Architecture Design Studio: Earth

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 Hours

One of the following subjects :

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

This subject was formerly called Architecture Design Studio 1.

The core of the undergraduate design sequence is the development of both design thinking and dexterity with tools. The focus of this design subject will be generating design ideas, translating them into architectural form/space/materials/programme, refining the architecture through consideration of arrival, circulation, light, views etc and communicating the architectural proposition through 2D and 3D visual media and oral presentations. Linking these investigations will be the theme of earth, which will be explored conceptually, metaphorically, structurally and technologically – e.g. a grounding in considerations of site, topography, context, material investigations, compositional methods, foundational ideas.

Having completed this subject it is expected that the student be able to:

• Demonstrate an ability to interrogate a brief;
• Demonstrate an ability to generate a variety of design possibilities for a given situation;
• Develop drawing, drafting and modelmaking skills;
• Demonstrate an understanding of relationships between architecture and earth through the application of the first three points above;
• Develop the ability to make a case for proposals.

• Series of short assessment tasks equivalent to 1300 words, due weekly for first half of semester (30%);
• Second project assessment equivalent to 2000 words due week 12 (50%);
• Visual diary equivalent to 350 words due first day of week 14 (10%);
• Contribution to studio culture through the semester equivalent to 350 words (10%).

Hurdle requirement: Attendance at least 75% of studios is obligatory. Failure to attend 75% of studios will normally result in failure in the subject.

1. Anthony Radford, Selen Morkoc and Armit Srivestava. 2014. The Elements of Modern Architecture: understanding contemporary buildings. London: Thames & Hudson.
2. Simon Unwin. 2010. Twenty Buildings Every Architect Should Understand. New York: Routledge.
3. Mark Garcia, ed. 2010. The Diagrams of Architecture. Chichester, UK: Wiley.
4. Andrea Simitch and Val Warke. 2014. The Language of Architecture: 26 principles every architect should know. Beverly, Massachusetts: Rockport.
5. Gaston Bachelard. 1958, 1964 trans. The Poetics of Space. New York: The Orion Press.
6. Bruce Chatwin. 1987. The Songlines. London: Jonathon Cape.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

• Graphic communication skills (including orthographic – plans, sections, elevations, axonometric and other like projections);
• Generation of design ideas;
• Appropriate use of design terminology;
• Time management and meeting deadlines;
• Both verbal and two-dimensional graphic presentation skills;
• Relation of representations to designs.