Woodbury Tectonic Course
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Woodbury Tectonic Course: Crafting Architecture Through Material Innovation
The Woodbury Tectonic Course at Woodbury University is a unique architectural design studio that challenges students to push the boundaries of material exploration, digital fabrication, and tectonic expression. This project reflects how future architects experiment with the physical and conceptual aspects of construction while developing bold new design approaches.
Exploring Tectonics at Woodbury University
Tectonics in architecture is about more than structure—it is the poetic relationship between form, function, and material. In the Woodbury Tectonic Course, students translate abstract design ideas into built objects, installations, and prototypes. The process merges digital design tools, CNC fabrication, and hands-on craftsmanship.
The course highlights how making is a form of thinking. By testing patterns, cuts, and assemblies, students learn how design emerges directly from material behavior.
Student Projects: From Cubes to Installations
The images from the Woodbury Tectonic Course project reveal a diverse range of student work:
Carved Wooden Cubes – Each cube is a sculptural exploration, featuring intricate CNC-milled patterns, layered materials, and structural experimentation. These small-scale works function as design laboratories, allowing students to test form, surface, and structure.
Parametric Installations – Larger installations, like the illuminated wall piece shown, demonstrate how modular components can shape spatial experience. With precision-cut panels, students created fluid geometries that transform flat material into a dynamic three-dimensional environment.
These works highlight the power of combining craftsmanship with digital precision, bridging tradition and innovation.
