Bridging the Gap between Design and Management: A New Masters Program at IE Schools

Architizer Editors

As architectural practice continues to expand in scope, the Master in Architectural Management and Designprogram at IE School of Architecture and Designhas set out to incorporate the seldom addressed business aspects of the AEC professions into their curriculum.

This program looks to bridge the gap between advanced design and management skills, challenging the obsolete notion that “cutting-edge design can only come from architects who remain untouched by the constraints of business.” The program contends that “contemporary practice has shown that although excellence of design is necessary for success, it is by no means the only requirement.”

The freshly conceived post-professional program will prepare students by instilling a critical knowledge of the emerging field across four core areas of study: Business and Entrepreneurship, Design, Architects Backstage, and Soft-Skills Lab. Students will be able to draw on the breadth of knowledge available from both the Business School and the School of Architecture & Design.

Combining both online and in-person instruction, the pioneering program is accessible to a global network of students. On-site study will take place at the IE campuses in Madrid and London, allowing for direct discourse between instructors and classmates during pivotal phases of the program.

Setting out to directly address the design implications of business decisions, the program deals with the fundamental combination of management expertise and soft skills that is now indispensable to architects.