Skip to main content
Till KTH:s startsida

AD2863 Sustainable Urban Planning and Design Studio 2.1- Urban Ecologies 22.5 credits

The aim of this studio-based course is to give an introduction to urban planning and design strategies, and establish a broad understanding of the complex economic, political, social, environmental and physical forces that influence urban growth and development. The course will give participants an insight into the social, cultural and political implications of urban transformation, as well as provide training in analysing, describing and responding architecturally to urban spaces as a physical entity. 

Information per course offering

Termin

Information for Autumn 2024 Start 26 Aug 2024 programme students

Course location

KTH Campus

Duration
26 Aug 2024 - 13 Jan 2025
Periods
P1 (7.5 hp), P2 (15.0 hp)
Pace of study

75%

Application code

50437

Form of study

Normal Daytime

Language of instruction

English

Course memo
Course memo is not published
Number of places

Places are not limited

Target group

THSSM2

Planned modular schedule
[object Object]

Contact

Examiner
No information inserted
Course coordinator
No information inserted
Teachers
No information inserted
Contact

Daniel Koch (daniel.koch@arch.kth.se)

Course syllabus as PDF

Please note: all information from the Course syllabus is available on this page in an accessible format.

Course syllabus AD2863 (Spring 2024–)
Headings with content from the Course syllabus AD2863 (Spring 2024–) are denoted with an asterisk ( )

Content and learning outcomes

Course contents

The studio-based course will give participants an insight into design strategies and processes for urban transformation. Participants will gain an understanding of discourses in urban planning and design in relationship to urban theory. The seminars will address representations of urban spaces, urban and architectural methods, strategies, and specific case studies. Developing knowledge through research and fieldwork, students will gain a broad understanding of the complex economic, political, social, environmental and physical forces that influence urban growth and development.

The project work will be directed towards tackling a complex social issue, such as social segregation, the relation between virtual and physical space, or the role of urban space in contemporary society. Students will be trained to develop concrete, functional and architecturally expressive solutions in response to that issue.

The learning methods will be field studies and research into various urban areas, within different environments, of a chosen city. Analysis will be performed through extended site observations, official aims documents, and archival research concerning technical/architectural drawings and historical documents. Emphasis will be placed on the ability to understand and describe the material and social conditions of existing urban spaces; such an ability is seen as a prerequisite for proposing transformed or new spatial organisation and design processes. Lectures, seminars and literature studies will run parallel to the design assignments, providing a theoretical or conceptual framework.

Intended learning outcomes

The aim of this studio-based course is to give a deeper knowledge of and ability to work with urban planning and design strategies, and establish a broad understanding of the complex economic, political, social, environmental, and physical forces that influence urban growth and development. The course will give participants an insight into the intricate dialogues around the problem formulation, research process, and design proposal on contemporary transformations of the urban environments. Students will be able to formulate a comprehensive proposal taking into consideration the complex ecological systems that play an important role in the definition of a territory, and will be able to work with non-human actors and perspectives as integrated aspects of their strategies.

Literature and preparations

Specific prerequisites

- Bachelor degree in architecture, landscape architecture, or urban planning and design.

-  the previous study should include at least 30 ECTS in an art or design field.

In this interdisciplinary project, a number of places will be given to students from adjacent disciplines.

Recommended prerequisites

Bachelor degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, or Physical Planning and the acceptance to the program through a portfolio. In admittance, priority will be given to students who participated in Studio 1.1 and Studio 1.2.

For external students:

• A completed Bachelor Degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, or Physical Planning.

• Documented proficiency in English B or equivalent.

Equipment

No information inserted

Literature

No information inserted

Examination and completion

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

Grading scale

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

Examination

  • PRO3 - Project, 7.5 credits, grading scale: P, F
  • PRO4 - Project, 11.5 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
  • SEM2 - Seminars, 3.0 credits, grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

Other requirements for final grade

Students need to fulfil the following requirements in order to receive a pass (E):

• active participation in seminars (3.5 cr.)

• design project examination PRO3: individual and / or group design resolutions (7.5 cr.)

• design project examination PRO4: individual and / or group design resolutions (11.5 cr.)

Assessment and grading (A–F) take into account both designed resolutions, written, and oral achievements throughout the course on a holistic basis. The academic quality of the individual projects influences grading to 70%, but the student's efforts and ambitions to tackle a perhaps difficult subject matter is taken into full consideration. Grading is consistent with the criteria set by Biggs, J (2003) Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Second Edition (The Open Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press, p 193).

Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination

No information inserted

Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination

No information inserted

Examiner

Ethical approach

  • All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
  • In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
  • In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

Further information

Course room in Canvas

Registered students find further information about the implementation of the course in the course room in Canvas. A link to the course room can be found under the tab Studies in the Personal menu at the start of the course.

Offered by

Main field of study

Architecture

Education cycle

Second cycle

Add-on studies

No information inserted

Contact

Daniel Koch (daniel.koch@arch.kth.se)