Module overview
This module builds upon the design modules within Parts 1 and 2 and places specific focus on the process of designing structures where the solutions and elements are fully integrated. It emphasises the relationship between context, user requirements, structure, material and space. Each year, a design brief is set that provides the opportunity to pursue, investigate and experiment with individual design methodologies and processes within a real world context.
Students are expected to use the knowledge gained in previous years and develop designs in a manner that balances form, function and technical considerations. This module seeks to operate in similar manner to a professional design office, with rigorous and self-motivated working and communication practices.
Students will use the weekly studio sessions to progress their design work alongside their peers and will receive individual as well as group tutorials. Interim and final reports and presentations to design tutors and fellow students, and possibly external critics from industry, act as milestones for students to demonstrate the design proposal throughout its development.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Effectively communicate through written reports, oral presentations and 1-1 discussions.
- Mange your time, developing strategies for the on-time delivery of weekly outputs.
- Solve problems in a creative and innovative manner
- Adopt a successful engineering and architectural approach to the solution of problems.
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Identify key underlying design concepts and effectively communicate the distinctive design characteristics of your project.
- Choose modes of representation that are appropriate to your design work.
- Resolve a project to a suitable level of clarity and technical understanding, with clear synthesis between the building function, structure, materials, environment and the user experience.
- Develop an initial idea into the final proposal.
- Successfully locate a project on a site and develop a design to a point where it is represented at 1:100 or 1:50 scale in plan, section and elevation
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Use drawings and models to communicate your work clearly and concisely.
- Use digital and manual modelling to appropriately explore your project.
- Provide and record supporting design information within an organised sketchbook or Appendix.
- Successfully locate a project on a site and develop a design to a point where it is represented at 1:100 or 1:50 in plan, section and elevation.
- Develop a design proposal that is in the realm of the possible and shows an awareness of structure, materiality, the nature of the environment, human abilities, basic human needs and the scale of the programme.
- D1. Through observation and analysis, gather appropriate data, including site data, and analyse it so that it is relevant to your project.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- The importance of site analysis through solar modelling and physical massing
- Architectural design philosophy
Syllabus
- The design processes involved in the effective realisation of a building design.
- Functional building arrangements that relate to current statutory regulation.
- The development of designs that relate to our time, their context, and a speculative/ adaptive future.
- The relationship between structure, material, light and space (the creation of forms that exceed purely functional solutions).
- Construction cost and design value.
- Physical modelling to develop and test design proposals.
- Computer modelling to develop and test design proposals.
- Graphical representation and drawing convention to effectively communicate design considerations and proposals at each stage of the design process.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Learning and teaching methods
This module is delivered through a combination of
- Individual and group tutorials for the discussion of design concepts and the resolution of detailed design
- Seminars / presentations by specialists on aspects such as energy in buildings, transport, economics, climate change, resilience and sustainability
- Presentations by students for review and discussion of design proposals with the lecturing staff and tutors
- One or more field trips / site visits to gain a direct understanding of the proposed project site and / or other relevant context or precedents
The module aims to reflect the working environment and processes of a professional design office. Timetabled / contact time is 3 or 4 hours a week, with the week-by-week activities (group or individual tutorials, site visits, presentations by students and expert seminars) scheduled to suit the requirements of milestone reports and presentations relating to
- Strategic Brief (RIBA Stages 0-1); First 6 weeks of Semester 1
- Concept Design (RIBA Stage 1); Second 6 weeks of Semester 1
- Scheme Design (RIBA Stage 2); First 6 weeks of semester 2
- Detail Design (RIBA Stage 3); Second 6 weeks of Semester 2
Ad-hoc tutorials in addition to those listed above may be available to suit the progression of individual projects. Tutorials supporting key structural engineering aspects will be linked to overall design progression and offered in addition to those listed above.
Student-led learning
Students are encouraged to take greater control of their own learning experience by
- Managing their time so as to meet the structured milestones and report / presentation deadlines, interacting with Tutors along the way so as to maximise the benefit of the opportunities offered
- Undertaking group and individual research
- Close Integration with other Year 3 and 4 students
- Attending intermediate and final presentations of project work by other year groups.
- Recording and reflecting on the development of their work.
Study Time
TypeHours
Completion of assessment taskMinimum 381 hours
FieldworkApproximately 3-9 hrs
Expert seminarsApproximately 9-12 hours
Tutorials and student presentationsUp to 57 hours
Total study time450 hrs
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 12 |
| Completion of assessment task | 378 |
| Fieldwork | 9 |
| Tutorial | 51 |
| Total study time | 450 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Software requirements. We prefer you to use SketchUp as the basis of digital 3D modelling and AutoCAD for 2D drawings as this are useful tools widely used in practice and reasonably easy to learn. Students will be provided a SketchUp Pro licence and will have educational access to AutoCAD for home use. Data books and software manuals are available, together with online tutorials.
Software requirements. Structural simulation software, such as LUSAS. Data books, software manuals and online tutorials are also available.
Software requirements. Adobe Creative Suite - available via the Design Studio machines, together with data books, software manuals and online tutorials.
Teaching space, layout and equipment required.. The Architecture Design Studio (Bldg 25), where tutorials are held has computing facilities and a range of materials for model making, as does the Design Studio Workshop (Bldg 23) where inductions are offered on the use of model-making tools such as the laser cutter.
Other resource. Specific texts and references will be recommended according to the design brief set each year and a student’s area of interest and investigation. Students are expected to draw upon knowledge gained throughout the programme and draw on the resources holistically including those listed within the Part 1, 2 and 3 design, structures and geotechnical related modules.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
Assessments
________________________________________
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
MethodContribution (%)OutcomeGroup Work
Continuous Assessment100 %B1, B2, B3, B4, D1, D2, D3, D4 , D5No
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
MethodContribution (%)OutcomeGroup Work
Set Task100 %No
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Repeat Year
Internal
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Continuous Assessment | 100% |
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 Information
Repeat type: Internal