The Department of Architecture is housed in a series of inter-linked buildings in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. And the Department's teaching and learning ethos explicitly draws on this rich urban environment. The various links below itemize the range of spaces and infrastructures found in the Department. Each has a distinct status in the history of architectural education and supports quite different styles of thinking and making. Over the course of a student's time in the Department s/he circuits through most of these spaces and becomes intimately familiar with their distinctive productive capacities.

In the history of art and architecture, the studio has been priviledged as the space for the production of design work. It continues to have central importance in supporting the creative aims of our academic programmes. Creativity is activated in the studio through the methodological rigour of experimentation.

Students in the architectural design programme, Year 3 and onwards have individual, 24-hour-accessible, studio spaces. Year 1 and 2 have day time studio access. As you can see from the various images on this page, students fully colonise the studio spaces in the building. This facilitates various kinds of teaching and learning experience - individual project work, small group discussion, study groups, formal seminars, presentation of reviews of design work, and formal exhibitions.

The Department houses two computing laboratories. In addition to the conventional applications for word-processing, these laboratories support specialised computer-aided design interests involving the use of a variety of modelling and multi-media graphics programmes. Computing facilities are Macintosh-based systems, with some PC access. Resources include a fleet of eMacs, G4 general use workstations with software tools for multimedia authoring and Internet development. Software includes: Macromedia Director, Flash, Dreamweaver, FormZ. Studio Max, Photoshop, Pro Tools, MAX/MSP/Jitter, Peak, Final Cut Pro.

A new photographic studio has recently been built in the Department. It is equipped with lights, backdrops, and printing facilities. A digital printing and scanning service is provided. Students can borrow digital cameras and digital camcorders along with tripods, lights and other photographic equipment. A film scanner and A3 flatbed scanner is available. Data, slide and overhead projectors can be borrowed as well as TV, video and DVD equipment.

The workshop suite is a major teaching and research resource used by students and staff at all levels of the Department. The workshops are operated and supervised by two full time members of staff qualified in technical, art and craft disciplines. They run induction courses in machine and hand tool use, and advice on health & safety issues. Students in all of our programmes are encouraged to learn about materials by 'hands on' practicals. The range of practical activities includes model making, building component prototyping, structural testing, sculpture in wood and metal - activities which generally reflect the varied interests of both students and staff. Full supervision and advice is provided.

The Gallery (named after the late Sir Robert Matthew, the first Professor of Architecture at the University of Edinburgh) presents exhibitions of local architects and of national and international practices, ranging in scope from Imre Makovecz to Terry Farrell, and from the children's Eco-City project in Edinburgh to the work of Peter Rice. An exhibition on Szyszkowitz & Kowalski was followed by the first British exhibition of the work of Ernst Giselbrecht. A historical investigation into the Calton Hill in Edinburgh, in the context of the debate on the siting of the Scottish Parliament, was also exhibited. Per Kirkeby, Siah Amajani, have featured and more recently the work of Eric Parry Architects, and that of Metis, the design atelier based in the Department of Architecture.

The Art & Architecture Library contains over 15,000 books on art, art history and theory, architectural design, architectural theory and practice, architectural history, construction, planning and urban design, landscape architecture and landscape history, professional practice, presentation techniques, CAAD and digital media. About 80 current journal titles, CDs, student dissertations and work placement reports are also held. The slide library has in the region of 200,000 slides and a database of digitised images is maintained. On-line access to the wealth of databases and web resources on the University Library's website is provided.

Postgraduate students in the Department have full 24-hour access to study space. Each has an individual computer and telephone access, with printing, e-mail and web facilities. Postgraduate students are also provided with seminar space for informal and formal discussion and a kitchen for brewing coffee etc.

The School is committed to providing a high standard of health, safety and welfare for all of its staff and students. Good practice with respect to health and safety, based on common sense and a knowledge of our legal responsibilities, must be an integral part of all our activities.

As a member of the University you are required to work safely with due consideration for your own welfare and that of others. The school will provide the necessary training, supervision and information to ensure that a high standard of health and safety is adhered to. Continuous assessment of activities for risk is undertaken, along with the placing of appropriate procedures and systems to minimise risk.

No activity is so important that it should be pursued in an unsafe manner. We are all obliged to cultivate an attitude that fosters good health and safety practice.

-Professor Angus Macdonald Head of School