Postgraduate Master of Arts in Architecture

With its postgraduate programme for a Master of Arts in Architecture degree, the Städelschule Architecture Class (SAC) has a worldwide, unique scholastic offer. The two-year programme is situated in the renown art academy Städelschule in Frankfurt and provides its students with the practical and theoretical framework for developing contemporary relevant, individual thesis proposals.

Drawing on Städelschule’s distinct qualities and dynamics and with SAC’s exclusive commitment to experimental architectural design, the programme is situated at the cusp between the critical and innovative forces of architecture and the arts. The teaching is rooted in architecture’s disciplinary history, contemporary art’s capacity for critical speculation, and the cultural transformations which are propelled by technology.

SAC's programme aims to radicalise the flow of information and procedures that comprise the conceptual and practical work in architectural design. It aims to see its students develop mature, individual positions within the discipline and thus prepare them for the successful pursuit of  professional and/or academic careers on the highest international level. Thereby, SAC seeks to see its students and alumni contribute to the field of architecture through outstanding practical, intellectual and creative work.

Benefitting from its unique setting in Städelschule, SAC sees its speculative and experimental approach to the discipline of architecture both as a privilege and disciplinary obligation. The programme situates architecture in an extensive cultural context by problematising current design problems as an integral factor in societal formation. Experimental research and design are conducted by bringing disciplinary investigations to bear on individual and collective forms of existence.

After an introductory semester, students join one of SAC’s three thematic specialisations for their thesis research and project formulation. The current studio options comprise of Theodore Spyropoulos’ Advanced Architectural Design, Johan Bettum’s Architecture and Aesthetic Practice, and Peter Trummer’s Architecture and Urban Design. The three studios are supported by guest professors and teachers offering theory seminars and practical workshops. Students proceed to execute their respective design thesis proposals over three semesters within the theoretical and practical framework that the respective studios offer.

Reflecting the overall programme of the school, the three studios operate autonomously of one another while reflecting SAC's academic culture and its disciplinary concerns. The respective studios’ academic and experimental agendas complement one another and contribute to a vital educational programme. The complementarity of the studio programmes engenders a productive in-house exchange and discourse for the benefit of the students and the development of state-of-the-arts experiments and projects.

SAC's programme includes an extensive roster of world-renown visitors drawn from architecture and related fields. Whereas the winter semester principally sees visitors offer workshops and seminars, the summer semester focuses on lectures with the annual series culminating in the Dean’s Honorary Lecture. Recent honorary guests include Wolf D. Prix, Farshid Moussavi, and Bernard Tschumi. 

SAC’s postgraduate Master programme is fully accredited within the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System with 120 credit points upon the successful completion of the two-year course. Graduates are awarded the post-professional degree M.A. Architecture.

Applying to SAC
Annually SAC hosts about 60 students from up to 20 different countries from around the world. SAC currently welcomes applications for the academic year that commences on October 14, 2019. The programme will accept 30 to 40 new students.

Applicants passing the initial screening based on the review of a written application and portfolio, are invited for an interview in person or via Internet. 

Deadlines for the application are:

Early application deadline: January 30, 2019
Final application deadline: April 30, 2019