In this seminar, key topics of high relevance for the spatial development of contemporary urban landscapes are taught. These are approached in a transdisciplinary manner and embedded in a holistic view. Based on the principles of decarbonisation, adaptation to climate change, the fostering of biodiversity and an inclusive and equitable distribution of space, spatial design is understood as a key to the spatial discourse. During the semester, students engage intensively with a selected topic and develop their own design approach based on theoretical texts and case studies from practice.

Seminar with input lectures and active participation of the students in group discussions, assignments etc.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance and continuous assessment.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: final submission (80%) and oral presentation (20%).

This optional module, allows for various kinds of research studies in collaboration with planned or ongoing research projects. It is closely linked to the five units of the School of Architecture and is undertaken individually or in small teams of students. Supervision consists of guiding students towards clear results in a particular area of research. The research project is reviewed before a panel of experts from the supervising research unit.

Sustainable Design Unit:
Research in Sustainable Architecture - Focus on Sustainability.
What is sustainable and what is not?
This elective module invites participants to engage in an in-depth examination of sustainable building practices within the Alpine Rhine Valley. In alignment with ongoing research initiatives at the LSA, the module is dedicated to the development of a comprehensive catalogue of themes pertinent to sustainable construction. Through a rigorous comparative analysis of building certifications and broader sustainability frameworks, participants will investigate how these themes can inform and advance sustainable architectural practices in the region. This module offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the academic discourse on sustainability and shape the future of building practices. Participants in this module will play a pivotal role in synthesizing an extensive overview of contemporary sustainability topics and translating these insights into a structured matrix for all relevant stakeholders in architecture and the construction industry. Beyond the analysis and research of these topics, the primary tasks will involve the integration of findings into the overarching matrix. This project is tailored for students with interests spanning technical and economic dimensions, as well as ethical and philosophical considerations. At the outset of the project, the scope of each participant's work will be customized according to their knowledge base and areas of interest during the initial meeting session.
Don't miss the chance to shape the future of sustainable building.

Research or design studies defined by research units and under the guidance of mentors, usually closely related to current research projects, developed individually or in groups. The offers of the research semester vary each semester depending on the units and are coordinated with the academic director of the Master's degree programme.

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, continuous assessment and regular meetings with instructors.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following com-ponents: final submission (80%) and oral presentation (20%).

Individual appointments will be set with the tutor; group projects are also possible, as well as group work with individual submissions;

Start, final submission and presentation can be individually
defined with the respective tutors.

Registration via the intranet of the University of Liechtenstein is not binding and is only valid in combination with the written consent of the respective unit. This applies to all Individual Electives in the Master's degree programme in Architecture.

The sustainable operation within a complex architectural or urban environment is critically analysed and applied. The Bachelor’s Thesis students take part in one of the Advanced Studios within the Bachelor´s degree programme. The thesis includes a developed hypothesis which is verified (or falsified) within the context of a design project.

Guided project work in the design studio. A seminar week focussing on the studio topic is an integral part of the design studio.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Successful completion of all four foundation studios and one Advanced Studio within the Bachelor's degree programme.

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, continuous assessment, midterm and final reviews.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: design project (60%), final presentation (20%) and thesis book (20%).

The Bachelor's Thesis comprises the design and production of the Bachelor's thesis book, in which the entire research and design process of the design project is documented. The formal aspects of the Bachelor's Thesis are described in the Bachelor's Thesis regulations. The thesis book can be written in German or English.

This optional module allows for various kinds of research studies. It is closely connected to the five units of the Liechtenstein School of Architecture and is usually part of ongoing research projects. The supervision consists of directing the students towards clear results within a given field of research. The individual study is reviewed within the respective unit.

Built Heritage & Upcycling Unit:
Whenever there was a shortage of building materials in history, creativity was called for and a circular approach was often the answer. In the 16th century, the Frenchman Philibert de l'Orme invented a new construction method, known as "à petit bois", in which large roof surfaces were built from small pieces of wood. Instead of comprehensive designs, his architectural work was characterized by adapting, integrating and building on. We examine de l'Orme's circular approaches using the example of the roof truss of the Caserne Rochambeau in Mont-Dauphin (F). Could this method be one of the earliest concepts for planned circular building solutions?

Self-defined design or research studies, developed individually or in groups agreed upon with research units and under the guidance of mentors. The size of the module is determined by the respective unit.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, regular meetings with instructors, continuous assessment, portfolio and final review.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: final submission (80%) and oral presentation (20%).

Individual appointments will be set with the tutor.

Group projects are also possible, as well as group work with individual submissions.

Das Modul führt in Forschungsmethoden für die Entwurfspraxis ein. In einem ersten Schritt wird ein Überblick der relevanten Forschungsprozesse erarbeitet und kartiert. Im Folgenden fokussiert das Seminar auf Methoden der Literaturrecherche, der Potentiale sozialwissenschaftlicher Forschungsmethoden für den Entwurf sowie den Umgang mit Quellen und Bildrechten bei der Darstellung von Forschungs- und Entwurfsarbeiten. Schliesslich reflektieren die Studierenden die Methoden im Kontext der Projektstudios.

In Form von Vortrag, Projektarbeiten, Übungen, Recherche, Visualisierung, Peerfeedback, Diagrammen, Grafiken, Skizzen, Zeichnungen und Plänen.

Modulnote = Lehrveranstaltungsnote, die ermittelt wird aus:
Fachprojekt, Übungen, Mitarbeit im Unterricht; 70% Anwesenheitspflicht, prüfungsimmanent

This module, optionally to be undertaken in the third semester, serves as a basis for an individual Master’s Thesis, if successfully completed with a minimum grade of 5.0. The sustainable operation within a self-chosen area is critically analysed and applied. It contains a research question, an in-depth theoretical investigation as well as a conceptual outline for a Theoretical Report and a Technical Report. In the Preliminary Study the supervision consists of directing the preparation of the thesis proposal and the research design as well as the development of the student’s clear conceptual position. The Preliminary Study needs to be completed at the University of Liechtenstein and is reviewed before a panel of experts of the related research unit.

The Preliminary Study, optionally to be undertaken in the third semester, serves as a basis for an individual Master’s Thesis. It contains a research question and a theoretical investigation that serve as a conceptual outline for the Theoretical and Technical Report of the aspired Master’s Thesis. Site, programme and user profile for a design proposal are evaluated and proposed.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, continuous assessment and regular meetings with instructors.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: final submission (80%) and oral presentation (20%).

This optional module allows for various kinds of research studies. It is closely connected to the five units of the Liechtenstein School of Architecture and is usually part of ongoing research projects. The supervision consists of directing the students towards clear results within a given field of research. The individual study is reviewed within the respective unit.

Built Heritage & Upcycling Unit:
Whenever there was a shortage of building materials in history, creativity was called for and a circular approach was often the answer. In the 16th century, the Frenchman Philibert de l'Orme invented a new construction method, known as "à petit bois", in which large roof surfaces were built from small pieces of wood. Instead of comprehensive designs, his architectural work was characterized by adapting, integrating and building on. We examine de l'Orme's circular approaches using the example of the roof truss of the Caserne Rochambeau in Mont-Dauphin (F). Could this method be one of the earliest concepts for planned circular building solutions?

Self-defined design or research studies, developed individually or in groups agreed upon with research units and under the guidance of mentors. The size of the module is determined by the respective unit.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, regular meetings with instructors, continuous assessment, portfolio and final review.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: final submission (80%) and oral presentation (20%).

Individual appointments will be set with the tutor.

Group projects are also possible, as well as group work with individual submissions.

This optional module allows for various kinds of research studies. It is closely connected to the five units of the Liechtenstein School of Architecture and is usually part of ongoing research projects. The supervision consists of directing the students towards clear results within a given field of research. The individual study is reviewed within the respective unit.

Craft & Structure Unit:
Clay is traditionally known as an materia prima for brick manufacturing especially in the Netherlands, Belgium and the Region around Liechtenstein but has an even longer history in local uses in all the partner countries, where different techniques like rammed earth, pisé or adobe bricks were widely used next to other local building traditions like wood constructions. It is the focus of this research module to unveil these local traditions, to collect knowledge about the former uses and to transfer experiences into current building processes.
Clay construction is originally one of the most sustainable building systems which has been neglected since the last century and has lost its role dramatically due to the focus on industrial building processes. Since the recent changes in perspective on the building sector, the interest has grown on the different types of use of clay in Europe. Clay is widely available and can be locally processed almost everywhere. In this research, we will explore the broad varieties of the traditional use of clay in the Bodensee Rheintal Vorarlberg region: clay infills in timber frame constructions, hybrid wattle and daub systems consisting of interwoven sticks or reeds, with a covering of mud or clay similar to Bahareque and other techniques, that were widely used and often rendered, and were more typical than rammed earth walls.
The Independent Study module is part of the Erasmus+ project "Crafting Clay - Exploring circularity with local earth" that aims to develop a wide interest in the use of clay on various levels of teaching and researching. In interlinking the knowledge of the different Universities, of local experts as well as regional manufacturers on an international level, a broad range of unexpected outcomes are expected, and new results of hybrid construction techniques and possible uses will be produced.

Self-defined design or research studies, developed individually or in groups agreed upon with research units and under the guidance of mentors. The size of the module is determined by the respective unit.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, regular meetings with instructors, continuous assessment, portfolio and final review.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: final submission (80%) and oral presentation (20%).

Individual appointments will be set with the tutor.

• This course builds on what you have learnt in Innovative Finance: Data Science and Machine Learning 1.
• Based on a large real-world dataset, we will host our own Kaggle competition, where groups of students will compete against each other in a machine learning contest using financial data.
• The challenge will be different each time, so we might forecast stock returns, classify stocks according to how green they are based on tweets and facebook posts or dynamically put together portfolios of cryptocurrencies that are expected to outperform in subsequent periods.
• The course is structured as a lab, where we tackle all real-world issues related to the current challenge together, but will also run small competitions to get the most out of our data.
• Grading will NOT be based on placement in the contest but focus on contribution to the final output and team work.

• Lectures are interactive “labs” devoted to hands-on programming.
• Moodle is used throughout the course to disseminate course material and for information and discussion.

After successful completion of the course:

• Students understand the practical problems when applying statistical methods to real world financial data.
• Students are familiar with the necessary tools to tackle real-world problems based on large (and possibly unstructured) datasets.
• Students can apply the relevant methods to solve real-world problems with the tools available to them.
• Students are able to effectively communicate the results from their projects to a wider audience.

see lecture(s) within the module

• Introduction to International and European Tax Policy and Tax Standards
• Principles of national and international taxation of individuals
• Introduction to taxation of individuals and legal entities in selected jurisdictions: FL, AT, CH, DE
• Application of International Double Tax Treaties to individuals and legal entities
• Application of Exchange of Information and Mandatory Disclosure Obligations under EU-DAC 6
• International Tax Planning, Investment and Wealth Management Hubs: BM, BS, CH, HK, IRL, LU, SG
• Input Statements by Liechtenstein financial service providers
• Case studies: International Tax Planning of individuals and legal entities incl. MNE (Apple, Nike)

Interactive lecture

After successful completion of this module, students

• are familiar with the basic economic and legal principles in national and international taxation and can apply them;
• understand the impact of international taxation in an Integrated and Globalised world on politics, consumers and investors;
• have at their disposal comprehensive knowledge of national, international and European taxation regarding the development, investment and succession of assets and also with regard to asset investments and structures;
• understand the institutional aspects of international tax standards and the respective multinational institutions, like the BEPS-Inclusive Framework and the Global Forum on Exchange of Tax Information;
• are familiar with tax planning schemes used by multinational entities.

see lecture(s) within the module