Architectural Design, MSc

Profiles in Architectural Design

The programme contains three profiles:

Programme description

Develop your skills in designing forms, spaces, and buildings and explore how architecture can respond to human needs and changing societal conditions. Focusing primarily on the scale of buildings, the programme brings together architectural design, construction, materiality, history and theory, and social and environmental responsibility. You will learn to shape spatial experiences through the organisation of programme, form, structure, materials, light, and movement, while drawing on Chalmers’ leading expertise in sustainable architectural design.

The programme is built around the integration of theory and practice. You will develop knowledge of architectural history and theory, building technology, materiality, sustainability, and spatial analysis, alongside artistic and research-based methods of design and representation. You will apply and integrate this knowledge through design studios grounded in real sites and conditions.

A large part of your studies will consist of design studios, which address a variety of themes, scales, and levels of complexity. You will work hands-on from the beginning of the programme, developing projects through drawing, modelling, making, testing, and critical discussion. The studio culture is characterised by curiosity, creativity, positivity, collaboration, and experimentation, encouraging you to combine evidence-based knowledge with imaginative and speculative design thinking.

Design studio projects address contemporary architectural questions such as housing and everyday life, climate-responsive design, material and technological innovation, and the adaptation of existing buildings. Studios frequently engage with real sites and existing conditions and are often carried out in collaboration with municipalities, architectural practices, public organisations, industry, researchers, and community stakeholders.

Architectural practice requires collaboration across different areas of expertise. You will work with students and specialists from other disciplines, from art and cultural heritage to engineering, across scales and industries; and between research and practice. Through studios, workshops, seminars, and real-world projects, you will develop skills in communication, teamwork, negotiation, participatory and co-design methods, and the integration of different forms of knowledge.

Gothenburg itself is a city undergoing substantial architectural transformation. The regeneration of former industrial, port, and waterfront areas, the need for new and transformed housing, and the growing use of timber and other biomaterials make the city a valuable setting in which to investigate the real-world impact of architectural proposals. Sweden’s ambitious climate policies and Gothenburg’s aim of becoming climate-neutral by the year 2030 create a broader context for exploring how architectural design and construction can contribute to societal transition.

At Chalmers, you will benefit from the technical depth of a university of technology and an approach that connects traditional material and craft knowledge with advanced digital technologies. You will work with tools such as hand drawing, physical models, material experiments, digital modelling, parametric design, digital fabrication, robotic fabrication, and AI-supported design methods. Combining these tools will give you a broad repertoire for investigating, analysing, communicating, and realising architectural ideas while building your portfolio and professional skills.

The programme begins with a shared foundation in sustainability, theory, technology, and contexts of contemporary practice before opening into three specialised profiles: Architecture and Society, Architecture and Transformation, and Material Practice. These profiles give clarity and depth to your studies while still allowing you to select courses tailored to your specific interests, shaping your own educational pathway.

A recurring theme throughout the programme is the relationship between architectural decisions and their spatial, social, environmental, cultural, and experiential consequences. You will explore how architecture can contribute to social equity, responsible resource use, long-term environmental change, and quality of life.

Job opportunities

You will be well-prepared for the field of architecture as it exists today. There are immediate pathways into architectural practice, both in Sweden and internationally, including studios working on both new construction and transformations in commercial, residential, and institutional projects with high technical and environmental performance requirements.

Chalmers’ extensive, long-standing collaborations with many of the big architectural, construction, public housing, and city planning organisations in Gothenburg and other Scandinavian cities, will ensure you have excellent opportunities to meet and work alongside professionals in the field during your studies.

You can also move into roles in regional planning, government advisory work, and development organisations. The focus on sustainable design opens paths into design consultancy and policy, areas where architectural expertise is increasingly in-demand. If you are interested in research, you will also have an excellent foundation for doctoral studies at Chalmers or at other institutions worldwide.

Research

The programme is embedded in the research environment of the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Chalmers, with several internationally active research areas.

Chalmers is known for excellence in research and you will benefit from collaborations related to large scale projects in academic, artistic and practice-based research on nationally, internationally, and institutionally funded research projects. Research in housing, design, and transformation focuses on existing environments, from renovation and adaptation of existing structures to questions of resource efficiency and cultural heritage. The Centre for Healthcare Architecture is a leading centre for development, exchange, and knowledge dissemination in Sweden, with strong ties to Sahlgrenska University Hospital and the healthcare industry in the Gothenburg region and internationally. The Centre for Housing Architecture connects you to discourse on housing equity, multi-generational living, and the changing nature of architecture in modern society. The work that goes on at the Digital Twin Cities Centre and the Robotic Fabrication Lab explore the frontier of digital technologies in architecture. All these centers are readily accessible to you as a student, for both research and teaching resources.

Master's thesis projects are often carried out in close collaboration with these research environments, and students benefit from an extensive network of researchers and external partners who contribute to teaching throughout the programme.

Find out more about previous students’ Master’s Thesis Projects

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in: Architecture, Architecture and Engineering, Interior Architecture
Note: A Bachelor of Science with the main field of study Built environment, or a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Engineering does not fulfill the requirement.

Prerequisites:
Courses in architecture, interior architecture or urban design, that together fulfill a minimum of 50% of credits in the degree, of which urban design may constitute only a portion of the courses.

Courses in project design work within architecture, interior architecture or urban design that together fulfill a minimum of 30% of credits in the degree, of which urban design may constitute only a portion of the courses.

A portfolio demonstrating the student’s progression and a documented proficiency in spatially contextualized work within architectural design, architectural and engineering and/or interior design. The portfolio should contain a minimum of three projects from preferably academic and individual work. If projects completed as part of a group are included, the portfolio should contain a description and reflection on the student’s contribution to the group and the process. For each project, students are encouraged to present the process, methods, and outcomes. The assessment of portfolios places primary emphasis on the applicant’s competence in architectural design, as well as their skills in spatial analysis, contextual design, and architectural design methodology.

How to submit the project portfolio:
The project portfolio is one of the required documents for this programme. It must be submitted according to the instructions via a unique link for this programme only. For instructions on how to submit your portfolio, read the information and follow the instructions in tab 7 in the section "Submit required documents" (use this link).

Note: Do not submit the project portfolio to your account at universityadmissions.se/antagning.se. It will then neither be assessed nor approved.

English language requirements: Prove your English proficiency

How to apply