Kuwait University

College of Engineering and Petroleum

Department of Architecture

The Graduation Project

ARCH- 0690 - 491 & ARCH- 0690 – 492

2007

Prepared by: Dr. Yasser Mahgoub

Introduction
The Graduation Project is considered the vehicle of demonstrating the students'
accumulation of knowledge and experiences throughout their undergraduate education in
the department of architecture. All the students’ education including lectures, studio
work, practical training, field trips, seminars, etc. are reflected in their graduation project.
It is the last step in preparing the student for professional practice after graduation. It also
requires continuous work and commitment to achieve the required goals.
It is recommended that the selected project is an actual project needed by the country and
listed in its future development plans. This reflects the obligation of the university to
service the community. It is also important that students do not select graduation projects
that were selected before during the last year or projects designed during their previous
design studios. Students should be encouraged to select new topics and involve other
departments and disciplines, where applicable, in the development of design problems
and solutions.

Catalog Description
Architectural Graduation 1 ARCH - 0690- 491
Data collection on selected topic under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Formulation
and preparation of space programme and design brief and requirements in the form of
design report study and analysis of selected site constraints and environmental factors.
Prerequisite: Arch 406.
Architectural Graduation Project 2 0690-492
Formulation of schematic design as translation of the previously prepared design brief
under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Development of the schematic design into
preliminary design drawings. Modification of the design report toward the final design
drawings. A thesis is required to be submitted. Prerequisite: ARCH 491
Detailed Description
The graduation project is a comprehensive project that reflects the student’s accumulated
knowledge and skills in architectural design, planning, building construction, building
systems, landscape architecture, and other subjects related to architectural education. The
project should address a real problem in Kuwait in the area of architectural design, urban
design and urban planning. The end product is composed of architectural drawings, data
collection, and oral presentations to a jury committee and a written report. The project is
composed of two parts:

1. Graduation Project 1
Graduation Project 1 is a one-semester course of 2 Credit Hours. During Graduation
Project 1, the student collects information, statistics, selects site, and develops the
architectural program. The student is required to select 3 project titles for discussion with
the advisor illustrating the goals of selecting each project. One project is to be selected
after consultations with the Graduation Project Committee to avoid repetition of projects.
At the end of this stage the student is required to present the process of site selection and
analysis, building codes and regulations, program development and analysis, data and
examples collection, and zoning design ideas in the form of a “dissertation” using a
scientific report format.

2. Graduation Project 2
Graduation Project 2 is a one-semester course of 4 Credit Hours. During Graduation
Project 2, students develop their preliminary design ideas into a full architectural project
including architectural drawings, models, and final report.
The goal of Graduation Project is to train students to deal with complex architectural
design problems from a practical and comprehensive point of view starting from problem
definition, context analysis, function and utility requirements study, and structural and
aesthetic considerations. The student should progress through different design phases to
suggest solutions and implementation strategies. The Graduation project is a
comprehensive experience similar to professional practice after graduation.

Phases and Activities of Graduation Project

Under the supervision of course instructor, the student is required to undertake the
following activities according to a specific time schedule:

1. Selection of an Appropriate Architectural Design Problem

The student should work on selecting an appropriate architectural or planning problem
upon initial consultations with the course instructor from community during the vacation
preceding the semester of his/her Graduation Project 1. The problems should be
appropriate for graduation project in order to achieve a high level of reality and direct
benefit to community. The student should collect all relevant data, standards, and
statistics from governmental agencies. Whenever possible, the student should also visit
similar projects to the selected project in size and function in order to estimate the
amount of effort and work required to design the project. The student should submit 3
suggestions for discussion with the course instructor at the beginning of the graduation
semester.
2. Literature Review
The student should undertake a comprehensive literature review of the project topic in
reference books, textbooks, periodicals, magazines, and newspapers. This literature
survey forms the academic base upon which the student depends for calculating and
developing program requirements. The student should collect and study most recent
examples similar to the selected project. The study should include detailed analysis of all
aspects of design in order to prepare the student for project development from an
architectural program to design alternatives suitable for the site and context.

Internet sources:
http://www.archiprix.net/
www.arcspace.com
www.archiseek.com
www.a-matter.com
www.byggeinfo.dk
www.architactic.com/en/index.html

3. Selection of Appropriate Site

Students are required to select more than one site for the project and conduct
comprehensive evaluation to select the most appropriate site. The student should collect
maps, information and pictures from site visits and any other information useful for
comparing between available sites. The student should select with the course instructor
the appropriate site after evaluation, comparison, and site visits.

4. Preparation of the Architectural Program

The student should prepare a comprehensive architectural program that includes
definition of functions, activities, utilities, areas, and volumes. The suitable size of
Graduation Project ranges from 5,000 to 15,000 m² of usable area. The program should
be relevant to the needs of the owner and expected users and consistent with architectural
theories and design data. The program should respect local and international standards.
The student should work with the advisor and the client if possible, to calculate the
required areas in relation to the physical, environmental, and social context. The program
is presented in the form of functions, areas, and relationships.

5. Function and Zoning Analysis

At the end of Graduation Project 1, students are required to present a dissertation
outlining their activities and achievements throughout the semester to a jury committee
including the following items:
Program development and analysis
Site selection and analysis
Examples presentation and analysis
Zoning alternatives
6. Development of Architectural Design Alternatives
During Graduation Project 2, the student is expected to work on transforming the project
program into design alternatives and ideas relevant to the selected site. This phase ends
with the selection of the appropriate design ideas according to a reasonable evaluation
process.

7. Preparation of Preliminary Project

The student should follow a clear design process to develop the selected ideas into a
preliminary design project. Design should be seen as an organized process of
transforming architectural program of needs into a three dimensional configuration of
space suitable for execution through several linear and non-linear design decision stages.

8. Development of Final project, report and model

At the end of Graduation 2, students are required to present to a jury committee a final
architectural project that reflects the skills and expertise throughout undergraduate
education. The final project should include the following items:
Complete architectural drawings (studies, layout, plans, elevations, sections, perspectives,
computer animations, etc.)
Model of the final project
Final report describing all the above design process.
(See appendices for details.)

Evaluation of the Graduation Project

A jury committee twice per semester during each phase evaluates the Graduation Project.
The first jury is held after selection of project title, contents and site. It includes
presentation of similar examples. This jury is to insure the student’s proper selection of
the project size, contents, and site. The second jury is held at the end of Graduation
Project 1 to evaluate the student’s development of program and design ideas. The third
jury is held after completion of final drawings of the project during Graduation Project 2.
The fourth jury is held at the end of Graduation 2 after completion of drawings, model
and final report. Graduation project design instructors evaluate the first and third juries
while the second and graduation project design instructors and guest jurors from the
profession will conduct fourth jury. At the end of the semester an exhibition should be
held to display the best graduation projects and to praise the distinguished students.
The evaluation is based on the following criteria:
Design General Aspects: Program analysis and Site fitting
Design Functionality: Space utilization and Circulation
Design Form and Expression: Compositional and spatial aspects
Technical Considerations: Environmental respectability and Structural stability
Presentation: Graphical and oral presentations of the project, models and written report
Grading
Grading is based on the following:
Attendance 10 %
Progress 50 %
First Jury 10 %
Second Jury 30 %

Appendices

Appendix 1: The Final Drawings

The final drawings should be presented on A1 sheets including the following minimum
requirements:
Studies and analysis of site and program with an appropriate scale
The layout scale 1:400 / 1: 500
Plans scale 1:200 or 1:400 / 1:500
Sections and Elevations 1:200
Interior and Exterior perspectives with an appropriate scale
The final model should be made by the student using simple material and
techniques scale.1:400 / 1:500
The project should be presented and arranged in a professional form. All the accumulated
skills in drafting, shade and shadow, perspective, and computer presentation should be
demonstrated in the final project. The student should put effort in arranging and
presenting their project imitating professional architectural offices.

Appendix 2: The Final report

The report should include the following:
1. Introduction
2. Description of the project and its goals
3. Analysis of similar local and international examples
4. The Final Project
4.1. Need
Space program and definition of the design problem,
Functions, relationships, areas, and volumes.
4.2. Context
Site selection and analysis,
Zoning of programme functions.
Environmental analysis
4.3. Form
Design alternatives and design decisions
The proposed design idea
Structural and specialized studies

Drawings and pictures of the final model

Use of computer drafting & Design Software is recommended and shall be adequately
rewarded in the assessment.
Appendix 3: The Project File
The project file is an important tool to document the development and progress of design
ideas. It also facilitates the preparation of the final report. Each student should maintain a
course file from day 1 of his/her graduation project. The project file is a large folder that
is divided into the following sections:
Program
Site
Examples
Design Data
Design ideas

Digitally signed by Dr.

Dr. Yasser Yasser Mahgoub
DN: CN = Dr. Yasser
Mahgoub, C = KW, O =
Mahgoub Kuwait University, OU =
Dept. of Architecture
Date: 2007.05.10 10:26:01
+03'00'