Architectural Design 4

Code:

400401

Acronym:

400401

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
CNAEF	Architecture and Urbanism

Instance: 2019/2020 - A

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Arquitectura (A)
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master Degree in Architecture

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIARQ	212	MIARQ	4	-	21	-	567

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The aim of this Subject is the consolidation of the methods of project processes. It is considered that this consolidation should be done and confirmed through exercises with varying degrees of complexity, with special attention to the treatment and development of a solution for a Subject. This requires a work of architectural synthesis in its different program, contextual, functional, constructive and formal components that allows the student to enhance the knowledge indispensable to submit a projectual answer.

Learning outcomes and competences

It is expected that, as a result of their learning, students deepen their skills in terms of Project methodologies, including the use of different scales and, thus, the levels of information that are associated to each one. 

The conformation of spatial and architectural solutions must clearly reflect a deep understanding of the relationships established between context, functional program, form and construction. These should result in summarised solutions that are tested over the course of the school year.

 

Working method

Presencial

Program

The Program consists of a long-term exercise in which the theme is an urban equipment with large programmatic and textual complexity - museum, theatre, library, hotel or other. The projectual answers reflect the web of relationships that the architectural object established with the territory itself.

The exceptional nature that functionally and iconically characterises the buildings within the differences and peculiarities of urban and territorial contexts, enables them to have a notable leading role.

The nature of these differences results from the history of architecture itself and from the cities, where the distinction of the public building was opposed to the homogeneity and tipification of regular constructions that represented and formed most of the urban environment. Thus, the project exercise requires a capacity of synthesis that has to be built in the complex game of reading scales, of representation and conception and reflected in the uniqueness of the proposal that place the new object in the space that is to be influenced and qualified.

 

Work Stages

The exercise will be developed throughout the school year so that the student can have contact with and understand the main stages in the development of a project.

The following stages are defined for the development of the work.

 

 

First Stage

1st Period— Place, Program, Intervention Hypothesis — Explicit definition of an urban proposal

In the quest of a global approach to the work, the student must explicitly present his proposal for the intervention territory, its relationship with the context, the organisation of the implementation area, simultaneously with the preliminary dimensioning of the program and its formal and functional organisation.

During this stage, the scales 1/500 and 1/200 are the references to be considered.

 

2nd Period— Development of a Concept, Typology and Program

Following the proposals submitted in the previous stage, the works will be developed in order to consider the best coordination of the different themes in the program, thus confirming or adapting the implementation, volumes and relationships with the surroundings.

The presentation of this stage of the project will be done through drawings supplied with study models and any further elements that students consider to be important. The presentation is a Powerpoint summary that includes the compulsory elements that must be submitted.

The scales 1/500 and 1/200 are the references for the compulsory elements that are included in the formal submission of the proposals.

 

Second Stage

Exploration of Image, Form and Construction

The exercises developed in the previous stage enabled the formalisation of project solutions whose development must include the review of different aspects in terms of conceptual nature, settling and domain of the program and its functionalities, a deepening of the relationship between the architectural object and the urban and public space in its surroundings and context.

 

1st Period— Structural Choices

 The definition of structural solutions and its dimensional representation represents, in the 1st Period of this stage, the new component to be included in the project proposal and that leads to the review of dimensions, proportions and adjustments to the overall of what had already been defined.

The presentation of the works is done with drawings and three-dimensional models.

 

2º Period— Constructive Choices

The deepening of the proposals in its constructive aspects and the studied structural solutions, extends the complexity to the choice of materials, constructive systems and to the integration of infrastructure networks in this web of physical aspects that support the form.

All these exercises will be developed using the 1/200 scale for the whole building. However, other scales that enable different levels of information and detail will also be considered.

The presentation will be done through drawings and three-dimensional models together with a Powerpoint summary that includes the appropriate information of 1/500, 1/200, 1/50 and 1/10 scales.

 

 

Third Stage

Final Formalisation of the Proposal

In this third stage - that we name confirmation stage - students will develop their works considering more in-depth levels of the information of the previous stages. The final proposal must reflect its conceptual, programmatic, compositional and constructive specificity.

By the end of the year, all elements that are submitted must be reviewed in terms of contents and then must be formalised as parts of the Project. In this stage, it is important that the level of information and communication is treated so as to enable the submission of a Project that, as such, should be readable and understandable for third-parties.

The presentation is handed together with drawings and three-dimensional models using the 1/500, 1/100, 1/50, 1/10 scales as well as Powerpoint summary.

 

Teaching methods and learning activities (*)

 

The works are developed during the weekly scheduled lessons, associating periods of greater theoretical impact to the practical work which is particularly important for the development of project exercises.

The theoretical periods articulate the presentation of exercises, the presentation of subject areas that are relevant for each stage of the work with the organisation of sessions of compared critic. These sessions, enable the presentation and promotion of the critical reflection of questions involved in the formulation of project solutions based on selected works.

All teachers of Project 4 take part in these theoretical periods. Sometimes they are accompanied by external guests, particularly in moments that are particularly important in terms of assessment and critical evaluation.

During practical lessons students take part in the proposed exercises. This requires a regular presentation and critical analysis in order to promote the development and progress of works.

 

Type of assessment (*)

Distributed evaluation without final exam

 

Attendance

The laboratory work developed throughout the year implies and requires a strong class attendance that must correspond to at least 75% of contact periods.

 

Formula for calculating the final classification (*)

Distributed evaluation without final exam.

The assessment is global and continuous throughout the whole school year.

However, the expression of this assessment, considering situation points to be defined according to what results from the development of works, is particularly important in school moments that normally correspond to the end of the first and second school terms.

In the continuous assessment process, each assessment includes and replaces the previous one in order to reflect a global assessment of the work and participation of the student until that moment.

Mandatory literature

Eisenman, Peter; Diez Edificios Canónicos, 1950-2000, Editorial Gustavo Gili, Barcelona , 2011
Galiano, Luis Fernandez (ed.); Atlas, Global Architecture circa 2000, Arquitectura Viva, 2007
Ketcham, Diana; The de Yuong in 21st century, A Museum by Herzog & de Meuron, Yhames & Hudson, London., 2005
Moneo, Rafael; Inquietud teórica y estrategia proyectual, en la obra de ocho arquitectos contemporaneous,, Actar, Barcelona, 2004
Moneo, Rafael ; Apuntes sobre 21 obras, Gustavo Gili, 2010
Montaner, Josep Maria; Sistemas Arquitectónicos Contemporáneos, Ed. Gustavo Gili, SL, Barcelona., 2008

Teaching methods and learning activities

The works are developed during the weekly scheduled lessons, associating periods of greater theoretical impact to the practical work which is particularly important for the development of project exercises.

The theoretical periods articulate the presentation of exercises, the presentation of subject areas that are relevant for each stage of the work with the organisation of sessions of compared critic. These sessions, enable the presentation and promotion of the critical reflection of questions involved in the formulation of project solutions based on selected works.

All teachers of Project 4 take part in these theoretical periods. Sometimes they are accompanied by external guests, particularly in moments that are particularly important in terms of assessment and critical evaluation.

During practical lessons students take part in the proposed exercises. This requires a regular presentation and critical analysis in order to promote the development and progress of works.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho laboratorial	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Trabalho laboratorial	587,00
Total:	587,00

Eligibility for exams

The laboratory work developed throughout the year implies and requires a strong class attendance that must correspond to at least 75% of contact periods.

Calculation formula of final grade

Distributed evaluation without final exam.

The assessment is global and continuous throughout the whole school year.

However, the expression of this assessment, considering situation points to be defined according to what results from the development of works, is particularly important in school moments that normally correspond to the end of the first and second school terms.

In the continuous assessment process, each assessment includes and replaces the previous one in order to reflect a global assessment of the work and participation of the student until that moment.

Classification improvement