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Architecture
Bachelor of DesignMajorYear: 2023
Architecture
Contact information
Coordinator
Dennis Prior
Email:priord@unimelb.edu.au
Currently enrolled students:
Contact Stop 1
Future students:
Further information: https://futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au
Overview
The Architecture major teaches students to apply design thinking, a creative and iterative solution-focused approach, to imagine, question, and innovate future environments for living in our age of rapid urbanisation, environmental degradation, global flows of people, materials and capital, and exponentially increasing digital capabilities.
Students develop foundational design skills while forming critical and historical understanding of the key issues that define our transforming world: climate change, equity and diversity, indigeneity, place identity, health and resilience, and shifting urbanism. Through its interdisciplinary pedagogy and international perspective, the Architecture major prepares students to become reflective designers capable of operating in different contexts and working within cross-disciplinary project teams.
Design lies at the heart of the architectural process and is underpinned by an expertise in conceptualising spatial conditions and representing imagined environments in 2D and 3D (analogue and digital), an understanding of technologies of building (structural and material systems, building science and environmental systems), and a knowledge of precedents from history (architectural, construction, landscape and urban) to envision better social and environmental outcomes. Consequently, the major is focused around a spine of design studios which are supported by a sequence of subjects that teach histories and theories of design, skills in visual representation, and building technologies. Students are engaged in varied learning contexts that include studios, lectures, tutorials, digital learning environments, site visits, a fabrication workshop and a research library where ideas, skills and knowledge can be learned, shared, debated, experimented with and tested.
The culmination of the Architecture major is the capstone subject Design Studio Epsilon where students tackle design issues at the urban scale through engagement with historical, theoretical, structural, socio-spatial and environmental ideas.
Careers and Further Study: Upon completion of the Bachelor of Design with a major in Architecture, students will have the option of either finding employment or applying to continue into the two-year Master of Architecture program, which will allow students to become professional architects. The Master of Architecture is a 200 point professional degree that emphasises the central role of design in the studio. For more information on the Master of Architecture please visit the Melbourne School of Design web site:http://msd.unimelb.edu.au/
Intended learning outcomes
In addition to the generic attributes of the University of Melbourne Bachelor of Design graduate, graduates of the Architecture major should be able to demonstrate:
- Ability to bring a broad knowledge of design to bear on the specific and specialised discipline of Architecture
- Understanding of location, site and precedent, and an ability to position spatial thinking and design propositions within a physical, historical, social and cultural context
- Understanding of theoretical approaches, design strategies and processes and the ability to apply them appropriately to architectural intervention at various levels of scale, complexity and detail
- Ability to integrate relevant pragmatic and technological issues of the architectural project (climatic, resources, program, structure, etc.) with the creative design issues of the architectural project
- Ability to test and refine design propositions though a process of iterative reflection, creativity, critical review and problem solving
- Competency in a range of communication skills and techniques including verbal, written, analogue and digital visual strategies (architectural drawings and scale models), in order to communicate a variety of conceptual, experimental and sensory design intentions
- Ability to present, substantiate and advocate for design proposals in a public setting, and accept critique in a constructive manner
- Ability to meet deadlines and to work independently, progressively, and collaboratively in architectural design studio projects
- Awareness of social and environmental impacts of management of the discipline at local and global scales, and a comprehension of professional responsibilities to shape and manage design in a sustainable way
- Acquisition of the knowledge and skills required to pursue further study in the Architecture discipline as well as to enter the Architecture profession both locally, regionally and globally.
Last updated: 3 May 2024
Structure
50 credit points
To obtain a major in Architecture students need to complete:
- 50 credit points of Architecture core subjects including Capstone Subject ARCH30002 Design Studio Epsilon
Architecture core subjects
Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
ABPL30041 | Architectural Tectonics |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
ARCH30001 | Design Studio Delta |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
ARCH30002 | Design Studio Epsilon |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
Non-allowed breadth
Students undertaking the Architecture major are not permitted to take as breadth:
Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
ABPL20028 | Architecture Design Studio: Water | No longer available | |
ABPL20042 | Construction of Residential Buildings | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
ABPL30037 | Architecture Design Studio: Fire |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
ABPL30042 | Landscape Studio: Urban Open Space | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
ABPL30046 | Steel and Concrete Structural Systems | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
ABPL30048 | Architecture Design Studio: Air |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
ABPL30061 | Landscape Studio: Designed Ecologies | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
25 |
ABPL30067 | Design Workshop | Not available in 2023 | 12.5 |
GDES10001 | Graphic Design Studio 1: Image & Text |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)
|
12.5 |
GDES20001 | Graphic Design Studio 2: Image & Media | Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) |
12.5 |
GDES20002 | Colour Studio | Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank) |
12.5 |
ARCH20002 | Design Studio Gamma |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
Notes
To view a sample course plan please visit http://edsc.unimelb.edu.au/undergraduate/course-planning/bdes/architecture-major-bachelor-of-design
Last updated: 3 May 2024