11206 Introduction to Construction and Structural Synthesis

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2020 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Architecture
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject provides an introduction to the selection and integration of structural types, material performance and construction practices in architecture.

Through lectures and tutorials, the subject provides opportunities for students to engage and investigate the performance of structural typologies via site visits, experimentation, model-making, and technical drawing. These tasks provide an informed, experienced-based understanding of each structural type explored and the possibilities and consequences of the materials through which they operate. The tasks address both historical and contemporary precedent and practices and seek the realisation of an increasingly generative relationship to architectural design production.

Throughout the subject, students are challenged to extract and deploy core principles and demonstrate these discoveries and learnings via the development of project-based design exercises.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

1.	Understand fundamental structural design principles, key structural elements and types, as well as basic construction materials and practices across a range of building types and conditions.
2.	Produce reasoned structural, material and construction responses through iterative design and prototyping.
3.	Relate the selection of structural, material and construction principles to design intent.
4.	Complete a professional standard set of drawings which communicate technical documentation and specifications in a professional manner
5.	Apply the relevant codes, regulations and standards for construction and architectural drawings through reference to relevant Australian Standards, National Construction Code of Australia to a design project.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

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

• Undertake a critically directed, self-aware mode of disciplinary thinking (A.2)
• Work cooperatively and professionally as part of a team (C.1)
• Develop innovative approaches by challenging disciplinary conventions (I.1)
• Respond to a comprehensive brief within the disciplinary context (P.3)
• Integrate an understanding of a relationship between form, materiality, structure and construction within design thinking (P.5)
• Employ an iterative approach to learning using disciplinary specific research methods (R.1)
• Source, evaluate and/or utilise accepted, disciplinary specific, academic frameworks (R.2)

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

GENERAL

Weekly sessions comprising lectures (1 hour) and tutorials (3 hours). The subject is structured around successive project-based exercises. The completion of each task is necessary to the realisation of successful proposals by students.

Lectures will introduce fundamental structural design principles, key structural elements and types, as well as basic construction materials and practices across a range of building types and conditions through both historical and contemporary examples.

Tutorials provide students with a creative framework for the active exploration and critical thinking of the spatial, material and structural consequences of architectural design.

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION

Students are expected to attend all lectures and studio sessions, engage in the self-directed and self-paced online content provided (see below) and to follow the suggested progress patterns for each task. Students are also encouraged to actively participate in the group discussions and activities during the lectures and tutorials.

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

UTS staff believe that collaborative peer learning enhances learning. You are encouraged to work in small groups throughout the entirety of the session, however you will be individually assessed. The contribution of each team member will be qualified via student feedback and observation by your teaching staff. The in-class tutorials exercises have been specifically conceived to generate group discussion and interactive modes of learning.

ONLINE RESOURCES

There are a number of online resources used to support the learning objectives of this subject. A detailed overview of the pedagogy, associated tasks and key digital resources are included in the detailed descriptions of each assessment task.

A number of specifically sourced video tutorials and resources focused on technical modeling and drawing techniques will be made available to support the self-paced and self-directed development of your work.

FEEDBACK

The subject provides a range of formative and summative feedback strategies.

1. All assessments will be graded in UTS ReView. UTS ReView will be used as a formative and summative feedback mechanism in Assessment.
2. The subject seeks the development of a series of highly resolved technical projects. Each weekly tutorial enables the continual and progressive development of knowledge, technical skills and professional understanding necessary to the realisation of a successful outcome.
3. Strategies for ongoing formative feedback are in place for each of the assessment items in order for students to identify their strengths and weaknesses and target areas that require development prior to assessment of the task. These strategies are embedded in the verbal/written feedback from tutors.
4. Summative feedback will be offered to students in response to their completion of the assessment items at fixed points throughout the semester. This feedback will provide students with a grade and additional written/verbal feedback regarding the standard of their submission. This feedback will be delivered via UTSReview.

Minimum attendance requirements for this subject accord with those found in the DAB Generic Subject Information Book. A copy is also available for download from this subject's UTS online portal.

Content (topics)

STRUCTURAL PRINCIPLES, TYPOLOGIES AND ELEMENTS

• Structural heuristics: performance, behaviour and modelling - Bending, buckling, deflection, moments, eccentricity
• Explanation of external loads and internal forces and how structures transfer and resolve these

MATERIAL PROPERTIES: TIMBER, STEEL, BRICK, CONCRETE, FABRIC AND GLASS

• Introduction to the manufacturing and performance capabilities of brick, timber, steel, concrete, fabric and glass
• Explanation of construct, cast, form and additive processes

CONSTRUCTION PRINCIPLES

• Key functions, construction layers, hierarchies and dependencies of historical and contemporary buidlings
• Load bearing, thermal insulation, weatherproofing, internal linings and finishes
• Understanding of the elements essential to the integrity of a building - how rainwater is shed/collected, thermal properties, natural light and ventilation)
• Introduction to architectural detailing techniques (articulation of primary and secondary structure, layering, junctions, connections between materials, etc.)

ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING STANDARDS & CONVENTIONS

• Sources of information for resolving technical design issues
• Terminolgy and jargon associated with the construction industry (purlin, joist, girt, RHS, SHS, etc.)
• Brief introduction to the National Construction Code of Australia (NCCA) and other regulations and standards for construction
• Introduction to technical documentation including AS1100 drawing standards: Referencing, linetypes and line weights

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Task 1

Intent:	A working command of material properties, processes and structural methods are fundamental to the conception and realisation of innovative architecture. In this subject, we will situate the theoretical concepts and principles outlined in weekly lectures within an experimentation and model-orientated approach to learning and discovery. We do so to attain a hands-on and ultimately operative understanding of material behaviour and structural performance. See invidual hand-outs for specific details.
Objective(s):	This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 3, 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.): A.2, C.1, I.1, P.3, P.5, R.1 and R.2
Type:	Portfolio
Groupwork:	Group, group and individually assessed
Weight:	60%
Criteria:	Depth and rigour of analysis Quality of drawings Quality and craftmanship of models Structural efficiency of designed systems Innovative use of materials
Criteria linkages:	Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs Undertake and constructively contribute to weekly case study research, drawing and modelling tasks. 20 1 C.1 Individually, undertake and contribute to group based research into application of structural principles and propose iterations for experimentation 10 2 R.1 Effectively record and visually communicate structural concepts evidence in individual responses to weekly drawing tasks 10 4 A.2 Creative and innovate experimentation in each task complimented by use of graphical methods (models, sketches, diagrams & drawings) to convey structural principles and concept of each experiment undertaken. 10 2 I.1 Provide evidence of research, critical analysis and reflection in the documentation and modelling of each case study. 25 5 R.2 Ensure text, diagrams, drawings and photographic methods to record each experiment is of a professional standard. 20 3 P.5 Referencing and formatting of all work produced is within the brief guidelines. 5 1 P.3 SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Task 2

Intent:	In this task you will develop a further understanding of construction and structural design through the design, fabrication and assembly of a structure at full building scale. The task will equip you with the necessary practical skills and required core theoretical knowledge, both intellectually and technically, for the synthesis of architectural and structural design. This task will expose you to 'live' practice and involve you in the design, fabrication and construction of an architectural project at full scale and provides you with a creative framework for the active and critical thinking of the spatial, material and structural consequences of architectural design. Using your gained knowledge of structural design principles and construction systems from the analysis of your case study and the experimental development and application design charrette from Assessment Task 01, Task 02 is designed so that you can apply this knowledge and to gain direct experience
Objective(s):	This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 3, 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.): A.2, C.1, I.1, P.3, P.5, R.1 and R.2
Type:	Portfolio
Groupwork:	Group, group and individually assessed
Weight:	40%
Criteria linkages:	Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs Undertake and constructively contribute to group based design development, drawing and modeling tasks. 20 1 C.1 Individually, undertake and contribute to group based research into application of structural principles and propose iterations for experimentation 20 2 R.1 Effectively record and visually communicate structural concepts evidence in individual responses to weekly drawing tasks. 15 4 A.2 Creative and innovate experimentation complimented by use of physical models and drawings to convey design idea and structural principles. 10 2 I.1 Provide evidence of research, critical analysis and reflection in the documentation and modelling of the proposed design. 10 5 R.2 Be actively involved in the design, fabrication and construction of the final 1:1 structure. 20 3 P.5 Clear and visual engaging documentation of final structure. 5 4 P.3 SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

Required texts

?

Recommended texts

Ford, E.R.: The details of modern architecture. MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass (1990)

Ching, F., Adams, C. Building Construction Illustrated (3rd ed). (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2001)

Gordon J.E. Structures – or why things dont fall down. (London: Pelican Original, 1991)

Engel, H. Structure Systems (Hatje Cantz, 2006)

Lin, T.Y.: Structural concepts and systems for architects and engineers, 2nd ed. ed. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York (1988)

Wilkie, G.: Building your own home : a comprehensive guide for owner-builders, Revised ed. with green supplement. ed. New Holland Publishers, Chatswood, N.S.W (2011) ?

Deplazes, A (ed). Constructing Architecture: Materials, Processes, Structures, A Handbook. (Basel: Birkhäuser, 2005)

Bjorn N. Sandaker, Arne P. Eggen, Mark R. Cruvellier. Structural Basis of Architecture. (New York: Routledge, 2011)

Silver P. Mclean, W. Evans, P. Structural Engineering for Architects. (London: Lawrence King, 2014)

Baden-Powell, C., Hetreed, J., Ross, A. The Architects Pocket Handbook (4th ed). (London: Architectural Press, 2011)

McLean,W, Silver, P. Introduction to Architectural Technology (London: Laurence King Publishing, 2008)

Pye, D. The Nature and Aesthetics of Design (London: The Herbert Press, 1978)