The Hungarian Student, 1958 (2. évfolyam, 1-7. szám)
1958 / 4. szám
fhe Hungarian sfudent 5 (Continued from page 4.) Illinois Institute of Technology employs another formula; it tries to introduce its students to the secrets of architecture by teaching, first of all, different ways of brick laying. Budapest University, however, has a system developed by many years of practice the balance of which could not be thrown off even by the reforms mentioned before. Students learn the history of architecture, (art), and statics (technology), for nine semesters. The latter is not taught in most American colleges. They learn construction for six semesters. Construction is the knowledge and listing of materials and constructions used and obtainable in the buildingindustry. It enumerates the tricks of about forty sub-contractor trades which play an important part in the industry and inspires the student to invent and use new types of constructions. As a result, Hungarian students learn not only which bolt, nut, plate, or nozzle comes where, but also the why. To know this is, of course, much more important in the Hungarian building industry which has less resources than the American. The different sections of planning are more separated in the Hungarian system. There are separate courses in apartment house planning, and municipal, and industrial buildings; at the same time, everybody has to learn housing, city, and regional planning. It is a curious fact about the Hungarian system, which places much effort on the importance of teaching great historic styles, that students learn not only contemporary style, but have to work with historic styles as well. It is a pity, incidentally, that Hungarian students were forced to take up entirely irrelevant subjects such as Soviet political economy, and basic military questions. These were cut from the schedule on the occasion of the 1956 Revolution, but at the beginning of 1957, the government smuggled them back again as compulsory subjects. In summing up the differences, we arrive at the conclusion that Budapest University emphasizes geometry, construction, specialized planning, history of architecture, supporting members, general architectural, and city planning. In the United States, however, students spend more time with plastics, drawing, composition, and modeling. Principles of Education It is difficult to say that there is any difference between the two countries in regard to the goals of their architectural education, their goals being the same: they want to make the best possible architect of the student. But how do they approach this? Very few gave a definite answer to this question up to date. It would be more meaningful if we would put together the different opinions, data, and persons—students, teachers—known to us. Hungarian economy can be managed only through careful planning. That means that the country’s need is the architect who can plan within the limits of common-sense technology, using the always obtainable materials, and managing to save money at the same time. It also requires an aptitude of being able to manage the construction in the fields. In the United States, according to requirements in effect here, they are trying to build artists; perhaps because they do not need to be as economical, and thus, for example, have no need for a thorough knowledge of statics. The field job is under the management of the contractor. The plans are smoother than they would be under the architect. Mr. Ralph Walker, architect, partner of Voorhees, Walker, Smith f3 Smith architectural firm, winner of the gold medal for 1957 of the Institute of American Architects, says: "Our company is carrying out a vast student program not only for Americans, but for foreign students, too. In the past few years there were more than 200 foreign architects and architecture students working for us. Among them were two Hungarian architects. Judging from their work, we came to the conclusion that they have had an excellent education. One of the Hungarians is among our best architects.’’ There may be another reason behind the actual development of the two educational systems: 1. In the highly industrialized and mechanized United States young people need to develop art. 2. We, who were educated according to the so-called “humanistic” traditions, need to know more about organizing, simplifying, and rationalizing in the technical field. The fact that summer practice is unavoidable for the Hungarian student, while the American student does not have to study more than one or two summers, and even then, he may choose between planning and field-job, confirms what we have just said. System of Examinations The examination taken by the student in Hungary is judged according to two main questions : 1. How was his entire work during the last semester? (This is judged from his written exams, and the drawings he has made during the past six months.) 2. How is he prepared for the examination itself? (The examination is half oral and half written.) There are about seven or eight examinations in one semester, three to four days apart from each other. Generally, the number of examinations in a semester cannot exceed eight. During the entire time of his education, the student has to pass seventy to seventy-five examinations to which three more are added, the so-called “severes”; one at the end the fourth, one at the end of the sixth, and one at the end of his studies. The subject of the first is, History of Architecture; of the second, Structure and Statics; of the third, Defending of the Diploma plan. During the last few years, the first examination (the History of Architecture), was discontinued. The so-called Diploma plan includes: 1. 9 the complete documentation of the object (details, structural, and architectural; figures; estimates; organization plan of the field job; plan to organize the function for all the machines necessary such as trucks, cranes; sketches for the sculptural or painted ornament of the object, and plans for the garden around it). Like the American student working toward the Ph.D. by writing a thesis, the Hungarian architect student has to defend his plan against a group consisting of professors and outside specialists. He has to answer the most difficult and most unusual questions. Summary The system of hungarian architectural education is much more like the École Technique, the Eidgenössische Hochschule, or the Institute of Technology in Munich, than it is like the “Beaux-Art” colleges of the United States. It stresses practicality, gives much consideration to describing the contract, and does not educate “architects” but “architectural engineers.” It requires a strong average production, but does not encourage individual research as much as the American system. It develops the creative fantasy less than American architectural education but it gives practical, selfassured, and easily assimilated experts to offices as well as to contractors.
