One of the most important cities in Latin America, Buenos Aires' complexity and active cultural, social, and artistic life make it an ideal site choice for this program, established in 2001. Students have the opportunity to address cultural and social conditions often ignored by countries in the Northern Hemisphere.
A key part of the curriculum is the Buenos Aires studio, which focuses on projects in the city. There is an emphasis on in-fill cases instead of freestanding buildings, as well as on concrete technology. In addition, students take classes in Building Systems and History, which focus on specific topics pertinent to Latin and South America, and to Argentina in particular.
Field trips to various parts of the city and neighboring towns, as well as to Uruguay and Brazil, supplement the core curriculum. These trips expose students to a rich portfolio of buildings, parks, and architects that have shaped the identity of architecture in South America, and offer excellent occasions to instruct students in the task of sketching as a useful instrument for architectural learning.
The Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design has an agreement with the Sociedad Central de Arquitectos (SCA) (an institution similar to the American Institute of Architects) to use a facility in downtown Buenos Aires as the home base for this program. Instructors are practicing architects who also teach.