Architecture is the quintessential generalist pursuit, requiring practical knowledge of geometry, technology, politics, history, culture, and economics, as well as an understanding how these disparate pieces fit together within the context of architectural practice. In short, an architects expertise lies in big picture constructs, or totalization. The latest in the Rice Architecture series, Totalization shows the Rice School of Architectures Totalization Studios at the forefront of teaching students to leverage the breadth of architectural practice toward in-depth speculative design work. Can a buildings exterior be made of plastic? What is the twenty-first-century equivalent of the nineteenth-century steel frame? Can taking parts from a building for use elsewhere extend the buildings useful life? Exploring these and other questions in cooperation with four studiosthree in Houston, one in Paristhe work collected here challenges conventions around structures; facades; materials; and the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing aspects of building design and construction. The ultimate aim of the Totalization Studios is to eliminate the distinction between speculation and practice in students final projects. The Totalization Studios represent one of the most innovative and robust architectural programsa source of inspiration for many other programs worldwideand this book offers welcome insights into its teaching methods through featured projects.

Troy Schaum ist Architekt und Assistenzprofessor an der Rice School of Architecture, wo er von 2008 bis 2009 als Wortham Fellow tätig war. Nach einem Architekturstudium an der Princeton University arbeitete er für Jim Jennings Architecture in San Francisco sowie im New Yorker Büro von OMA und für das Studio Daniel Libeskind. 2008 gründete er Schaum/Shieh Architects.