Architectural engineering
Starting at the bachelor level, architectural engineers are trained to design, produce and manage architectural projects. With their colleagues architects, architectural engineers share a strong sense of creativity and the ability to account for the interaction between man and his built environment. Borrowing strong competencies in advanced building techniques from the field of civil engineering, architectural engineers have however also the ability to develop and integrated approach of the built environment addressing both the design and engineering aspects of architectural projects.
Bachelor program
The bachelor curriculum (180 credits) aims at developping the basic knowledge in science, technology and architecture allowing graduate students to design and manage multifunctional / multifamily architectural projects. While many lectures building the scientific and methodoligical background are shared with the other bachelor students in engineering, the main focus is put on the specific technical and human skills that are required to address architectural issues in a multidisciplinary and multicultural working environment, including the aspects of functional design and aesthetic research.
Teaching heavily relies on a problem based approach. Beside training in architectural composition, student projects form the core of the curriculum. They provide undegraduate students with the opportunity to combine their different skills and knowledge (sizing of structures, building techniques, sustainable development, energy efficiciency, quality of indoor environments, diagnose of needs and usage, advanced design techniques, collaborative design tools,...) in applied projects.
The undergraduate program is taught in French.
Master program
In the master program (120 credits), a strong focus is put on the technological aspects of urban and architectural projects that are necessary to design, size and construct environmentally efficient builidings (energy, water supply, acoustics, natural lightning,...) and complex structures (hybrid structures, structural glass glass, adaptive facades,...), on the selection and master of innovative solutions with respect to building equipment (heating, ventilation, climatisation, lightning,...) and building materials (biomaterials, recycled materials, polymers,...).
A particular attention is also paid to the process of design/conception itself (by means of numerical tools and interfaces : CAD, collaborative digital studio, BIM, numerical simulations,...) and to the management of projects (monitoring, life cycle analysis, concurrent engineering,...).
The degree is accredited by the CNOA (Conseil National de l'Ordre des Architectes de Belgique) and gives therefore access to the professional traineeship in architecture. The program has also met the stardards of the French Commission des Titres d'Ingénieurs and received the European quality label EUR-ACE. Co-diplomation agreements binds the University of Liège with the École des Mines in Alès (France) and with the École des Ingénieurs in La Rochelle (France). Together with the numerus Erasmus agreements, these programs ensure that all the students get an international experience in Liège or abroad.
