Design Ethics & Social Justice in Architecture

This foundational course introduces first-year Architecture students to the principles of Design Ethics through the lens of social justice, climate responsibility, and technological transformation. Grounded in Carnegie Mellon Architecture’s commitment to ethical, interdisciplinary practice, the course critically examines the architecture role in confronting the grand challenges of our time, from planetary crisis and technological acceleration to systemic inequities embedded in the built environment. Students engage with architecture across multiple scales, exploring how race, identity, privilege, and disability intersect with spatial practices and design decisions. Structured in thematic modules, the course addresses urgent topics such as climate justice at the intersection of care for marginalized communities, architecture for disability and inclusion, affordable housing, and the socio-political agency of architects in shaping participatory frameworks, policy, and systems of care. Through lectures, readings, discussions, and collaborative projects, students begin to understand design not only as a technical or aesthetic act but as an ethical and political practice with transformative potential.