KU Aviation & Transit

ARCH 801 – Professional Internship (6 Credits) | Fall Semester 

Students complete a supervised internship with a nationally recognized architecture or multidisciplinary design firm specializing in aviation, transportation, or related practice areas. The internship provides firsthand experience in professional practice while exposing students to the planning, design, and delivery of complex transportation projects. While complementing the internship experience, students engage in faculty-directed investigations and develop a research inquiry related to aviation and/or transit architecture and planning, connecting professional practice with broader architectural, technical, and theoretical concepts explored throughout the pathway.  

Prerequisite: ARCH 609 with a grade of C- or higher and acceptance into the Aviation & Transit professional pathway option. 

ARCH 802 – Capstone Design Studio (6 Credits) | Spring Semester 

Building upon the internship experience, students complete an advanced capstone design studio focused on aviation and transit facility design, including airport terminals, corporate aviation facilities, multimodal transit hubs, and other transportation environments. The studio emphasizes research, site analysis, master planning, programming, concept development, building technology, technical resolution, and design synthesis while addressing environmental performance and contemporary challenges in mobility infrastructure. The course builds on the real-world experience gained during the ARCH 801 internship and culminates in a comprehensive transportation design proposal. 

Prerequisite: ARCH 801 with a grade of C or higher. 

ARCH 739 – Aviation & Transit Planning and Design (3 Credits) | Spring Semester 

This seminar examines the planning, design, and operation of aviation and transportation facilities across multiple scales. Through case studies, lectures, applied research, and engagement with industry professionals, students explore airport planning, terminal design, multimodal transportation systems, passenger experience, sustainability, resilience, and emerging mobility technologies that are shaping the future of transportation architecture. The course is designed primarily for fifth-year architecture students pursuing the Aviation & Transit Design Professional Pathway, while also welcoming fourth-year architecture students and students in design, engineering, construction management, and related disciplines. 

Prerequisite: none 

Dr. Jae D. Chang is Professor of Architecture and Associate Dean for Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Design. His teaching and research specialize in sustainable building systems, environmental comfort, and energy performance. Within the Aviation & Transit Design Professional Pathway, his expertise supports the integration of occupant health and comfort, energy efficiency, and environmental performance in the design of aviation and transit facilities. 

Amy Van de Riet, AIA, is a licensed architect in Kansas and Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Design. Her teaching includes integrated design studios focused on aviation facility design and supported by industry partnerships, bridging academic inquiry with professional practice while exposing students to complex architectural, technical, and environmental considerations within transportation environments. Her research focuses on the use of emerging technologies in historic preservation, particularly for architectural documentation and replication, as well as the role of documentation in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within architectural education. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kansas and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Columbia University. 

Dr. Mohammad R. Dastmalchi is an Assistant Professor of Interior Architecture at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Design. His teaching and research focus on human-centered design, immersive technologies, spatial cognition, and the influence of built environments on user experience and behavior. Drawing on his experience teaching aviation-focused design studios in the fourth-year Interior Architecture studio, he contributes expertise in passenger experience, wayfinding, accessibility, and the design and evaluation of complex aviation and transit interiors. 

Lance Rake is Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Design and a former Fulbright Senior Scholar. With more than four decades of experience in industrial design education and practice, his work spans commercial and consumer products, aircraft and boat interiors, graphics, packaging, and exhibition design. His extensive international teaching and research experience brings a broad interdisciplinary perspective to the Aviation & Transit Design Professional Pathway. His expertise in industrial design, aircraft interiors, product development, and sustainable design contributes to the exploration of transportation interiors, passenger amenities, and the integration of products and systems within aviation and transit environments. 

Dave Starr is Professor of Practice in Industrial Design at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Design and an experienced design and innovation leader with more than 25 years of professional practice. His work spans product development, transportation, experience design, and emerging technologies, with an emphasis on translating design thinking into innovative products and user experiences. Drawing on his experience as a design consultant and research and development leader in robotics, artificial intelligence, and connected technologies, he contributes expertise in human-centered design, mobility innovation, and emerging transportation technologies to the Aviation & Transit Design Professional Pathway.