IE School of Architecture and Design appoints Ben van Berkel Thesis Chair of the MArch and creates the UNStudio Merit Scholarship
Madrid, March 3, 2023 -. IE School of Architecture and Design has signed an agreement with UNStudio to create an innovative academic framework for a new Master in Architecture (MArch). This new academic program, which will begin in September 2023, will combine the rigorous training required to achieve professional licensure in Spain and the European Union with an international, entrepreneurial, and sustainable approach. These shared values underpin the work of UNStudio and the IE School of architecture and Design.
The academic agreement is established at three levels:
- Appointment of Ben van Berkel, Founder and Principal Architect of UNStudio, as IE School of Architecture and Design Thesis Chair.
- The creation of the UNStudio Merit Scholarship (30% of the full tuition cost).
- UNStudio Leadership of the MArch Thesis Module.
“I am delighted to welcome Ben and his team at UNStudio to our Master in Architecture. Our goal with this program is to redefine what it means to be a professional in the world of architecture and design. Ben van Berkel and UNStudio have been doing just that for over more than 35 years of practice, and I couldn’t imagine a more exciting and more fitting partner for this endeavor,” says David Goodman, Dean of IE School of Architecture and Design.
“Following very rewarding previous collaborations with this unique institution, we are excited to once again connect with the IE School of Architecture and Design. We are particularly enthusiastic to contribute to their educational dedication to sustainability and the business of architectural practice. Whilst it is uncommon for most universities today to focus on developing the entrepreneurial spirit, it has become essential to the contemporary practice of the profession. We are very much looking forward to playing a part in educating the successful practitioners of the future,” adds Ben van Berkel, Founder and Principal Architect of UNStudio.
The program consists of three elements: the Thesis Project module, led by world-renowned architect, educator, and entrepreneur Ben van Berkel; an intensive architectural design and building construction studio based on sustainable technologies and architectural strategies; and the Design Management Module, which builds on our legacy of excellence in entrepreneurial thinking and business training, as applied to the fields of architecture and design.
Ben van Berkel and the UNStudio team have been close allies of the school since they jointly launched the world's first Master for Business in Architecture and Design (MBArch) in 2020.
UNStudio is among the international firms awarded the design and remodelling of the Chamartín railway station in Madrid. Their project, designed in conjunction with B720 Arquitectos and Esteyco, was chosen for its comprehensive program of efficiency, sustainability and inclusion. Already dubbed "Europe's largest urban regeneration project," the railway hub will extend over 2.3 million square meters to become an international benchmark in the Spanish capital.