THESIS IT!

… the agony of finishing an architectural degree

15 steps to an awesome thesis project

Thesis … a word dreaded by most architecture students. It relates to high stress, sleepless
nights, enormous expenses. Someone even coined the acronym of T.H.E.S.I.S to mean True
Happiness Ended Since It Started.

Every year, many architectural students communicate with me through the various social
networks to ask about suggestions and request for consultation time for their thesis. The first
question usually relates to sugestions for their thesis project. Some schools set a theme for the
thesis, while other schools let the students determine their own thesis project. Some thesis are
done by a group, while others are done individually.

Through the years of experience mentoring architectural thesis students, I have developed a
short list of tips as a guide to travel through the thesis journey. This list is not exhaustive but is a
good start. Since I am not in the academe, I look at thesis projects from the point of view of an
outsider, from the professional world.

I have observed five phases of the architecture students go through with respect to the thesis.
The first phase is fear, experienced from first year to fouth year, as scary stories from the thesis
filter down to them. The moment these students enter fifth year, they are in agony, since what
they have feared for the last four years is now at their doorstep. Towards the end of the first
semester of fifth year, depression sinks in. Questions on the choice of thesis topic or even why
they had taken architecture in the first place abound. A few weeks before the thesis
deliberation, some may experience insanity especially if their presentation is not quite finished.
But after a good deliberation, they feel extacy.

These tips are structured around 4-B's: “Before” includes activities to be done before the thesis
and helps one determine the thesis project. The “Book” is the research material needed for the
thesis. The “Boards” are the design presentations that will be presented during the
deliberations. The “Battlefield” is that short moment when the student presents the thesis
project to a jury, usually called the deliberations.

Before:

1. Choose a site with COMPLETE DATA, then propose the BEST USE for the site.

Occasionallly, site data may not be readily available for the students due to privacy
issues. It is best that site data be gathered for several sites before the thesis proposal.
With each available site, try to think of projects that would be the best for the specific
site.

2. Do a FACILITY CHECK for a 1 kilometer, 5 kilometer and 10 kilometer radius around

your site. Should a major facility be missing, you could consider that as your thesis
project.
 Another way of determining the thesis project is to check the surroundings of the project
site for the major facilities in the area. A missing facility could readily be the thesis project.
In any case, a check on the surroundings will help determine the linkages of the thesis
project with the other facilities around.

3. Make FRIENDS with the lower years … they will be useful when you need additional help
in your thesis presentation.

When preparing the boards, the models and the presentation materials, a lot of
assistance would be welcome. You may not be able to rely on your batchmates who
are also doing their thesis. The students in the lower batches may be of help, as they
would welcome the opportunity to be exposed to thesis work.

Book:

4. Compile all the LAWS and CODES affecting your project.

Laws and codes must be followed to the letter, as there is no negotiation with the law.
Compile all the laws and codes that cover your project, and illustrating these laws in
graphic form would be helpful.

5. Complie all the STANDARDS related to your project.

Standards include space parameters, structural systems, utility systems, finishes,

ergonomics, equipment sizes, etc.

6. Determine the KEY PARAMETER of your project and FOCUS your solution on it.

Every project type has a key parameter, such that without it, the project would fail.
These could be security, safety, sizes of aircraft (for airports), etc. Once you determine
that key parameter (or key parameters), focus your research on the best way to
achieve it.

7. Review EXISTING BUILDINGS similar to your project … why reinvent the wheel?

Study similar buildings to give you an idea of how the designers solved their problems.
This review could be a starting point for your own design.

8. Make UNIVERSAL DESIGN and SUSTAINABILITY part of the design objectives.

Sustainability is a major concern for the building industry as resources are starting to
dwindle. On the other hand, equality is a key issue in society – equal access of
persons of diverse abilities. These two key points should be part of every design.

Boards:

9. Principle of AXIS and FOCAL POINTS in site plans, floor plans and elevations.
 It is said that the best drawings should be understood instinctively. Drawings
organized with relationships of axis and focal points give a sense of clarity and
organization.

10. Have a REASON for EVERYTHING on your boards. If you don't know why it is there,
remove it or invent a reason for it.

Anything on your design boards opens up a possibility of a question from the jury. As
designers, there has to be a reason for every item, line, wall, etc. Make sure you review
your boards and understand everything on it.

11. Design for an AWESOME project. If it does not excite, redesign.

Architectural design must have some drama. If you think that your design is common-
place or has been seen before, improve it. Redesign until you think it is awesome!

Battlefield:

12. DELIVERY is the clincher in the thesis deliberation. Start with an ice breaker, then state,
illustrate and summarize your objectives, and end with bang.

The way your present your thesis project and get the jury to understand your project
will be the main bulk of your grade. Impression counts a lot. Try to limit your design
objectives to three and know them by heart. The whole process of deliberation, being
an academic exercise, is to state your design objectives, illustrate through your
concepts and drawings how you have attained your design objectives, and finally
summarize how you have achieved your design objectives. An ice breaker at the
beginning and a feel-good ending would complete the whole deliberation plan.

13. Explain your concepts and drawings from MACRO to MICRO … the big picture first
before the details

Whe you explain your design concepts, site plan, floor plan, elevations, etc., always
start with the overview or broad strokes. Add in the details only after having presented
the overview.

14. You are the one who knows your theis best, so have CONFIDENCE … it helps during
deliberation

Of all the people in the room during the deliberation, you have worked on the project
for at least a whole year. No one is more familiar with the project, so that should give
you confidence in your presentation.

15. Thesis is your showcase of what you have learned in architecture school … its all about
ATTITUDE
 Rather than facing your thesis with fear, think about it as the crowning glory of all you
have learned in the whole stay in architectural school. The thesis is like the icing to the
cake, as it can cover up your ups and downs in your student career. Make it
something you can be proud about!

No one who I know has died from doing the thesis – although at times a thesis student feels like
dying. Just keep focused on the goal and persevere!

prepared by:
Ar. Miguel Guerrero, FUAP, APEC Architect, ASEAN Architect, AssocAIA, GreenAP