Course syllabus for New urban landscapes

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

Overview

  • Swedish nameNya stadslandskap
  • CodeACE495
  • Credits15 Credits
  • OwnerMPARC
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyArchitecture
  • ThemeArchitectural design project 15 c
  • DepartmentARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 05119
  • Maximum participants15
  • Minimum participants8
  • Open for exchange studentsNo
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0123 Project 15 c
Grading: TH		0 c15 c0 c0 c0 c0 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.

Course specific prerequisites

At least 30 c, including at least one design studio, in the master’s programme Architecture and urban design (MPARC), or the equivalent.

Aim

The Aim of the course is to develop the student's ability to intervene in complex urban environments using design as an integration tool and in pursuit of sustainable urban models.
The urban space is a result of countless overlapping layers of different character, all of them with implications in terms of social, cultural, environmental, and economical parameters. That situation has important consequences in the Urban physical environment, both in the fields of Architecture, Urban Landscape and infrastructure Landscape. To understand and address such a complexity in the course the student will work with a transverse approach through different scales and complementary disciplines.

New urban landscapes focus on urban river contexts to develop proposals that interpret and solve the diversity of conflicts typically present in these areas, departing from contextual analysis and leading to spatial proposals to create architectural solutions that establish new types of relationship between urbanization and nature.

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

Knowledge and understanding
  • Demonstrate theoretical and critical understanding of models and references of urban design based on transverse approach in terms of complementary disciplines, as well as insights into current architectural practice and research.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the different layers connected to river areas, the conflicts related to the coexistence between urbanization and environmental qualities for these types of contexts and the diversity of scales related to them.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of environmental adaptation and sustainable development in the built environment and refer to relevant research findings in the field of architecture / landscape architecture / urban design from a sustainable perspective.
Competence and skills
  • Design, develop and preserve the built environment from a holistic perspective, dealing with complex contexts and regarding existing values and demands from different user’s perspectives and in relation to sustainable development
  • Fulfil qualified projects within urban design; independently, creative, and critically with adequate methods and syntheses.
  • Be able to describe and assess the qualities of design and built environment and clearly motivate different proposals with reference to scientific and experience-based knowledge and value-based arguments.
  • Describe and analyze urban systems by applying software for mapping and modelling from developing strategies to detail design.
  • Use an iterative and speculative method to design a project by Systematically apply knowledge and understanding of physical, technical and process principles in design.
  • Demonstrate the capacity for teamwork and collaboration with various constellations
  • Dialogue and communicate with different stakeholders and colleagues using the entire repertoire of architectural media and methods, to present the reasoning and work conclusions and so to generate knowledge about architectural design and hereby contribute to the development of the profession.
Judgement and approach
  • Use critical thinking to assess and constructively evaluate projects, informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical aspects, and to integrate the needs of all people as a fundament for proposals of long-term and high aesthetic quality.
  • Be able to interpret, question and develop given prerequisites based on achieved knowledge and experience and create unexpected or not demanded values in proposals.
  • Be able to show intention, commitment, and ability to identify needs for further knowledge and undertake on-going development of the student’s skills.

Content


The course focuses on river environments, with the intention to develop proposals that interpret and solve the diversity of conflicts typically present in these areas. Along river structures, across Urban areas, we find many different layers in an unbalanced coexistence. Most of industrial cities have converted along history former natural landscapes into urban structures related to infrastructure and logistics. In relation to this phenomena, the course uses river contexts to learn about that unbalance situation and to propose new scenarios of Urban reconnection related to green and blue infrastructure that can propose and effective coexistence between urban and environmental qualities.

The course promotes an experimental and creative research-by-design approach, based on a strong knowledge of facts and contexts. The learning process holds on all the working stages of space design, from preliminary analysis, an understanding of the site from specific and relevant parameters, that are mapped and articulated in intentional cartographies which are transformed in spatial structures through modeling. An iterative process resulting in spatial strategies and finally in design of alternative Urban Landscapes.

Organisation

The course is organized in two phases. Both combine group and individual work and are developed through a series of assignments, together with lectures, visits, seminars, and workshops. All activities are intended to support the design process.

The first phase focuses on contextual analysis, both quantitative and qualitative regarding different layers connected to river areas, the conflicts related to the coexistence between urbanization and environmental qualities for these types of contexts putting special emphasis in the understanding of water management, how to model water flow and the diversity of scales related to it.

In the second phase, students develop proposals for green urban corridors, related to river structures and from the perspective of hybrid architecture, working on the integration of landscape, building and infrastructure elements.
The design process is assessed and monitored throughout the course, based on weekly supervision sessions, as well as partial reviews linked to seminars and workshops. The course also fosters the student's analytical and critical capacity through peer review sessions. The course concludes with final presentations and exhibition.

Literature

A list of literature will be provided in the course description and will be available before the beginning of the course.

Examination including compulsory elements

The course examination form is based on continuous assessment through different course components. To pass the course is required active participation in scheduled activities and group work. It is expected presence in a minimum of 80% of all scheduled activities, including lectures, visits, seminars, supervision, pinups, and presentations. Some absence can be accepted if there are legitimate reasons, and they are communicated in advance, to compensate, supplementary assignments may be handed in.

The review of the submitted final project work weighs heavily in the collective assessment that forms the basis of the examination. Supplementations will be asked when the students’ work does not fulfil the course objectives and presentation requirements)

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.