Design Communications (9769.3)

Required texts

The computer is integral to both the illustrative and generative practice of architecture such that it is difficult to suggest key reference texts. The information simply is updated so quickly that by the time something is printed it is already out of date. In the end, the web sites of software companies and the latest magazines are the best places to keep up to date with latest developments. Consequently the subject has no required texts/readings.

Submission of assessment items

Special assessment requirements

Non Conforming Submissions of Assessment Items

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

Submissions may require:

‘Stand up' presentations

An ability to present, explain and justify your work is an essential task for any design professional. Students will be required to stand up, pin up, and ‘talk to their work,' presenting their ideas and explaining their design to the group. You will be given time slots with time for questions. Students should be able to discuss their aims, design process and how they have approached the design. It's often a good idea to jot down some key points for presentation and discussion. If it is a research presentation, it may be beneficial to include some visual materials, rather than purely verbal narrations.

Often presentations will be to a panel of visiting critics. This requires special consideration. You will need to design your presentation assuming the guest has no prior knowledge of the project site, program or your previous design work.

Students should sit in on all other student's presentations and ask questions. Final presentations should provide an opportunity for group learning, and a satisfying conclusion to each project. 

3 dimensional physical models

Scale modelling is a primary medium of environmental design, essential to an understanding of form, materials and structure. Modelling need not be concerned entirely with realism or authenticity – some level of abstraction of site features or materials may be more effective. You will need to provide most of your own purchased, recycled or salvaged materials.

Drawings and other graphics

Presentations will usually require site plans, floor plans, sections and details, elevations and perspective drawings. These can be hand drawn or digital, depending on the particular assignment. Design technical drawings should generally be to scale and labeled as such. Presentation of earlier concept and site sketching can also be useful. Always ensure the scale of graphics is suitable for the presentation, usually viewed at a distance of around 2–3 metres.

Visual Journals

A sketch folio (A3 or A4) should be brought to every studio class and should be the means by which you record your thoughts, concept sketches, notes and research related to the projects.

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.

1. Special assessment requirements

It is a requirement for the successful completion of the learning outcomes, and for professional accreditation of this unit, that students attend on-campus and participate in all studio classes.  On-campus participation in scheduled studio classes is an essential part of the learning process. Engaging in academic discourse with other students and with the tutor/unit convener will provide a greater connection to learning, garner a range of opinions and knowledge in addition to providing the opportunity for greater clarity and assistance in achieving unit outcomes.

Full attendance at all classes is expected. There is a significant link between a student’s attendance / participation, and the quality of their learning outcomes demonstrated by the submitted assessable project components.  

Please advise the Unit Convener (by email) in advance if you are unable to attend a particular class or studio.

It is the student’s responsibility to make up all missed information and learning from class time.

Students are in particular required to attend on-campus and participate in all Studio Reviews/Critiques or Juries. Where a student is not able to come to such a session they will have to negotiate a new time with the unit convener at a time convenient to both. External work duties, assignments for other units and holidays do not constitute relevant reasons for missing class or Studio Reviews/Critiques or Juries.

2. 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.

3. Submission requirements and protocols

It is UC policy that students submit ALL written work on Canvas in the appropriate assignment dropbox for this unit.  You should ensure that your name, student number, and unit name is provided on the front cover and as a running header on each page.

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.

CD/DVD/USB/emailed assignment submissions will not be accepted. 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 (digital image, scanned copy, PDF version, or video) of the artefact and submit this in the appropriate assignment dropbox on Canvas as evidence of their completed and on time submission.

Students will not be required to submit preparatory field notes, visual journals or design studio portfolios, unless specifically required as part of the unit assessment tasks. Students may be asked to provide evidence of these in class at the request of the unit tutor or unit convener.

4. Critique Feedback and return of material

Apart from the grades, marks and comments given for the progressive assignments through Canvas, feedback will be provided in the form of verbal comments and critique during studio classes and at critiques. An ability to present, explain and justify the work is an essential task of any design professional. Students will be required to stand up, pin up, and talk to their work, presenting their ideas and explaining the design to a group. Students will be given time slots with time for questions.  During a critique students should be able to discuss the aims, design process and how they have approached the design brief.

Verbal critiques are designed to provide iterative feedback to the students on their progress against the assessment outcomes of the Design Brief. They are conducted a number of times a semester in front of peers, and students are encouraged to benchmark their work against that of others. It’s often a good idea to jot down some key points for presentation and discussion and students are encouraged to enlist the help of a peer to take notes or record the feedback on their behalf during the presentation. 

The final critique, also known as a jury, is held in front of invited guests. During the final critique academics will usually undertake one of the following activities: seek information, test an argument, evaluate outcomes or make contextual and theoretical comparisons. In return students are 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.

All grades will be posted on the dedicated studio unit on Canvas. Work will not be available for collection before the nominated return date. Students must retain a digital copy of their assessable work; this includes the electronic copy of physical artefacts. Students should expect that tutors will write on or otherwise alter their work as a part of the assessment and feedback process.

In design education and practice a 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. Remember that the criticism is always concerned with the work, not the person. It is therefore important that you develop the facility for recording what is said. This may include enlisting a fellow student to take notes for you during your presentation and then you should do the same in return.

5. Announcements and Additional information

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

Announcements

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 calls to long distance or mobile telephone numbers 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 Convener through the Administrative Assistant for the Course.

Late Collection of Assignments

Designers and design students, are expected to take responsibility for their work. In the context of the design studios, this is considered to include both submitting the work on time, and collecting it following assessment.

Care in the studio

Please respect the table-tops. Always use a cutting board or a sheet of cardboard under materials you are cutting. 

Use sharp blades in a measured and controlled way to avoid injury. Use model making glues and adhesives with care. Seek First Aid assistance from a First Aid Officer in staff administration office on level 5 of H-Block.

Plan ahead! You are expected to come to each studio prepared with your work in progress, and all materials and equipment needed for that day at the beginning of studio.

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.

Participation requirements

Full attendance at all classes is expected. There is a significant link between a student's attendance / participation, and the quality of their learning outcomes demonstrated by the submitted assessable project components.  

Please advise the Unit Convener (by email) in advance if you are unable to attend a particular class or studio.

Required IT skills

Students are expected to have basic skills in digital composition, editing and drafting (as acquired in the units' prerequisite units).

Work placement, internships or practicums

Work placements, internships or practicums do not form part of this unit.

Additional information

Announcements

Announcements made during tutorials, 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 made 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 calls to long distance or mobile telephone numbers after normal hours or on weekends or holidays. Emails are normally not checked or answered at nights, on weekends or on public holidays.

Courtesy in Tutorials/Studios

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

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

1. Submission requirements and protocols

CD/DVD/USB/emailed assignment submissions will not be accepted. Submissions that do not meet the specified content, format or other requirements may be penalised through a reduction in marks.

2. Feedback and grades

Unless otherwise advised, all assessment feedback and grades will be posted on the unit Canvas site.

• Semester 1, 2019, On-campus, UC - TAFE Queensland, South Bank (190947)