BE: Design Studio (11020.1)

Please note these are the 2024 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
South Bank, QLD
Bruce, Canberra
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


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 2024 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
2023 UC College, Bruce, ACT UC College Trimester 2 05 June 2023 On-Campus Miss Swarali Sidhaye
2023 South Bank, QLD Semester 2 31 July 2023 On-Campus Mr Tom James
2023 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 31 July 2023 On-Campus Dr Milica Muminovic
2024 UC College, Bruce, ACT UC College Trimester 1 05 February 2024 On-Campus Miss Chenchen Li
2024 South Bank, QLD Semester 2 29 July 2024 On-Campus Mr Tom James
2024 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 29 July 2024 On-Campus Dr Milica Muminovic
2024 UC College, Bruce, ACT UC College Trimester 3 23 September 2024 On-Campus Mr James Young
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

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). 

*** All core readings are available (PDF) on the unit's CANVAS site

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.

Special assessment requirements

Verbal Studio Critiques - Academic Conduct Guidelines - general comments applicable to Built Environment units 

It is in the AIA Code of Professional Conduct that all members of the profession have an obligation to uphold the integrity and dignity of the profession, and must in every circumstance conduct themselves in a manner that respects the legitimate rights and interests of others. It is important that this is modelled in the unit. This is particularly important during the conduct of the studio critique, a time when a student often feels at their most vulnerable. 

Verbal critiques in the workshop times are conducted to provide iterative feedback to the students on their progress against the assessment criteria of the design brief, as detailed in the unit outline. They are conducted a number of times a semester in front of peers, and during this time students should be encouraged to 

  • benchmark their work against that of others, and 

  • enlist the help of a peer to take notes or record the feedback on their behalf during the presentation. 

During the final critique academics should make it clear which of the following activities is being conducted (Stuart-Murray 2010): 

  • to seek information, 

  • to test an argument, 

  • to evaluate outcomes, or 

  • to make contextual and theoretical comparisons. 

In return students will be invited to present their own work and to evaluate their level of understanding of the learning outcomes. This two-way process necessarily elicits both positive and negative critique and can lead to misunderstandings about the process and outcomes. However, at all times, all participants can expect to be treated respectfully and ethically by staff, students and visitors, as they work in partnership to better the learning outcomes for all. 

 

Running a critique 

The academic leading the critique is at all times responsible for the safe and ethical conduct of that critique. In the process of a critique the academic leading the critique sessions will aim to ensure that: 

  1. prior to the critique 

  • the content and format of presentations is clearly specified 

  • students will be advised on how to prepare their verbal presentations 

  • assessment criteria are clearly identified 

  • student has been encouraged to have a peer recorder 

 

  1. during the critique 

  • clearly communicate their expectations of how the session will unfold 

  • frame their critique within the context of the brief, thus making connections between the brief expectations and the work presented 

  • comments will only address the assessment criteria and not the person 

  • ensure all pre-agreed time limits are upheld 

  • ensure mutual respect for all present is maintained at all times 

 

  1. after a critique 

  • the student understands their results 

  • the student has been given a suitable opportunity to respond 

 

Resolving a conflict 

Should the critique session become unexpectedly heated, or a conflict arise, the academic leader will 

  • immediately stop the critique; 

  • call a break to the session; 

  • speak privately with the student/guest involved to resolve the issue – this may be done at another time, if deemed appropriate to the situation. A later discussion should be held in camera, with another academic present. The student should also bring a support person. This later opportunity should include the option or re-presenting their work if deemed appropriate to the situation, without penalty; and 

  • address the entire group, confirming that those involved will continue the discussion later, prior to re-commencing the session, with the next student. 

At no time should the student, who has been involved with a conflict situation, be asked to continue – this may lead to issues of perceived injustice in the marks, the student may decide that they cannot do their presentation justice, but also may make the student feel unsafe and bullied. 

Should the situation remain unresolved at the later meeting then the academic will make the Head of Discipline aware and the Student Grievance Resolution Process should then be followed. 

 

 

 

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.

Good Studio Practices 

The following additional discipline specific regulations and procedures are designed to ensure equity for students in the submission, feedback and assessment of projects. 

 

Studio Clean-up/ Shared Use 

Studios are to be cleared of work at the end of each class. Students are responsible for removing their materials, equipment, progress models and drawings as needed to ensure clear teaching spaces for subsequent studios. 

 

Announcements and Additional Information 

Additional information, including assignment and submission requirements will be provided in separate handouts. Reading and complying with this information and instruction is a requirement for students enrolled in this unit. 

Announcements made during studios, seminars or lectures, or sent to your University of Canberra student email address, will be deemed to have been made to the whole group. Students are responsible for regularly checking their UC student email. 

 

Consultation with Staff 

Contact with staff should generally be within the allocated class times. Consultation outside of these hours shall be by prior appointment, and in addition to, not in lieu of the scheduled class time. Students who fail to attend classes, and who do not have a medical or counsellor’s certificate or other genuine reason for missing classes, should not expect additional tutorial or consultation time. 

Please note: staff are not able to return telephone calls after normal hours or on weekends or holidays. Emails are normally not checked or answered at nights, on weekends or on public holidays. 

Teaching staff (and particularly part-time staff) may not be able to attend to phone calls or reply to emails immediately. Please ensure any urgent matters are brought to their attention within the studio session or request assistance in notifying the Unit Convener through the Administrative Assistant for the Course. 

 

End of Semester Clean-up 

Studios are to be cleared of work and generally cleaned-up at the end of each semester. Projects not removed by the advertised date may be discarded without further notice. University of Canberra staff and sessional studio tutors are not responsible for submission materials. Students are required to retrieve submissions at the end of the jury day as noted. Unless special arrangements have been made with the convener, items that are not collected as required may be discarded without further notice. This is particularly important at the end of semester, when the studios and pin-up spaces must be cleared for graduation exhibitions.  

 

Courtesy in Tutorials/Studios 

All mobile phones are to be switched to silent mode during all lectures, tutorials, workshops and presentations. During these sessions, all computers may only be used for purposes directly related to scheduled tutorial (i.e. no games, emailing, internet browsing etc.). 

Inclusion and engagement

TAFE Queensland Student Support

Enquiries for Student Support (Counselling, AccessAbility and Indigenous Support) should be directed to 3244 5095 or StudentSupport.Services@tafe.qld.edu.au and our Student Support Officers will check Support staff availability, collate relevant details, and handle all staff and student questions and appointment requests. 

Enquires for International Student Support Advisors should be directed to 3244 5633 or Intss.Brisbane@tafe.qld.edu.au

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.

In order to receive a grade of Pass or better, students must bring their work in progress to studio sessions, reviews and juries as detailed in the unit outline. Assessment items that have not been presented for review during the semester as required may not be submitted for final assessment.

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

 

COVID-19

Students who attend campus for class or other purposes must play their part in keeping our campus and community safe by following these basic guidelines to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission:

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

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