Course overview
Architects are increasingly challenged to work on sites that are articulated by diverse cultural and contextual histories, custodians, and stakeholders. This course enables learners to respond to such scenarios by applying contextual sensibility and critical self-awareness in the design process. By interrogating the palimpsest of existing built fabrics through different perspectives, the course aims to shift learners' thinking away from preconceived conceptual approaches to the generation of design ideas to culturally- and contextually-informed methodologies for creating architectural propositions with the power to influence society. This course aims to consolidate students’ competence in integrating design skills and knowledge of processes, strategies, and practices, applied to medium-scale architectural project/s of increasing complexity.
Course learning outcomes
- Identify, evaluate, and integrate contextual qualities of built environments and settings, such as site characteristics and user practices, into design proposals
- Identify, evaluate, and integrate cultural qualities of built environments and settings into design proposals
- Analyse and apply design research methodologies in the conceptual and schematic design of buildings and environments of varying levels of complexity
- Interpret, evaluate, and synthesise project brief requirements into design proposals of increased complexity that synthesise user needs and aspirations
- Analyse and apply analogue and digital graphic representation and modelling knowledge and skills to generate and describe three-dimensional form and spatial experience