ARCT20050 Architectural Design III

Academic Year 2022/2023

Building Life - settings for collective inhabitation
This studio project follows on from the vertical studio in 21/22, with a continued focus on adaptive reuse. The studio is also part of the Curriculum for Climate Action project. This is a shared, government-funded initiative across all Ireland's undergraduate architecture programmes, specifically focussed on the revision of studio modules to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to work towards low-carbon and zero carbon designed environments. While this initiative informs the overall direction and outcomes of the studio module, it will also support specific input and exercises, consisting of three vertical sessions for years one to three and two module-specific sessions.

The studio will focus on developing scenarios for the inhabitation and reuse of a previously vacant building which is supporting a range of cultural uses. It is not a very precious building, but it is full of potential for new use, for supporting new life.

The emphasis is on understanding buildings as entities or organisms which exist in time, which have different phases of life from the moment of their completion. Buildings must also be understood in terms of their environmental performance - how light and air and moisture moves through them over the course of the day, the year. Tools and methods for testing and experimenting with environmental performance will play a central role in the studio. Skills in Rhino and Grasshopper will be developed to allow the use of the plug-in Climate Studio in testing and experimenting with environmental performance. Time-based media will be used extensively. Close attention will be paid to the fabric and construction. At all stages, questions of climate action and climate adaptation will be central, with consideration of the embodied and operational carbon of the building in its current form and in its future uses.

The studio will proceed through two stages. The initial six-week phase will concentrate on surveying and producing models in physical form while also developing a 'digital twin' model. In parallel, there will be a study of useful examples of adaptive reuse in their cultural and socio-economic contexts. Also in parallel, skills in the use of Rhino and Climate Studio will be developed through tutorials and exercises.
In the second phase of work, the emphasis moves to testing and experiment and the development of design proposals. Using the physical and digital models, the existing building will be studied in terms of its environmental performances - and design strategies for addition/subtraction/revision will begin to be tested. The emphasis will be on developing climate literacy and a capacity to use modelling as a means of developing design ideas.
In the first phase, students will work in groups. In the second phase, design strategies for the collective use will be developed individually. Four broad categories of collective use will be considered, within the overall concept of a 'meeting house' for the community : playhouse, greenhouse, workhouse and powerhouse. The emphasis in this second phase, culminating in an exhibition, will continue to be on the use of models, digital and physical, and time-based media.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module the student should be able to:
1. Demonstrate some understanding of the broad context of climate change, climate action and adaption as it applies to the built and designed environment.
2. Demonstrate a developing understanding of architectural responses to the challenges of reducing carbon emissions through strategies of reuse and adaptation.
3. Demonstrate a developing ability to survey and research existing and historic buildings and environments and to use these as an active component in the design process.
4. Demonstrate the ability to sustain an iterative and rigorous work process, across analogue and digital formats.
5. Demonstrate a developing understanding of three-dimensional space and the ability to order a spatial configuration for a project.
6. Demonstrate a developing understanding of building construction, structure, and materials and an ability to integrate these into a design.
7. Demonstrate understanding of environmental issues and building performance and an ability to integrate these into a design.
8. Demonstrate a development in skills in drawing, model-making, digital modelling and other representational techniques.
9. Demonstrate the ability to communicate, discuss, critique and reflect on your own work and the work of your peers.

Indicative Module Content:

Survey, analysis and design proposal for existing building.
Skills in digital and physical modelling.
Study of approaches to adaptive reuse in architecture
Introduction of knowledge base on climate and the built environment
Experiment with approaches to reducing carbon emissions in the design and construction of built space.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Studio

192
Autonomous Student Learning

108
Total

300
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Key modes of teaching in this module will include: studio work to include active/task-based learning, enquiry-based learning, peer and group work, case-based or precedent study, lectures, reflective writing and student presentations. Representation skills are emphasised in drawing, model, collage and digital techniques. Students will work to reflect, collate, edit and present their research and design work for presentation and exhibition.

 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Minimum of D- in ARCT 10020 Architectural Design II


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Pre-requisite:
ARCT10010 - Architectural Design I, ARCT10020 - Architectural Design II

Co-requisite:
ARCT20010 - Architectural Design IV


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Portfolio: Projects reviewed and assessed. Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes

100

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students are in weekly contact with their tutors in small group meetings. At these, student's work is discussed and summative feedback is provided that is focused on positively developing project ideas. It is not intended to grade ideas which are in the process of taking shape. Reviews are scheduled during the semester at which students will be given an indication of what development is required in the case of a project being underdeveloped. Written feedback is given after the Interim Review and after the final assessment.

Name Role
Professor Hugh Campbell Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Alice Clancy Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Rae Moore Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Michael Pike Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr Peter Tansey Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr Benjamin Mullen Tutor