ERFAHRUNGSBERICHTE

I am thankful to MCH for the international exposure, professors and leaders that they bring into the course which fulfilled my expectations.

Over the 7 months we have had excellent professors who helped me to develop my skills to the edge.

The MCH created many international contacts with participants and teachers, and through this, allowed me to work in an internationally acclaimed European office.

The Master of Architecture in Collective Housing is an intense and enriching experience, a turning point for any professional who wants to incorporate new ways of thinking, methodologies and knowledge, not only related to the field of collective housing, but also to architecture itself. 

Learning to go beyond what seems to be common in a house, getting rid of stereotypes and being responsible with society and the environment, are reaffirmed principles in each module and put into practice in every international workshop from different perspectives.

MCH not only gave me the opportunity to increase my professional knowledge through each workshop, it also provided an international networking that allowed participants to create and work in architecture from a global perspective.

Furthermore, teamwork is a big part of this master. In most cases we had to learned how to take fast decisions and learn from others. Debates and discussions are part of this master and that makes it more interesting and challenging.

Architects like Anne Lacaton, Andrea Deplazes, Alison Brooks, amongst others, share with the participants contemporary ideas and relevant issues which, approached from different backgrounds, result in a wide variety of concepts and solutions.

MCH is a really intense post-graduate master in which a lot of concepts and knowledge are compressed and explained in seven months by well-known professionals and  trained professors. 

Professionally, the MCH has allowed me, at a very young age, to develop and build a city planning & housing project where I could apply everything learnt during my training.

The permanent intensive work turned out, on one hand, into surprising results in quality and quantity and, on the other hand, into a collaborative atmosphere that generated friendships forever.

The amount of knowledge and produced work is incredible, considering the sort time of period. The professors are well-known architects with great experience in their fields. The opportunity to work near to prestigious professionals such as Andrea Deplazes, Dietmar Eberle, Alison Brooks, Anne Lacaton is an invaluable experience. 

I got deep into diverse subjects regarding collective housing, energy and cities and I became a great team player, working in fast-paced and deadline-driven environments, but mostly getting to know myself, my weaknesses and strengths on a deeper level.

Strategic thought, clarity and strength of ideas, teamwork and amazing personal relationships are just some of the things than come to my mind when I think about MCH.

During the development of the MCH major skills were acquired, both technical and experimental, which all play a very important role since they are complements and all must be part of the development of a good architectural project

The masters propelled my career and increased my quality of life.

MCH program is one of the most important postgraduate programs, which is totally tested when we are here. The prestige is because, MCH have together the best professors in our disposition for different times. As a student, the program requires a personal maturity and humility to go deep and take advantage of this knowledge.

The master is indeed a turning point in my professional life as an architect dealing with the issue of city planning and housing.

Due to the Covid crisis, the schedule has suffered various modifications, but the master in total never lacked its quality thanks to the great effort of the staff and the students.

This is what I was searching for; no competitiveness (bad one), just enjoying the intense process, learning from very different countries and workflows, and clarifying what I want for my future after some years of professional experience. 

The value of Collective Housing lies on its capacity to conform the city, it can be donor of its identity. 

It trained me hard in different contexts with different approaches. In theoretical manners and practical ones.

After attending lectures on housing at GSD Harvard, MIT, etc. I still consider that the MCH at ETSAM provides the best comprehensive educational framework regarding the multifamily dwelling.

Working in international teams in workshops led by internationally acclaimed architects broadened my views on city planning & housing and enriched me professionally.

An incredibly intense time that pushed my limits forward.

MCH created an environment that allowed for exchanging ideas, values, theories, experiences, cultures that culminated into many different design concepts to be tested by colleagues and international experts.

I will highlight the methodology of this master's because it generates hunger for new subjects and pushes you to never stop learning. Effectiveness and work under pressure are two features that I am sure everyone improved during these months.

The MAS in Collective Housing is a sum of very diverse perspectives about housing, and what we amass with a group of them and between them.

The Master of Collective Housing is a truly intense course, and the combination of different specialties and workshops lead by recognizable architects and professionals makes the experience unlike anything else.

MCH is a master oriented to the innovation, systematization and optimization of spaces in collective housing building.

The international workshops have been very productive as I have learnt a lot so far, they are totally the best part of the MCH because we as students push our knowledge and skills to the maximum to learn in a short time period. The quality of the professors has been impressive and all of them have taught us something different architectural related.

The MCH program has offered me a complete overview of housing design methods complementing it also with useful specialties related to the housing topic, skills, and tools that have allowed me to increase the quality of my design. 

After completing more than the half of the program, I have to say that my expectations are being met. The format is mainly practical, and very very intense. The rhythm varies along the weeks and subjects, which allows each one to be organised according to their needs.

MCH surpassed all my expectations in every respects. Professors of international excellence, level of exigency and learning standards together with perfect organization, provided a turning point in my career.

Through hard working sessions with colleagues in multiple workshops and seminar classes, we developed broad and in-depth knowledge. 

In this special year because of coronavirus, I appreciated the effort and willingness to rearrange the schedule in a way that would benefit us for ensuring face to face classes for the workshops.

What I would highlight the most about this Master is the quality of the professors and MCH leaders since they are the best in their fields of expertise and have had a successful trajectory in architecture.

I believe MCH course is a challenging course for the participants as it helps in the development of a holistic awareness of the topics concerning housing. I feel that it has fulfilled me as it has trained me to self-evaluate my design and trained with critical analysis of my decisions in bringing out the best deliverable.

 The specialties really take you deep into the topic, you learn a lot of things from the professors and also from classmates.

MCH has been a continuous stimulus. The whole course is carefully driven with a high standard of teaching. It is an intensive teamwork training, pointing to clarity and strength of ideas. With the hands on a deep learning, these months have drawn an accurate framework of housing practice. 

MCH has been an Intensive course. Moving at breakneck speeds with hands on learning, and support through several workshops and interactive sessions, really makes you put your all into it. 

The teachers, education, workshops and attention we received during the Master's program was above and beyond anything I could have expected.

For me the best part of the master is when you get to interact closer to the architects by visiting their offices, making field trips and actually standing in projects made by them.

The Specialities offer the opportunity to research and develop the projects during several weeks while meeting some of the most relevant lecturers on those matters. The Workshops teach you how to make important decisions efficiently and develop a project in 5 days along with some of the most recognised architects in the world.

Reaching the end of the MCH I can say that at this point it has met and exceeded my overall expectations.

The working atmosphere has been incredible in many ways, such as the commitment and quality of the professors, who are devoted and passionate about teaching, and the personal contact with all the people in charged.

If you are interested in architecture and especially in the part related to collective housing and city, this master will not disappoint you. It is a breath of fresh air and at the same time a hard challenge in the path of learning this wonderful art.

The universal importance of housing to individuals and its impact on human security and development were the driving factors behind my interest in enrolling in the MCH program. My aim was to deepen my knowledge in the field of collective housing. 

The exchange of culture, the different experiences and their knowledge and opinions, enrich myself as a person and as a professional. I’m sure that during this seven-month experience I have made many life long friends.

Given the experimental and reflective approach of the MCH, my participation was a qualitative step.

The important thing about the MCH is not only what happens during its time, but what comes next over the years.

The richness of the program relies on the intensive curriculum counting site visits, lectures, studio-work, one-week workshops and study trips. All of them integrated through practice-orientated dynamic and supported by brilliant Architects, educators, and colleagues.

This high pressure environment generates a great torrent and flow of ideas to be developed during your professional life beyond the MCH.

The MCH is not just a “master degree” but a constant challenge through every specialty and workshop.

Despite the Covid crisis, MCH team have made an incredible effort to return to face-to-face lessons, making it possible to meet again and have the workshops all together. Working directly with classmates allows to learn directly from them and to complement lectures and reviews.

The workshops are a great opportunity to push the limits beyond and to learn with great professors. Also, the experience of being part of an international community in which you will create true bonds, and this will open new doors.

MCH program is an intensive course, that seems to be short in time but in reality each week and each day counts because we have always new opportunities, new teachers, lectures, visits, to acquire knowledge, to think differently.

Personally, I enjoyed all seminar specialties because of the many stimulating lectures given by inspiring professionals and architects coming from all around the world, and the fact that they typically involve a bit more time to produce more "mature" and evolutional projects.

"The Master of Architecture in Collective Housing has had a huge impact, both in my personal life and professional career. Our high level of engagement with the MCH and the shared experience of pushing our personal limits forward helped us build a long-life group of professional colleagues and friends."

I studied at MCH in 2007 and I had the luck of meeting recognized architects.

MCH is an extremely challenging program, that requires a lot of effort and hard work, at the end of the day it is also a life changer experience in both personal and professional ways.

Through the international workshop practices we developed a deeper design insight that led us up to our own way of proposing ideas and acquiring our own architectural housing language.

During the masters, a friend of mine asked me about it and I answered the following: This thing is expensive, it costs a lot of money, but it is really worth studying. This summarized my state of mind (spirit).

This master has been enormously gratifying for me, in an academic, professional and personal level. I think that it is a great achievement to build up a program with a so high academic and human quality, as to be the best housing master in Europe

The study trip to Zürich was an exceptional experience, we had visited a great number of housing buildings as well as architecture offices. Talking with the authors of the buildings at the same time that we were walking and experimenting with space and the details was a great opportunity to learn.

One-week workshops are an electric exercise that defies you, and trains you to imagine and produce at a breakneck speed. 

It is extremely interesting and formative to interact with teachers and classmates in such a close way. To listen to different experiences, to think together, share conclusions and review what was developed in class.

I would highly recommend MCH for young architects who are willing to acquire a clear notion of architecture worldwide by the hand of its main characters.

The MCH has completely fulfilled my expectations, I liked it very much because it was really practical and we were very into the design process of housing projects.

I can say that having chosen the MCH was an excellent decision. The esteemed professors and architects have conducted classes and workshops, but the relationship and the dialogue with them will be most valued.

I feel immensely privileged to have participated in the MCH 2018 edition, a challenging experience that will train you deeply in the matter of collective housing, and will remind you of the fundamentals of architecture as well.

El MCH fue una de las mejores experiencias académicas y de vida. La calidad de los docentes, el intenso ritmo de trabajo junto con las visitas a proyectos dentro y fuera de España hacen que este programa sea súper valioso. 

This outstanding and intense experience has been for me an opportunity to develop and expand my knowledge, but above all, it has been a great opportunity to meet and to work with people from many countries of the world.

I also think that the trip to Zurich is a point to highlight, our visit to the ETH facilities and having some activities in the campus, in addition to being able to appreciate the architecture of the city and to visit the different housing projects, in some cases together with the authors of the buildings, was an enriching experience.

As carpenters and blacksmiths, architects always travel with their toolbox. I have an MCH sticker on mine.

I have learned so many things, being able to work and learn from the international workshop leaders combined with sharing time and experiences with my classmates, learning their cultures and their architecture