Architecture Design, Level II: Cuba Studio
An MIT architecture studio built around a single semester-long project: redesigning a block of Havana, Cuba, roughly the size of a Law of Indies block. The site mixes housing, workshops, and shops, some structures needing demolition, others rehabilitation, alongside vacant land and unused buildings. Part of the site fronts the Malecon seaside road, the rest a typical residential neighborhood. Students study the existing culture and urban fabric of the area before designing an architectural "echo" of it, producing a scheme that combines new construction with rehabilitated buildings and new public space. Course materials from MIT OpenCourseWare include the project brief, design assignments, and studio schedule. No certificate is offered, as with other MIT OCW courses, but all readings and project materials are free to access and reuse under a Creative Commons license.