Villa Academy

September 10, 2023

ABOUT
COURSES
THEORIZING
AWARD
VRATE

BACKGROUND

The concept of the International Villa Academy™ was introduced to leading theorists in architecture, geography, history, sociology, psychology, and related fields by Amir Abbas Aboutalebi, editor-in-chief of Villa magazine, in 2017. Driven by a desire to advocate for ideological reform within Iran's educational landscape, Villa Magazine—founded by Aboutalebi in 2015—conducted numerous architecture workshops. These workshops focused on enhancing competencies, fostering interactive learning among participants, and promoting practical engagement through innovative methodologies. They integrated various pedagogical elements into real-world projects with actual clients and challenges.

The Villa magazine workshops aimed to deliver a critical message to Iran's formalistic educational system, which is often resistant to innovative ideas and detrimental to the creative development and interaction of the new generation. Through these initiatives, the Academy seeks to challenge existing norms and encourage a more dynamic approach to education in the field of architecture.

About Villa Academy

ABOUT VILLA ACADEMY

Villa Academy is a private design school located in Tehran, Iran, offering a diverse array of programs and courses for individuals seeking advanced degrees and professional development in fields such as architecture, design, criticism, journalism, and design management.

The academy emphasizes pedagogical approaches that integrate both **vertical knowledge** and **horizontal skill development**. Its curriculum is crafted to provide students with a comprehensive education that merges theoretical insights with practical skills. Villa Academy promotes an open, collaborative environment, encouraging interaction among architects and students from various disciplines, with a particular focus on eco-architecture principles. This multidisciplinary approach fosters cross-collaboration and innovative thinking.

Villa Academy is committed to creating a supportive learning atmosphere that enhances moral character, personality, and social qualities. The programs center on individual villa projects that explore themes of health, well-being, sustainability, community, culture, innovation, tradition, affordability, and nature.

The academy's dedication to nurturing talent and delivering a holistic education positions it as a leading institution in the Middle East, particularly in the realm of experimental villas and future prototypes. Students have the opportunity to refine their skills, broaden their knowledge base, and contribute to the advancement of the design industry both regionally and globally. Experienced architects are invited to share their tacit knowledge through scholarly articles, books, and other publications.

Established in 2021 under the official name "Institute of Villa Architecture-Farhang Shahr," Villa Academy operates through a long-standing collaboration between Villa Magazine and the Farhang-Shahr Research Institute for Advanced Studies of Space and Environment. In 2024, the institute was rebranded back to Villa Academy under the authority of Villa Magazine.

Villa Academy

VILLA ACADEMY

COURSES

VILLA-MBA

VILLA-DBA

THEORIZING

POSTDOC

VRATE

According to Ken Yeang, a prominent figure in sustainable architecture, many architects enter the field of eco-design without a solid foundation in ecology, which complicates the integration of ecological principles into their work. Yeang emphasizes the importance of biointegrating the built environment with natural ecosystems, arguing that achieving sustainability goes beyond simply obtaining green certifications like LEED or BREEAM; it requires a deep understanding of ecological complexities.

Aim:
The Comprehensive Green Building Rating System, Vrate, proposed by Villa Academy, seeks to transform the green building certification landscape by offering a more holistic and proactive approach. Unlike existing frameworks, Vrate will focus on integrating sustainable practices from the conceptual design phase, ensuring that eco-architecture principles are considered from the very beginning of a project.

Problem:
Current systems like LEED primarily assess buildings after they are completed, often overlooking crucial design elements that significantly impact sustainability. This reactive approach can lead to inefficiencies in energy use and resource management. Additionally, many architects mistakenly view certification as the ultimate goal, neglecting the broader ecological considerations that should inform their designs. For instance, buildings that are unenclosed or unconditioned face challenges in achieving LEED certification due to stringent prerequisites that fail to account for their unique characteristics

Solution:
Early Integration: Encouraging eco-design practices from the initial planning stages.
Holistic Assessment: Evaluating buildings based on diverse criteria tailored to various climates and building types.
Implementing Qualitative Metrics: Utilizing ethnographic research methods and AI-driven cybernetic approaches to gather qualitative data during the conceptual phase.
Continuous Improvement: Regularly updating criteria based on advancements in technology and environmental research.

VILLA ACADEMY AWARD

The Villa Academy Prize is linked to the specific type of architecture, “Villa.” The prize is awarded irrespective of nationality, race, creed, or ideology to a living pioneer spirit (an architect or an architecture firm) who has dedicated his career to developing an “architectural dialect”, "practicing and experimenting" villa-discourse or a “contemporary manifestation” according to the purposes of the award.

Nominations are accepted internationally from diverse fields who have a knowledge of and interest in the villa-ideology / idea of the villa; a utopian setting for conversations of “architectural inventions.” The “Literary Production” of architecture or the “Writing Architecture.”

The Executive Director actively solicits nominations from past laureates, architects, academics, critics, politicians, professionals involved in cultural endeavors, and persons of diverse fields who have expertise and interest in the field of architecture.

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