Module overview
This module challenges you to develop an engineering project that contributes to a long-term vision for Southampton's future. You will take your proposal from initial concept through design development to the preparation of a practical implementation plan.
Working on one of three ambitious, high-impact infrastructure concepts—an interchange bus station, a foot bridge, or a waterfront leisure hub—you will address a complex, multidisciplinary design challenge. Throughout the module, you will integrate principles of sustainability, structural engineering, and project management while balancing the needs and priorities of multiple stakeholders.
The module provides valuable experience that reflects the challenges faced by practising civil engineers. You will strengthen your design, communication, teamwork, and project planning skills while applying knowledge gained in structural analysis, soil mechanics, and engineering design. Building on the foundations established in the Liveable Cities module, it prepares you for more advanced engineering design projects and equips you with skills that are directly relevant to your future professional career.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Convert a design concept into tangible project through design calculations and drawings.
- Conceptualise a physical engineering solution that address the needs of an urban zone.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Think in a logical and critical manner and be able to defend/justify design choices.
- Manage time and learning independently.
- Acquire data from various sources to solve an engineering problem.
- Summary data and results in a technical manner.
- Present design solutions to public audience.
- Working as part of a team.
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Effectively present and communicate engineering project to the public.
- Use 3D and 2D CAD software.
- Write a technical summary related to sustainability, structural design and project management.
- Apply building and structural design codes in practical projects.
- Use carbon emission and life-cycle cost calculators.
- Use structural analysis software.
- Utilise prior knowledge from other modules, and online resources to solve engineering problems.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- Design of different components within the foundation and the superstructure according to national codes.
- Analysis and optimization of structural systems.
- Develop a basic understanding of project management, e.g., construction phases and steps while considering risk and efficiency.
- Sustainability considerations related to construction methods and materials.
- Computation of carbon emissions associated with a given design concept.
- Analysing urban needs and site constraints.
Syllabus
Part I:
Individual work, in the form of a poster and audio presentation, towards identifying city weakness related to a specified site, justifying the need for an engineering intervention, and developing a design concept for an engineering intervention that addresses this weakness (30% of module time).
Part II:
Group work towards the full design of the design concept (70% of module time).
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
This module accounts for 15 credits of your Year 2 total and runs in Semester 2 from the beginning of February to the end of May. The module is delivered through a combination of:
- Lectures covering different background topics serving towards the completion of your design project (x12 - two lectures per week - Pre-recorded on BB)
- Guest lectures by industry experts (x2 – In-person)
- Weekly 2-hour open drop-in sessions (x4 – first month)
- Weekly 20-minute group meetings with the module lead/tutors to go through the design progress and challenges (x8 – In-person)
- Lecture List
- L01Module introduction and project brief
- L02Information gathering & logistics
- L03Site investigation (Geotechnical)
- L04Structural systems and load path
- L05Construction materials
- L06Structural loading
- L07Structural design (Basics)
- L08Foundation design
- L09Risk and project management
- L10Design for sustainability and whole life costs
- L11Construction design and management Regulations
- L12Report writing and Engineering drawings
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Completion of assessment task | 42 |
| Lecture | 18 |
| Fieldwork | 3 |
| Supervised time in studio/workshop | 32 |
| Wider reading or practice | 55 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Assessment
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Group presentation | 20% |
| Individual Poster | 30% |
| Group report | 50% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Set Task | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Set Task | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal