Unit Specification
Undergraduat
e Framework
External
Validation
May
2013
-
1
-
1.
Programme Title
BA (Hons) Interior Design Environment
Architectures
BA (Hons) Architecture
2
.
Unit Title
Urban Environment: Theory, Practice and
Computation
3
.
HE Level
2
4
.
Unit Code
IDA1
3
20
6
5.
Credit Value of Unit
15
6.
Unit Type
Mandatory
7.
Unit Tutor
Greg Epps
8.
Breakdown of Notional Learning Hours
Staff
–
Student Contact
Independent Study Hours
Classes
(e.g. lectures, seminars and
supervised group activity)
20
Independent Study
(e.g. project development, reading,
research and work on
online
forums
)
46
Supervised Access to
Resources
14
Preparation for Assessment
40
Unsupervised Access to
Resources
30
Total
3
4
Total
116
9
. Total notional hours for unit
150
10
.
Unit
Introduction
The unit looks at t
he development of cities’ stru
cture, organisation and
likely future
development. Students g
ain understanding
of urb
an
-
decay,
the need for
regener
ation and renewal, a
sense
of the importance of balanced socio
-
historical
continuity in urban
redevelopment.
It builds upon and develops
prev
ious
computational skills gained
.
11. Aims of the Unit
1.
Students reflect upon the practical, historical, theoretical and ethical factors
which impact on the design of the urban environment.
The unit increases
students’ awareness of the uses of and applica
tion of computation in design.
2.
They consider the current critical issues surrounding the aesthetics of city life
(order, scale, design, architecture, literature, theatre and the ‘derive’).
The unit
increases students’ awareness of the uses of and applicat
ion of computation
in design.
3.
The unit also explores the nature of virtual cities (maps, models, utopias and
computer simulations) and their relationship to the real thing.
The basic
concepts of shape grammar in Level 1 are reinforced and elaborated upon
and students further explore the creative potential of the digital visualisation
software.
Unit Specification
Undergraduat
e Framework
External
Validation
May
2013
-
2
-
4.
The unit revolves around a study of a particular area of city, and a specific site
within that area, and looks at the relationship between interventions on this
sit
e and regeneration and renewal of the area. Students work in groups to
survey the site and analyse the area and to propose design interventions for
renewal.
In particular, the unit provides opportunities for the investigation of
cellular automata and fract
als utilising computer software.
The unit is based
around a project in which students create a mesh structure with
predetermined parameters using a variety of model forms.
12
. Indicative Content
Topics covered in this unit may include:
Urban planning in
frastructure and design;
Sustainability in communities;
The history and context of urban development;
Conservation;
User groups and the regulatory requirements of urban planning;
The rehabilitation and renewal of communities;
Technological change and its i
mpact on human interaction and the
environment;
Urban utopias and their socio
-
political impact on future projected
development;
The city as metaphor and a vehicle for polemic, as viewed through related
disciplines (film, art philosophy, psychology literatu
re and computer generated
form);
The city as state and as a provider of services;
The city as monument and a receptacle of memory;
Urban morphology;
Contemporary Nomadic lifestyles.
Web based interactive structures;
Object orientated programming and organi
sation;
Fractals and Chaos theory;
Appropriate software programs;
Abstract form;
Design by numbers;
Formation and evaluation of prototypical computer generated models.
Unit Specification
Undergraduat
e Framework
External
Validation
May
2013
-
3
-
13
. Unit Learning Outcomes
In
order to pass this unit
, students must demonstrate the f
ollowing learning outcomes
have been achieved:
Knowledge and
Understanding
Learning and teaching methods
(
A
)
Understand the history
and development of the
urban built environment;
u
nderstand
ing
the creative
potential of object orientated
programming and
its
application in the design
process;
This unit will make use of the following:
Initial briefing;
Introductory workshop and precedent
study;
Site visits;
Lectures and group seminars;
Individual tutorials;
Interim presentations;
Final presentation and cr
itique;
Exhibition.
Assessment
Practical Projects and Presentation
Formative Assessment
Initial presentation of site research incorporating
an element of social infrastructure and a specific
polemic.
Summative Assessment
The assessment will consi
st of three
components which will all be assessed as group
work with an element of peer assessment:
Presentation of conceptual design
strategy with supporting evidence;
Final presentation;
Report and demonstration.
Values and Attitudes
Learning and teac
hing methods
(
B
)
Understanding of the
inter
-
relationship between
design proposals and their
broader urban context
;
generating
virtual self
generating forms and employ
these creatively in the design
process;
This unit will make use of the following:
䥮楴i
a氠l物ef楮i;
䥮瑲tdu捴c特⁷o牫獨rpnd p牥捥den琠
獴sdy;
S楴i⁶楳i瑳t
Le捴c牥rnd牯rpem楮i牳r
䥮d楶楤ia氠瑵to物a汳l
䥮瑥物m⁰牥獥n瑡瑩tn猻
䙩na氠l牥獥n瑡瑩on and 捲c瑩tue;
Eh楢楴楯n.
Unit Specification
Undergraduat
e Framework
External
Validation
May
2013
-
4
-
Assessment
Practical Projects and Presentation
Formative A
ssessment
Initial presentation of site research incorporating
an element of social infrastructure and a specific
polemic.
Summative Assessment
The assessment will consist of three
components which will all be assessed as group
work with an element of peer
assessment:
Presentation of conceptual design
strategy with supporting evidence;
Final presentation;
Report and demonstration.
Skills (Cognitive and
Intellectual)
Learning and teaching methods
(
C
)
Propose design
interventions for a specific
site in the
context of wider
urban renewal;
making
critical judgements in the
application of computational
processes to the
development of design ideas
;
This unit will make use of the following:
䥮楴楡氠i物ef楮i;
䥮瑲tdu捴c特⁷o牫獨rpnd p牥捥den琠
獴sdy;
S楴i⁶楳it
猻
Le捴c牥rnd牯rpem楮i牳r
䥮d楶楤ia氠瑵to物a汳l
䥮瑥物m⁰牥獥n瑡瑩tn猻
䙩na氠l牥獥n瑡瑩on and 捲c瑩tue;
Eh楢楴楯n.
Assessment
Practical Projects and Presentation
Formative Assessment
Initial presentation of site research incorporating
an elem
ent of social infrastructure and a specific
polemic.
Summative Assessment
The assessment will consist of three
components which will all be assessed as group
work with an element of peer assessment:
P牥獥nta瑩tn映捯ncep瑵a氠le獩sn
獴牡瑥gy w楴i ppo牴rn
gv楤in捥;
䙩na氠l牥獥n瑡瑩on;
剥Ro牴nd demon獴牡t楯i.
Unit Specification
Undergraduat
e Framework
External
Validation
May
2013
-
5
-
Skills (Subject
Specific/Professional)
Learning and teaching methods
(
D
)
Organise a presentation
which links multiple design
interventions at different
scales;
d
eploy
ing
computer
visualisatio
n software to
represent complex 3D form
and structure effectively
;
This unit will make use of the following:
䥮楴楡氠i物ef楮i;
䥮瑲tdu捴c特⁷o牫獨rpnd p牥捥den琠
獴sdy;
S楴i⁶楳i瑳t
Le捴c牥rnd牯rpem楮i牳r
䥮d楶楤ia氠瑵to物a汳l
䥮瑥物m⁰牥獥n瑡瑩tns
;
䙩na氠l牥獥n瑡瑩on and 捲c瑩tue;
Eh楢楴楯n
.
Assessment
Practical Projects and Presentation
Formative Assessment
Initial presentation of site research incorporating
an element of social infrastructure and a specific
polemic.
Summative Assessment
T
he assessment will consist of three
components which will all be assessed as group
work with an element of peer assessment:
P牥獥nta瑩tn映捯ncep瑵a氠le獩sn
獴牡瑥gy w楴i ppo牴rngv楤in捥;
䙩na氠l牥獥n瑡瑩on;
剥Ro牴nd demon獴牡t楯i.
Unit Specification
Undergraduat
e Framework
External
Validation
May
2013
-
6
-
Skills (Transf
erable)
Learning and teaching methods
(E)
Work collaboratively in
the production of a design
proposal for a specific site in
an urban context.
This unit will make use of the following:
䥮楴楡氠i物ef楮i;
䥮瑲tdu捴c特⁷o牫獨rpnd p牥捥den琠
獴sdy;
S楴i⁶
楳i瑳t
Le捴c牥rnd牯rpem楮i牳r
䥮d楶楤ia氠瑵to物a汳l
䥮瑥物m⁰牥獥n瑡瑩tn猻
䙩na氠l牥獥n瑡瑩on and 捲c瑩tue;
Eh楢楴楯n.
Assessment
Practical Projects and Presentation
Formative Assessment
Initial presentation of site research incorporating
an
element of social infrastructure and a specific
polemic.
Summative Assessment
The assessment will consist of three
components which will all be assessed as group
work with an element of peer assessment:
P牥獥nta瑩tn映捯ncep瑵a氠le獩sn
獴牡瑥gy w楴i pp
o牴rngv楤in捥;
䙩na氠l牥獥n瑡瑩on;
剥Ro牴nd demon獴牡t楯i.
14. Assessable Elements
Assessment Component
Weighting %
within unit
Pass Mark
Notional Hours
(final
preparation)
Initial
and final
group presentation
6
0%
40%
24
Individual report
, journal
and
supporting sketchbook/ research
4
0%
40%
16
15
. Assessment Criteria
(mapped against Learning Outcomes)
Students are assessed on:
Initial
group presentation
Appropriateness of presentation and use of media for proposal and audience;
(
D
,
E
)
Knowledge
of the broader urban context and arguments germane to the site
proposal; (
A
,
B
)
Appropriateness of development model (at an appropriate scale) in relation to
the information to be conveyed. (
C
)
Unit Specification
Undergraduat
e Framework
External
Validation
May
2013
-
7
-
Final group presentation
Comprehensiveness of proposal for t
he rehabilitation and redevelopment of
site; (
A
,
C
,
E
)
Effectiveness of response to site specific contexts; (
B
)
Level of understanding of the socio
-
economic imperatives attached to the
development; (
A
)
Arguments fully and logically developed and supported
by evidence; (
D
)
Express an understanding of construction and materiality in the final model(s)
of the proposal; (
A
,
B
,
C
)
Coherence of presentation for a public audience of non specialists. (
D
,
E
)
Individual report
Level of articulation of historical, co
ntextual and theoreti
cal dimensions of the
problems.
(
C
)
Journal and supporting sketchbook/research
Evidence of appropriate research underpinning the development of design
proposals. (
A
)
Final computer presentation
The extent to which they have demonstra
ted inventiveness in the
manipulation of the form; (
B
)
The extent to which the form generated is scaleable and applicable for use in
a number of identified usable artefacts; (
A
)
The extent to which object orientated programming has been applied
appropriate
ly in the production of the computer generated model; (
D
)
The extent to which there is an understanding of the concepts and ideas in
computation as they apply to creation of objects, artefacts and environments;
(
C
)
Creative use of virtual self organising s
tructures in the design process. (
D
)
16
. Indicative Delivery Pattern
Week 1
–
Introduction to the project
Interim
–
Inductions, seminars, presentations, tutorials, lectures, workshops
In or about the mid point of the project
–
Formative Assessment
In
terim
–
Tutorials, crits, seminars, reviews
Final week
–
Summative Assessment
17
. Indicative Reading and Resources
Essential Texts
Berman, M
(1983) All That Is Solid Melts into Air: Experience of Modernity
.
Verso
Books
Unit Specification
Undergraduat
e Framework
External
Validation
May
2013
-
8
-
Le Gates, R.
&
Stout, F. (1996)
T
he city reader
.
Routledge.
Jacobs, J.
(1992)
The death and life of Great American cities
.
Vintage
Nesbitt, K
.
(1996) Theorizing a new agenda for architecture: an anthology of
architectural theory 1965
-
1995
.
Princeton Architectural Press
Powell, K. (2004)
T
he city reborn
.
Merrell
Publishers Ltd
Reed, P (2005) Groundswell: construct
ing the contemporary landscape. The
Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Recommended Readings
Amoroso, N
.
(2012) Digital Landscape Architecture Now
. Thames & Hudson
Bacon
,
E
.N
. (197
8
)
The Design of Cities
.
2
nd
Edition
.
Thames and Hudson.
Frampton, K. (2006)
Modern Architecture: A critical history
, Penguin.
Koolhaas, R. (1997)
Delirious New York
:
A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan
.
Monacelli.
Morris, A. E. J. (199
4
)
History of Urban
Form: Before the Industrial Revolution
.
3
rd
Edition. Longman
.
Zimmermann, A. (2011) Constructing Landscapes: Matreials, Techniques, Structural
Components. 2
nd
Edition. Birkhauser GmbH
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