Urban Design Studio B (ABPL90273)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 25On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
Semester 1
Semester 2
Overview
| Availability | Semester 1 Semester 2 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
Students will undertake a series of in depth, critical and propositional studio-based design esquisses or exercises leading to a major exploratory urban design proposition. Their design proposition will investigate one or more key urban design issues or approaches in depth.
This subject touches on a range of urban design issues and design approaches including use of urban analytics in the design process, the scope, opportunities, complexities and responsibilities of urban design; urban design issues, elements and systems: analytical and design skills for generating and testing alternative approaches to the urban design development of specific sites; the role of urban design within a given spatial, social, economic and political context.
Students will undertake a series of studio-based design esquisses or exercises leading to a major exploratory urban design proposition. Their design proposition will investigate one or more key urban design issues or approaches in depth.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon completion of this subject students should be able:
- To place urban design within a complex four-dimensional social matrix of economic, environmental, political and cultural forces.
- To engage in a complex area of the metropolis and to analyse the urban fabric and represent this analysis in a clear graphic language at a range of scales.
- To show in-depth urban spatial thinking that ranges from the scale of the street to the scale of the metropolis.
- To explore new urban design theories and to test their effectiveness in positively intervening with the contemporary metropolis.
- To investigate contemporary multi-disciplinary theories of form, space, order and aesthetics, and to test their relevance for contemporary urban design practice. To explore ways of representing the city two dimensionally, three dimensionally, four dimensionally (with time) and potentially fifth dimensionally (alternate future realities).
- To introduce students to design as a form of research. To be able to identify an urban design problem or challenge; set out a design research question and aim; articulate a design approach or method, test their approach with rigor to put forward an urban design proposition; and draw conclusions identifying weakness and strengths of their approach.
Generic skills
At the end of semester students will demonstrate the following abilities:
-
Creative thinking: be able to put forward unconventional or novel design propositions that address contemporary urban design issues.
- Theoretical Position: Position their urban design proposition within a historical, social and theoretical context.
- Composition: articulation and test a design proposition in large, medium, and small scales with a critical eye to aesthetic aspects of the intervention in a sophisticated manner.
- Communications: Communicate and test ideas and design propositions through drawing, modelling (digital and/or physical), photomontage and other communication techniques.
- Pragmatics: have an understanding of functional and pragmatic aspects of urbanism including: building functionality, landscape architecture, civil and traffic engineering concerns, walkability, and potential contribution to sustainable urbanism.
- Engagement: engage with and contribute to not only their own work and others in the studio but also the work of the studio generally.
- Formulation: Formulate a conceptual design proposal that tests a specific hypothesis or design method in the form of a speculative urban design proposition with rigor.
- Analysis: engage with contemporary forms of urban analysis techniques which may include solar, wind, energy modelling.
- Critique: Be able to demonstrate a critical assessment of precedents and their own design proposal – where are the strengths and weaknesses, what can be learned or concluded by the proposal? What further research would they do if they were continue with the project?
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABPL90061 | Urban Design Studio A |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
AND
Admission into or selection of one of the following:
- MC-URBDES Master of Urban Design
- MC-DESURBD Master of Design (Urban Design)
OR
Admission into or selection of one of the following:
- MC-ARCHUD Master of Architecture/Master of Urban Design
- MC-LARCHUD Master of Landscape Architecture/Master of Urban Design
- MC-UPUD Master of Urban Planning/Master of Urban Design
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
A mid-semester jury review (critique) oral presentation equivalent to 100 hours of work demonstrating design output that may include physical or digital models, drawings, written assignments, site analyses, journals and sketches.
| Mid semester | 30% |
An end of semester jury review (critique) oral presentation equivalent to 240 hours of work building on work developed throughout the semester demonstrating design output that may include physical or digital models, drawings, written assignments, site analyses, journals and sketches.
| End of semester | 70% |
| Hurdle requirement: Students must attend 75% of studios | N/A |
Additional details
Studio hours contribute to assessments
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator David Mah Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 340 hours Teaching period 3 March 2025 to 1 June 2025 Last self-enrol date 14 March 2025 Census date 31 March 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025 Assessment period ends 27 June 2025 Semester 1 contact information
- Semester 2
Coordinator David Mah Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 6 hours of studio per week. Total time commitment 340 hours Teaching period 28 July 2025 to 26 October 2025 Last self-enrol date 8 August 2025 Census date 1 September 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 26 September 2025 Assessment period ends 21 November 2025 Semester 2 contact information
Time commitment details
340 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 4 March 2025