11205 Architecture and Landscape Thinking

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 2023 is available in the Archives.

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

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): ((11211c Architectural Design: Forming OR 11171c Landscape Architecture Studio 1: Forming) AND (11212c Architectural History and Theory: Orientations OR 11172c Landscape History and Theory 1) AND 11214c Spatial Communications 1)
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 11213 Introduction to Theory and Architecture

Description

This core subject is designed for students commencing their studies in architecture and landscape architecture. The central aim of the subject is to demonstrate the importance that critical thinking and iterative working methods play in the development of good design thinking. The subject fosters an understanding of the design act by helping students develop an analytical, contextually situated awareness of the built and natural environments. Studio workshop sessions introduce the following approaches to design thinking: observation and collection of data; data visualisation, iterative development through drawing, prototyping and design-focused critique. The lectures provide a broader context for the application of these skills by introducing the students to the broader community of design.

The subject reinforces an analytical and contextual aware design practice for two reasons. First, the subject values the capacity of designers to respond thoughtfully to broader issues facing contemporary practice. Second, it provides students with the skills to use lateral thinking and to synthesise complex ideas.

The subject builds an awareness of how designers approach the act of design by asking students to work progressively through a series of complex problems. Centred around a series of exercises, these problems introduce students to the main approaches and methods required in design thinking. The workshops introduce active skills of making, testing, and analysing to help build student confidence to act as thoughtful and critical design thinkers. The workshops address a recognised process of design thinking, which involves stages of empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping and testing. They also introduce self-reflective practice which is an important lifelong learning attribute. This subject works to prepare first-year students for the diverse responsibilities and opportunities offered by architecture and landscape architecture as creative professions.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1.	A preparedness to work iteratively within a series of design frameworks to produce outcomes which evidence a developing knowledge of design thinking
2.	The capacity to apply knowledge from workshop sessions independently to complete assessment tasks
3.	Demonstrate an affort to analyse workshop outcomes using disciplinary and spatial terminology
4.	An understanding of key disciplinary research attributes of observation, description and analysis. and an ability to experiment with these in 2 and 3 dimensional formats
5.	Demonstrate an ability to use critique to objectively present an analysis of projects within a local context with a clear understanding of spatial design decisions.
6.	Ability to organize, edit and present work produced in workshops as an annotated Design Folio

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

Constructively contribute to peer learning by communicating through various modes of oral, written, graphic communication. (C.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)
Creative synthesis of complex ideas, arguments and rationales that address an array of social, technical and environmental practices conventions (I.2)

Teaching and learning strategies

The subject will be delivered through a combination of 2-hour lectures and 1-hour tutorials, alternating with 3-hour workshop sessions.

Lectures will provide a broad understanding of design thinking at work within a professional or academic framework. They will also involve discussion and opportunities for interaction with designers within the disciplinary framework. Workshops will be technique led sessions in which specific skill sets will be addressed and developed through clearly defined tasks. Both the lectures and workshops will contain the necessary material for completion of the Assessment Tasks. Students are expected to attend all lecture and studio sessions, and are encouraged to actively participate in the group discussions and activities.

Workshop sessions will focus on specific activities set by the studio leaders involving mapping, diagramming, drawing and making. These working sessions will include group discussion, individual discussion and peer review. Each studio session will involve the negotiation of a particular series of exercises. Students must attend with adequate materials (these are outlined in the weekly schedules in the Handbook). All work in progress must be printed before studio sessions and brought in for feedback No printout, no feedback.

Please note the following:

Participation, preparation for and group collaboration in workshop sessions are assessable components of the subject.
Students will refer to the Handbook which sets the requirements for each exercise or assessment. Any changes will be made via the Handbook - students will be notified of any alterations to the document in a timely manner.
Work produced will be discussed in subsequent classes, offering opportunities for feedback prior to submission.
No printout, no feedback.
Print work before studio as late arrival in studio will be penalized.
Students are expected to attend all lecture and studio sessions according to UTS Policy.

Collaborative Learning. To facilitate collaborative learning, Assessment Task 1 involves group work and individual components. This group work is important in terms of collecting and recording data, however the Assessment Tasks relating to this group work is assessed individually.

Online Coursework. There are a number of online resources used to support the learning objectives of this subject. There are three essential readings available online as well as a selection of recommended readings and helpful resources. The essential readings will support the lecture content and will be annotated to highlight important concepts and ideas. There will be an online quiz for each reading during the lecture. All documents are accessible from UTS Online.

Feedback. The subject provides a range of formative feedback strategies.

1. All assessments will be graded in ReView.

2. Each week students are asked to complete preparatory work that revolves around the task or is a draft of the task itself. Students gain weekly verbal feedback which they then use to update their work for the following week. It is therefore vital students complete the prescribed work to receive useful formative feedback.

Content (topics)

The subject may include but not be limited to the following general topics: architecture and landscape architecture as design thinking disciplines, user-experience design, social, political and ethical awareness for design thinking, problem frameworks, ideation, prototyping and testing, photography, digital mapping practices, drawing as a conceptual tool, technical drawings' role in design, model making as a design tool, critique and analysis of spatial projects, scalar shifts in design thinking, collaborative design, sequenced thinking, adaptation, communities of practice.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Assessment Task 1: Design Thinking

Intent:

A range of design thinking technique led workshops are provided during this session. This task combines the outcome of the first three workshops - Photography, Digital Mapping and Drawing, and presents these as a work in progress. The intention of this task is to provide students with feedback with which they can further improve their work towards the final assessment submission. It will demonstrate an ability to work iteratively and to curate outcomes to show a progressive development of design thinking skills. The assessment requires an ability to critically analyze the built environment and landscaped spaces and to translate observations into visual and graphic formats.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 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.):

I.2, P.3, P.5 and R.1

Type:

Design/drawing/plan/sketch

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

40%

Length:

Layout

Cover page - name, student number, Assessment 1, 11205 Architecture and Landscape Thinking, 2018, tutor name

Task A – 3 x A3 pages, images and annotations

Task B – 2 x A3 pages, images and annotations

Task C – 3 x A3 sheets, scanned drawings, freehand plan, section and elevation

Total pages = 9 or 10 pages

Refer to Assessment Task 1 guidelines in the 11205 Handbook for further details.

Submit digital files to UTS online as a single PDF file.

This pdf must be no more than 10 MB total.

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Ability to show an understanding of different modes of design thinking through processes of visualisation	25	1	P.3
Demonstrate an ability to work iteratively by generating workshop outcomes as outlined and to compare outcomes	25	2	R.1
Sophistication of analysis and critique of workshop outcomes in relation to design thinking methods	25	3	P.5
Ability to synthesise disparate outcomes and to provide critique which extends the exploration of the task	25	5	I.2

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Assessment Task 2: Design Making and Writing / Folio

Intent:

This assessment task is in two parts:

The first part includes Task D exercises (Thinking through Making) and Task E exercises (Thinking through Critique). These exercises form part of the workshop activities during Weeks 7 through to Week 10.

The second part is the production of a folio which brings together Tasks A to E as a collection of works in a consistent format. This task enables a reworking of the previous tasks where needed.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

2, 4, 5 and 6

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.):

C.1, I.2, P.5 and R.1

Type:

Portfolio

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

60%

Length:

Layout

Tasks A to E should be included in the folio. (Tasks D and E are not required to be submitted separately)

Refer to Assessment Task 2 guidelines in the 11205 Handbook for further details.

Submit digital files to UTS online as a single PDF file.

This pdf must be no more than 20 MB total.

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Ability to use language and analysis as part of a team to discuss spatial ideas	20	5	C.1
Capacity to analyse using a basic knowledge of spacial elements	20	4	P.5
Demonstrate an ability to work through exercises in workshop and independently	20	2	R.1
Ability to edit, arrange and represent workshop tasks in a Folio format which shows design thinking knowledge	40	6	I.2

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. If a students attendence falls below 80% without documented medical certificates provided to the subject coordinator through special considerations in a timely manner, the subject coordinator will issue a warning to the students uts email address that they are in danger of not meeting the attendance requirements for this subject. If a student misses any additional classes, they will no longer be eligible to be assessed in this class, and will be refered to the Responsible Academic Officer or Head of School for a formal determination as to eligibility to be assessed in this subject following UTS attendance policy. It is the students responsibilty to be familiar with all university policy that effects them, in this case the UTS attendance plolicy found at http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/rules/student/section-3.html#r3.8 which provides students with information regarding what actions may be taken should attendence become of concern.

Attendence will be checked in lecture and tutorial classes. Students arriving more than 10 minutes after the scheduled start time will be marked absent for that session. This policy will be strictly adhered to and enforced.

Students should ensure that any special considerations or extenuating circumstances effecting a studentrs capacity to attend the subject or complete the subject requirements is lodged promptly through the appropriate university systems (special considerations, Special needs etc.) and approved by the Subject Coordinator and/or Responsible academic officer.

Required texts

All required readings are noted in the subject weekly schedule. All readings will be available at UTSonline.

Recommended texts

Recommended readings are noted in the subject weekly schedule.