Contemporary Digital Practice

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

Admission into a course at the Melbourne School of Design.

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 focuses on impacts of digital technologies on professional practice and services. It explores issues such as emerging forms of professional practice, status of professional knowledge and skills, use and value of digital information in design, and digital fabrication and assembly of contemporary buildings. The subject involves guest lectures by practicing designers and case studies of real projects.

On completion of the subject students should have developed:

• knowledge of how digital technology is used in architectural practice;
• Critical awareness of the impact of digital technology on architectural practice.
• Understanding and critical appreciation of the appropriate use of specific digital technologies for specific architectural project

• Class participation, contribution to Tutorial and lecture class through engagement with lecture/ tutorial topics and through supportive critique and class discussion, (10 %);
• Gathering of case study data and production of a journal due at the end of semester (30%);
• A case study description up to 750 words and an essay proposal up to 750 words must be submitted by the end of week 4;
• Essay to the equivalent of at least 3000 words due at the end of semester (60%).

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of the subject students should have developed the following:

• Critical evaluation of policies and practices;
• Skills in seeking, evaluating and retrieving information;
• Comprehension of complex concepts and the ability to express them lucidly in writing;
• Identification of emergent trends in practice.