Travelling Studio (Galapagos)

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Quota: 16

This subject is a quota subject and places are limited. Students may provisionally enrol via the Student Portal, but places are not guaranteed until selection is completed. You will be notified in writing by the Student Centre if you are selected.

Selection criteria: Academic merit

For detailed information on the quota subject application process and due dates, refer to the EDSC Quota Subjects webpage: http://edsc.unimelb.edu.au/quota-subjects

340 hours

Admission into one of the following courses:

Master of Property

Master of Urban Design

Master of Landscape Architecture

Master of Urban Planning

Master of Architecture

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 beauty and ecological value of the Galápagos Islands is widely known and valued. There are not many other places in the world where 95% of original species still exist and where almost 97% of the land is protected. While humans threaten to disrupt the finely balanced habitat, they also play an essential role in maintaining and protecting this distinct ecology. This studio will trace recent trends in the development of the islands that give insights into an apparent ecological crisis and provide proposals for possible sustainable future.

Until recently, planners and urban designers have been educated in a problem solving approach to professional thinking. Unfortunately, problem solving often leads to an intensification of the problem or the creation of consequent problems through inappropriate intervention. To quote Jay Forrester (1969), we misunderstand symptoms for causes, framing the issues as simple systems instead of complex systems to salve urban problems. Complex Systems are counterintuitive as causes cannot be found in prior events but rather in "the structure and policies of the system"(Forrester, 1969).

The recent interest in many different disciplines in Complex Adaptive Systems has been changing our attitude in design and hence our understanding of the impact of built structures on the environment. The studio will introduce the new concept of an endemic urbanism to examine the positive consequences of human intervention.

The studio will be interdisciplinary with focus on urban ecology.

CREDIT

This traveling studio can count as credit towards your course in one of the categories listed below

Master of Property - Multidisciplinary elective component.
Master of Urban Design (can replace Urban Design Studio B) or Urban Design Practice elective component.
Master of Landscape Architecture Multidisciplinary elective or Landscape Architecture elective component.
Master of Construction Management - Multidisciplinary elective component.
Master of Urban Planning - Multidisciplinary elective
Master of Architecture - Master of Architecture Studios C, D or E, Architecture elective or Multidisciplinary elective.

• To provide students with an experience in international collaboration.
• To encourage students to identify and engage critically with specific cultural practices, industrial contexts and socio-technical traditions.
• To stimulate systematic/creative thinking and problem solving within students through their experiences of how local issues govern planning, design and construction processes in a particular location.

• Part 1: Design proposal or written research proposal (equiv. 1,000 words), due in the first week of the intensive (10%)
• Part 2: Design proposal or written research proposal (equiv. 3,000 words) due in the second week of the intensive (35%)
• Part 3: Design proposal or written research proposal (equiv. 3,000 words) due in the fourth week of the intensive (35%)
• Final brochure Design proposal or written research proposal, due two weeks after end of the intensive (20%)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

1. Interdisciplinary teamwork
2. Understanding and navigating social and cultural difference
3. Knowledge transfer
4. Organisational collaboration
5. Managing risk