Course syllabus for Sustainable building transformation

Course syllabus adopted 2023-02-13 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameHållbar byggnadsomvandling
  • CodeACE575
  • Credits15 Credits
  • OwnerMPDSD
  • 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 17123
  • Maximum participants24 (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 Project 15 c
Grading: TH		 15 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


Aim

The course, which is a design studio, will develop your skills as an architect to support the extended life, use, and value creation of existing built environments through design. Design proposals should contribute to the avoidance of redundancy of sites and buildings, and minimise resource extraction, waste production and surplus materials. The course will introduce a variety of strategies for the continued use of a site and its buildings that can be approached through preservation, renovation, reprogramming, adaptive reuse, transformation, and/or additions, as well as a combination of those strategies.

The course is set in a framework of current climate and energy crises as well as strives for sustainable and equal rights to resources and places for all. Design proposals should be based on and motivated by an understanding of environmental, technical, material, socio-economic, and cultural aspects. Proposals should carefully consider historical contexts, cultural heritage, and collective memories.

The course focuses on the understanding of a specific limited site and set of buildings, all while considering its relationship to local surrounding natural, urban and societal environments and political contexts.

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

Knowledge and understanding

  1. Recognise and describe various architectural approaches and strategies to work with continued use, renovation, and/or transformation of existing built environments.
  2. Identify and select methods for inventory and analysis of existing built environments with respect to material and immaterial information and values.
  3. Identify challenges and possibilities for sustainable futures for a specific site and its buildings.

Competence and skills

  1. Select and apply methods to describe and analyse a specific site and its buildings from different perspectives with respect to material and immaterial perspectives.
  2. Search for, identify and select references for institutional frameworks, scientific and grey literature, and exemplary architectural projects for the development of a concept and design proposal.
  3. Formulate a written vision and strategy for the sustainable continued use of a specific site and buildings that makes references to institutional frameworks, scientific literature, and exemplary architectural projects.
  4. Develop a vision and strategy into a design proposal that will extend the lifespan of a site and its building(s)/building components and with the ambition of reducing (unsustainable) resource use through production and use phase.
  5. Develop an architectural project that will enable the continued use of a place and its buildings and create new or sustain existing values in relation to and respect for existing material and immaterial values.
  6. Visually and orally communicate and defend the proposed concept and design.

Judgement and approach

  1. Critically reflect on challenges, and at times competing objectives and interests, for sustainable continued use or transformation of the built environment.
  2. Critically reflect upon the effect of an architectural intervention/proposal upon existing material and immaterial values.
  3. Justify and critically reflect on a proposal for vision, strategy, and design intervention, from the perspective of efficient use of recourses, the current climate and energy crises and a sustainable continued use with respect to social, cultural and historical values.
  4. Critically reflect on the role of the architect and architectural knowledge for sustainable continued use and/or transformation of existing built environments

Content

The course has it focus in architectural design (inventories, model-making, sketching, design process) which will be supported by critical-analytical analysis (literature studies, seminars, dialogues and debates), academic approaches (selection, identification and use of theoretical frameworks) and training in representation and communication (model-making, writing, drawings). The core of the course is to be trained in the process of moving the design forward through regular tutoring, hand-ins and reviews. During the course, you will use various methods that provide input for the design process; inventory, documentation, conceptualisation, analysis, model-making and representation. You will be trained in using literature to compose a vision for your design and to motivate and communicate your proposals.

Organisation

The course is full time and will take place both at the University and at a specific site. As a second cycle student you are expected to take significant responsibility for your own studies and progress. Your work will be supported by lectures, seminars, literature, workshops, study visits/journeys, tutorials, and review. The course will contain intermediate presentations and progress reviews as well as final presentations involving invited guests. In addition to in-house competencies, external expertise will be brought in for special tutorials. You are expected to work in groups with other students for inventory, analysis and development of concepts and design

Literature

A list of compulsory and reference literature will be provided at course start.

Examination including compulsory elements

The course examination includes the participation at supervision (also for text assignments), hands in and assessed quality of submissions (inter-rim and final), participation at presentations, seminars and review of assignments. Attendance and active participation are expected at supervision, lectures, seminars, presentations, review and other scheduled activities. Absence from scheduled supervision, lectures, seminars and activities as well as shorter sick leaves are to be replaced by supplementary assignments.

Grading depends on the level of the quality of the students work. Failed (F), good quality (3), high quality (4), very high quality 5.

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.