Director's Message The Craft of Architectural Education The craft of architectural education requires critical and imaginative reflection. We not only teach design principles that explore form and composition through the design of possible buildings, we teach students of architecture to ask the right questions, to challenge their assumptions, and to position themselves intellectually in relation to various physical and cultural world contexts. At Dalhousie, both the studio and environs act as ongoing laboratories for testing architectural design, often with the interest and support of local communities. Our primary method of inquiry remains design: the speculative design of buildings, the elegant design of structures, and the investigative design of installations and design-build projects that encourage teachers and students to share in the delight of making architecture. This attitude runs through the Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies (BEDS) program that leads to the Master of Architecture (M. Arch) professional degree through a curriculum comprised of specific areas of study supporting the design studio. Together with design, studies in humanities, technology, representation, and professional practice form a model for integrated education in architecture. The spirit of the entire curriculum at Dalhousie suggests that it is possible to affect global architectural culture through local practice. The school cultivates an appreciation of craft and hands-on learning through drawing, physical modeling, and construction. Our woodshop includes an artist-in-residence and we promote experimentation in architecture through studio projects and summer design-build "free labs" that have established a strong tradition within the school. Other initiatives include the Tuns Press Documents in Canadian Architecture series, which contributes to the larger architectural community by disseminating works of architecture within Canada and abroad, while StudioEast profiles the annual student work at the school. The School of Architecture is also unique in that our student body reflects a particularly wide diversity of cultural backgrounds. Students come to Halifax from across Canada and the Americas, as well as from Africa, Asia, and Europe. During two required work terms, our cooperative program places students in a broad cross-section of local, national, and internationally recognized architecture firms where students gain practical experience that enriches the culture and dynamics of the school. Graduate-level exchange programs with university partners in Germany and Scotland provide venues for international experience and training. We also travel to study and record various buildings and cities through studio field trips. Visiting lecturers, external reviewers, and conferences and exhibitions further ongoing dialogue on contemporary architecture. Dalhousie's dynamic faculty is similarly drawn from both national and international contexts. Faculty members remain passionate about architectural education while receiving major research grants and winning design and scholarly awards that continually renew our commitment to the subtle relation between theory and practice. We are engaged in teaching design through theories of architecture that embrace social contexts and explore construction systems at a variety of scales and through various modes of representation. The school's common context is the city of Halifax and the many smaller communities and artful practices that abound in the Maritime region. These communities provide inspiration and support for the study of urban and human settlement patterns, involving real issues that embrace creative tension. All the while, the sublime beauty of Nova Scotia grounds us in a positive and creative manner. How we design for the future depends largely on an understanding of where we have come from. The diversity and talent of students and faculty, the tectonic power of the region, and the developed network of connections to the larger world of design culture contribute to Dalhousie's place among the leading institutions for architectural education in Canada. With this charge before us, we invite you to join in our community's pursuit of design excellence through critical reflection on the meaning of architecture within the natural and built environments. Terrance Galvin, MRAIC Past Director (2007-2009)