MSc in Urbanism

Overview

Cities are an inexhaustible source of inspiration and fascination, made by human hands. During the Master in Urbanism at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture, you will learn to understand the city in all its complexity and often improbable scale, to make smart strategic development proposals for its future and to make both functional andt attractive design proposals for actual places in the city.

As urban planner, you can translate the desires of citizens, entrepreneurs, and administrators, and the abstract analyses, theories and stories of sociologists, economists, town and country planners, traffic engineers and similar disciplines into concrete and meaningful spatial design proposals; for the street, neighbourhood, district, city and urban region. Furthermore, you will be supplied with all the tools at the Academy to develop into a central and connecting person in the building of the city and to become a versatile and authentic professional.

Interdisciplinary and international

Architecture, urban design, and landscape architecture are independent disciplines but are inextricably linked with each other at the same time. The Amsterdam Academy of Architecture is the only Dutch design study programme that offers these three spatial disciplines in combination. By focusing on the essence and skills of your profession and, at the same time, partly working in interdisciplinary groups, you will be prepared for an integrated professional practice in the current field of work, where there is an increasing demand for your specific design skills within blurring boundaries. Working within an international context is also becoming increasingly important. The Academy also maintains an active network of foreign study programmes, through which students and lecturers are exchanged on a small scale, and is a member of the European Association of Architectural Education (EAAE).

Inspiring environment

The Amsterdam Academy of Architecture is a small-scale study programme in the center of the city. All the elements of the urban landscape that are studied and taught here can be recognized in the context that surrounds us. The city has witnessed both a rich tradition and a lively topical debate in the field of urban planning. Learning about the city goes hand in hand with learning from the city, through using it on a daily basis and experiencing it. At the same time, the work of the students is also valuable to the city itself. Through the designs that the Academy places on the agenda and the designs that the students make, we create a parallel reality time and time again, which can hold its own in terms of the power of expression.

What does the Academy of Architecture stand for?

Studying in an international context

We stand for an open and inquiring attitude, for experimentation, and we encourage students to adopt their own position. We consider the city of Amsterdam to be the laboratory for the design assignments of our students and lecturers. The Academy maintains close contacts with the professional community in the region, with public services, commissioning parties and developers. Our study programmes also occupy a prominent place internationally. The Academy has strong ties with related degree programmes abroad. Students from all corners of the world study at the Academy, international guest lecturers and speakers regularly visit, and students often participate in foreign excursions and projects.

Studying and working simultaneously

Studying and working go hand in hand during the degree programme. That combination means that the students and lecturers are directly involved in the practice of design and research. You will already form an active part of a broad network of colleagues during your study. Those who graduate from the Academy often remain involved in the degree programme. The student becomes an employer and, on the basis of that position, a lecturer or mentor for a new generation of students.

Interdisciplinary

Architecture, urbanism and landscape architecture are independent disciplines within the Academy, which are partially offered in combination. In this way, students are prepared for the current, integrated professional practice that simultaneously demands specialization and breadth from students. The Academy of Architecture is the only educational institution in the Netherlands that offers the Master’s programmes in an interdisciplinary manner. This combination lends the Academy a unique position within the Netherlands and abroad.

International

A study trip abroad, studying at another degree programme for a semester or setting up a project with a group of foreign students; that’s all possible at the Academy. We maintain an active network of European degree programmes, through which students and lecturers are exchanged on a small scale. The Academy is a member of the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE) and is a partner of the European Masters in Landscape Architecture (EMiLA), through which you can obtain the ‘European Master in Landscape Architecture’. The Academy has been working together in an Erasmus programme, on the basis of which international workshops are organized. In addition, there are many foreign projects and partnerships with different design programmes in Europe. In the summer months, we organize the so-called Summer School: various international excursions that you can participate in.

An inspiring environment and topical debate

The Academy of Architecture is located on the Waterlooplein in Amsterdam in a 17th-century building complex refurbished by Claus en Kaan Architecten. The Academy occupies a unique place in the cultural life of Amsterdam and plays an active role in the professional discourse. Lectures, workshops, events, and exhibitions are organized in cooperation with other organizations. Lecture series - open to students - based on topical themes that take place throughout the year.

Title of architect

After obtaining the Master’s title (Master of Science), you are entitled to start an independent professional practice and granted immediate admission to the register of architects, urbanists and landscape architects.

Practice-oriented research in the education

The world is changing continuously and increasingly quickly. Social, practical and technical developments make new demands on a designer. That is why the Academy integrates practice-oriented research into education. The professors organize masterclasses, projects, excursions, exhibitions and lectures within their research programme.

Part of the Amsterdam University of the Arts

In order to arrive at new insights and innovations, you must be able and dare to look beyond the borders of your own field. The Amsterdam University of the Arts (AHK) offers students a broad orientation in terms of arts and culture, and for that reason attaches great importance to the fact that students are able to gain knowledge of developments within the other arts disciplines. Within the range of programmes offered at the AHK, we provide room for collaboration with other degree programmes and international exchanges.

Our mission

The Amsterdam Academy of Architecture offers courses by designers for designers. It targets students who are motivated and equipped for design practice and selects tutors who have distinguished themselves in the practice of design and research.

Students are trained in spatial design as a practical and critical discipline at the point of intersection of art, science, and technology. The deliberate decision to link it with arts education (Amsterdam University of the Arts AHK) underlines the particular importance that the Academy attaches to the artistic aspect of the exercise of the profession.