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ARCH 1020 Lessons in Making
Last taught: Fall 2026 Add to Schedule
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Review Summary Updated April 05, 2026

Expect a massive workload centered around weekly making projects that demand serious hours of sketching, modeling, and iterative design rather than traditional lectures or exams. Your final grade rarely reflects individual assignment scores, leaning instead on visible improvement, overall dedication, and your relationship with a teaching assistant who controls most feedback and evaluations. It is a highly rewarding foundation for anyone seriously pursuing design or architecture studios, but the subjective critiques, expensive materials, and unpredictable time sinks make it risky for non-majors. Keep your broader schedule light, attend office hours consistently, and embrace the iterative process to get through the grind.

23 Reviews

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Fall 2014
3.3
Average

Great for majors and those interested. Lectures are abstract and force you to think beyond your limits. Go to office hours and talk with your TA to get the most out of the class.

Instructor 3.0
Enjoyability 4.0
Recommend 3.0
Difficulty 5.0
Hours/Week 7.0
Fall 2014
4.3
Average

By far the most work I have ever had for a class, but Sanda is amazing and is so passionate about what she does, it makes it worth it. Even though I wouldn't suggest it for non architecture majors, it was one of the best classes I have taken.

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 4.0
Recommend 4.0
Difficulty 2.0
Hours/Week 6.0
Fall 2013
3.3
Average

Sanda is a very interesting lecturer and super nice, but the projects were very time consuming, especially for non architecture majors

Instructor 4.0
Enjoyability 4.0
Recommend 2.0
Difficulty 4.0
Hours/Week 10.0
Fall 2013
3.7
Average

Iliescu is amazing at what she does, and this class will make you look at the world and your own artistic abilities differently. However, the organization is pretty poor. Deadlines are usually announced last minute, emails are constantly going out. It is a lot of work, and you will spend a lot of money on art materials.

Instructor 4.0
Enjoyability 4.0
Recommend 3.0
Difficulty 5.0
Hours/Week 12.0
Fall 2012
4.3
Average

Sanda is such a great teacher; she's really cute and Romanian and loves loves loves art and architecture. She's engaging and fun and bubbly. Class is always a blast, but the course load is intense. Projects assigned every week that take up hours of time. It's rewarding and enjoyable sometimes, but not easy by any means.

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 3.0
Difficulty 4.0
Hours/Week 0.0
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Spring 2012
4.7
Average

Absolutely amazing class. Lots of work. Definitely recommend to anyone with even a slight interest in art or architecture. Just be sure not to slack off on the projects.

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 4.0
Difficulty 4.0
Hours/Week 9.0
Spring 2011
4.3
Average

Great class. Lots of work though.

Instructor 4.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 4.0
Difficulty 4.0
Hours/Week 0.0
Spring 2011
5.0
Average

Great Class

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 5.0
Difficulty 5.0
Hours/Week 20.0
Spring 2011
5.0
Average

Great class; sanda really gets you to think

Instructor 5.0
Enjoyability 5.0
Recommend 5.0
Difficulty 4.0
Hours/Week 8.0
Spring 2011
4.0
Average

Get a good TA!! Some grade really unfair. I lucked out and mine really inspired me to do my best. Sanda did nothing for me in terms of inspiration. She is a good professor, taught us about the history/technique/etc but it was my TA who really kept my spirits up. This class is VERY work heavy, mostly individual work from home. You will spend a lot of time cutting cardboard and cursing the class. However, I went away knowing so much about "making" and how architects work! This was not a mandatory class for me but it's one of my favorites in terms of personal development.

Instructor 4.0
Enjoyability 3.0
Recommend 5.0
Difficulty 4.0
Hours/Week 22.0
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