Next fall, the world’s first ever Bachelor of Virtual Architecture (BVA) program will launch at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Marywood’s new program will be sited in its Center for Architectural Studies and led by Tabletop Wargamer and metaverse reviewer Ryan Scavnicky, who is also an AN contributor.
The new BVA program at Marywood differs from other collegiate game design programs in that it’s housed directly within an architecture department, Scavnicky told AN. “The Virtual Architecture program at Marywood University will prepare students to design immersive architectural environments for films, video games, and other forms of virtual and extended realities,” he said.
Scavnicky continued: “This interdisciplinary degree will share coursework with our two existing, professional degree programs in Architecture and Interior Architecture. Building on synergies with these existing programs, the Virtual Architecture program will specialize in environments, interactions, technology, space, culture, and the digital humanities. Graduates have the opportunity for agency within these economies to establish forms of practice outside the traditional discipline, trailblazing the expertise of architecture into imaginative new realms.”
First year students will have introductory design studios and then expand into full scale interactive mixed reality installation design, and then fully immersive purely virtual environments. Meanwhile, they will also have building technology courses in structures, systems, and environmental factors; and take representation courses in analog/digital craft such as digital rendering, animation, and fabrication.
History and theory courses will incorporate diverse perspective and fulfill humanities requirements. There, students will be tasked with digitally reconstructing historically accurate game environments. Program electives in art, communications, computer science, music, psychology, philosophy, and theater will also abound.
More information on the new degree can be found on Marywood University’s website.
