Course syllabus

Link to the syllabus

 

Course-PM

ACE495 New urban landscapes lp2 HT25 (15 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Architecture and Civil Engineering

 

Contact details

Joaquim Tarrasó, Architect. Course Examiner  joaquim.tarraso@chalmers.se

Louise Didriksson, Landscape Architect. Course Tutor louise.didriksson@white.se

Åsa Setterby Modeus, Landscape Architect. Course Tutor asa.setterbymodeus@mareldarkitektur.se

Carl-Johan Vesterlund, Architect. Guest teacher  carl-johan.vesterlund@konstfack.se

Maja Hjertén Knutson, Architect. Course Tutor ACE465 Urban Prototypes maja.hjertén@chalmers.se

Samuel Norberg, Architect. Technical support. samuel.norberg@chalmers.se

Tea Nygrén, Architect. Project Assistant. tean@chalmers.se

 

Course purpose

Aim

The Aim of the course is to develop the student's ability to intervene in complex urban environments using design as an integration tool and in pursuit of sustainable urban models.

New urban landscapes focus on urban river contexts to develop proposals that interpret and solve the diversity of conflicts typically present in these areas, departing from contextual analysis and leading to spatial proposals to create architectural solutions that establish new types of relationship between urbanization and nature.

 

Content

The course focuses on river environments in the city of Gothenburg, with the intention to develop proposals that interpret and solve the diversity of conflicts typically present in these areas. Along river structures, across Urban areas, we find many different layers in an unbalanced coexistence. Most of industrial cities have converted along history former natural landscapes into urban structures related to infrastructure and logistics. In relation to this phenomena, the course uses the context of Gothenburg with its diversity of rivers to learn about that unbalance situation and to propose new scenarios of Urban reconnection related to green and blue infrastructure that can propose and effective coexistence between urban and environmental qualities.

The course promotes an experimental and creative research-by-design approach, based on a strong knowledge of facts and contexts. The learning process holds on all the working stages of space design, from preliminary analysis, an understanding of the site from specific and relevant parameters, that are mapped and articulated in intentional cartographies which are transformed in spatial structures through modeling. An iterative process resulting in spatial strategies and finally in design of alternative Urban Landscapes. During the course the students will work with green and blue infrastructures related to riversides in the city of Gothenburg.

 

Course design

New Urban Landscapes is a Design studio starting on Monday 3rd November 2025 and ending on Friday 16th of January 2026. The course is project-design based.  During the course lecturers and experts will provide information and knowledge in relation to specific studied locations and contribute with a broader interdisciplinary perspective. 

The design process is assessed and monitored throughout the course, based on weekly supervision sessions, as well as partial reviews linked to seminars and workshops. The course also fosters the student's analytical and critical capacity through peer review sessions. The course concludes with final presentations and exhibition.

The course is organized in two phases. All combine group and individual work and are developed through a series of assignments, together with lectures, visits, seminars, and workshops. All activities are intended to support the design process.

Regarding the two course Phases, they promote 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, mapping will help to define the basis for working strategy, not merely as a descriptive product.  

 

Phase 1: Analysis & Spatial Explorations _ Duration: 4 weeks

This initial phase emphasizes critical inquiry and creative exploration. Working in teams, students will analyze the area of study and investigate proposals for urban transformation in Gothenburg’s central Kanaltorget area.

Activities include:

• Analytical Frameworks: Analysis of the study area and development of landscape concepts that articulate relationships between urban morphology and ecological systems.
• Experimental Design: Exercises based on methodological and experimental approach for generating schematic design strategies.

 

Phase 2: Project Definition  & Dissemination_ Duration: 4 weeks

Building on insights from Phase 1, this stage focuses on synthesis and communication. Students will engage in both collaborative and individual work to:

• Design Development: Transform schematic ideas into coherent, context-sensitive proposals.
• Knowledge Production: Format and present projects in ways that advance discourse on urban transformation.
• Public Engagement: Disseminate outcomes to generate new knowledge and stimulate critical dialogue within academic and professional communities.

 

Schedule

See Canvas calendar. Also available under Modules > General

 

Course literature

The literature list is available under Modules > Literature

 

Learning objectives and syllabus

Learning objectives:

Knowledge and understanding

• Demonstrate theoretical and critical understanding of models and references of urban design based on transverse approach in terms of complementary disciplines, as well as insights into current architectural practice and research.
• Demonstrate understanding of the different layers connected to river areas, the conflicts related to the coexistence between urbanization and environmental qualities for these types of contexts and the diversity of scales related to them.
• Demonstrate knowledge of environmental adaptation and sustainable development in the built environment and refer to relevant research findings in the field of architecture / landscape architecture / urban design from a sustainable perspective.

Competence and skills

• Design, develop and preserve the built environment from a holistic perspective, dealing with complex contexts and regarding existing values and demands from different users perspectives and in relation to sustainable development
• Fulfil qualified projects within urban design; independently, creative, and critically with adequate methods and syntheses.
• Be able to describe and assess the qualities of design and built environment and clearly motivate different proposals with reference to scientific and experience-based knowledge and value-based arguments.
• Describe and analyze urban systems by applying software for mapping and modelling from developing strategies to detail design.
• Use an iterative and speculative method to design a project by Systematically apply knowledge and understanding of physical, technical and process principles in design.
• Demonstrate the capacity for teamwork and collaboration with various constellations
• Dialogue and communicate with different stakeholders and colleagues using the entire repertoire of architectural media and methods, to present the reasoning and work conclusions and so to generate knowledge about architectural design and hereby contribute to the development of the profession.

Judgement and approach

• Use critical thinking to assess and constructively evaluate projects, informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical aspects, and to integrate the needs of all people as a fundament for proposals of long-term and high aesthetic quality.
• Be able to interpret, question and develop given prerequisites based on achieved knowledge and experience and create unexpected or not demanded values in proposals.
• Be able to show intention, commitment, and ability to identify needs for further knowledge and undertake on-going development of the students skills.

 

Changes from last year

This course edition we have changed the order of the assignments to synchronize Year 1 and Year 2 students work in terms of site analysis and references. The objective is to improve the collaboration between courses.

 

Examination form

The course examination form is based on continuous assessment through different course components. There are weekly submissions to track the individual workflow.  To pass the course is required active participation in scheduled activities and group work. It is expected presence in a minimum of 80% of all scheduled activities, including lectures, visits, seminars, supervision, pinups, and presentations. Some absence can be accepted if there are legitimate reasons, and they are communicated in advance, to compensate, supplementary assignments may be handed in.

The review of the submitted final project work weighs heavily in the collective assessment that forms the basis of the examination. Supplementations will be asked when the students’ work does not fulfil the course objectives and presentation requirements)

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.