Studio Costs

Studio Costs

The design studio is the focus of the professional architecture and interior architecture curricula. Architecture students will typically take 10 studio courses (except for Track I Graduate Students) and each studio requires students to explore and produce a variety of media. Designing and making this work does require purchasing hand and digital tools and presenting work professionally requires high quality printing, modeling, and digital fabrication or presentations. The information below is meant to guide students on the approximate associated material and tool costs for studios at various levels (Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced)

Note that students will also need to purchase a maintain digital technology hardware and software. These items will be used throughout your studio experience and are referenced below as well as on the College of Design Technology Services Blog Student Computer Purchasing Guide.

First Introductory Studios: ARCH 283 and ARCH 680

Student Equipment (one time), Material, and Printing Cost Range: $400-750

Your first introductory studio will require an investment in tools and equipment that you will use throughout your architectural education. For these introductory studios, students should refer to the Studio Tools Starter Kit. These materials will cost approximately $350-600 depending on the quality and quantity that you buy. You may find some used items from graduating students and/or through online retailers for much less.

Additional items you may need to purchase in studio:

  • Model making materials ($10-50)
  • Drawing materials like a sketch book, trace paper, or other paper materials ($25)
  • In-class printing for pin ups/underlays ($10-20 per quarter)
  • Midterm studio review pin up materials ($10-25 for hand media on presentation paper)
  • Final studio review pin up materials ($10-25 for hand media on presentation paper)

The total for these additional materials may be $50-150.

Introductory Studio Sequence: ARCH 284-384 and ARCH 681-683

Student Material and Printing Cost Range: $150-350

Materials from the Studio Tools Starter Kit will be useful and relevant in all studio levels at UO. In addition, students will progress toward more complex physical modeling and computer-generated graphics that require larger scale printing. For each of these introductory studios, students can expect to spend between $50-$350, largely depending on the scale and quality of prints for midterm and final presentations in studio.

Items you may need to purchase in studio:

  • Model making materials ($10-50)
  • In-class printing for pin ups/underlays ($10-20 per quarter)
  • Midterm studio review pin up materials ($10-20 for hand media on presentation paper; $40-100 for digitally printed posters)
  • Final studio review pin up materials ($15-30 for hand media on presentation paper; $50-150 for digitally printed posters)

Field trip costs:

  • Your studio will likely take a field trip to another city in Oregon. This will require students to carpool or take public transit at their own expense. Estimated related costs are below and may be shared by groups who are traveling together:
    • $50 in gas per vehicle
    • $15 for parking
    • $25 for lunch or other meals purchased during the field trip

Intermediate Studios: ARCH 484 and ARCH 584

Student Material and Printing Cost Range: $150-350

Materials from the Studio Tools Starter Kit will be useful and relevant in all studio levels at UO. In addition, students will progress toward more complex physical modeling and computer-generated graphics that require larger scale printing. For intermediate studios, students can expect to spend between $50-$350, largely depending on the scale and quality of prints for midterm and final presentations. Since these studios are taught by a variety of faculty, students will discuss specific requirements with their instructors.

Items you may need to purchase in studio:

  • Model making materials ($10-50)
  • In-class printing for pin ups/underlays ($10-20 per quarter)
  • Midterm studio review pin up materials ($10-20 for hand media on presentation paper; $40-100 for digitally printed posters)
  • Final studio review pin up materials ($15-30 for hand media on presentation paper; $50-150 for digitally printed posters)

Advanced (Comprehensive or “Terminal”) Studios: ARCH 485/486 and ARCH 585/586

Student Material and Printing Cost Range: $150-400 

Comprehensive studios typically involve a significant increase in printing and modeling materials to be used in studio throughout the quarter and at midterm and final reviews. Students will produce more drawings and images and, potentially, large-scale or very detailed models. For each comprehensive studio, students can expect to spend between $300-750, largely depending on the scale and quality of prints for midterm and final presentations. Since these studios are taught by a variety of faculty, students will discuss specific requirements with their instructors.

Items you may need to purchase in studio:

  • Model making and digital fabrication materials ($50-150)
  • In-class printing for pin ups/underlays ($25-50 per quarter)
  • Midterm studio review pin up materials ($25-50 for hand media on presentation paper; $50-150 for digitally printed posters)
  • Final studio review pin up materials ($50-100 for hand media on presentation paper; $150-300 for digitally printed posters)
  • Printed and bound studio notebook ($50-100)

Optional Field Trips for Intermediate and Advanced Studios:

  • Your studio will likely take a field trip and the destination will vary widely. Students in 4/584 courses have traveled to Vancouver, BC in Canada, New York City, coastal communities in Oregon, and many other places. Sometimes, these fieldtrips are subsidized by grants and other funding facilitated by the studio instructor and, other times, the costs are the responsibility of each student. These field trips are always optional, but students who do not participate will be at a disadvantage in their project development. It is the studio instructor’s responsibility to identify any potential field trips associated with the studio and to help students understand the relevant costs Examples of student costs associated with recent field trips are below:
    • Eugene (local field trip): $15-30
    • Portland, Oregon (1 day): $25-100
    • Vancouver, BC (3 days): $200-300
    • Brooklyn, New York (3 days): $1,000-1,200

Technology Costs for All Studios:

Students in the departments of Architecture, Interior Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Product Design, and Art and Technology programs are required to own personal laptops. To participate effectively in the College of Design’s computer-integrated studios and majors, these students need to have unlimited access to computer-based design applications and tools while working in their studio work-spaces. See the Student Computer Purchasing Guide on the College of Design Technology Services blog for recommended specifications and departmental requirements.

Typical Technology Costs for all Architecture Students:

Hardware*:

Laptop (required): $1,000-5,000

Mouse (required): $15-50

External Monitor (highly recommended): $100-1,000

External Hard Drive backup: $100

Software:

Adobe Creative Suite: $19.95/month

Rhino 8 Education version (digital modeling): $195 one time fee

Enscape (rendering software): $8-10 per month

REVIT (BIM digital modeling): Free to students

Lumion (rendering software): Free to students

* See the College of Design Student Computer Purchasing Guide which includes the most up-to-date information about Hardware and Software requirements.