Unit Outline

Studios in the Master of Architecture emphasise professionalism, critical and rigorous design thinking, knowledge of contemporary and emergent theories, technologies and practices, and the development of skills for a diversity of future careers in architecture. The Urban Futures Studio positions architecture as a catalyst for urban regeneration and transformation, responding to key global imperatives of environmental and human health, social equity and sustainable economic growth. You will work on design studio projects aligned with emerging research and established community partnerships to speculate on alterative urban futures within real-world contexts. Through collaborative inquiry, you will develop a critical conceptual framework informed by detailed understanding of social, political and ecological conditions and contemporary urban design theories. You will apply this framework in the development of architectural propositions in response to a brief for an urban transformation project. You will develop refined design outcomes synthesising spatial, material and technical dimensions of the project across macro and micro scales. A key focus is processes of design inquiry through material experimentation and making. At the culmination of the unit, you will present your project to experts and peers, employing a targeted communication approach, encompassing choices of visual format, content, media and techniques, that clearly communicates your conceptual approach and design outcomes.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Propose design visions for sustainable urban futures informed by contemporary theory and critical interrogation of social, political and ecological conditions.
2.	Develop design propositions for urban transformation projects that extend from design vision.
3.	Use iterative design thinking to develop and refine design detail across macro and micro scales.
4.	Present conceptual and pragmatic dimensions of a project to professional audiences through strategic selection of visual format, content, media and techniques.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	AT1 Futures: Visual seminar	Week 5	25 %	LO1, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Speculations: Schematic propositions & material experimentations	Week 10	35 %	LO1, LO2, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	AT3 Propositions: Detailed design	Week 15	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: AT1 Futures: Visual seminar

Task Description:

VISUAL SEMINAR: Group and individual research + speculation. The design process starts with researching and analysing relevant information about site, context, and drivers, and aims to clearly state the scope, parameters, and objectives that the overall design response should fulfil. This constitutes the design brief.
Mappings will form an important part the work for AT1, and 3D digital model(s) of the urban site(s) may also be produced. A number of alternative future “scenarios” are developed, which combine demographic, environmental, economic, socio-political, and ideological factors, to form a set of framing assumptions that underlie the design response.
This task will be developed through a series of workshops in week-1 4, with the class collaborating to develop shared resources

Task Length:

Visual and verbal presentation.

Due Date:

Week 5

Weight:

25 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse urban precedents through diagrams and mapping.	LO1
2	Apply manual and digital graphic techniques and modelling to describe three-dimensional form and spatial relationships.	LO4
3	Evidence professional development of design and communication skills	LO4

Assessment Task 2: Speculations: Schematic propositions & material experimentations

Task Description:

SCHEMATIC DESIGN: This task presents a specific and concrete design strategy, as a synthesis and response to the design brief, framing scenario and urban research and analysis. Here the proposition is given concrete form, with the key programmatic, organisational and spatial principles defined; the major physical elements described in terms of size, shape, position and relation; and the desired atmospheric character and environmental qualities identified.

Task Length:

Architectural drawings.

Due Date:

Week 10

Weight:

35 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse site conditions (physical and social) through diagrams and mapping.	LO1
2	Use urban precedents to inform design strategies	LO1
3	Present a story/narrative that addresses the site context.	LO1
4	Develop design strategies for program, circulation strategies, form, massing.	LO2
5	Apply manual and digital graphic techniques and modelling to describe three-dimensional form and spatial relationships.	LO4
6	Evidence professional development of design and communication skills	LO4

Assessment Task 3: AT3 Propositions: Detailed design

Task Description:

DEVELOPED DESIGN: The project is developed in a second phase that elaborates and presents a resolved and coherent proposition that is the culmination of the project’s research, design concept, and progressive development and refinement. It constitutes a complete “package” that fully describes your project’s motivation, objectives, design concept, approach, elements, process, and outcomes.

Task Length:

Architectural drawings.

Due Date:

Week 15

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse site conditions (physical and social) through diagrams and mapping.	LO1
2	Use urban precedents to inform design strategies	LO1
3	Present a story/narrative that addresses the site context.	LO1
4	Develop design strategies for program, circulation strategies, form, massing.	LO2
5	Employ creative imagination and aesthetic judgement using conceptual frameworks.	LO2
6	Translate conceptual ideas into building detail across macro and micro scales.	LO3
7	Apply iterative processes of design detail development.	LO3
8	Apply manual and digital graphic techniques and modelling to describe three-dimensional form and spatial relationships.	LO4
9	Evidence professional development of design and communication skills.	LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.