BE: Design Studio (11020.1)

Please note these are the 2025 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
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 2025 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
2024 UC College, Bruce, ACT UC College Trimester 1 05 February 2024 On-Campus Miss Swarali Sidhaye
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 Miss Swarali Sidhaye
2025 UC College, Bruce, ACT UC College Trimester 2 26 May 2025 On-Campus Miss Swarali Sidhaye
2025 South Bank, QLD Semester 2 28 July 2025 On-Campus Mr Tom James
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 28 July 2025 On-Campus Dr Milica Muminovic
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 in the library and listed in 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.

Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is not allowed to be used in this unit unless expressly stated in the weekly task or assessment.

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.

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.

Participation requirements

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:

  • Practise good hand hygiene, washing hands regularly;
  • If you do happen to cough or sneeze, please do so into the crook of your elbow, dispose of tissues immediately and wash hands immediately
  • Practise effective physical distancing;
  • Follow all directions of teaching and other UC staff regarding safety measures;
  • Stay off campus if you are unwell and get tested according to ACT Government guidelines, and 
  • Follow University communications about campus arrangements https://www.canberra.edu.au/coronavirus-advice

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.

Students should bring their work in progress to studio sessions, reviews and juries as detailed in the unit outline. 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

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