Undergraduate Course: Architectural Design: Elements (ARCH08001)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course introduces students to the foundational knowledge and skills appropriate to the practice of architectural design. Design is seen as a process involving imagination, representation and communication, analysis and research, iteration and reflection.
Students work on a series of design exercises and projects, which require individual and group submission of maquettes, models, and drawings. Working in a studio environment, students undertake a number of studies that introduce some of the essential elements of architecture, such as path, threshold, opening, membrane and enclosure. These studies are underpinned by a concern for the role of place and embodiment in the experience of architecture and the built environment.
Studio exercises are supplemented by a series of lectures on practical and theoretical issues associated with the design process. |
| Course description |
Not entered
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | It is RECOMMENDED that students also take
Technology and Environment: Principles (ARCH08002) AND
Architectural History 1A: Introduction to World Architecture (ARHI08009) AND
Architectural Design: Assembly (ARCH08004) AND
Architectural History 1B: Revivalism to Modernism (ARHI08004) AND
Art and Design (ARCH07001)
|
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Please note that this course is only available to students undertaking MA (Hons) Architecture or Architecture-related programmes (such as Structural Engineering with Architecture), or by express permission of the course organiser in other instances.
This Course requires additional costs to be met by the Student.
Travel and Accommodation: There are required travel costs associated with local site visits.
Students will be expected to support the cost of local travel by public transport.
Equipment and software:
Most equipment and software required will be provided by the School, but students will be expected to provide some specialist equipment including laptop headphones and SD cards.
Materials:
Students will be expected to fund the purchase of general art and design materials, such as sketchbooks, paper and pens. Students will be expected to fund purchase of some specialist materials required by their course e.g. model making tools, model making materials, drawing board etc.
Course Organisers will support you in meeting intended learning outcomes while keeping material costs to a minimum, encouraging sustainable, responsible sourcing through Free Use Hub but students will be expected to fund optional material costs as necessary for their own project work.
Printing:
Students are expected to fund occasional printing of A4/A3/A1 sheets, booklet binding etc.
Budget:
To fully participate in the BA/MA (hons) Architecture programme students are recommended to budget a minimum of £300 in Years 1, £600 in Year 2, £300 in Year 3, £300 in Year 4. NOTE: This figure is for all courses undertaken in an academic year. |
| Additional Costs | Occasional field trip travel contribution.
Processes and materials involved in the presentation of work: printing and reprographic charges, photographic costs, drawing and modelling materials; digital storage etc. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | This course is only open to students on an approved exchange with ESALA. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 77,
Fieldwork Hours 4,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Formative Assessment Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 14,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
77 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Continuous formative assessment through design coursework. Drawn, modelled and documented design studio work and project panels.
Final summative assessment through portfolio presentation.
|
| Feedback |
Students receive feedback regularly through informal studio weekly reviews. The mid-semester formal review is the main opportunity for formative feedback, which is followed by individual written feedback and a short interview when the student may respond and clarify the feedback provided.
A second formal review in the last teaching week of the course, allows students to present their work for feedback. A portfolio review feedback session is offered prior to submission.
Students receive written feedback at the end of the course following the assessment.
|
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate awareness of basic architectural elements and issues that inform their disposition in architectural designs;
- Demonstrate awareness of different dimensions of the design process, from analysis and research individually and in teams to iteration and reflection in the formation of architectural designs.
- Demonstrate awareness of appropriate representational and communication methods, to prepare and present design proposals.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
8 hours per week for 12 weeks. There are 2 main studio days which will be structured according to the design projects being undertaken. A mixture of methods will be used, supervised learning, directed learning, and independent learning. |
| Keywords | Studio,path,place |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Kevin Adams
Tel:
Email: Kevin.Adams@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Louisa King
Tel: (01316) 502306
Email: Louisa.King@ed.ac.uk |
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