17917 Urban Design Studio 2: Place-making

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UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: School of the Built Environment
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 17904 Urban Design Fundamentals
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

Urban Design Studio 2 focuses on developing students’ drawing, analytical and design skills by focusing on place-making. This subject provides an introduction to pedestrian-scale design by concentrating in understanding the relevance of context and place. Place-making comprises three main components: the physical realm (created by built and open spaces), the activities that happen in that place, and the meanings people associate with that place. Considering a case study and site provided by the lecturer, students apply their analytical and drawing skills to understand and communicate: the proportions and spatial relationships between the built and the open space; the relationship of the space and its context from a morphological perspective; the existing elements of the space (including any heritage items), and how the space is currently being used. Based on the prior analysis, students are required to develop an urban design proposal for the given site that capitalises and enhances on the strengths of the place, and overcome the challenges it poses.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

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

1.	Communicate urban design analysis and ideas effectively verbally, in writing and using a variety of visual media
2.	Apply a diverse set of approaches to identify people's relationships to places
3.	Analyse and explain the characteristics and context in which a particular place evolved
4.	Collaborate with peers in identifying the factors underpinning the challenges and opportunities facing particular places
5.	Develop urban design recommendations based on a clear rationale

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

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

Communicate with people with a wide variety of cultural, social, economic, and political perspectives and interests using verbal, written, and visual media (C.2)
Apply urban design principles to develop creative solutions for urban problems (I.2)
Develop and apply the principles of urban design to analyse places (P.5)
Interpret spatial relationships and evaluate the spatial and physical impacts of proposals (R.3)

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

This subject is primarily studio based, including online-interactive content discussing fundamental concepts, self-guided site visits, virtual site visits to a given precinct and weekly live in-class studio sessions to discuss the students’ progress. This subject also includes peer discussions and collaboration in developing analytical activities. These will be complemented by self-directed student learning via subject readings guided by discussion points / questions. These different activities involve the provision of formative feedback from the lecturer and the students. Participation in Zoom sessions for this subject is mandatory to foster a collaborative studio environment, enabling feedback from both your instructor and fellow students.

Content (topics)

1. What is Place and Place-making?

2. Understanding the Broader Context: Layers of a Precinct

3. Analysis at the Micro Scale

4. Design Proposal: Creating a Vision

5. Design Proposal: Developing the Urban Design Proposal

6. Design Proposal: Refining the Proposal

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Analyse a Good and Bad Public Space

Intent:

Students are required to select and analyse what they consider a good and a bad public space in their city to which they relate and discuss the different place-making elements. Remember the elements discussed in Module 01 - use these as a guide to analyse the different spaces. Use a variety of digital and analogue tools with a written component to communicate the following of the places you have chosen:

How is the built form of the space (including edges, open spaces, buildings, vegetations, and other relevant and distinctive elements/landmarks).
What are the activities that take place in this space?
How do you feel in that space? Why is it meaningful to you? How do you relate to it?

In responding the last question, students are to self-reflect on the role of personal experiences and subjectivity when experiencing, analysing, and designing urban places.

This assessment focuses on your interpretation of what constitutes a good and bad public space, by applying the concepts you've learned throughout Module 01. Furthermore, this assessment aims to focus your analytical and presentation skills to convey your ideas appropriately.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2 and 3

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.):

C.2 and P.5

Type:

Case study

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

15%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Analysis of the spaces (good and bad) is critical and is written in a clear and comprehensive way.	35	3	P.5
Conclusions drawn in terms of the qualitative aspects that contribute to place-making (good and bad) are clearly and concisely evaluated.	35	2	P.5
This criterion is Visual communication Clear and concise diagram presented it in a professional manner.	30	1	C.2

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Analysis and Synthesis of your Space

Intent:

This assessment focuses on your understanding of the interpretation of analysis data at a micro scale in terms of place. In this assessment you will take data gathered in Week 3 for your space and interpret it in structural and hierarchical as well as qualitative terms. The intent is to enable you to look critically at information and be able to translate and distil it into a synthesis map with sections/3D mass model and a character statement of the space which will result in the beginnings of design intentions. The idea is to understand the space in terms of how people use and interact with it and how the built form shape the space.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2 and 3

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.):

C.2, P.5 and R.3

Type:

Design/drawing/plan/sketch

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

40%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Relevant information from the raw analytical data is interpreted in a clear and concise manner	25	3	P.5
Written elements are insightful and supported by evidence	25	3	R.3
Graphics, imagery, and presentation are clear and precise	25	1	C.2
Factors underpinning the challenges and opportunities facing places are clear and comprehensive	25	2	R.3

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Urban Design Proposal of your Space

Intent:

The focus of assignment 3 is on the design proposal for your space. Your proposal will be based on the vision you produced for the broader context in your assigned groups, in the previous week. This task will focus on the micro scale, how the built form shape your space and how you'd like people to perceive and interact with the space. Students also need to discuss how their proposal contributes to complementing elements including transport, ecology, social and economic conditions, and political agents and their influence on space making.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 4 and 5

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.):

C.2, I.2 and R.3

Type:

Design/drawing/plan/sketch

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

45%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Urban design and sustainability principles are evident in design proposal	10	4	I.2
Design solution creatively responds to site, aiming to address place-making as its main focus.	25	4	R.3
Visual communication is clear and professional.	20	1	C.2
Written report is insightful and clearly explains the elements of the design proposal	20	1	C.2
Extent to which the proposal considers social and environmental impacts on the precinct context	25	5	I.2

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total mark.