Edited by Amy Perkins & Jeremy Waterfield

Whether experienced as a courtroom, a competitive talent show, or a theatre of the absurd, critical reviews are a confrontational and memorable rite of passage in architectural education. The “crit” stages a drama where students are asked to present and defend their work in front of peers, teachers, and external experts. A close analysis of the crit uncovers radical possibilities in experimental teaching, process-driven design, and the presentation of ideas. Yet this analysis also reveals fault lines in global architectural discourse and education, its historical dissemination, and its contemporary discontents. This issue is both a critique and a celebration of this storied rite.