AG2805 Sustainable Planning and Design 15.0 credits

• Educational level

  Second cycle

• Academic level (A-D)

  C

• Subject area

  Built Environment
  

• Grade scale

  A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

• Course page on KTH Social

Learning outcomes

The purpose of the course is to explore andunderstand urban sustainable development in the context of planning and design and to indicate how its practice can be improved. Furthermore to introduce the programme and its tracks, and to introduce teachers and students to one another.

After completing the course, the student should be able to:

• summarise, compare and critically discuss definitions of urban sustainable development stemming from policy, planning and science
• identify and apply planning and design methodologies that contribute to urban sustainable development, including tools for assessment
• identify main characteristics of Stockholm city districts from different periods and analyse these in relation to urban sustainable development
• identify and characterise main actors of urban sustainable development
• creatively explore and critically analyse how planning and design can contribute to urban sustainable development of a city such as Stockholm– in short and long time perspectives
• identify, critically analyse and indicate ways of resolving tensions related to planning and design for urban sustainable development- between stakeholders, goals or different time perspectives  
• present course proposals and analyses as text, drawings and/or illustrations as well as orally

Course main content

The course has four parts:

1. The concept of urban sustainable development

What is the challenge of urban sustainable development? We explore its ecological, social, institutional and economic aspects. We also study differences between its policy, science and planning documents.

2. Urban sustainable development in a Stockholm perspective

In a Stockholm context, we define urban sustainable development through the prism of planning and design. We analyse and compare the urban structuresand the urban life of areas from different epochs, based on observation,historical documents etc. We relate findings to urban sustainable development. 

3. The outcomes of planning and design

What if urban sustainable development were on top of the agenda? How could plans and designs best address the challenge? What important aspects cannot be addressed? We work in projects or studios, supported by lectures, seminars and reading. Most of it is separate for each track but we use the same geographical area. Projects are analysed and evaluated in seminars across tracks.

4. The process of planning and design

In order to efficiently address urban sustainable development, planners and designers need to involve other actors – politicians, officials, consultants, developers, contractors, other organizations, as well as the citizens. In a role game based on previous work in the course, we display and analyse these actors and their different approaches to urban sustainable development.

Eligibility

A Bachelor’s degree in architecture or landscape architecture, civil engineering in the built environment or equivalent, urban and regional planning or social sciences, including at least 30 ECTS in in the field of urban, transport or regional planning and economy, geoinformatics or environmental sciences. In addition documented proficiency in English B or equivalent (TOEFL, IELTS  e g).

För singel course students

Literature

To be decided

Examination

• PRO1 - Project, 6.0 credits, grade scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
• SEM1 - Seminars and Exercises, 3.0 credits, grade scale: P, F
• SEM2 - Seminars and Exercises, 3.0 credits, grade scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
• TEN1 - Examination, 3.0 credits, grade scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Requirements for final grade

Written exam (TEN1; 3 cr),
Seminars and written exercises (SEM1; 3 cr),
Seminars and exercises (SEM2; 3 cr),
Project and studio work (PRO1; 6 cr)

Offered by

ABE/Environmental Strategies Research - fms

Contact

Ulrika Gunnarsson-Östling, ug@kth.se

Examiner

Professor Örjan Svane

Supplementary information

THSSM1 mandatory, THSUM1 recommended

Version

Course plan valid from: Autumn 10.
Examination information valid from: Autumn 10.