Course content

MEGA is a collaborative integral multi-disciplinary design of a special big and/or tall building. This could be a multifunctional skyscraper or a multifunctional building with a large span, such as a stadium, a sports facility, a museum, an airport, train station or transport hub.

The course targets master students in Architecture, Real Estate & Housing, Building Technology (MSc 2) and Civil Engineering; and it is open to non-TUDelft students, conforming with TUDelft regulations.

Students work in teams. The design team of 4 to 7 students is responsible for delivering an integrated design as a multidisciplinary team; while each student is responsible for one discipline.

Disciplines involved are: architecture, structural design, climate design, façade design, design/construction management and computational design/BIM. Sustainability runs transversally across these disciplines.

The design process occurs in a collaborative digital design environment, supporting the workflow across the different disciplines. The collaborative digital design requires an integrated 3D approach with BIM (Building Information Modelling), parametric design, performance analysis and optimization.

The workshop is very realistic and closely matches the design process of large international projects in the competition phase; it is a very good preparation and experience builder for your future career. It is highly appreciated by future employers.

The course is supported also by external international design/engineering offices. With them, the location of the project will be chosen and the brief of the design assignment will be developed. As examples from recent years, support was given by Arup and UNStudio, by ABT and Neutelings Riedijk Architecten. Nathalie de Vries was recently involved. In past editions, firms like Techniplan, Deerns, DGMR, Esteco, and others consulted the students on specialized disciplines, with a perspective from practice. Examples of past collaborations include also Municipalities and Provinces, such as the City of Rotterdam, Almere and Den Haag, and the Province of Friesland.