CEUD meets with Irish Schools of Architecture

Attendess at the "Workshop on 3rd Level Module in Univeal Design"

Attendess at the "Workshop on 3rd Level Module in Universal Design":

• Kevin Busby, Cork Centre For Architectural Education
• Jim Harrison, Cork Centre For Architectural Education
• Neil Murphy, CEUD
• Dr Ger Craddock, (Chief Officer), CEUD
• Fionnuala Rogerson, First Vice President, RIAI Council
• Hubert Froyen, Hasselt University (Diepenbeek Campus), Belgium
• Selma Harrington, Year Head, MA Interior Architecture/ Design at Griffith College Dublin
• Grainne Hassett, School of Architecture @ University of Limerick (SAUL)
• Sharon O'Brien, Acting Head,Department of Architecture, WIT
• Ruth O'Reilly, Senior Standards Officer, NDA
• Orna Hanly, Head of School, School of Architecture, DIT
• Dorothy Jones, UCD School of Architecture

On 13th March 2014 the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD) welcomed representatives from all the departments and schools of architecture in Ireland to a half day workshop on teaching Universal Design in architecture courses.

The half day workshop featured an introduction to teaching Universal Design to architecture students and to a module developed by CEUD by Belgian architect and Emeritus Professor Hubert Froyen. The Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) was represented by Fionnuala Rogerson, First Vice Chair of the RIAI Council who spoke about the evolution of Universal Design within architecture and how it is increasingly becoming a key competence and skill required by architects in todays construction industry. The workshop concluded with all representative of the Schools of Architecture discussing both the challenges and the opportunities for incorporating Universal Design into current architecture courses, and possibilities for future collaborations with the Cetnre fo Excellence in Universal Design.

(See an interview with Hubert Froyen (M. Arch. Emeritus Professor; PHL/Arck, Department of Architecture) in “Architecture Ireland”, 2013 at http://architectureireland.Ie/read-the-full-interview-with-hubert-froyen)

3rd Level Module in Universal Design

In 2012, the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design commissioned the development of a 3rd level module in Universal Design. The module is aimed at under-graduate level in a range of disciplines and includes materials specific to architecture, engineering, and Information and Communication Technology.

The project developed and trialled an extensive suite of curriculum materials including 55 powerpoint presentations, a set of personas and case studies, and an animation introducing students to the core concepts of Universal Design. A “Universal Design Module Instructor Guide” assists lecturers in teaching the curriculum materials and incorporating Universal Design in student projects and assessments.

For more information on the CEUDs work on Universal Design in education, please contact Dónal Rice, Senior Design Advisor.