June 7th, 2015: The School of Architecture and Interior Design at Canadian University Dubai (CUD) has hosted a group of Architectural Engineering students from the University of Texas at Austin (UT), as part of their study tour to the UAE.
The two-week trip saw students and faculty from one of America’s leading public higher education institutions take part in collaborative learning with their CUD counterparts, and tour some of the most iconic architectural creations across the country.
According to UT professor, Mr. Fayez Kazi, the UAE was the obvious choice for the educational excursion, and CUD the natural partner host. He said, “The architecture here is remarkable and unlike anything the students would encounter in Austin. We were also interested to see the infrastructure that sits around it, for example, there are plans to develop a metro system in Austin, so it was fascinating to witness the fully-functioning Metro system here in Dubai.”
He continued, “Architecture is becoming an increasingly globalized profession and this generation of students will undoubtedly find themselves operating in an international workplace, so it was important for us to partner with a multi-national institution such as CUD to introduce students to this environment as part of their education.”
During their stay, the students toured Dubai’s downtown district close to the CUD campus, including the iconic Burj Khalifa, and also took in the ancient architecture of the City’s historic districts, including Al Bastakiya and the Gold and Spice Souks. In Abu Dhabi, they visited the emerging cultural district at Saadiyat Island, including the site of the forthcoming Louvre Museum.
Among the classroom highlights was a two-hour multimedia lecture about Frank Lloyd Wright, conducted by CUD Assistant Professor Mr. Florian Techel, and comprising over 580 pictures relating to the US Architect's work. The students also enjoyed a collaborative lesson in Free Hand Drawing, held by Mr. Joaquin Busch, lecturer in CUD’s School of Architecture and Interior Design.
Mr. Busch explained, ‘’This class focuses on the Free Hand Drawing technique ,which allows students to use their creativity to design something without the use of any tools. It has been great to have students from Architectural Engineering at UT to join us, to help them understand and contrast between the technical side and the design and space side of architecture.’’
Caitlin, a first year Architectural Engineering student from UT said, “The session was extremely inspiring; I was able to get a real feel for design and explore more of the creative aspect of architecture. It’s my first time in Dubai and the whole experience has been great, particularly working alongside the students here at CUD.”
First year CUD Architecture student, Anur Mbaya, concluded, “This is one of the most interesting classes I have taken this term. We get to learn design from a different perspective, where elements such as light and shadow are put in place while creating a design and drawing. It was amazing having UT students to join us, they are very friendly, and most of all they are extremely enthusiastic about the subject.”
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