The course consists partly of a seminar section, partly of a project. The seminar section treats different questions associated with a land development from theoretical starting points and gives the opportunity to reflect upon the theoretical points of departure as well as elaborate on the course material. In the project, the knowledge is applied. In addition, a study visit is made to illustrate the implementation of development projects practically.
The seminar sectionwill provide knowledge about what land development is, the actors involved, the activities that are normally included, and how the different regulatory systems can be used. It also describes how the coordination of these actors, activities and regulations vary depending on the development situation.
The project deals with analyzing a development project with regard to technical, environmental and economic preconditions. This analysis should be set against legislation on detailed planning, land acquisition and compensation, responsibility for building, administration and financing of infrastructure in the built-up area.
The general aim of the course is to give the student knowledge and understanding of the complicated process- land development- as it implies to carry out a construction project from idea to completed product. This process includes problems that concern planning of the land use, land acquisition, environmental considerations, building physics, design and responsibility for various types of infrastructure, economics etc. A project involves also many actors with different assignments and driving forces- the municipality, the state, developers, neighbours, the public et al. As an underlying framework, there is also a legal system that governs the process in various ways.
This means that students after completing the course are expected to be able to:
- Describe the actors and activities that are central to the development projects where the emphasis is placed on housing construction.
- Analyze the technical, environmental, economic and organizational consequences of alternative forms of land use and construction.
- Describe the legislation that governs planning, design and implementation of a project.
