BE: Design Studio (11020.1)

Please note these are the 2023 details for this unit
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BE: Design Studio
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-campus
 UC College, Bruce, ACT
Bruce, Canberra
South Bank, QLD
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Arts And Design
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
School Of Design And The Built Environment Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 3 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
Design Studio introduces design as a process of investigation, critical observation, and experimentation using three-dimensional and two-dimensional material testing of ideas. Through a cycle of modules, students pursue increasing levels of design abstraction through making and drawing. Students are provided foundational knowledge and skills relevant to the disciplines of architecture, interior design, and landscape design and immersed in studio culture. Projects are formulated to introduce concepts such as point, line, plane; issues such as scale in relation to the human body, site and environmental contexts; and basic techniques of three-dimensional composition.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Identify specific characteristics of design processes in architecture, interior design, and landscape design;
2. Explain design processes within a framework of creative thinking;
3. Explore composition strategies and concepts using a range of mediums and techniques; and
4. Apply a range of skills to three-dimensional and two-dimensional testing of ideas.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology


Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

8405 Design Studio 1.2 (Architecture) 8968 Studio 2

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2025 UC College, Bruce, ACT UC College Trimester 2 26 May 2025 On-campus Miss Swarali Sidhaye
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 28 July 2025 On-campus Dr Milica Muminovic
2025 South Bank, QLD Semester 2 28 July 2025 On-campus Mr Tom James
2026 UC College, Bruce, ACT UC College Trimester 2 29 June 2026 On-campus Miss Swarali Sidhaye
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 10 August 2026 On-campus Dr Milica Muminovic
2026 South Bank, QLD Semester 2 10 August 2026 On-campus Mr Tom James
Not available

Required texts

Core readings

Ching, Francis. Architecture. Form, Space and Order (New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2007)

Muckenheim, Mark and Demel, Juliane. Inspiration. Contemporary Design Methods in Architecture. (Amsterdam: BIS Publishers, 2012). 

Suggested readings 
Gerber, A (ed.) Spatial Abilities (Birkhauser, Basel, 2020) 

Simitch and Warke, the Language of Architecture : 26 Principles Every Architect Should Know (Rockport Publishers, 2014)
von Meiss, Pierre, Elements of Architecture, from Form to Place. (New York: Spon Press, 2007)
Unwin, Simon, Analysing Architecture. (Oxon: Routledge, 2009)
Hertzberger, Herman, Lessons for Students in Architecture. (Rotterdam: 010 Publishers, 2009)

 

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Please refer to the unit's Canvas site for detailed submission descriptions and deliverable specifications.

Artificial intelligence

Students are not permitted to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in assessments for this unit.

GenAI may only be used in authorised ways when completing assessments. This means that GenAI can only be used for an assessment when:

  1. the Unit Convener has authorised GenAI use for that assessment
  2. the student uses GenAI in the way that the assessment instructions allow
  3. the student fully acknowledges their use of GenAI, with proper citations, references and a GenAI Acknowledgement Statement in line with the assessment instructions.

Where the assessment instructions do not specifically state that GenAI may be used and how, then its use is not permitted for that assessment. Students must still provide the required GenAI Acknowledgement Statement to indicate whether GenAI has or has not been used in the preparation of the assessment. If unsure, students should seek advice from the Unit Convener.

The GenAI for StudentsLinks to an external site. Library Guide provides further information, including how to reference GenAI.

Submission requirements and protocols

 

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the correct version of any given assignment is submitted by the due date and time as indicated in the unit’s Canvas site and unit outline.

Submissions that do not meet the specified content, format or other requirements may be penalised through a reduction in marks.

Where students are required to submit models, drawings, posters or other physical artefacts that cannot be submitted electronically, students must create an electronic record (PDF) of the artefact and submit this in the appropriate assignment dropbox as evidence of their completed and on time submission.

Feedback and return of material

Apart from the grades/marks/comments given for the progressive assignments, feedback will be provided in the form of verbal comments and critique during studio classes and at reviews. In design education and practice the fundamental vehicle for receiving feedback is the verbal response or critique. Designers are expected to listen carefully and dispassionately to what is said and respond accordingly. It is therefore important that you develop the facility for recording what is said – this may include enlisting a fellow student to take notes on your behalf during your presentation.

Unless otherwise advised, assignments, together with marks and feedback, will be available for collection from the lecturer during class. All grades will be posted on Canvas.

Work will not be available for collection before the nominated return time. Students must retain a digital copy of their assessable work. This may include photographing work such as physical models or scanning hand drawn work. Students should expect that tutors will write on or otherwise alter their work as a part of the assessment and feedback process.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Inclusion and engagement

See the TAFE Queensland Student Support Services team for further information:
https://tafeqld.edu.au/current-students/support-services

Participation requirements

Attendance at scheduled classes and contribution over the semester is expected. Presentation and discussion of your work in progress are essential for the development of your design skills in meeting the learning outcomes of the subject and for your design education.

Participation in studio sessions and reviews provides important opportunities for feedback and demonstrates that the submitted work is your own. There is a strong link between participation and passing (or better) the unit.

Please advise the Unit Convener if you are unable to attend a particular class or studio.

Required IT skills

Ability to produce 2D drawings and 3D models. 

Ability to compose presentation layouts in a relevant professional e-publising software: Adobe InDesign, MS Powerpoint, Keynote, Google Slideshow, or similar.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None