11340 Expanded Architecture in the Urban Environment

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 and Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10004 Bachelor of Design Architecture OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10325 Bachelor of Design Architecture Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10413 Bachelor of Design Architecture Master of Architecture OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C09079 Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10271 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10423 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of Languages and Cultures OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10272 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10322 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.

Description

This elective begins from an expanded field of architecture, linking spatial practice with ecology and aesthetics (art and science), to question how a thickened ground may both intrude into and disquiet urban space. There are many ways to bring together disciplines and this elective reflects on how their readings and activities on site may start to explore a personal approach which includes more-than-human worlds. Starting with Bruno Latour’s reclassification of all spaces on earth as Critical Zones where the ‘problem’ of climate change is no longer an external issue to be solved but materially and philosophically imbricated, this elective asks which other knowledges can inform us and how might they become visible? How might new urban form emerge from the relational fabric of more-than-human worlds. Working between theory and ground, students work between the close readings of texts and drawing, testing entanglements in urban spaces.

The elective encourages students to explore personal approaches to ecological thinking.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

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

1.	Demonstrate skills in research and architectural thinking
2.	Develop an informed position relative to the project
3.	Establish a creative response to project brief through an engagement with sub-disciplinary areas of knowledge: history, theory, tectonics and or/practice
4.	Take responsibility for the production of outcomes suitable for the project to be evaluated at undergraduate level
5.	Engage in architectural discourse surrounding topic of area

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

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

Establish and develop an informed and ethical position towards social, technical and environmental issues and practices (A.1)
Recognise and appreciate local and global cultural diversities and values (A.2)
Acknowledge Indigenous, cultural and historical values within the development of the project (A.3)
Work cooperatively and professionally as part of a team (C.1)
Communicate ideas professionally and effectively through a variety of mediums: oral, written, visual, physical and digital (C.2)
Display leadership qualities throughout the production and delivery of the project (C.3)
Produce inspirational responses that demonstrate the successful integration of sub-disciplinary areas of knowledge: history, theory, tectonics and/or practice (I.1)
Creatively use architectural media, technologies and materials (I.2)
Understand and challenge disciplinary conventions through an engagement with emergent forms of architectural practice, technologies and modes of production (P.1)
Thoughtfully apply disciplinary learning in work, with a continuing commitment to personal professional development (P.2)
Respond to a comprehensive brief within the disciplinary context (P.3)
Evidence a three-dimensional understanding of spatial sequence and organisation (P.4)
Integrate an understanding of a relationship between form, materiality, structure and construction within design thinking (P.5)
Evidence disciplinary knowledge through the application of physical and/or digital mediums (P.6)
Position work within an extended and critically reasoned context through the identification, evaluation and application of relevant academic references and architectural case studies (R.1)
Define, develop and apply an appropriate design method in the execution of an architectural project (R.2)
Independently analyse, synthesise and formulate complex ideas, arguments and rationales and use initiative to explore alternatives (R.3)

Teaching and learning strategies

Forms of subject delivery and learning activities are determined in negotiation with the academic supervisor. This may include inquiry-based studio lectures and related discussion, problem identification and analysis, experiential immersion and practice-oriented sessions. The nature of the learning activities will be determined by the subject context with a view to establishing authentic and relatable links to industry practice or research. Active learning activities will test understanding using higher order skills inherent in analysis, peer and tutor critique, empathetic discussion and artefact output. Students should be aware of the expectations for preparatory work and how this links to activities undertaken in scheduled meetings. Online resources for this subject are located on UTS Online.

Students will have several opportunities to receive feedback during the subject. The feedback provided will vary in form, purpose and in its degree of formality:

Formative feedback will be provided during the learning process, typically provided verbally by the subject's teaching staff. It will address the content of work and a student's approach to learning, both in general and more specific ‘assessment orientated’ terms. It is designed to help students improve their performance in time for the submission of an assessment item. For this to occur students need to respond constructively to the feedback provided. This involves critically reflecting on advice given and in response altering the approach taken to a given assessment. Formative feedback may also, on occasion, be provided by other students. It is delivered informally, either in conversation during a tutorial or in the course of discussion at the scale of the whole class. It is the student’s responsibility to record any feedback given during meetings or studio sessions.

Summative feedback is provided in written form with all assessed work. It is published along with indicative grades online at UTS REVIEW. Summative feedback focuses on assessment outcomes. It is used to indicate how successfully a student has performed in terms of specific assessment criteria.

Content (topics)

The subject content will be arranged in consultation with the supervising academic. Each application of study should be required to outline the core learning objectives of the project, the topics and themes to be studied, provide a timetable for the semester’s work and the types of assessment suitable for the projects. Students will be required to attend at least two group meetings where they will present their findings to others enrolled in the special project.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Assessment task 1: See assessment brief for details

Intent:	Project framework: There may be one or more special projects being run under this subject number in any given semester, you will be provided with a detailed project description of the project, assessment tasks and delivery schedule by your supervising academic. The detailed project description of the project will be provided to you before the first teaching week. Learning outcomes: Each project description will define specific subject (SLOs) and course learning outcomes (CILOs) drawn from the list that appears in this outline under the heading: Subject Objectives. Assessment components: There will be 2 or 3 formal tasks that contribute to the overall assessment of the subject. No task will be worth more than 65% of the total grade. The specific details of each task will be outlined in the project description provided by the supervising academic and will issued to you before the first teaching week. Working mode: There will be no more than 30% group-assessed work.
Objective(s):	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.): A.1, A.2, A.3, C.1, C.2, C.3, I.1, I.2, P.1, P.2, P.3, P.4, P.5, P.6, R.1, R.2 and R.3
Weight:	100%
Criteria:	All assessment criteria will be defined within the detailed project description provided by the supervising academic.