Overview
Paris sits astride the possibilities of the 21st century, as globalization stretches its urban fabric in ways that Baron Haussmann and Napoleon III never could have imagined. Drawing on faculty from leading European schools and offices, Rice Architecture Paris nimbly takes advantage of the extraordinary offerings of this city, as well as its position as a global cultural nexus.
Selection for both semesters is made by application during the spring semester of the prior year. The 16-credit course of study includes studio, history, theory, technology, French culture and language. Paris’s central geographic location provides opportunities for multiple study trips throughout France and Europe.
In the fall semester Rice Paris students take Rice Architecture’s Totalization curriculum, coordinating with Houston faculty and engaging local technical consultants. In the spring term, graduate students enroll in the required pre-thesis seminar, using advanced video conference media to participate in real-time with their Houston counterparts.
The program is overseen by its founding director, Professor John J. Casbarian, who is the director of external programs.
