11307 Architecture Special Project
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.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): STM90375 Core subjects BAArch
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Recommended studies:
This subject is for second- and third-year undergraduate students who have preferably completed at least the two communication subjects from first year.
Description
This subject develops the tool of drawing as a powerful disciplinary device in architecture to both explore design ideas (creative thinking) as well as to express ideas to others (communication).
Through different exercises, the student develops the skill of creating narratives and the graphic tools to translate them into powerful, communicative drawings. During the process, the tool of drawing itself is explored as a medium to manage complexity and connect the world of ideas with their form.
Students gain an understanding of the narrative building process, its graphical translation, and the capability to generate graphic documents to express intentional information both accurate and suggestive, operative and seductive; skills to be applied on subsequent design studios as well as in professional architectural practice.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Demonstrate an understanding of specific, narrative oriented representation and its translation into a graphic language to be applied to the communication of their own ideas. |
|---|---|
| 2. | Demonstrate an understanding of the decisions involved in graphic representation including the choice of appropriate techniques, formats, systems and layouts to best suit the purpose of their drawings as effective communication tools. |
| 3. | Demonstrate a capacity to detect, select and express relevant physical and intangible aspects of both the reality and the world of ideas related to the discipline of architecture, and include these observations and parameters in a drawing in progress to further inform their designs. |
| 4. | Demonstrate a capacity to read and dissect examples of graphic representation from other authors and understand the relevance in their context (disciplinary and socio-cultural), their use of graphic narratives and techniques, and how this learning can be incorporated on the student’s own work. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Communicate ideas professionally and effectively through a variety of mediums: oral, written, visual, physical and digital (C.2)
- Produce inspirational responses that demonstrate the successful integration of sub-disciplinary areas of knowledge: history, theory, tectonics and/or practice (I.1)
- Respond to a comprehensive brief within the disciplinary context (P.3)
- Independently analyse, synthesise and formulate complex ideas, arguments and rationales and use initiative to explore alternatives (R.3)
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject is structured around successive narrative-based drawing exercises.
The three hours per week session is planned as guided working sessions in which much of the work is developed during class time, with opportunities of immediate feedback. Pin ups, intensive workshops and roundtables will take place involving the students into debate and group discussion, using individual work as a means for group learning through discussion and critique.
Students are expected to attend all sessions and to follow the suggested progress patterns for each exercise. Students are also encouraged to actively participate in the group discussions and activities as part of the development of their skills, engagement and critical thinking.
Content (topics)
The content of this subject includes a series of narrative based drawing exercises.
These drawings are developed as ongoing graphic projects during a few weeks, as well as short intensive exercises as part of interactive workshop during class time.
The projects, exercises, discussions and the review of historic and contemporary relevant referents are focused on the understanding of the importance of drawing as a crucial disciplinary tool for both communication and design, the choice and management of intentional graphic information, the development of the capability of building and structuring narratives, and the acquisition of necessary graphic tools for the student to be applied on their own projects and design, both in the subsequent design studios as well as in their professional life.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Hyper representing realities
| 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.): .4, C.2, I.1, P.3 and R.3 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Design/drawing/plan/sketch |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 35% |
Assessment task 2: Dissecting Architectural Contexts
| 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.): .4, C.2, I.1, P.3 and R.3 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Design/drawing/plan/sketch |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 45% |
Assessment task 3: Portfolio
| 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.): .4, C.2, I.1, P.3 and R.3 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Portfolio |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
Minimum requirements
The student is expected to attend to all the classes and participate actively in all the activities, workshops and discussions.
All the three assessments are compulsory.
Recommended texts
- Cook, Peter. Drawing : the motive force of architecture. John Wiley & Sons, 2014.
- Scheer, David R. The Death of Drawing: Architecture in the Age of Simulation. Routledge, 2014.
- Kipnis, Jeffrey. Perfect Acts of Architecture. Museum of Modern Art, New York 2001.
- Spiller, Neil. Drawing Architecture. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.
- Baraona, Ethel. From line to Hyperreality. Domus, 2012.
- Atelier Bow Wow. Made in Tokyo.
- Atelier Bow Wow. Graphic Anatomy. Tokyo : TOTO Shuppan, 2007.
- Ware, Chris. Building Stories. Pantheon Books, 2012
- Lai, Jimenez. Citizens of No Place. Princeton Architectural Press, 2012
- McGuire, Richard. Here. Penguin UK, 2014.
References
Web Site References
The following list is a set of references that will contribute to your learning and should be explored. We encourage you to explore these web sites.
archigram.westminster.ac.uk
architectural-review.tumblr.com
koozarch.com
socks-studio.com
architecture-drawings.tumblr.com
superarchitects.world
architetturaradicale.blogspot.com.au
archidose.tumblr.com
aaschool.ac.uk
beta-architecture.com
bureau-spectacular.net
pointsupreme.com
archiveofaffinities.tumblr.com
futureproofdesigns.tumblr.com
spacepopular.com
luiscallejas.com