Outline

Overview

This unit is to introduce students to key concepts and basic principles in urban design through lectures and studio-based tutorials. By taking full advantage of the neighbourhoods around campus as our laboratory for urban design analysis and intervention, this unit will walk students through deep experiential, historical, and spatial study and engagement with Sydney as a place and urbanity. Through the critical interrogation of selected study areas, this unit will help students understand the urban environment where human beings operate physically, culturally and socially. The studio will engage students with critical thinking, collaborative work and constructive discussion, all of which will serve as the foundation on which the assessments will be based. Emerging out of a process of enquiry about the city, students will develop critical observation, visual documentation, map reading, systematic urban analysis, basic urban intervention, and visual, verbal and written communication skills. These skills will help students to participate with effectiveness in the urban design studios and integrated urbanism studio.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Urban and Regional Planning and Policy
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Ian Woodcock, ian.woodcock@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Assessment 2. Urban Design Analysis Report and presentation	30%	Week 05 Due date: 21 Mar 2023 at 22:00	No more than 3,000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assessment 1. Participation Journal Progress reports and presentation Submissions Wks 2, 3 & 4 Final Wk 7	40%	Week 07 Due date: 04 Apr 2023 at 14:48	Varied
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assessment 3. Urban Design Intervention Presentation and portfolio	30%	Week 08 Due date: 18 Apr 2023 at 22:00	No more than 3,000 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Assessment 1. Participation Journal. Your completion of weekly Formative Tasks (fieldwork and engagement notes for lectures and readings) will be recorded as your Participation Journal and assessed as Assessment 1.
Assessment 2. Urban design analysis report: Teams may choose a project study area from the list provided by the Unit Co-ordinator, or the nearest suitable area approved by their tutor. Each team will prepare a report which addresses aspects of the study area that should be conserved as well as those which could be improved. Each team will also present the core of their analytical report to the class by using multiple PowerPoint slides.
Assessment 3. Urban design intervention: Each team will choose a) poorly performing sections of streets, b) under-used outdoor public spaces, and c) sites for development within their study area and propose urban design intervention strategies for them. This should align with the vision statement identified in the team’s Urban Design Analysis Report (Assessment 2) and build on further study of the selected location. Each team will present the core of their urban intervention proposal to the class by using multiple PowerPoint slides in studio, and submit a portfolio via Canvas.

Detailed information for each assessment will be released at the start of Week 1 and will be available on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Work of outstanding quality, demonstrating mastery of the learning outcomes assessed. The work shows significant innovation, experimentation, critical analysis, synthesis, insight, creativity, and/or exceptional skill.
Distinction	75 - 84	Work of excellent quality, demonstrating a sound grasp of the learning outcomes assessed. The work shows innovation, experimentation, critical analysis, synthesis, insight, creativity, and/or superior skill.
Credit	65 - 74	Work of good quality, demonstrating more than satisfactory achievement of the learning outcomes assessed, or work of excellent quality for a majority of the learning outcomes assessed.
Pass	50 - 64	Work demonstrating satisfactory achievement of the learning outcomes assessed.
Fail	0 - 49	Work that does not demonstrate satisfactory achievement of one or more of the learning outcomes assessed.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Penalties for late submission of work and related policies are included in the Resolutions of the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning, which are available at http://sydney.edu.au/handbooks/architecture/rules/faculty_resolutions.shtml.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to Urban Design: URBANITY and the PUBLIC REALM; ACCESSIBILITY, MOVEMENT and URBAN STRUCTURE; Overview of assessments, weekly fieldwork, project sites, allocate groups, schedule fieldwork presentations, cognitive mapping activities	Lecture and tutorial (5.5 hr)
Week 02	DENSITY, MIXED, URBAN TYPOLOGIES; review progress on group projects (A2 and A3)	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 02	Assessment 1, formative task: FIELDWORK PRESENTATIONS (Accessibility, movement, urban structure)(Individual)	Presentation (2 hr)
Week 03	URBAN CONTEXT, URBAN CHARACTER; desk crits - progress review group projects (A2 and A3)	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 03	Assessment 1, formative task: FIELDWORK PRESENTATIONS (Density, mixed use, urban typologies)(Individual)	Presentation (2 hr)
Week 04	SUSTAINABILITY AND URBAN DESIGN; desk crits - progress review, group projects (A2 and A3)	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 04	Assessment 1, formative task: FIELDWORK PRESENTATIONS (Urban context, urban character)(Individual)	Presentation (2 hr)
Week 05	ASSESSMENT 2: URBAN DESIGN ANALYSIS Presentations (group work)	Presentation (5.5 hr)
Week 06	DESIGNING URBAN STRUCTURE; Desk crits - review feedback on Assignment 2 and work-in-progress for Assignment 3	Lecture and tutorial (5.5 hr)
Week 07	NO TAUGHT CLASS (work on ASSIGNMENT 3: URBAN DESIGN INTERVENTION)	Independent study (5.5 hr)
Week 08	ASSESSMENT 3: URBAN DESIGN INTERVENTION PRESENTATIONS (group work)	Presentation (5.5 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Please refer to the Resolutions of the University School: http://sydney.edu.au/handbooks/architecture/rules/faculty_resolutions.shtml

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Each student is required to read all readings listed in List A, and at least one reading from List B.

PDFs of all readings will be made available on Canvas by commencement of Week 1.

LIST A

1. Alexander, C. (1996) "A City Is Not A Tree", in The City Reader, London: Routledge, pp. 118-131 (orig. 1965)_12pp

2. Marshall, S. (2005) “Street type and hierarchy” in Streets and Patterns, London: Spon Press_pp.45-72

3. Gehl, J. (2011 [orig.1987]) Life Between Buildings, New York: Island Press, pp.129-162_18pp

4. Krier, R. (2003) “Typological and Morphological elements of the Concept of Urban Space”, in

Cuthbert, A. (Ed) Designing Cities: Critical Readings in Urban Design, Oxford: Blackwell, pp.323-339_10pp

5. Ellis, C.W. (1978) “The Spatial Structure of Streets”, in Anderson, S. (Ed) On Streets, Cambridge, MA/London: The MIT Press, pp.113-132

6. Lynch, K (1996) “The City Image and its Elements”, in The City Reader, London, Routledge, pp. 98-102 (originally published 1960)_5pp.

7. Newman, P. Beatley, T., & Boyer, H. (2009) “Four Scenarios for the future of cities: Collapsed, Ruralized, Divided or Resilient City”, in Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change, Washington: Island Press, pp. 35-54_17pp

8. Dovey, K. and Pafka, E. “What is Walkability? The Urban DMA”, Urban Studies, Vol.57 (1) 93-108

LIST B

Selected chapters from the following books are available on Canvas; Hard copies of the books are available at the Fisher Library:

Lynch, Kevin (1960) The Image of the City. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Jacobs, Jane (1961) The Death and Life of Great American Cities: The Failure of Town Planning. New York: Vintage.
Peter Webber (ed.) (1988) The Design of Sydney: Three Decades of Change. Sydney: Law Book Company.
Katz, Peter (1994) The New Urbanism. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Gehl, Jan (1996) Life Between Buildings. Copenhagen: Arkitektens Forlag.
Shelton, Barrie (1999) Learning from the Japanese City: West Meets East in Urban Design. London: Routledge.
Marshall, Stephen (2005). Streets and Patterns. London: Routledge.
Shaftoe, Henry (2008) Convivial Urban Spaces: Creating Effective Public Places. London: Routledge.
Montgomery, Charles (2013). Happy City: Transforming Our Lives through Urban Design. New York: Macmillan.
Lynch, K. (1981) Ch.11 "Control", in Good City Form, London: The MIT Press, pp. 205-220_14pp
Dovey, Kim & Pafka, Elek (2016) ‘The science of Urban Design?’, Urban Design International, 21 (1), pp.1-10.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. understand the role of group work in developing comprehensive, synthesised approaches to urban design
LO2. explain common urban design terms, including context, public domain, street, subdivision patterns, lot, block, building typology, mixed-use, activation, walkability, scale, city, town centre and design process
LO3. demonstrate an understanding of building types and explain mixed-use building types
LO4. describe and evaluate public domain elements
LO5. use mapping to define urban elements and create evidence based urban design analysis
LO6. use urban design analysis to define and evaluate urban character and quality
LO7. demonstrate the role of comparative analysis and the use of good precedents in defining and explaining urban design
LO8. use a combination of written, verbal and visual communication techniques, to explain urban design concepts, elements and principles.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

As requested by student feedback: adjustments to schedule and content to create more time for assessment tasks (fewer readings and lectures, more time between submissions)

Additional information

Urban design requires a diverse suite of skills including observation, spatial thinking and imagination as well as verbal, visual and other logical and intuitive powers of reasoning. There are multiple modes of learning involved. This unit will work best by consistent engagement with all of the learning activities – lectures, readings, discussions, weekly fieldwork, groupwork, desk-based progress reviews, individual and group oral presentations, independent acquisition of software skills, and regular documentation in the participation journal.

Additional costs

Some costs may be incurred in the purchase of measure and drawing materials (e.g., measuring tape, trace paper, markers, coloured pencils and highlighters, scale rulers).

Site visit guidelines

Please carry with you your student ID card during field trips.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

ARCH9100: Urban Design Foundations Studio

Semester 1a, 2023 [Block mode] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect