Thomas McPeek
K. Thomas McPeek is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Central Florida, where he specializes in studio pedagogy and design visualization. In 2010, he came to the University of Central Florida from Southern Illinois University, where he helped to establish the recently accredited Master of Architecture program. He earned his Ph.D. in Architecture from Texas A&M University, focusing on the use of collaborative methodologies in the design studio. Prior to returning to school for his doctorate he spent a number of years in architectural practice in Atlanta, GA. At UCF, Dr. McPeek teaches design studios at the third and fourth year levels, and courses in architectural history and design visualization.
Dr. McPeek specializes in design studio instruction focusing on the use of collaborative methodologies as a way of developing teamwork and leadership skills. Current research includes collaborative design methodologies and the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
Phone: 407.582.5701
Address: K. Thomas McPeek, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Architecture
School of Visual Arts & Design
College of Arts & Humanities
University of Central Florida
1800 South Kirkman Road
Building 9, Suite 134
Orlando, FL 32811
Dr. McPeek specializes in design studio instruction focusing on the use of collaborative methodologies as a way of developing teamwork and leadership skills. Current research includes collaborative design methodologies and the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
Phone: 407.582.5701
Address: K. Thomas McPeek, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Architecture
School of Visual Arts & Design
College of Arts & Humanities
University of Central Florida
1800 South Kirkman Road
Building 9, Suite 134
Orlando, FL 32811
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This lack of preparation for working in a collaborative environment continues to happen despite the fact that architects, developers, builders and engineers commonly acknowledge that collaborative skills are a necessary foundation for successful architectural projects and a requirement under current NAAB accreditation guidelines.
Historically, the education of an architect has been a highly individualized pursuit, focused on the development of an individual skill set that seldom includes collaboration beyond that of student and professor. While this individualized hands on approach to education has been highly revered by many, it often falls short of its potential and fails to recognize that the greatest design accomplishments of humankind have been the undertaking of collaborative enterprise. Furthermore, architecture students are being prepared in a manner that is contrary to the highly collaborative nature of the architectural practice they will enter.
This paper highlights research conducted as part of a doctoral dissertation focused on collaborative design pedagogy in architecture. This research examines collaborative methodologies that have been and are currently being utilized in the design studio with particular emphasis on the use of the design studio as a vehicle for teambuilding and leadership development. The research will offer findings to include the facilitators and inhibitors to constructive collaborative engagement in the design studio and methods for equitable assessment of collaborative projects. Additionally, this research also shows how collaborative environments are conducive to the ideas of open architecture.
authorities in the skills of collaboration.
This lack of preparation for working in a collaborative environment
continues to happen despite the fact that architects, developers, builders and engineers commonly acknowledge that collaborative skills are a necessary foundation for successful architectural projects and a requirement under current NAAB accreditation guidelines.
Historically, the education of an architect has been a highly individualized pursuit, focused on the development of an individual skill set that seldom includes collaboration beyond that of student and professor.
While this individualized hands on approach to education has been highly revered by many, it often falls short of its potential and fails to recognize that the greatest design accomplishments of humankind have been the undertaking of collaborative enterprise. Furthermore, architecture students are being prepared in a manner that is contrary to the highly collaborative
nature of the architectural practice they will enter.
This paper highlights research conducted as part of a doctoral
dissertation focused on collaborative design pedagogy in architecture. This research examines collaborative methodologies that have been and are currently being utilized in the design studio with particular emphasis on the use of the design studio as a vehicle for teambuilding and leadership
development. The research will offer findings to include the facilitators and inhibitors to constructive collaborative engagement in the design studio and methods for equitable assessment of collaborative projects
Historically, the education of an architect has been a highly individualized pursuit, focused on the development of an individual skill set that seldom includes collaboration beyond that of student and professor. While this individualized hand’s on approach to education has been highly revered by many, it often falls short of its potential and fails to recognize that the greatest design accomplishments of humankind have been the undertaking of collaborative enterprise. Furthermore, architecture students are being prepared in a manner that is contrary to the highly collaborative nature of the architectural practice they will enter.
As Collaborative methods begin to see increased popularity in the design studios, the next generations of architects will have a greater capacity to work within the growing range of complexities of architectural practice. It is no longer possible for an architect to build anything substantial without the help of multiple sources, whether it is within their own team or from outside contributors. This paper begins by exploring the need for collaborative design pedagogy by looking at what goals this methodology seeks to achieve and the methods by which it has been and currently is being implemented. After making a case for the use of collaborative design pedagogy the paper concludes by examining the anatomy of a collaborative design studio recently conducted with a group of first years graduate students in architecture.
However, recent years have witnessed a growing interest in facilitating greater collaboration in research and the classroom on campuses around the globe. A movement that has included architectural education, as witnessed by an increased dialogue on the subject matter, the inclusion as an accreditation criterion under NAAB guidelines and even the focus of a recent ACSA research project. It seems that everyone is talking about the NEED for greater collaboration across the discipline. However, precious few are offering examples of collaborative efforts in the design studio. This paper focuses on the mechanics of utilizing collaborative techniques in the design studio and examines the anatomy of a collaborative design studio conducted with fourth year architecture students focused on a community based design project.
In recently completed research directly related to the role of collaborative design pedagogy within the realm of architectural education, 1 explored factors which impact the implementation of such an education. In particular, respondents queried on the topic overwhelmingly indicated that, although there is high profile attention given to collaborative research endeavors, the same is not always true regarding collaborative teaching largely due to the difficulty of resource allocation; in particular human capital. “…whenever an administrator speaks to unifying and collaborating and going across to institutes across campus or whatever, the complexity begins, who should use the resources…” 1, pp. 97. It was this phenomenon that the author’s sought to explore in their current research.
This paper examines a recent experiment in crossing over traditionally held departmental boundaries in order to immerse students from complementary disciplines into a collaborative “comprehensive” design project aimed at engaging the wide variety of skill sets available between students of architecture and students of interior design. This studio prototype utilized a combination of individual, small-group and large-group exercises to engage the students. In this research the author’s chronicle the successes, and difficulties, associated with establishing a prototype for collaborative situated learning within the design studio environment.
This lack of preparation for working in a collaborative environment continues to happen despite the fact that architects, developers, builders and engineers commonly acknowledge that collaborative skills are a necessary foundation for successful architectural projects and a requirement under current NAAB accreditation guidelines.
Historically, the education of an architect has been a highly individualized pursuit, focused on the development of an individual skill set that seldom includes collaboration beyond that of student and professor. While this individualized hands on approach to education has been highly revered by many, it often falls short of its potential and fails to recognize that the greatest design accomplishments of humankind have been the undertaking of collaborative enterprise. Furthermore, architecture students are being prepared in a manner that is contrary to the highly collaborative nature of the architectural practice they will enter.
This paper highlights research conducted as part of a doctoral dissertation focused on collaborative design pedagogy in architecture. This research examines collaborative methodologies that have been and are currently being utilized in the design studio with particular emphasis on the use of the design studio as a vehicle for teambuilding and leadership development. The research will offer findings to include the facilitators and inhibitors to constructive collaborative engagement in the design studio and methods for equitable assessment of collaborative projects. Additionally, this research also shows how collaborative environments are conducive to the ideas of open architecture.
authorities in the skills of collaboration.
This lack of preparation for working in a collaborative environment
continues to happen despite the fact that architects, developers, builders and engineers commonly acknowledge that collaborative skills are a necessary foundation for successful architectural projects and a requirement under current NAAB accreditation guidelines.
Historically, the education of an architect has been a highly individualized pursuit, focused on the development of an individual skill set that seldom includes collaboration beyond that of student and professor.
While this individualized hands on approach to education has been highly revered by many, it often falls short of its potential and fails to recognize that the greatest design accomplishments of humankind have been the undertaking of collaborative enterprise. Furthermore, architecture students are being prepared in a manner that is contrary to the highly collaborative
nature of the architectural practice they will enter.
This paper highlights research conducted as part of a doctoral
dissertation focused on collaborative design pedagogy in architecture. This research examines collaborative methodologies that have been and are currently being utilized in the design studio with particular emphasis on the use of the design studio as a vehicle for teambuilding and leadership
development. The research will offer findings to include the facilitators and inhibitors to constructive collaborative engagement in the design studio and methods for equitable assessment of collaborative projects
Historically, the education of an architect has been a highly individualized pursuit, focused on the development of an individual skill set that seldom includes collaboration beyond that of student and professor. While this individualized hand’s on approach to education has been highly revered by many, it often falls short of its potential and fails to recognize that the greatest design accomplishments of humankind have been the undertaking of collaborative enterprise. Furthermore, architecture students are being prepared in a manner that is contrary to the highly collaborative nature of the architectural practice they will enter.
As Collaborative methods begin to see increased popularity in the design studios, the next generations of architects will have a greater capacity to work within the growing range of complexities of architectural practice. It is no longer possible for an architect to build anything substantial without the help of multiple sources, whether it is within their own team or from outside contributors. This paper begins by exploring the need for collaborative design pedagogy by looking at what goals this methodology seeks to achieve and the methods by which it has been and currently is being implemented. After making a case for the use of collaborative design pedagogy the paper concludes by examining the anatomy of a collaborative design studio recently conducted with a group of first years graduate students in architecture.
However, recent years have witnessed a growing interest in facilitating greater collaboration in research and the classroom on campuses around the globe. A movement that has included architectural education, as witnessed by an increased dialogue on the subject matter, the inclusion as an accreditation criterion under NAAB guidelines and even the focus of a recent ACSA research project. It seems that everyone is talking about the NEED for greater collaboration across the discipline. However, precious few are offering examples of collaborative efforts in the design studio. This paper focuses on the mechanics of utilizing collaborative techniques in the design studio and examines the anatomy of a collaborative design studio conducted with fourth year architecture students focused on a community based design project.
In recently completed research directly related to the role of collaborative design pedagogy within the realm of architectural education, 1 explored factors which impact the implementation of such an education. In particular, respondents queried on the topic overwhelmingly indicated that, although there is high profile attention given to collaborative research endeavors, the same is not always true regarding collaborative teaching largely due to the difficulty of resource allocation; in particular human capital. “…whenever an administrator speaks to unifying and collaborating and going across to institutes across campus or whatever, the complexity begins, who should use the resources…” 1, pp. 97. It was this phenomenon that the author’s sought to explore in their current research.
This paper examines a recent experiment in crossing over traditionally held departmental boundaries in order to immerse students from complementary disciplines into a collaborative “comprehensive” design project aimed at engaging the wide variety of skill sets available between students of architecture and students of interior design. This studio prototype utilized a combination of individual, small-group and large-group exercises to engage the students. In this research the author’s chronicle the successes, and difficulties, associated with establishing a prototype for collaborative situated learning within the design studio environment.