Course overview
This course will introduce students to the role of architecture in the mediation of the sensory experience of the human body. Students will develop introductory knowledge in the principles of environmental design, including solar entry and shading, thermodynamics, thermal comfort, sound transmission, room acoustics, and the impact of material properties on thermal and acoustic performance. Students will develop and apply skills in observing sensory conditions and analysing the impact of the environment and climate on buildings and people.
Course learning outcomes
- Develop basic knowledge of passive environmental systems, including for thermal comfort, lighting, and acoustics for conceptual design
- Evaluate the built environment in the context of sustainable development and incorporate basic sustainable design strategies and technologies
- Identify a range of methods by which built and natural environments mediate human comfort
- Identify, analyse, and integrate information relevant to siting a project and in the development of project briefing documents
- Develop design responses that incorporate an assessment of the project's physical location and relevant regional, contextual, and environmental issues for conceptual design