This week on Burning Down The House, Curtis B. Wayne discusses what's behind a sports stadium, both architecturally & culturally.

This week's episode of Burning Down the House tackles the enormous price or architectural school. Host Curtis B. Wayne is joined by Katy Purviance, a dropout from Harvard's graduate school of architecture, who is building an alternative distance-learning model for architecture education called the unSchool of Architecture. Matt Arnold, an accredited architect, also joins in the discussion. Tune in to learn more about the curriculum that Katy offers at the unSchool of Architecture, her tendencies toward hands-on education, and the aspirations of her project. Other topics include the importance of teaching design and the construction of residences. Will the program become a viable alternative to the current model? And will Katy's model provide adequate education for its students to pass the Architect Registration Exam? Tune in and find out! This program has been brought to you by Whole Foods Market.

"I wanted to learn how to build, I wanted to learn what makes one space a really fantastic space to be in, and another space a really ridiculous space that has poor psychological effects. I wanted to learn about architecture with a specific response to its own micro-climate. Instead I learned a lot about different software programs." --Katy Purviance on Burning Down the House

"As time goes by, more and more people are going to be able to perform rather than be able to provide a resume." -- Matt Arnold on Burning Down the House

How does one define "good" architectural criticism? This week on Burning Down the House, Curtis B. Wayne and frequent guest Duo Dickinson are talking with Alexandra Lange, Professor of Design Criticism at the School of Visual Arts and NYU. Why is criticism so often either 'dumbed-down' or 'elitist'? Tune in to hear Curtis, Duo, and Alexandra discuss particular critiques, and what types of criticism take into account functionality and visual appearance. Later, the conversation shifts to criticism in the press, and why opinion pieces are relegated to the Internet. Is criticism of a building necessarily an endorsement of the structure? Find out on this episode of Burning Down the House! This program has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

"To write about a project is an endorsement of its importance, but not necessarily of its quality." [55:45] -- Alexandra Lange on Burning Down the House