Course syllabus

Course-PM

ARK128
Architecture and Urban Space Design  

LP1~LP2 HT22 (22.5 HP)
Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering


Contact Details

Joaquim Tarrasó, Examiner &Tutor. Architect, Lecturer in Urban Design   joaquim.tarraso@chalmers.se

Kengo Skorick, Tutor. Architect, Artistic Senior Lecturer   kengo@chalmers.se

Louise Didriksson, Tutor. Landscape Architect, Artistic Senior Lecturer   louise.didriksson@chalmers.se

Carl Johan Vesterlund, Tutor Architect, Associate Professor crljhn@gmail.com

Marco Adelfio, Lecturer. Urban Planner, Geographer, Associate Professor   adelfio@chalmers.se

Jorge Gil, Lecturer Associate Professor in Urban Analytics and Informatics   jorge.gil@chalmers.se 

Other Participants:
Johan Linton
Tabita Nilsson
Rita Pinto da Freita

Background
The urban space is a result of countless overlapping layers of different character, all of them with implications in terms of social, cultural, environmental and economical parameters. That situation has important consequences in our physical environment, both in the fields of Architecture, Public Space and infrastructure Landscape; that results on diversity of conflicts, distortions, needs, concerns, and involves to different sensibilities, knowledge and possibilities. To understand and address such a complexity we need a transverse approach through different scales and complementary disciplines.

The aim of the studio is to gain deep understanding of the different aspects that conforms a complex urban space and to acquire tools that can help us to transform it holistically.

In the course, we interpret Urban Layers defined by the physical environment to experiment with new types of urban structures: Urban Hybrids, representing new spatial prototypes that, without predetermined scales or typologies, will define new qualities and the linkage of the proposals with the adjacent areas. As we understand the city as an entity, as a whole urban structure and not as an aggregation of parts, the scope of intended transitions will be studied to improve a degree of physical relationship to the place and human scale.

We will develop our projects working with methods and prototypes related both to Landscape and Architecture. We will look for proposals that are articulated with its context through diversity of scales and typologies. The objective is to reach the level of architectural and spatial definition by having a deep understanding and impact in the areas of action.

Aims
+  To train the ability to work within fields of Architecture, Landscape and Infrastructure, in large city scale as well as in a local context.
+  Understand the different and overlapping layers defining public space, such as social, economic and cultural parameters.
+  To describe, analyze public space within a complex urban context, interpret and work out visionary principles of spatial structures and built environment.
+  To increase knowledge and understanding of the urban development problems linked to contemporary challenges in the perspective of sustainable development in collaboration with experts and local actors.
+  To acquire a theoretical and critical understanding of different models and references of urban design.
+  To train the methodology of Research by Design


Site of Investigation
Along history the rivers and water fronts have been shaped according to the socio-economic needs of each era. 

“From nineteenth century onwards, complete river systems became controlled by man in favor of economic Growth” (eg. Cioc, 2002). “Natural landscapes have been transformed into Urban Logistics, Industrial and Waste Landscapes” (eg. Meyer and Nijhuis, 2014).

Along river structures, across Urban areas, we find many different layers in an unbalanced coexistence. Gothenburg, as many other industrial cities is a good example of this phenomena, and we use our context with its diversity of rivers to learn about that unbalance situation and to propose new scenarios of Urban reconnection and effective coexistence. We use river environments to develop proposals and prototypes that interpret and solve the diversity of conflicts typically present in these areas. 

The economical activity of Gothenburg gradually occupied the river front and water areas characterized by a great ecological and landscape diversity. In a global context of emergency, in which the vulnerability of coastal environments is combined with the change in rainfall intensity cycles, water becomes a fundamental element to integrate into our urban design processes. It is urgent to explore new landscapes of coexistence that respond to our current needs and offer us more balanced and sustainable perspectives. We have the opportunity to explore new relationships between urban and water environments at the level of accessibility, recreation, and production that involve strategies for the recovery of the ecological values of the place. In this year’s edition we will work in the design of new URBAN TOPOGRAPHIES in the area of the inner canals in Gothenburg.

Course Structure
Architecture and Urban Space Design is a Design studio starting on Monday 19th September 2022 and ending on Friday 13th of January 2023. The course is project-design based. In the Studio the creative process holds all the working stages of spatial design, from preliminary conceptual research, and site analysis, to architectural experimentation by modelling spatial structures, resulting in strategies and creation of architectural prototypes that establish new connections at different scales and finally in in-depth design proposals. The tasks will be develop in a group base.

During the course lecturers and experts will provide information and knowledge in relation to specific studied locations and contribute with a broader interdisciplinary perspective. Lectures on urban theory, will contribute to a base knowledge on the studio approach to Urban Design, and will mainly take place in the first part of the course. 

The course is divided in two parts or Study periods. The first part will allow us to understand the specific contexts and work with Urban cartographies and proposals of Urban Connectivity from a conceptual perspective. The second part consists on a project in depth where students develop their personal project, based on previous analysis and conclusions from part 1. The material produced by the studio will be formatted and exhibited at the end of the course.

Regarding the 3 Phases, all of them promotes an experimental research based on a knowledge of facts and contexts. Every phase is carried out to inform and be developed in the next step: the site analysis and mapping will help to define the basis for working strategy, not merely as a descriptive product.  


Study Period 1
9,5 Credits
19/9~28/10

Phase 1: Hybrids of Coexistence  6 weeks of group work to generate elementary concepts related to hybrid Architecture and networks that will continue being developed along the course. CRASHCOURSE, THEORY and RESEARCH, architectural concepts and analysis related to systems like water, ecosystems, mobility. Architectural Experimentation working in teams for methodically and experimentally generate schematic massing designs.

Study Period 2
13 Credits
1/11~14/1

Phase 2: Project Definition  6 weeks of Team + Individual work for development of schematic ideas and formatting of coherent proposals.

Phase 3: Exhibition & Publication 3 weeks of Studio work about dissemination of our work to generate new knowledge and impact discourse.

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The studio is FULL TIME dedication, the days assigned to the course, when there are not scheduled activities you are expected to be working in the course assignments.

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Learning Objectives & Syllabus

Students shall have obtained learning outcomes enabling them to:

+  Increase knowledge and understanding of urban development processes and complexity of urban environment.
+  Develop methods of analysis and synthesis
+  Describe, analyze and evaluate urban systems by mapping, modelling from developing strategies to detail design
+  Use critical thinking, assess and evaluate projects ideas in the local development of large and small scale.
+  Gain knowledge and understanding of different parameters. Defining the conflicts, distortions, needs, concerns, sensibilities, knowledge and possibilities.
+  Operate in the physical environment. Our field of operations: the urban landscape, the architecture and the infrastructures
+  Gain ability to understand the multidirectional interpretations        
+  Have an architectural approach that values transversely through a number of scales and complementary disciplines           

Study Plan (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)           
                                   
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Course Examination & Grading

At the end of Study Period 1 each student will be graded according the scale U,3,4,5.  At the end of Study Period 2 each student will be graded according the scale U,3,4,5 both for Study Period 1 and Study Period 2.

To pass the course and receive a grade you need:

+  Active participation at seminars and in a group work
+  Presence at minimum of 80% scheduled activities is required. Some absence can be accepted if there are legitimate reasons (e.g. sickness). In other cases, supplementary assignments have to be handed in (e.g. written reviews on literature)
+  Course assignments of sufficient quality (i.e. that fulfils the course objectives and presentation requirements)
+  Delayed submission of assignments will negatively influence the grades

Relative values of each module in the final grade is as follows:

+  Phase 1 40% Total Grade
+  Phase 2 40% Total Grade
+  Phase 3 20% Total Grade