What is residential architecture and environmental science?

What is residential architecture and environmental science?
Residential architecture and environmental science is an academic discipline dedicated to creating a safe, secure, comfortable, and eco-friendly residential environment. Through the study of a broad range of subjects, including housing interiors, residential buildings, neighborhood environment, local communities, urban spaces and landscapes, as well as their relationship to human lifestyles, the discipline examines how best to plan, design, construct, and maintain housing and its environment.

How does the department differ from engineering-oriented programs?

The Department of Residential Architecture and Environmental Science originated in the Department of Residential Science in the Faculty of Home Economics (formerly the Department of Residential Health in the Faculty of Domestic Science). Home economics is a discipline that examines the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter from a consumer perspective. Although the department has changed its organization as well as its research methodologies in response to changes in society, the underlying perspective remains unchanged.

Advantages of the Department's educational program

Students of the Department of Residential Architecture and Environmental Science can take all the courses that are required in order to be eligible to take the first-class registered architect examination. Our engineering educational program has also been accredited by Japan Accreditation Board for Engineering Education, a third-party accreditation authority. The courses we offer adopt a consumer perspective, and their content exhibits certain characteristics as a result. Specifically, design practice courses often take as their topic a theme such as detached or collective housing and interiors. Some lecture, experiments and practice courses also address areas such as lighting and thermal environments, and wooden structures. Furthermore, students may take courses such as residential life, architectural furnishings, and residential management, which are not offered by architecture-oriented programs in general.

Small classes

The department accepts 35 students every year. Each new class of 35 students is assigned a faculty member who will provide general guidance, and each student is assigned two faculty advisors who will offer fine-grained, personalized guidance. In addition, each individual faculty members are assigned to groups of three to five students to provide individual instructions and guidance on thesis and diploma design project.

An education in the context of the environment of the ancient capital of Nara

Nara celebrated the 1,300th anniversary of its becoming the capital of Japan in 2010. The Department takes pride in actively taking advantage of the historical environment around the campus in its educational program. In addition to having students visit cultural properties and buildings that have been designated as World Heritage sites as well as a variety of Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, buried cultural properties, historical sites, and other scenic locations, we bring the benefits of our unique location to classes and practices in a variety of areas.