Summer 2008 :: Arch : 4601-X55 :: Architectural Design Studio VI
(SAN ANTONIO PRACTICUM)
Wednesdays (6 PM to
9PM) and Fridays, from 8AM to 6 PM
Studio Instructors
|
Saif Haq, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor Phone: 806 742 3169
ext 265 |
Elizabeth Louden
Ph.D., Professor Phone:
806-252-3026 cell 806-742-3136 x241 |
This is a tentative syllabus. Changes
will be highlighted in red and
announced in class. Additionally, information will be electronically sent to
student’s ttu email account.
You will meet with
your instructor every FRIDAY in the AIA office San Antonio (see address below).
You should be there by 8:30 (when the office opens). Wednesdays are reserved
for individual or group activities as required, or tours (to be announced
later). For individual or group activities, please meet at a location that is
announced.
Meeting Location (for
Fridays)
AIA San Antonio
Office
816 Camaron, Suite 211, San Antonio, TX 78212
Contact Person at the
AIA office:
Torrey Carlton, ,
Executive Director, AIA
Telephone:
210-226-4979
Please remember that AIA will be our hosts for the class,
and we will be in their office space. Therefore you should be courteous and
quiet when in the AIA office
Important
Information and correspondence will be made through ttu
email account. This should be active and checked regularly.
4601. *Architectural Design Studio VI
(6:3:8).
Prerequisite: ARCH 3502. Urbanism: design of urban aggregates of buildings,
infrastructure, and land use. Explores the interface between
culture and architecture at the scale of the city. Must
be taken off campus in study abroad programs or practicums.
This course meets the
following NAAB criteria: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 24, 29, and 36
·
The
art of making places. It involves the design of buildings, groups of buildings,
spaces and landscapes, in villages, towns and cities, to create successful
development.
·
An
aspect of urban or suburban planning that focuses on creating a desirable
environment in which to live, work and play. Design analysis includes the
relationship between buildings, streets, land use, open space, circulation,
height, natural features and human activity. A well designed urban or suburban
environment demonstrates the four generally accepted principles of urban
design: clearly identifiable function for the area; easily understood order;
distinctive identity; and visual appeal.
·
The
design of the public realm, its central concerns is the quality and usefulness
of the public spaces enclosed and defined by buildings.
·
Urban
design is related to urban planning, but focuses on the physical design of places
and deals at a more fine-grained scale. It may include the arts of civic design
and elements of architecture and landscape architecture. Street furniture is
playing more and more a role in urban planning and further city income by
outdoor advertising.
An important goal of
this studio is to develop awareness that design, specifically urban design, is
a cultural
process. As such, it cannot be derived from a linear method composed of a
series of hierarchical and sequential steps. On the other hand, urban design
cannot also be totally intuitive. Essentially it is design through analysis and synthesis.
Therefore, this studio emphasizes research
to enhance the process of a knowledge-based creative activity. In this way, it
attempts to develop each student’s ability to incorporate analytical and
critical thinking in the creative
process of design. Additionally, design skills and decision making abilities
regarding large scale development with multiple (vocal and non-vocal)
stakeholders are emphasized.
This studio will
explore issues and principles central to urban design, specifically in the
formation of an urban/public realm. As such, the students will explore the
nature of city formation in the widest possible way: including, but not limited
to the study of history, culture, politics, society, legislation and
architecture of its location. The unique interrelationships between all of
these produce the distinctiveness of any city and any part within it. Therefore
a thorough study and analysis is a prerequisite in any urban design project.
Urban design is most
often a collaborative effort. There will be ample opportunities for sharing,
helping and working with peers. Ability to work with peers is an important
aspect of architecture training.
Students will
perceive and manipulate form and space in three dimensions and order complex spatial,
functional and social relationships. They will also be sensitized to the
richness of the surrounding environment through the use of their powers of
observation, research, interpretation and analysis.
An additional
intention of this class is exposure to and awareness of the culture of
architecture. This will be done through precedent
analysis and detailed studies of similar projects done elsewhere.
Carmona, M., Heath,
T., Oc, T., and Tiesdell
S., Public
Places Urban Spaces The Dimensions of Urban Design,
Architectural Press, 2003
Jacobs, Jane, The Death
and Life of Great American Cities, Vintage, 1992
Recommended books
Moughtin
C., Cuesta R., Sarris C., and Signoretta
P., Urban
Design Method and Techniques, (2nd Edition)
Architectural Press, 2003
Gindroz,
R., et.al., The Urban Design Handbook, WW Norton &
Co., 2003
Our project will deal
with the area around Pearl Brewery and include an elongated strip along both
sides of Broadway Avenue. More details will be provided in class.
Students should look
up the master planning project done by Downtown Alliance San Antonio. This is
available at .
Download the master plan (4 chapters and an appendix) This will give you a very
good idea about both the city of San Antonio as well as its visions regarding
urban design. Other development
affiliates are J. Darryl Byrd and Shawn Hatter of Silver Ventures in San Antonio.
|
Instructor |
Date |
Semester
Plan: SA Practicum + Studio |
General
topic covered |
Detail/Objectives |
Project/Assessment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Louden/S.
Haq (away) |
May 27-30 |
Week 1 |
Class Organization |
Syllabus |
Site Visit, Research, Photography, Documentation |
|
S. Haq |
June 2-6 |
Week 2 |
|
Team Assignments |
Site Analysis, Base Map,
Context Research |
|
S. Haq |
June 9-13 |
Week 3 |
|
|
Set up Report format, Analysis results |
|
S. Haq |
June 16-20 |
Week 4 |
|
|
Draft Report Due |
|
S. Haq |
June 23-27 Last Day |
Week 5 |
Mid-Reviews |
|
Graded Pin-UP |
|
|
Holiday |
Week 6 |
|
|
|
|
E. Louden |
July 8-11 |
Week 7 |
Design Response |
|
Program for design project |
|
E. Louden |
July 14-18 |
Week 8 |
|
|
Preliminary Design proposal |
|
S. Haq |
July 21-25 |
Week 9 |
|
|
Site plan, building massing, prelim. Floor plans |
|
E. Louden |
July 28-Aug 1 |
Week 10 |
|
|
Interiors and structure |
|
|
Aug 4-6 Last Day of Class |
Week 11 |
Presentation work |
|
Presentation drawings and powerpoint |
|
E. Louden/S.
Haq |
Final Presentation |
Friday,
August 8 |
Final Presentation |
|
Guest Reviewers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Fall Semester 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
Lubbock
TTU Campus |
First Day of Class |
August 25
Monday |
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|
You should have read the book Death and Life of Great American Cities by the first week of class.
It will be an important source for your design concepts.
The first task in studio will be creating a figure-ground
map by the entire class. This map will be the basis of most of the research
presentations and will be shared by all.
The area for each student will be determined in class. A
suggested sequence follows:
1.
Download
an aerial photograph of your area. Make sure that your area is included.
2.
Save
the photo as a jpeg file. Do not change the resolution.
3.
Take
it to Adobe Illustrator or AutoCAD. Make a new layer (on top of the aerial
photo) and draw the footprints (not the roof) of all the buildings that are in
your area.
4.
Fill
the buildings with black fill.
5.
Once
you hide or remove the aerial photograph, you should have a figure ground map
of your site.
6.
Be
very careful in your work. This will the basis of most of your research
presentations
The students will start their work by doing research on
the following topics: (each student should choose one)
1.
Morphological Analysis,
2.
Functional Dimension
3.
Permeability Studies.
4.
Pedestrian patterns What are the generators and flows?
When does it happen? Their characteristics
5.
Visual Analysis / Facades and Styles
6.
Vehicular traffic patterns What are the
generators and flows? When does it happen? Their characteristics?
7.
Legibility and Perceptual Studies
8.
Temporal Dimension. The role of time over a day and over
an extended period.
9.
Social and Behavioral
studies.
10.
Sustainability and
New Urbanism
11.
Case studies: Precedent Analysis of similar projects done
elsewhere
Read Chapter 3, Book
2 and Part II, of Public Places Urban Spaces. It will help you
understand the analysis process. The chapters do not explain the process as
outlined above. Read the entire sections and make a plan for your selected
topic. Have it approved by the instructor.
REMEMBER, there may
be areas of overlap. Make sure that you all know what the others are doing and
coordinate so that information is not duplicated. Take and provide help. Share
drawings, diagrams and other materials.
The findings must be
presented in a visual manner i.e. more
graphics and fewer words. The emphasis shall be on mapping, meaningful
diagrams, charts, drawings, bulleted lists etc. The students should keep in
mind the presentation techniques as they collect and analyze the data.
Mapping is a way of
seeing. They are abstract representations of key elements that are being
studied. Only that which is significant is documented. Mapping provides insight
as it exposes possibilities. It is an integral part of the design process. It
is a form of editing, as it seeks to clarify. Mapping is an abstraction; each
map conveys a unique message and so numerous maps need to be generated. Usually
done in figure ground, but be creative in your presentation. Use Illustrator or
Photoshop.
Precedent analysis
involves an examination of similar projects conceived elsewhere. They are
necessarily different, but should be selected to offer insight regarding the
task. They are to be studied in terms of location, concept, program, planning
and design. Plans,
elevations, sections etc. are to be drawn or reproduced in the same
scale.
Mere reproduction of images is unacceptable.
Students are required to elaborate why that particular project is important and
what lessons it offers for the task at hand. Therefore produce diagrams and
illustrations to show what makes the project suitable for study and what you
have learned from it.
Use
Illustrator or Photoshop for this project.
Scaling devices
involve mapping exercises in which known urban spaces or architecture, ranging
from XS, S, M, L and XL are stamped across the site as a means of better
understanding its dimensions and opportunity. Use Photoshop or Illustrator.
The Master Plan is to
be developed in pairs. Within this scheme, each student will design two areas
in detail (with the consent of the instructor). Develop a manifesto such that
it may be carried out both in the master plan and in the detailed parts.
It is the big idea:
what your project is about. Formal, spatial, relational, programmatic and
theoretical analysis is important in formulating your big idea. The manifesto
should incorporate socio-cultural, political, urban and architectural
statements. It should be made up of a few sentences.
Also provide a visual
version of your manifesto. Use your imagination. Use Photoshop or Illustrator.
This should depict
your ideas and concepts. The territory’s existing context and proposed
interventions should be distinguished through form, materials and color. Use
your creativity in the choice of materials and color.
Dimensions will be
discussed in class. This may be a three dimensional exercise.
Scale as required by
instructor. However, please use architectural scale.
Also, include a
graphic scale with your drawings as required.
All presentations
must be approved by the instructor.
tba
·
Requirements of the
design projects are mandatory.
·
Any deviations or
omissions from the program will be reflected by an appropriate reduction in the
evaluation (grade). Changes in the program will be announced to the class by
the studio professor.
·
All presentation
drawings must be coordinated, neat, clean, clear and complete. All drawings
must be labeled with drawing title, and all sheets should have your name. Always include a
north arrow in plan drawings and this should be oriented upward.
·
However, the final
presentation form may be different, as per discussion with and permission of the
design instructor
·
All models,
elevations and sections must include scale figures.
·
Most presentations
will be in PowerPoint. As necessary, some drawings may be required. Keep the
number of presentation sheets or boards to an appropriate minimum by placing as
much information on one board as appropriate. However, good composition
includes appropriate spacing between drawings. An emphasis is placed on quality
rather than on quantity of sheets and boards.
Exact requirements for various presentations
and pinups will be announced at appropriate times. However, keep in mind that
besides architectural drawings and diagrams, you are also required to submit 4
images (2 for master plan and 2 for detailed area). These are 3-D
visualizations about your project. Use these to bring out the best aspect in
your proposals. One of them may be considered a ‘signature’ image that is
reproduced in more than one way.
1.
Think
3 dimensionally. A building is not an extruded plan
2.
Think
about external spaces – courtyards, walkways, nooks and crannies. Buildings and
other 3 dimensional elements create them. They are not lines in the ground, or
a simple change of materials.
3.
Think
about experiences. What does it mean to be there, as opposed to what does it
looks like.
4.
Design
Thresholds—the in-between
5.
Urban
furniture—sitting areas, lights, sculpture, fountains etc.
6.
If
you do not understand a comment, ask for clarification
7.
Write
down the names of any building or example mentioned in class. Look it up at the
first opportunity.
8.
You
have paid for the library. USE IT.
9.
Your
drawings should be enough to express your ideas. Make sure that they are.
10. Keep
and show all process drawings and diagrams.
11. If
you have a wonderful thought, share it!
The College of
Architecture at Texas Tech University takes the professional preparation of its
students as future architects seriously. Architectural professionals understand
the importance of being present, on time, with work completed. Adherence to
these professional attributes begins in architectural education.
A maximum of 1
absence will be excused. For each absence, excused or unexcused,
2%
will be deducted from the final grade. However, more that
3 absences will result in a failing
grade.
“In excessive absences, the student must
visit the instructor to discuss his or her status in the course. If it is
decided that the student should drop the course, the instructor will then
assign a grade of W or WF (see sections on dropping a course and on
withdrawal). In extreme cases the academic dean may suspend the student from
the university."
Texas Tech University Catalog 2003-2004, p. 48
Please withdraw on or
before the University drop date. Please do not request a grade of I without
documented reasons allowed by the university. No WP will be awarded.
As defined in the Student Affairs
Handbook (2000-2001), Part IX, a
plagiarism violation includes, but is not limited to:
1. The use, by
paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another
person without full and clear acknowledgement;
2. The unacknowledged
use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of
term papers or academic materials.
This includes another
student's work or any work copied substantially from another source such as
magazines or web sites. A student is expected to do his or her own work at all
times.
This is not to say
that students are prohibited from using the periodicals in the library for
research or case studies. Sources of information must be acknowledged in an
appropriate manner.
“The University is committed to the principle
that in no aspect of its programs shall there be differences in the treatment
of persons because of race, creed, national origin, age, sex, or disability,
and that equal opportunity and access to facilities shall be available to all.
If you require special accommodations in order to participate, please contact
the instructor at 742-3169 ext 247 or by email at saif.haq@ttu.edu. Students
should present appropriate verification from AccessTECH
in the office of the Dean of Students. No requirement exists that
accommodations be made prior to completion of this approved University
process.”
TexasTech University Faculty Handbook, August 2000, pp. 36
Grading is a
certification that the student has clearly demonstrated a level of expertise as
required in each design project or exercise.
Grade A:
Superior work
Exceptional
performance strongly exceeding requirements of assignments; initiative proving
independent resourcefulness; strong positive attitude toward the work; a
growing level of improvement.
Grade B:
Good, above average
Adequate performance
above the norm, accurate and complete, beyond requirements of assignments: good
initiative; positive attitude toward the work; improvement showing marks of
progress.
Grade C:
Average
Mediocre
or conservative performance, satisfying all requirements of assignments
with a neutral and ordinary level of initiative, attitude, and performance.
Grade D:
Barely Acceptable
Performance
not meeting the minimum standards of the course.
Initiative barely acceptable. Work below
standard. (This is a passing grade for the University; however, a minimum grade of
"C" is required to proceed to the next
design level.)
Grade F:
Failing
Ineffective
performance not satisfying the requirements of the assignments to an extreme
degree. Level of initiative, attitude, and improvement non-existent.
Plus and minus marks
may be used to indicate higher and lower rating in each grade division for the
purposes of averaging progress reports and final grades.
A student who has
shown her or his clear successful improvement throughout the semester may be
given the advantage in the case of
The following numbers
will be used for calculating the final grade:
For the purpose of calculating a final grade the following numbering system
will be used:
A+ = 97-100, A= 93-96, A- =90-92, B+ = 87-89, B = 83-86, B- = 80-82, C+ =
77-79, C = 73-76, C- = 70-72, D+ = 67-69, D = 63-66, D-=60-62. F=below 60
As University policy,
all work submitted to the studio professor and/or College becomes the property
of the University and remains such
until it is returned to the student.