Urban Precinct Studio

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

170 hours.

Students will undertake the subject as a capstone and so will have the skills to:

• Gather information from a range of sources relating to an urban place and the ability to meaningfully collate, interpret and analyse it.
• Undertake spatial representation and analysis relevant to urban design and planning, and the ability to convey this to others in meaningful and relevant ways.

Students will have some background in:

• Developing strategies and designs for the ongoing spatial management of an urban place.
• Reflecting upon the implications of their plans and design in terms of social, economic, ecological and cultural concerns.
• Use appropriate means to deliver and convey information about their plans and designs using representation, written, oral and other relevant means.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The focus of this studio is on the development or redevelopment of a precinct-scale site. Students will undertake site investigations and prepare analysis that will lead into developing a vision for the precinct and a related urban design and planning framework. The future imagining of the precinct will be completed with the preparation of concept designs of the precinct. This studio will have an emphasis on relating the fields of urban design and urban planning. Studios and presentations are carried out in an environment that simulates real-life projects with an emphasis on group collaboration and presentation/communication skills.

For students to be able to:

• demonstrate an ability to interrogate a brief;
• develop and demonstrate an ability to graphically communicate information through a variety of media;
• develop the ability to make a case for precinct proposals;
• demonstrate their understanding of theories of precinct-scale design and planning;
• demonstrate innovation and future-focused ideas in how to address challenges, enhance features and plan for change at a precinct-scale

• Preliminary design work due week 6 (25%).
• Final project, including 2000 word report, due week 12 (75% total - 60% for project, 15% for written component).

Benevolo, L, The History of the City, Scolar Press, London, 1980

Kostoff, S, The City Shaped: Urban Patterns and Meanings through History, Thames and Hudson, London, 1991.

Lynch, K, The Image of the City, Cambridge, Mass., 1960.

Mumford , L, The City in History, Penguin Books, 1961.

Webb, M, The City Square, Thames and Hudson, London, 1990.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Both verbal and graphic communication skills for urban design and planning.
• Generation of design ideas.
• Appropriate use of design terminology
• Time management and meeting deadlines.
• Working in a team.
• Relation of presentations to designs.
• Data collection and interpretation