Of Science (MSc) in Architectural Engineering

Programme content

COMBINING ENGINEERING PRACTICE AND CREATIVE DESIGN

Combining rigour and creativity, engineering techniques and environmental challenges, functional design and aesthetic considerations, the architectural civil engineering course trains highly qualified professionals, capable of mastering the contemporary complexity of large architecture projects.

The diploma is recognized by the Order of Architects, both at the Belgian and European levels.

USING THE MOST MODERN TECHNIQUES

The teaching methods used are based on a per project methodology with a specific interest in computer-aided architectural design.

Students also benefit from the expertise of the professionals, many of whom work internationally, who participate in the programme by reviewing the projects and sitting on juries. The students' projects are notably reviewed by the world-renowned experts of AIA (Architectes Ingénieurs Associés), a very large agency located in Paris with an international reputation.

THE ARCHITECT IN THE MIDST OF SOCIETY

Architectural engineers play a social role too. Therefore, the programme also includes classes in sociology, aesthetics, law, use-centered design, economics and management which provide a well-rounded education.

INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK

In addition to the possibilities of staying abroad, notably via the Erasmus program, this program also allows you, upon selection, to graduate from the ULiège and the Ecole des Mines, Alès, the Ecole des Ingénieurs de la Rochelle or the EPF Troyes, School of Engineering.

PROGRAMME

The two parts of this master's program allow students to deepen the concepts covered in the bachelor's program.

In Part 1, the courses cover the design of large-scale architectural projects, collaborative design, heritage conservation, building physics, structural design, sustainable development, and urban mobility. Part 1 also includes a mandatory internship. Students can choose between two specialized focuses :

• Architectural and urban engineering,
• Urban and environmental engineering.

The core curriculum includes analysis of design processes, sustainable urban composition, an internship, an integrated architectural and urban scale workshop (mixed urban project), and a Master's thesis.

The professional focus in architectural and urban engineering

It includes digital simulation and monitoring of buildings, wood construction, urban morphology, design of public spaces and urban atmospheres, urban sociology and engineering of uses, transportation issues and environmental and territorial policy.

The professional focus in Urban and environmental engineering

Multidisciplinary degree, given in English and open to civil engineers, architects and geologists

JOINT ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTS

The collaborative digital studio BIM

At the forefront of digital practices and knowledge on collaboration, the "Studio Digital Collaboratif BIM" (SDC BIM) allows the architectural engineer students of Liège to develop a common architectural project by implementing the Building Information Modeling (BIM) methodologies. BIM allows for advanced digital collaborative practices, based on the exchange of building data between the different actors of the project throughout its life cycle.

The objective of the SDC BIM is to sensitize students to the collaborative dimension of an architectural project and to prepare them for the work issues induced by project activities involving multidisciplinary actors. To carry out this project, they work in groups with a sharing of roles, allowing them to implement the skills and know-how learned in previous courses, in particular for the evaluation of the environmental performance of a building, the evaluation of its construction and maintenance costs or the planning of a building site. Within the framework of the SDC BIM, students develop human, organizational and technical skills, which are indispensable in today's professional practices.

The chosen architectural program places environmental issues at the heart of the development of a project in the execution phase, which may concern, depending on the year, a school, a museum space, a spa, etc.

www.uee.uliege.be/digital-studio-lab

Learning outcomes

Architectural engineers rely on their creativity, scientific rigour and technical skills to design, realise and implement architectural and urban projects which meet directly or indirectly the development needs of individuals and society. They are professionals who are responsible for their natural, economic and social environment, taking account of constraints of each site into their work.

Architectural engineers trained by the University of Liège develop an integrated approach to the built environment, in both its physical and socio-cultural components. They have the technical and organisational skills to enable them to design and manage large architectural projects, including the programming phase, the ideas stage, composition, project planning, implementation, approval and management. They excel in managing complex projects and overcoming the environmental and urban factors connected with a building. These qualities are acquired throughout the programme (Bachelor's + Master's Degree), based on a gradual process of developing more in-depth and specialised skills.

At the end of the second part of the programme, ULiège's architectural engineers are capable of:

• designing a complex architectural and urban planning project, meeting users' expectations and needs as best as possible (in terms of quality the atmosphere created and the functional requirements), standards and legislation (accessibility to persons with impaired mobility, security, etc.), integrating into an existing site (whether or not already built) and minimising the environmental impact throughout the whole life cycle of the building;
• designing and calculating the dimensions of the structural elements, as well as the heating, ventilation, acoustic and lighting technologies by integrating them in a creative way into an existing built or planned system;
• taking on the project management, planning and coordination functions, both in their technical (specifications, bill of quantities, Building Information Models, etc.) and organisational (site planning, team management, etc.) aspects.

As they are often called upon to coordinate the work of different disciplines, the architectural engineers have the inter-personal and communication skills required to enable them to manage team work effectively and to present their projects in public.

Varied and complementary teaching approaches contribute to the Master's Degree programme for architectural engineers at ULiège: theoretical presentations, project workshops, individual or group work, international exchanges, conferences, site visits, competitions, etc.