11128 Communications 1

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Architecture
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject is designed to equip architecture and landscape architecture students with a range of digital and analog tools for the communication of ideas. The subject focuses both on the improvement of students' technical skills and their capacity to think critically through a series of iterative exercises. There are three major components: lectures, digital labs, and studio sessions.

Students are expected to explore a range of techniques including:

digital CAD drawing – the fundamentals of orthographic 2D drawing and 3D drawing, technical drawing conventions.
digital and analog collage.
hand-sketching as an analytical and exploration tool.
multimedia communication strategies orchestrating different types of representation techniques. The exercises assist students in constructing a cohesive set of documents for the communication of architectural/landscape architectural thinking.
verbal presentation – clearly communicate to a range of audiences.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1.	Demonstrate fundamental skills for digital drawing as a tool for Architecture/Landscape representation.
2.	Demonstrate fundamental skills for hand drawing as a tool for representation and exploration.
3.	Create and present verbally and visually a Communication Strategy as a cohesive set of documents.
4.	Demonstrate an ability to position the work within broader disciplinary contexts.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

Formulate an ethical position and develop approaches to advocate for equitable and just landscapes that deliver positive impacts. (C.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Teaching and learning strategies

The subject is delivered in Lectures, Studio Sessions, and Digital Labs.

Digital Labs will cover the basics of CAD digital drawing (definition of line weights, line types, printing…). These tools are implemented during the Studio Sessions, through a series of iterative exercises.

Students are given hand-outs that set the requirements for each assessment, the subsequent classes offer opportunities for feedback prior to student submission.

Weekly sessions include lectures, exhibitions, and workshops.

Regular one-hour illustrated lectures introduce theoretical concepts and present examples that are pertinent to the themes and activities of the subject. The attendance to the lectures is mandatory.

Studio sessions are structured as guided working sessions. These working sessions include participatory group discussion, using individual work as a means for group learning through discussion and critique. Students are expected to attend all lectures, studio sessions, and to follow the suggested progress patterns for each assessment task.

Recommended readings and graphic references will be provided online.

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
UTS staff believe that collaborative peer learning enhances learning. You are encouraged to work in clusters throughout the teaching session. To facilitate this, assessments include group work and individual expectations. Students will form groups to develop the final assessment tasks.

ONLINE COURSEWORK
There is a range of online resources to support the learning objectives of this subject, which include: multimedia documentation, essential and recommended readings, videos, information about the precedents.

FEEDBACK

1. Assessment 1 and 2 will be graded in ReView. ReView will be used as formative feedback of your submissions in relation to the criteria set. Students will also receive preliminary verbal feedback during presentations and ongoing feedback during studio time.
2. The subject is designed around the progressive development of the final documents In this sense, every weekly session helps students to progressively improve their work. Students are expected to actively participate in the group discussions, to present a draft version of their work, and to develop the week-by-week tasks in order to receive feedback during the tutorials.

Content (topics)

Topics include:

digital CAD drawing
digital and analog collage
hand-sketching
verbal presentations

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Fundamentals of spatial representation

Intent:

Introduction to fundamental spatial representation and communication techniques.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1 and 2

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

.1, .1, .1 and .2

Type:

Design/drawing/plan/sketch

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

40%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Ability to incorporate accurate spatial information from different sources and types of documents into Architecture/Landscape orthographic representation.	10	1	.1
Ability to execute precise and accurate digital orthographic drawings following general disciplinary conventions setting a meaningful hierarchy of layers, line weights, line types, hatches and notations.	40	1	.2
Ability to construct digital drawings, setting a meaningful hierarchy of layers, line weights, line types, hatches and notations.	20	1	.1
Ability to strategically lay out different types of information and documents as a cohesive communication ensemble.	10	1	.1
Evidence of ongoing investigative sketches, that engage with the topics of discussion.	20	2	.1

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Communications Strategy

Intent:

Develop your ability to apply fundamental spatial representation and communication techniques.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 4

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

.1, .2, .2 and C.1

Type:

Design/drawing/plan/sketch

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

60%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Ability to execute precise and accurate digital drawings following general Architecture/Landscape disciplinary conventions	40	1	.1
Ability to critically engage with temporal and spatial representational techniques and to demonstrate their relevance to the topic of study.	25	4	C.1
Ability to generate a cohesive presentation across a range of media and communication techniques.	25	3	.2
Evidence of ongoing investigative sketches, that engage with the topics of discussion.	10	2	.2

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.
Pursuant to “UTS Rule 3.8.2”, students who do not satisfy the attendance requirements may be refused permission by the Responsible Academic Officer to be considered for assessment for this subject.

The course is designed as a continuous, intense and participatory exercise. Assessment components function as an additive process in which it is expected that students work in the progressive improvement of the different deliverables. Students must print/present the work in progress to receive feedback during the tutorials.

Students must be aware of UTS University rules:
https://www.uts.edu.au/about/uts-governance/rules/uts-student-rules

Other resources

UTS DESIGN INDEX: online software support:
http://www.utsdesignindex.com

Other online resources:

Ching’s Architectural Graphics [Library Portal]:
http://find.lib.uts.edu.au/?R=OPAC_b2919061

Workshop and spaces booking:
http://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/dab/information-current-students/book-dab-workshop-space-or-studio/spaces

Lynda.com [Library Portal]:
http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/databases/search_databases.py?search=lynda.com

Online Film resources:
www.kanopy.com (UTS login)