ARCH 7200:Design Studio I

6 Class Hours 0 Laboratory Hours 6 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: Approval of advisor.
Design studio investigates the architectural, urban, communal, technological, historical and sustainable dimensions infused with socio-cultural, contextual and political manifestations that shape urban, communal and physical processes in the synchronic and diachronic development of a city and its architectural edifices. These critical processes are subject to analysis to comprehend planning and design interventions of our time. Urban design and its development must be understood as the unfolding of social, cultural, economic and political processes, and communities are the physical embodiments of these processes within the city. The forms and layout patterns of a block, a neighborhood, a development district, a transportation corridor, a system of open spaces are examined as the physical phenomena and as manifestations of contemporary values, social needs and traditions in communities exiting in urban and suburban settings.

Learning Outcomes:

• Prepare a thesis proposal with a “hands on” approach to extensive analysis and synthesis.
• Investigate synchronic and diachronic modus operandi shaping various physical settings within an urban environment.
• Learn to develop various strategies to examine potential spatial and morphological shifts within an urban or suburban environment and their socio-cultural implications on future developments.
• Hone skills and craft to present solutions following their critical research agenda, critical design approach and strategies.