Spring 2026 â Fridays, 13:00-18:00
Both in terms of embodied energy and of use, the underground has been bracketed out of sustainability concerns even as more and more pressure to densify cities causes us to dig deeper and deeper. This course will take an interdisciplinary look at what is beneath structures and buildings. We will consider building foundations and basements as structures and material expenditure, while the spaces they create will be approached as essential parts of the city.
The course is designed around a semester project. Working in one of three teams, students will explore the underground in one of three ways: as structure, space, or city. The deliverables of each project will be tailored to the research topic and the studentsâ interest and could include: structural analysis modeling, embodied carbon analysis, a written historical report, or a field work reportage.
The course will include visits to underground spaces in Lausanne, guest lectures from experts, and an introduction to archival work at the Acm (archive de la construction moderne at EPFL). Student projects will help lay the basis for a Fall 2027 exhibition at Archizoom with the intention that the work is shown there.
This course is cross-listed in civil engineering and is eligible for the Minor in Sustainable Construction.
Instructors:
Prof. Sarah Nichols IA THEMA
Prof. David Ruggiero IIC CONSTRUCT
Eva Ruof IA THEMA
Students’ work – Spring 2024
