Program Overview

Program Overview

The provided content does not directly offer a comprehensive overview of a specific university program but rather presents various aspects of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). However, it does delve into details about a course titled "Geometry for architects," which is part of the educational offerings at EPFL.

Course Details

Geometry for Architects

This course presents geometry in a historical perspective, studying three layers:

• Elementary geometry with a ruler and a compass
• Superior geometry that makes use of other instruments to solve problems such as the cube duplication, the trisection of the angle, or the quadrature of the circle
• Later geometries, initiated by non-mathematician architects to solve representation problems in perspective, before the projective geometry of Desargues and the descriptive geometry of Monge.

The main thread of the course is mainly historical, with a specific emphasis on the interferences between the development of the mathematical and geometrical disciplines. Concepts such as commensurability or symmetry will be placed in the context of both disciplines by examining texts and demonstrations.

Moreover, this course supposes a very strong homology between geometrical theorems and the associative and parametric project. One like the other needs an explicit definition of a hypothesis from which variable consequences can be deduced out of the modification of its initial data.

This course is therefore an introduction to the parametrical culture, which will be explored even more in the 2nd year in the digital stereotomy course, and in 3rd year as a backing course to the construction course.

Educational Structure

EPFL offers a range of educational programs, including:

• Bachelor
• Master
• Doctorate
• Continuing Education - Extension School
• Study Management
• International programs
• Teaching
• Educational Initiatives
• Education & Science Outreach
• Infrastructures Under Development
• Engaging with Society

Research and Innovation

EPFL is involved in various research domains and innovation initiatives, including:

• Research Domains
• EPFL Research Facilities
• Faculty Members
• Solutions 5 Sustainability - S4S
• Awards and Prizes
• Funding Opportunities
• Research Management Support
• From Lab to Market
• Research Ethics
• Research with Animals
• Open Science
• Industry Collaboration
• Innovation Initiatives
• Startup Launchpad

Schools and Colleges

EPFL comprises several schools and colleges, including:

• School of Architecture, Civil & Environmental Engineering (ENAC)
• School of Basic Sciences (SB)
• School of Engineering (STI)
• School of Computer & Communication Sciences (IC)
• School of Life Sciences (SV)
• College of Management of Technology (CDM)
• College of Humanities (CDH)