The Arch 501: Thesis Studio course at New York Institute of Technology encourages students to challenge design stereotypes within architecture.

Arch 501, the architectural thesis studio is the capstone course of the BArch programme at NYIT.

For the 2025 to 2026 academic year, the thesis studio is organised around the theme of "Worlds Un/Designed." Prior norms and conventions around planning, infrastructure, architecture, interiors, materials, technologies and spaces reveal how designers approach the world's built environment and have shaped architectural production over time, often reinforcing codified views of spaces, bodies and environments.

These often limit the possibility for more inclusive, resilient and regenerative futures. This year's thesis studios look to deconstruct these conventions by challenging stereotypes in design at multiple scales and through a variety of systems and lenses. In our present-day society, we are pressed more than ever to formulate, prevent, mitigate, react, anticipate and proactively question historical and emerging models for our cities, buildings and their complex spatial environments; therefore our lifestyles.

Through rigorous research methods, applications of experimental design ideas will be iterated and tested through criteria and performance metrics to originate and measure future success.

Design experimentation at varied scales must encourage the development of architecture and space-making from ground, site and building to construction technologies, components and emerging materials to meet ever-changing hyper-local and global, individual and collective circular needs. Studios and students this year look to challenge these contemporary conventions, envision new ones and catalyse alternative design paradigms for fostering healthier, inclusive, resilient and regenerative future worlds for inhabitation.

School: New York Institute of Technology
Course: Arch 501: Thesis Studio
Type: Undergraduate
Location: New York City and Long Island, USA
Course dates: September to December 2025
Application deadline: 3 September 2025

Find out more about the course and apply ›

What will I learn during this course?

– Research
– Programming
– Design
– Drawing
– Diagramming
– Presentation
– Publication
– Modelling

What are the requirements?

– Having undertaken the prerequisite courses as shown in the NYIT B.Arch Degree Map

What facilities and resources are available?

– Classrooms
– Fabrication lab
– Studio spaces

What career prospects can I expect upon graduating?

Graduates go on to have diverse roles in architecture, design, interior design, urban design and planning.

Who teaches this course?

– Farzana Gandhi, associate professor, Arch 501 co-coordinator Manhattan
– Evan Shieh, assistant professor, Arch 501 coordinator Old Westbury
– Trudy Brens associate professor, Manhattan campus department chair
– Dongsei Kim associate professor; Old Westbury Campus department chair
– Jeanette Sordi, visiting associate professor
– John Bermudez, adjunct faculty
– Victoria Vuono, adjunct faculty

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