ARC8115 : Design studio
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Natalia Villamizar Duarte
- Lecturer: Dr Laura Pinzon Cardona
- Owning School: Architecture, Planning & Landscape
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 40 |
| ECTS Credits: | 20.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
• To help students develop advanced design skills and apply them to a range of urban design projects
• To introduce students to urban transformation and the complex processes this entails.
• To enhance the critical understanding of the needs and motivations of the various factors and stakeholders that influence urban processes.
Outline Of Syllabus
This module offers opportunities to develop essential conceptual and methodological skills in urban design and development. It adopts a critical approach, emphasizing the importance of addressing contemporary urban challenges through collaborative processes. The module consists of two key components:
1. A design studio focusing on a specific site and its urban challenges aiming to cultivate a critical awareness of contemporary issues in urban design. Through this project, students will explore the complex processes of urban transformation, considering a diverse range of factors and stakeholders. They will be encouraged to research, develop, test, and express their unique perspectives while fostering an imaginative approach to both design and its representation.
2. A skills and techniques building component including skill-building lectures and workshops designed to enhance students’ ability to communicate graphically and convey ideas effectively.
The studio combines group and individual work, fostering a creative dialogue among students, staff, and peers. Both components are supported by short lectures and talks on topics relevant to the specific project brief.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 9 | 6:00 | 54:00 | Group and individual design tutorials – present in person |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 2 | 8:00 | 16:00 | Design reviews – present in person |
| Guided Independent Study | Project work | 1 | 203:00 | 203:00 | Research and design development |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 11 | 3:00 | 33:00 | Skill building workshops - present in person |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 1 | 68:00 | 68:00 | Reflective journal |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 2 | 4:00 | 8:00 | Project site visit – present in person |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 7 | 2:00 | 14:00 | Talk/Lecture introducing topics relevant to the development of the project - present in person |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 4:00 | 4:00 | Module introduction – present in person |
| Total | 400:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The design studio is an integrative environment where students can synthesise knowledge from other modules and develop their understanding and skills in the context of a design problem set by tutors. Students are supported in their learning through briefings, lectures, group tutorials and critical reviews. Tutorials and reviews are also the principal means through which students receive feedback on their progress.
For the skills and techniques building component of this module, teaching and learning include short lectures, seminars and workshops. Based mainly on experiential learning, these will demonstrate various drawing/presentation techniques and cater for varied learning styles.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design/Creative proj | 1 | M | 25 | Interim review |
| Design/Creative proj | 1 | M | 50 | Final review |
| Design/Creative proj | 1 | M | 25 | A series of graphic outputs from the skill building workshops presented as a reflective journal |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The development of design skills is assessed through the traditional method of critical review, where students give a visual and oral presentation of their work to an audience of tutors and peers. The work is discussed, and the tutors assess the work against the criteria set out in the project brief. These marks are moderated by another tutor or tutors. Feedback is given orally during the review and as a set of written comments later.
For the skills and techniques building component of this module, assessment is one piece of coursework. This will demonstrate that the student has developed a range of qualitative representational skills important to the design process. This work is assessed by the tutors against the criteria set out in the component brief. These marks are moderated by another tutor or tutors. Feedback is a set of written comments.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- ARC8115's Timetable