Course syllabus for Design and planning for social inclusion

The course syllabus contains changes
See changes

Course syllabus adopted 2022-02-17 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameDesign och planering för social integration
  • CodeARK324
  • Credits22.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPDSD
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyArchitecture
  • ThemeArchitectural design project 22.5 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 17118
  • Maximum participants32
  • Open for exchange studentsYes
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0117 Project 9.5 c
Grading: TH		9.5 c
0217 Project 13 c
Grading: TH		 13 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

Qualification for the master programme or Civil Environmental Engineering or Human Geography with a profile in planning or Bachelor of Science in Conservation, with major in Integrated Conservation of Built Environments.

Aim

The studio will give knowledge about challenges and opportunities for development in suburban areas built in the 1960s and 70s as part of the Swedish Million Programme. Social aspects of sustainable development and citizen participation are specific focus areas.

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

The studio prepares students to work as professionals with design, planning and reconstruction of suburban areas from the modernistic planning paradigm ­ linking social aspects to e.g. environmental, spatial, technical, aesthetic and economic aspects of sustainable development. The learning objectives are here presented in five themes, which are equally valued.

1. Analysis 
Be able to describe and analyse the local context of a Swedish Million Programme area...


a) ...regarding its physical environment, including such as natural landscape, infrastructure, spatial configuration, buildings and historical development


b) ...regarding its sociocultural characteristics, including such as demographic patterns, cultural identities, living conditions, governance and social networks


c) ...taking into account the potential differences in perspectives between different groups among people living and working in the area, planners and other relevant actors

d) ...relating to important global trends and issues, such as segregation, gender inequalities, ethnic discrimination and climate change

2. Participatory tools and methods 
Be able to carry out planning and design projects in collaboration with citizens, employees and other local actors...


a) ...choosing/(re)designing appropriate participatory tools and methods


b) ...applying, examining and analysing these tools and methods as part of the project work

3. Design methodology and skills
Be able to design a proposal that aims to contribute to sustainable development in the studied area...


a) ...emphasising social and cultural aspects and the improvement of living/working conditions
b) ...taking departure in existing local conditions (both physical and sociocultural)


c) ...using knowledge and skills related to the profession of architects, planners, designers, engineers, antiquarians, etcetera

4. Presentation and communication 
Be able to communicate the work in an good way to a broad target group of local and external actors...


a) ...in an oral stage presentation


b) ...in an exhibition with posters and optionally models and other exhibition materials

5. Critical reflection 
Be able to analyse and reflect critically upon your own practice in your project work...


a) ...regarding your role in the project group


b) ...regarding your project work in relation to the local community


c) ...regarding your design proposal and such as potential conflicts between different aspects of sustainability, and between different stakeholders' interests

Content

Description of the studio

Through a series of exercises, lectures, seminars and workshops, this design studio elaborates with the challenges for built environment professionals (architects, designers, planners, engineers, antiquarians, etc.) to contribute to sustainable development in Million Programme areas, linking social and cultural aspects to e.g. environmental, technical, aesthetic, economic aspects. The assignments include different methods to analyse a wide variety of stakeholders involved, the studied area, its places, life and functions. Some of these exercises are developed in close collaboration with people living or working there. There is a specific focus on introducing and practicing different methods for citizen participation in co-creation processes, as an important dimension of working for social inclusion.

The rich programme with lectures, seminars and workshops involve practitioners and researchers with expertise in the studio's key themes, many with local connection but also international guests.

The main task is the project work, which is carried out in small groups. The studio's projects are initiated in collaboration with several local stakeholders to connect to real projects and needs and give the students possibilities to develop skills for their future professions in an integrated way and with a local and sustainable participatory impact. The studio’s facilities are located in a local context, hitherto in Hammarkullen, which provides a unique possibility for the students to get a very close relation to one area representing the studio's context.

Expected deliveries are:
a) presentation of results from a series of minor exercises;
b) posters and presentation material of different kind, including interactive models, different types of graphics (illustrations, drawings, diagrams, etc.) and various media, presenting the studio project and communicating the work process and results to different sorts of audiences;
c) a logbook from each project group collecting a selection of core project material regarding background, purpose, methods, the project process and methodology, key results within different conceptual parameters and an elaborated discussion;
d) an oral presentation and exhibition planned and organised in the study area;
e) an individual written reflection on the work in relation to the studio's themes and thoughts about the students’ future professions.

You can find previous years' material at »http://suburbsdesign.wordpress.com«.
Digital exhibitions from the last years are available here: 2020; 2021.

Organisation

This is a full­-time study course (average 40 hours a week) and it consists of lectures, seminars, study visits, workshops, exercises, literature studies, project work, presentation and critique (in the format of co-evaluation involving the project stakeholders). This is a preliminary brief overview of the curriculum, which includes:

­
  • Impressions regarding the context;
  • Introduction to theory and key concepts within socially sustainable architecture and planning;
  • Observations, analysis and understandings;


  • Reflections and collaborative engagement in subjects;
­
  • Focus and delimitation of project work;
  • 
Dialogue and participation in action;

  • Experiment, improvise, co-create (co-initiate, co-design, co-evaluate);

  • Project work in smaller groups (including collaborative-learning and group dynamics);
­
  • Joint exhibition, oral presentations, evaluation, examination;
  • Critical reflection, feedback.

The course is divided into three parts following the course’s motto “TUNE IN + IMPROVISE + PERFORM”. During the first 2-3 weeks (the TUNE IN part) you will learn about Hammarkullen, the North-eastern and Eastern districts of Gothenburg and other Million Programme areas – the main local settings for the master studio – and the people living and working there. During this period, you will also gradually develop knowledge and understanding of the course’s (theoretical and conceptual) subjects that you will approach and work with during the long project work. In one of these weeks, the Experimental Week: theory into practice, you will take active part on an important public and local cultural event, the Hammarkullen Culture Walk. Also in this period, you will start to work with your projects in smaller groups through the development of a project plan (design of a strategy and a time-plan for how you will work).

In the next period (IMPROVISE), during 2-3 weeks, the lectures and workshops given are purposely structured to intensively introduce and approach in a sequence, dialogue and participatory methods within architecture and planning, from collaborative methods of analysis of project background and circumstances to co-designing tools. In the analysis you will focus on how you, in your future profession, can work with different collaborative tools for inquiry and collection of information in order to understand and know an area. This includes knowledge of both the physical, the economical, the cultural and the social environments, as well as the understanding of the structure of stakeholders behind your project. At the same time, in your project work you will be planning and designing your participatory processes. This period has a strong focus on the moderation of dialogue processes, the collaboration with the closest stakeholders, users, and other directly interested actors for each specific project and respective problem formulation. Such processes are rarely linear and skills such as re-planning, reflection, adaptation and improvisation in combination with your creative approach to all types of encounters will help you to reach your project’s design purpose, formulations and guidelines. This period ends with a midterm feedback session about the current state of the project work.

The final part of the studio is mainly related to the collaborative design part of your project work and your chosen working processes (PERFORM). During these last 7-8 weeks, you will work with your projects designs and develop them in close contact with citizens, organisations and other stakeholders, active and involved in the areas where your projects will be implemented. You will therefore be working within different levels of co-design methods and the main focus of your work will rely on the design outcome. During the last weeks of this period you will make a public presentation of your work for citizens and other stakeholders in Hammarkullen, in the form of an interactive exhibition (your project's last co-design workshop). This is an important part of this studio, since we do not only want their feedback, but also to give something back to the community and the involved stakeholders. Finally, a collaborative evaluation of your projects will take place at Chalmers in the last week and with the involvement of the main experts, the main stakeholders for each project. Here, the projects will be discussed with the respective stakeholders, in order for you to receive feedback on the entire process, outcome and collaboration. This event includes a formal hand-over of a project package for the stakeholders to continue with the work.

Lectures, literature studies, seminar, workshops and tutorials, all aim to support your learning process, to give knowledge and create understanding about challenges and opportunities for sustainable development in Swedish Million Programme areas. In a specific assignment labelled Individual Critical Reflection, you will, with the help from literature, seminars and workshops, be given the task to develop your own critical written reflection about your learning process throughout the course, how your project proceeded and how your perspective on your professional role has developed. This paper will be briefly discussed in the last day of the course in a final seminar with the entire group.

Admission

The number of participants in the studio is limited. Students must
a) apply through ordinary procedure and
b) show up at the first day of the course.
If the number of students fulfilling these two requirements is more than the allowed number of participants, priority will be given to students from the master programme Design for Sustainable Development (Chalmers University of Technology). Students who fail to attend from the first day of the course risk difficulties in catching up. Exceptions need to be cleared with the examiner in advance. For further information about admission and registration, please contact Studentcentrum in the main library at Chalmers.

Studio Location

The course takes place mainly outside of Chalmers campus, in the study area of Hammarkullen, in the studio’s facilities at the floor 7 of Hammarkulletorget 62B (the former Centre for Urban Studies). During the project work phase, some of the groups may be working in other areas – these groups will possibly be provided with working spaces closer to their respective project sites.

Schedule

The studio starts in the end of September (during study period 1) and finishes in January (study period 2). Definite information about time and place will be available on Canvas under the title ARK324 at least one week before the studio starts. Students get access to the course material after admission and registration.

Literature

A comprehensive literature list will be available on Canvas when the studio starts

Examination including compulsory elements

To pass the course and receive a grade, you need:

  • Presence at scheduled activities is required. Some absence can be accepted if there are legitimate reasons (e.g. temporary sickness). In other cases, supplementary assignments have to be handed in in order to compensate for absence (e.g. written reviews on literature). Non-compensated absence will negatively influence the grades;
  • 
Active participation at seminars, workshops and in group work;

  • Course exercises of sufficient quality (i.e. that fulfils the course objectives and presentation requirements);

  • Delayed submission of hand-ins without any apporved motivation will negatively influence the grades;

  • Electronic course evaluations should be filled in.
Criteria for grading (3, 4 or 5) is found in the Assessment and Grading table available in the course folder on Canvas.

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.

The course syllabus contains changes

  • Changes to course rounds:
    • 2022-06-21: Examinator Examinator changed from Emilio Da Cruz Brandao (brandao) to Marco Adelfio (adelfio) by Viceprefekt
      [Course round 1]