Course syllabus

Welcome to Ark177 Design Systems! 

Course Programme

ARK177 Design systems lp3 VT20 (4.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Architecture and Civil Engineering

You can find all information regarding the course, learning objectives and examination in the Course Programme.

Link to course programme.

Schedule

Link to the Course Schedule.

Aim of the course

Our world is becoming increasingly complex and interconnected, both locally and globally. This course is about how you can use systems thinking as a powerful design approach in design challenges that involve high degrees of such complexity and where sustainability, adaptability, resilience, regenereation and justice are required to future-proof your designs. Different systems approaches are explored to thoroughly structure and deeply analyze the design challenge to guide you towards the most effective design response.

When working with urban transformation, architecture or design beyond sustainability you need to integrate a variety of parameters into a whole design. However, the complexity of the content, functions and interdependencies of urban landscapes, built environments and artifacts, regardless of size, make them difficult to grasp. They can be seen as a mix of hardware (physical stuff), software (control and information flows), orgware (rules and administration), finware (costs and financing), ecoware (environmental concerns), shareware (commons, collaboration and generosity) and other “wares” not to forget form, attitude, sense of place, space, etc.

Though systems thinking could be argued to be an inherent part of design beyond sustainability, it is rarely pulled to the forefront and used as a specific tool in the design process. It could be useful to examine and improve this skill and explore the tools that can help us manage and deal with the complexity inherent in the design challenges before us. This type of investigation into systems thinking, mapping and analysis in relationship to the design process is an emerging practice and field of research around the world, the course will therefore take an explorative approach into the world of systems thinking. Its ultimate aim is to uncover, investigate, discuss and develop the role of systems in design and vice versa. The course will therefore provide opportunities to explore systems and their ability to expose our thinking process, build understanding, support dialogue, as well as uncover, understand, explore and explain the interdependencies of different aspects of a program, situation or design solution. As a natural extension within this work we will also look into nature’s systems through biomimicry.

Learning outcomes

After the course you are expected to be able to:

1) Explain systems thinking and its relevance for design, architecture and planning.

2) Understand some of the systems thinking approaches that are relevant for design, architecture or planning tasks.

3) Structure, challenge and expose knowledge (or lack thereof) about the interdependencies of a design problem through systems thinking.

4) Tentatively analyze and synthesize complex knowledge by employing systems thinking, i.e., by combining and integrating different systems approaches to identify leverage points for positive change.

5) Reformulate such analysis and synthesis into design criteria and conceptual design proposals using systems thinking as the language of communication and justification.

Contact details

Jaan-Henrik Kain, professor, examiner

Dept. of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Division of Urban Design and Planning,

floor 3, Sven Hultins gata 6

Phone: 073 038 70 60, email: kain@chalmers.se