chemical-physical properties, performance attributes, structural behaviours, and functional qualities. It also encompasses exploring industrial processing and transformation technologies used to effectively manipulate and utilise these materials.The primary educational objective of this disciplinary core is to equip learners with comprehensive knowledge regarding the selection of materials based on specific contexts of use, desired performance outcomes, and production constraints. By gaining expertise in this area, students can make informed decisions regarding the appropriate materials to be employed in various design projects, considering each scenario's unique requirements and constraints. In pursuing this educational goal, students learn to evaluate different materials' chemical and physical properties, enabling them to assess their suitability for specific applications. Understanding how materials interact with external forces and environmental conditions ensures the final product's durability, functionality, and safety. Students delve into the performance characteristics of materials, including strength, flexibility, thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance. Knowledge of these attributes is essential in determining the most suitable material to withstand the anticipated loads and stresses in a given application. A critical aspect of this educational focus lies in exploring the structural behaviour of materials. The functional qualities of materials are also considered, encompassing aspects such as conductivity, insulation, and optical properties. This understanding enables students to select materials that enhance the functionality and user experience of the final product. Moreover, students gain insights into industrial processing and transformation technologies, which are essential in shaping and fabricating materials to meet design requirements. Understanding the capabilities and limitations of different manufacturing processes aids in selecting suitable materials and production methods that align with project specifications.
Students acquire a holistic understanding of materials and their roles in the design process by integrating this disciplinary core into their education. They become adept at making well- informed decisions about material selection, considering the intended use, performance objectives, and practical constraints. This expertise equips future designers to create innovative and sustainable solutions that leverage the unique properties of materials to meet user needs and contribute to advancements in various industries.
1) Course in Basics of Architectural Technology (Architecture programme)The course's general objective is the identification and focus of the criteria that must be adopted during the design activity to guide the choice between the different technical options, paying maximum attention to the social, physical, productive, and economic context with which is compared and takes the entire life cycle of a building as the reference time frame. In this perspective, the understanding of strategies aimed at reducing the environmental impacts caused by the transformation processes of the built environment and the pursuit of circularity in the use of resources takes on a priority role. During the course, students are mainly asked to study the complex panorama of materials and construction systems used today in the construction sector, with particular attention to the performance characteristics and mutual relationships within the building system. Students are introduced to understanding the structure and characteristic dynamics of the building process or in-depth study of the organizational methods through which design and construction activities allow for the construction of a building.
Basic knowledge required to teach the course contents
- Ability to teach the relationships between materials, technologies, functions, surfaces, and volumes in architectural organisms.
- Proficiency in studying materials and construction systems used in the construction sector, including performance characteristics and mutual relationships within building systems.
- Familiarity with strategies for reducing environmental impacts and promoting resource circularity in building construction.
- Understanding of the relationship between materials/construction choices and contextual factors such as climate, culture, geography, and history.
- Knowledge of life cycle phases of buildings, including environmental protection aspects and resource circularity.
2) Course in Basics Materials and Assembly for Interior Design (Interior Design programme)This course is designed to provide an introduction to the properties of hard and soft materials and their ecological impact in the field of Interior Design. It aims to explore the various aspects of materials and technologies, including their phenomenological effects, cultural significance, historical context, and contemporary applications in interior design. The course will cover the fundamentals of material assemblies, transitions, and construction practices. Students will have the opportunity to work on projects that involve creating prototypes to demonstrate their understanding of material properties and explore new assembly methods in detail. The course deals also with technologies for the realization of flexible and reversible erection solutions, thus devoting special attention to dry assembly techniques, the most advanced connection and jointing systems, and the various techniques and solutions that make it possible to obtain structures characterized by lightness and environmental sustainability.
Basic knowledge required to teach the course contents
- These requirements reflect the need for expertise in interior materials, construction technologies, sustainability, and teaching methods to engage students in exploring and understanding materials' properties and applications in interior design.
- Ability to guide students in choosing suitable construction solutions for their projects, based on their understanding of materials and construction practices.
- Experience in using examples, case studies, exercises, and experiments to enhance learning in the field of interior materials and construction.
- Expertise in technologies for flexible and reversible erection solutions, including dry assembly techniques and advanced connection systems.
- Ability to guide students in creating prototypes to demonstrate understanding of material properties and explore new assembly methods.
* - These fields are required.