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Our Approach

Architecture is design + discovery

The Miller M. Arch experience at Indiana University is about living and learning in a city—seeing it each day in a different light, drawing its shapes and forms from observation, then again from memory, and building a personal, curated inventory of its most memorable characteristics.

By linking two parallel studio experiences, art and design, the Miller M. Arch at IU offers a comprehensive education that melds design of the built environment with underlying issues of culture, creativity, responsible practice, and a unique world view.

The things that make Columbus great, make great architects

The Miller M. Arch program uses Columbus’ historic and robust civic consciousness to integrate architecture, art, and design with the city’s unique public-private coalition process.

In this “living laboratory,” students will make the invisible process of community collaboration visible and concrete by creating a common language for shared problem solving. Public-private fabrication facilities in Columbus also create opportunities for faculty, students, and community to collaborate.

Exterior view of the famous Miller House in Columbus, with a pink flowering tree in the foreground.

Miller M. Arch program goals

Transcend commonly held ideas, initiate inventive solutions, and bridge the gap between theory and reality
Inspire the development of new technologies and materials, reimagine built form and urban environments, and innovate traditional cultural linkages across continents
Invent designs that leverage technical advancements, are sensitive to the environment, and maintain a strong basis in theory, history, and the arts
Leverage the rich history of modernism in Columbus, Indiana, as a “living laboratory” for design discovery

As a graduate of the Miller M. Arch program, you will be able to:

Respond dynamically to the changing demands of architecture
Be a creative thinker, problem solver, and innovator
Incorporate coalition building and community engagement into design practice
Understand the dynamic relationships between architecture and art, the city, and the world

See the curriculum

A student looks at a design on a computer screen.

Draw the streets + spaces of the world

Through the Nomadic Studio, students analyze the architecture, strada, piazza, and art of major cities around the world by drawing urban landscapes, plans, and sections with proportional measurement in sketchbooks. This practice teaches the art of visual structure and composition, and embeds the ideas, concepts, and perceptions that fuel a designer’s imagination.

Learn more about the Nomadic Studio