Credits: 5
Schedule: 01.03.2019 - 12.04.2019
Teacher in charge (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Philip Tidwell
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
The teacher is Patrick Rand.
Meetings by appointment.
Contact by email: patrick.rand@aalto.fi
Teaching Period (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
IV-V
Content (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
This course provides a broad overview of building not only as a technical and practical endeavor, but also as a subject of theoretical inquiry. The course is organized thematically, surveying work from a range of historical periods including the present. Using readings and analysis of selected texts and buildings students work toward a better understanding of the ways in which theories of architecture, representation and aesthetics intersect with the material and technical concerns of building.
Details on the course content (applies in this implementation):
It is required that students have already completed a basic course regarding architectural materials.
It is helpful if students have also had a course or professional experience regarding construction assemblies and common practices.
It is also helpful if students have experience interpreting technical drawings and details regarding building assemblies.
Each student will team
up with one classmate to carry out an analysis.
Students can choose the project for their examination, based on the
criteria below. Projects are selected on
a first come, first served basis. Our
seminar meetings will generally consist of students displaying images and outline
text about the selected projects, and leading a discussion regarding their
merit in terms of their use of materials.
Each project will be engaged in an iterative process, each time probing
more deeply and specifically to find its key lessons. Near the end of the analytical process, the
students will select the most relevant drawings and photographs to use in a
graphic presentation, and will write a narrative summarizing their findings
regarding both the project’s general design intentions and its technical
embodiment.
Learning Objectives:
1. Become
able to define the performance qualities
of architectural materials.
2. Develop
a working knowledge of resources
relevant to various architectural materials.
3. Identify
and analyze case study projects
regarding architectural materials.
4. Represent
the conclusions of the analyses in oral,
written, and graphic form.
Assessment Methods and Criteria (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Weekly lectures and readings with four exercises leading to a final project
Elaboration of the evaluation criteria and methods, and acquainting students with the evaluation (applies in this implementation):
Cyclic Process of Analysis / Synthesis
Each project analysis
will be engaged in several steps. The
process starts with active engagement of available information, followed by
interrogative probes by the students, assisted by the instructor and
classmates. In some cases, queries will
be factually answered, in others informed judgments will be the basis for
conclusions. The student’s own project
(Designing with Materials in Mind) will be examined cyclically using a similar
set of questions. The format for its
presentation is the same as for the case studies analyses.
1 (10%)
Each team of students will identify at least one
candidate project
For each project, they will concisely state:
§ what the material focus will
likely be
§ what seems significant
regarding how this project uses this material
§ whether the available project
documentation supports deeper analysis that may lead to conclusions
Following this, the projects will be engaged for
further analysis.
2 (20%)
The selected projects will be analyzed and
presented in preliminary manner based on available documentation.
For each project students will concisely state:
§ what the basic architectural
intentions are in the project (outline text)
§ what the focal material is (outline
text)
§ what seems significant
technically regarding how this project uses this material (outline text)
§ compare it to the “state of
the art” regarding this material’s technical qualities;
how is this project similar or dissimilar from
those described in the Materials for
Design books, or other sources?
§ what additional documentation
or information is needed in order to reach conclusions in this analysis?
3 (20%)
After gathering additional documentation or
information, each project will be presented, calling attention to unresolved
matters.
For each project students will concisely state:
§ what has been tentatively concluded
regarding how this project uses this material (outline text)
§ what supports these
conclusions; provide relevant project drawings or images, or make your own
§ what remaining questions or
clarifications need to be addressed
4 (20%)
Preliminary presentation of graphic analysis and
narrative summarizing each project. In
addition to your graphic documentation of each project, draft a summary (up to
750 words) regarding the following (written narratives).
§ what the basic architectural
intentions are in the project
§ what the focal material is
§ what is significant technically
regarding how this project uses this material
§ what this project contributes
to the body of knowledge about this material
5 (30%)
Final presentation and submission of graphic
analysis and narrative summarizing each project.
Also submit PDFs to the MyCourses folder for this
seminar.
Evaluation Criteria:
There will be no
quizzes or exams in this course. Grades will be based on student performance on
the case study analysis / design project analysis carried out during the term,
as well as participation to group discussions each class meeting. Relative value of the various segments
appears in the topical outline above.
Students are expected to attend all
class meetings and participate in discussions.
This course uses standard 5-point grading.
Each project will be
evaluated in terms of the following criteria:
1. Breadth: Extent to which relevant objectives have been
addressed
2. Depth:
Thoroughness and quality of analytic content
3. Presentation: Quality of
drawings, text and other media
4. Timeliness: Completion
of each component at the designated intervals (5% deduction per day late)
Aalto University Code of Academic Integrity
Details on calculating the workload (applies in this implementation):
Seminar class meetings: 21 hrs
Working in teams: discussion, analyses, questions to architects, etc.: 30 hrs
Working individually: reading, gathering docs, analyses, etc.: 54 hrs
Site visit, meeting with architect or other key people: 8 hrs
Prep of presentations, weekly classes: 16 hrs
Prep of presentation, final: 8 hrs
Details on the course materials (applies in this implementation):
Required
Text:
Materials
for Design / Volume 2, Victoria Ballard Bell and
Patrick Rand, Princeton Architectural Press, 2014
Substitutes for Courses (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Replaces the course A-112.2000
Course Homepage (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
https://mycourses.aalto.fi/
Grading Scale (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
0-5
Registration for Courses (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
WebOodi
The order of priority for admitting students to courses at Aalto ARTS 1.1.2018 onwards (approved by The Committee of Arts, Design and Architecture on 10.10.2017)
The order of priority is as follows:
- students for whom the course is compulsory for their major/programme and who have scheduled it for the current academic year in their personal study plan (HOPS);
- exchange students for whom the course is a part of his/her officially approved learning agreement and scheduled to be taken during the current semester;
- students for whom the course is compulsory for their major/programme and who have not completed it yet;
- students, for whom the course is part of his/her major’s or programme’s alternative studies and has been scheduled in the student's PSP (HOPS) for the current academic year
- students, for whom the course is part of his/her major’s or programme’s alternative studies and who have not completed the requisite number of credits for alternative studies yet;
- students for whom the course is compulsory for their minor;
- students, for whom the course is part of his/her minor subject’s alternative studies and who have not completed the requisite number of credits for alternative studies yet;
- students who have applied for the course through a student mobility scheme (internal mobility within Aalto University, flexible study right (JOO) studies etc.);
- other students.
Courses that are intended to be multidisciplinary (e.g. UWAS courses) may apply an order of priority based on the learning outcomes of the course, while bearing in mind the university obligation of enabling students to complete their degrees within the normative duration of study set for the degree. The order of priority does not apply to courses organised by the Centre for General Studies or doctoral courses.
This decision on the order of priority does not influence the right of the teacher to define prerequisites for the course.
Details on the schedule (applies in this implementation):
| Mar. | 1 | Introduction / Interdependence of aesthetic and technical qualities; Challenges for contemporary architects | ||
| First day | Introduction to case study analysis process. Observe past examples and new candidate projects identified by teacher. | |||
| Identify 2-person Teams and Groups. Teams select projects to analyze. | ||||
| Group 1 | Group 2 | |||
| 8 | Each pair of students will identify and display selected project for class discussion. | Each pair of students will identify selected project; submitted as PDF to teacher in MyCourses folder. Bring up any questions with teacher during discussion period. | ||
| Prelim | Preliminary analysis based on available documents (see steps 1 and 2 of process) | Preliminary analysis based on available documents (see steps 1 and 2 of process) | ||
| 15 | Each pair of students will identify and display selected project and submit as PDF to teacher in MyCourses folder. Bring up any questions with teacher during discussion period. | Each pair of students will identify and display selected project for class discussion. | ||
| Prelim | Preliminary analysis based on available documents (see steps 1 and 2 of process) | Preliminary analysis based on available documents (see steps 1 and 2 of process) | ||
| 22 | Followup analysis presented for class discussion. | Followup analysis submitted as PDF to teacher in MyCourses folder. Bring up any questions with teacher during discussion period. | ||
| Interm | Deeper analysis based on additional material investigations or precedents. (see step 3 and 4 of process) | Deeper analysis based on additional material investigations or precedents. (see step 3 and 4 of process) | ||
| 29 | Followup analysis submitted as PDF to teacher in MyCourses folder. Bring up any questions with teacher during discussion period. | Followup analysis presented for class discussion. | ||
| Interm | Deeper analysis based on additional material investigations or precedents. (see step 3 and 4 of process) | Deeper analysis based on additional material investigations or precedents. (see step 3 and 4 of process) | ||
| Apr. | 5 | DRAFT Presentation of analyses and graphics summarizing all projects. Multiple concurrent class discussions. (see step 5 of process) | ||
| DRAFT Final | ||||
| 12 | Presentation and Final submission of analyses and graphics summarizing all projects. Multiple concurrent class discussions. (see step 5 of process) | |||
| Final | Also submit PDFs to the MyCourses folder for this seminar. | |||