Course syllabus for Colour and light in spatial contexts

Course syllabus adopted 2024-02-02 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameFärg och ljus i rumsliga sammanhang
  • CodeACE355
  • Credits5 Credits
  • OwnerMPARC
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyArchitecture
  • DepartmentARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 05132
  • Maximum participants36 (at least 10% of the seats are reserved for exchange students)
  • Minimum participants8
  • Open for exchange studentsYes
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0123 Written and oral assignments 5 c
Grading: TH		 5 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Aim

The aim of the course is to develop the students’ knowledge about colour and light phenomena and concepts, thereby giving tools for design strategies in architecture and planning. The course will further train the student’s ability to use academic texts (scientific/scholarly) as a basis for formulating a research question, an individual position, and a line of argument. It will also train the student in analysing arguments laid out in other texts, and appropriately use citation, references, and bibliography.
The course is primarily based in architectural colour- and light research. However, the colour and light field is multi-disciplinary, and to get a deeper understanding the course will make explorations through different research disciplines.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

Knowledge and understanding
  • Demonstrate an understanding of colour and light theory in the area of architecture and urban planning
  • Reflect on how knowledge developed within the broad research field of colour and light may have practical implications on design strategies.
  • Demonstrate knowledge on how the use of colour and light in architecture and planning can influence sustainable development of the built environment.
Competence and skills
  • Describe and assess the qualities of design and built environment with reference to scientific and experience-based knowledge and value-based arguments.
  • Show an ability to understand and analyse arguments laid out in theoretical texts, and can use theoretical texts as basis for formulating a position or query.
  • Appropriately use citation, references and bibliography.
Formulation of judgements and attitudes
  • Promote the value of research in the field of color and light and its applications in architecture and urban planning.
  • Critically relate their own writing and arguments in the course to larger issues or questions in architecture and urban design.
  • Identify own needs for further development of skills and knowledge within the area of colour and light in architecture and urban planning.

Content

  • The multi disciplinary research on colour and light
  • Phenomena and concepts
  • Daylight and artificial light planning for sustainable development
  • Colour appearance, spatial experience and psychological effects
  • Design strategies in architecture and urban planning related to colour and light
  • How to write an academic paper

Organisation

The course is structured in sessions including short lectures, literature seminars, and practical workshops/fieled studies.

The course includes paper production workshops in groups and individual paper writing time. Each student will write and submit a short paper using some of the texts we deal with in the seminar or other texts that will be recommended.

The course also includes supervision (primarily in small groups).

The course ends with a final paper seminar.

Literature

Compulsory texts
Karin Fridell Anter & Ulf Klarén (Editors), 2017, Colour and Light: Spatial Experience, New York Routledge, 2017. You need to have access to this book through the whole period. Cremona sells the book.

The Swedish version of the book "Färg och Ljus" from 2014, can be used in the course.
There will be compulsory texts for the literature seminars, however the list differs between student groups depending on choice of themes. These lists will be provided in the course description.

Additional proposed literature
References to additional literature will be added to the additional literature folder under files in Canvas.

Examination including compulsory elements

Students are required to participate actively in a minimum of 80% of the seminars and lectures. The course examination is based on active participation in lectures and seminars, and the submission of an academic text of minimum 2000 words and max 3000 words, complete with references and a bibliography. Each student paper is reviewed and graded after submission at the end of the semester. The “HISS critera” are used as basis for the grading of the paper.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.