Architecture and universal design in the designer's eye

Architecture can be defined as any type of space built by human beings. As such, the concept of architecture is active on various scales: on a comprehensive level (physical planning, and parts of landscape planning), on a detail level (the townscape, the buildings, the building) and on an immediate level (the individual space, the interior setting, aspects of homelikeness). The harmonious balance between these elements creates a ground for discussing exemplary architecture in terms of appropriate and not so appropriate spatial solutions. This balance is still influenced by the bi-millennial Vitruvian concepts of firmistas (sustainability), utilistas (usefulness) and venustas (beauty). However, this balance is also subjected to general welfare goals and socio-political intentions, like social inclusion and universal design.

Learning objectives

This elective seminar course aims as expanding knowledge about the human being, her physiology, her cognitive and functional capacity in an architecturally oriented angle, in order to create an increasingly better fit between the human user and architecture and the built environments. This fit can be analyzed by a close study of the notions of accessibility, social inclusion, sustainability and usability. After having participated in this course, the student will have an improved knowledge about the practical repercussions of these notions, as well as a first impression of on-going research about these notions and universal design.

Finalized papers from fall 2013: 

Aspengren, Erik, 2013: The subway station (short paper)

Comoli, Alessandro, 2014: Water as architecture. (short paper)

Dits, Jessica, 2013: MARIATORGET: VENUSTAS, FIRMITAS, UTILITAS (long paper)

Marcak, Filip, 2013: Levels & utilitas, firmitas, venustas. (short paper)

Nyberg, Eva, 2013: Accessible bathrooms in dwellings. The What, Why and How. (short paper)

Steegh, T. J. W. G, 2013: HOW TO IMPROVE CURRENT AVAILABLE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS IN ORDER TO INCREASE BIM ADOPTION? (long paper)

Valentin, J. 2013: Social Exclusive Inclusion (short paper) 

Wollert-Olsson, S. 2013: Närvaron av ett tillgänglighetsperspektiv i arkitektstudenters examensarbe-ten: hur kan tillgänglighet bli mer närvarande i studenters designprocesser? [The presence of an accessibility thinking in architecture students' graduating projects: how can accessibility become more integrated in students' design processes?] (long paper)