SMUA5020 Space Syntax techniques and analytical design Emneplan

In this course, the fields of architecture and urbanism are brought together to create a greater knowledge of how complex architectural and urban systems work, and how spaces can be planned, designed and manufactured to create a sustainable society. Specifically, this course connects through the theory and method of space syntax the fields of spatial analysis and urban design in the arena of transport, land use, and people’s behavior. Its application ranges from the scale of architectural interior, to neighborhoods, cities and regions. Space syntax’ rigorous geometrical and mathematical descriptions and quantifications of human spatial systems allows insight about social, economic and cognitive factors and their impacts on the built environment. Space syntax as a mathematical modeling approach is applied in research and practice worldwide to analyze the built environment.

The final grade will be based on two equally weighted parts:

1. 3 written assignments;that must be handed in by specified deadlines during the course.;
2. A Final written report presented in 10 A4 pages + any relevant appendices and spreadsheets

All written assessments are group based, with groups of 3 students. Exceptions with groups of 2 students are only permitted if the class is not divisible by 3, and at the lecturers’ discretions.;The group work on the same case company throughout the course.

Further information regarding submission and due dates will be provided at the start of the semester.

No formal requirements over and above the admission requirements.

Upon completing the course, the student should have the following outcomes:

Knowledge:

Upon successfully completion of the course, the student has gained advanced knowledge to:

• explain how complex urban systems work using space syntax theory and method
• critical reflect on space syntax theory and method and recognize different methods for analyzing cities
• understand how space syntax contributes to the urban theory discourse and how the space syntax technique work
• outline different aspects of spatial function including movement, land use, crime pattern, and land values to achieve a better understanding of the way cities function.
• understand how obtained results from space syntax analysis can be correlated with socio-economic data

Skills:

Upon successfully completion of the course, the student can:

• experiment and test spatial hypotheses relating to different fields in urban planning and design
• strategically assess the role of spatial configuration in the design process and in relation to questions such as the sustainability of the built environment.
• measure and analyze spatial relations and spatial function
• explain the relationships between the built environment and human behavior by means of interpretative models

General competence:

Upon successfully completion of the course, the student can:

• reflect on ethical, philosophical and scientific challenges about how cities work and whether sustainable development is taken into account in the plans/design.
• appraise the interaction between the physical environment, and the cities' social and economic life.
• understand space syntax as a method and theory in research and practice
• undertake space syntax analysis and interpret analytical results
• develop general knowledge from own research topic

The course is delivered through seminars, lectures, hands-on computer workshops, a variety of field trips in and around Oslo (physically or digitally). This course features 5 weeks lectures, 2 software training sessions to provide theoretical content and preliminary hands-on experience.

4 individual assignments. Students who fail to meet the coursework requirements can be given up to one re-submission opportunity.

ØABED3000/4000 Corporate Finance

After completing the course, the student is expected to have an overview and understanding of the most important environmental challenges the world is facing today and how design can contribute to solving them. Working on this complex topic, knowledge, skills and general competence on advanced level is needed.

Knowledge

The student

• understands how products and services can be interconnected in systems and mutually affecting each other
• has a good understanding of the scientific principles of sustainability
• has a good understanding of how to use information about the environmental impact of the product system, to make informed decisions about how the product system should be designed to minimize this impact
• understands the concept of a circular economy and how design can contribute to achieving this
• has knowledge about how the behaviour of the user may affect the environmental impact caused by the product, and how the design may affect this behaviour
• has knowledge about the global challenges of production and consumption as well as how design may contribute to a sustainable development and the UN sustainability goals.

Skills

The student

• can take a systems perspective to describe a chosen topic in relation to the sustainability challenges
• identify needs on a basic level and related user groups
• identify the main environmental impacts caused by a product system throughout its lifecycle and make rough estimates of these impacts
• can justify the choice of sustainable design strategy/strategies to be implemented in the project’s ideation phase, design process & results
• can make design decisions to enable for additional lifecycles in a circular economy
• can analyse and compare (socio-ecological) sustainability performance of product concepts in order to identify areas for improvement and select winning concepts
• can use sustainability analysis results to justify in what ways the suggested offering is more sustainable than the current solution, and to identify areas needing further improvement

General competence

The student

• understands the importance of considering sustainability aspects in a design process, and can identify and apply appropriate tools or methods to minimize or eliminate the negative environmental impact
• is able to communicate the design process, use of design strategies and tools, as well as evaluations and decisions made to reach the most promising results for sustainability
• is able to reflect on the consequences of values and strategies chosen by the designer and company in a systemic perspective.

The most important teaching and learning methods for this course are workshops in class, guest lectures, smaller assignments, peer group presentations, excursions, both individual and group project work. The course includes an individual reflection essay about own learning, contribution and group process.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• Topic selection for group project, downloaded milestone assignment
• Project presentation. Oral presentation of individual or group project, mile stone assignment
• Reflection essay on learning process, downloaded assignment

To be able to obtain a final grade in the course, the student must have the following approved work requirements:

4 individual multiple choice quizzes, available for a limited time at specified dates;;

4 presentations in class: The groups present their three written assignments and the final report (see Assessment below). The group members must participate equally in the presentations.

If the multiple choice quizzes are not approved, the student will be given one opportunity to submit a new multiple choice. The lecturer will provide more detailed information about deadlines for submission. All presentation dates and timeslots will be provided at the beginning of the semester.