Architectural Design Studio (ADST) 450

Overview

ADST 450: Architectural Design: Cultural, Recreational, and Institutional is the sixth studio course, within the BSc (Architecture) program, that will prepare you for work in an architect’s office.

ADST 450 continues the development of architectural design for the public sector. During this studio, you will develop a public project for a cultural, recreational, or institutional building in accordance with a coherent architectural idea and in response to a complex functional program. This will require the design of spaces appropriate to each activity and the organization of these spaces in accordance with relationships required by the Functional Program and the site. You will need to pay close attention to the human dimension of both public and private spaces.

An outline for a Functional Program is provided, indicating the major types of occupancies and some major spaces. You must complete the program, adding minor, ancillary, and support spaces.

You must appropriately use form and material, and apply hierarchical thinking, to give significance and meaning to spaces—depending upon the use of each space—beyond mere functional requirements. You are encouraged to make decisions about form only after giving due consideration to the functional requirements of the spaces.

The nature of this project is public, and you should strive to understand how notions of time, endurance, history, politics, critical press, and so on, all come to bear on high profile projects typically intended to stand for generations. You will need to understand these influences and demonstrate the ability to make appropriate design, detailing, structure, and material choices that all speak to the public’s interests.

In project 2, you will submit, for review and comment, a Design Brief, including a summary of precedents for this building type, and outlining the important organizing principles, site relationships, and the design parti. With approval from the instructor, you may replace the assigned site with a site that is appropriate but more familiar or accessible to you. As the project develops, you will submit a schematic design for review and comment. After your Midterm Presentation, your project must be completed and prepared for presentation and documentation as set out in the course outline.

The sketchbook is a desired element of all Design Studio courses.

You are encouraged to engage your instructor often throughout the course. Their experience and knowledge will be a valuable resource as you develop your design thinking and they will act as a sounding board for your design ideas.

You are required to develop a Personal Archive on your computer to store materials that are pertinent to your studies. This archive can include images, texts, scanned drawings, models, and websites. Your Personal Archive will be central to your studies throughout the program and to your ongoing career.

Outline

Learning outcomes

Adapted from Canadian Architectural Certification Board, Academic Certification.

After successfully completing this course, you should have developed:

1. Understanding of the fundamentals of visual perception and the principles and systems of order that inform two-and three-dimensional design and architectural composition and urban design.
2. Ability to use appropriate representational media, including freehand drawing and computer technology, to convey essential information at each stage of the pre-design and design process.
3. Ability to make technically precise drawings and develop and outline specification.
4. Ability to apply fundamental architectural principles in the design of buildings, interior spaces and sites, and to respond to natural and built site characteristics in the development of a program and the design of a project.
5. Ability to prepare a comprehensive program for an architectural project that accounts for client and user needs, appropriate precedents, space and equipment requirements, the relevant laws and standards, site selection and design assessment criteria.

Evaluation

Your work in this course will be evaluated based on two projects. You are required to scan and submit your work at each stage to your your instructor via the Project links.

Each project is weighted as shown below.

Activity	Weight	Complete by
Project 1: Precedent Study and Critical Analysis (Choose your Project 2 Option now.)	10%	Week 10
Project 2A: Design Brief	15%	Week 20
Project 2B: Schematic Design	20%	Week 30
Midterm Presentation		Week 30
Project 2C: Final Project	45%	Week 48
Final Presentation		Week 48
Project 3A: Reflecting on What You Have Learned/Studio Collection	10%	Week 48
Project 3B: Submit 2 images to the Gallery		Week 48
Total	100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.

You must achieve a cumulative grade of 67% or greater to receive credit for ADST 450.

Materials

This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.

Although there is no textbook for this studio, the instructor may assign readings as they deem appropriate during the course.

Other Resources

Student-Provided Tools and Equipment

You must provide a digital camera for your own use, as well as a few other tools. The items you will need to provide are listed below:

Photography tools:

• Smartphone with camera, or digital camera (SLR preferable)

Drawing materials:

• 35.56cm × 43.18cm (14” × 17”) Strathmore 300 series acid-free drawing paper
• 22.86cm × 30.48cm (9” × 12”) Strathmore 300 series sketchbook
• white or beige 2-ply card stock
• trace paper

Drawing tools:

• 0.30 mm precision felt pen (or similar).
• 2H to 2B pencils or mechanical pencils
• coloured markers and/or pencil crayons
• compass
• protractor
• ruler
• drawing board (recommended)

Modeling materials:

• white or beige 2-ply card stock
• clear plastic sheet

Modeling tools:

• self-healing cutting mat: 18” × 24” (45.75cm × 60.96cm) or larger preferable.
• metal-edge cork-back ruler (various sizes)
• stainless steel knife
• masking tape/painter’s tape
• white glue
• modeling set square

Use of Computers

You may use computers to design and complete your projects for this studio (except where noted), but remember that hand drawing and modeling skills remain essential to the development of an architect and we encourage you to use those skills wherever possible.

 

Important links

• Academic advising
• Program planning
• Request assistance
• Support services