ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN - LABORATORY III (LAB A)
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2020/2021
- Teacher
- ANTONELLO STELLA
- Credits
- 11
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
Training objectives
- The Architectural Design Studio aims to guide the student to conceive the architectural project as a complex relation between design techniques and knowledge instruments.
The main training objective is to prepare the student to manage the whole process leading to the definition of high-quality architecture: from conception to construction and to the interactions between building and environment, focusing on the habitability, the consistency between structural, typological, distributive, technological and aesthetic choices.
Moving from the strategic conception to its development up to the final draft, through steps allowing a scalar approach to the theme of project of architecture, from urban strategy to architectural design.
Knowledge
Thorough knowledge of the theoretical and scientific aspects, as well as methodological and operational ones, related to the disciplinary field characterizing the Design Studio.
Skills
Being able to use this knowledge to identify, formulate and solve, also using innovative approaches, complex issues about architecture and building, requiring also an interdisciplinary approach.
In particular, the course places the specialistic building at the center of the design experience. The main training objective is the mastering of the entire process: from the definition of the building program to the specification of all the architectural aspects. While dedicating particular attention to the relationships with the surrounding environment, through the project the student deepens the main characters of buildings, dealing with habitability conditions, with congruence between structural and distribution choices, with definition of interior spaces and relations with exteriors spaces. The Design Studio also aims to develop the student's critical thinking skills in assessing the relationships between the various scales of the project Prerequisites
- They can take the exam only those who have passed the following examinations:
- Architectural Design Studio II;
- Building technologies Studio I.
The student must have acquired basics notions coming from those previous subjects, such as the principles of functional and technological design, of morphological and typological analysis, and the ability to prepare and organize a simple project (mainly housing complex) located in an urban context.
At the same time the student must have acquired the basic concepts related to the Modern architectural theories and the leading expressions of contemporary architecture. Course programme
- The architectural project is developed through topics concerning the design tools, control methods and techniques that allow the architectural definition of the project.
The Design Studio, which consists of lectures, short exercises, one main design exercise and critics, is divided into three phases: the first dedicated to a brief exploration of the complexity of the urban context in which the architectural program will be developed and the definition of a strategic approach to the architectural project.
A second phase focused on the study of compositional and design techniques useful in the development of the project of a single complex building located within an urban context.
A third phase aimed at deepen the formal, technical and material characteristics of the complex building developed through the project.
The end result is a project for a public specialistic building.
Lectures are organized in a common series for the 3 Design Studio (A, B and C), to which participate all the Professors of main courses and modules, and other invited professors, divided in the following thematic issues:
Lectures introducing themes and places to which is dedicated the main design exercise:
the series is opened by some lectures that introduce the main elements of history and urban morphology related to the site chosen for the main design exercise, in addition to typological features related to the architectural program under study.
Lectures introducing some aesthetic principles:
this series of lectures takes place in the first part of the Design Studio and aims to deepen some of the most debated topics and problems of contemporary reflection on aesthetic theories and practices.
Lecture regarding some theories and techniques of architectural design:
this series of lectures outlines some of the main architectural themes that characterize the contemporary theoretical debate: for example hybridization, stratification, grafting, emptiness, superstructure, recycling.
In every single Design Studio could be programmed other lectures, concerning theorical and applied character, which will be communicate to the students during the didactic activity Didactic methods
- The Design Studio consists of classroom lectures of critical and theorical character, short exercises, one main design exercise, crititcs and audits relating to design exercises conducted on the study area.
The development of the project will take place mainly through the production of architectural models, used as research tools through which students will experience more personal critical instruments such as drawing, images, photomontages, texts.
Short exercises, performed in the classroom, are functional to the understanding of some fundamental aspects that allow, at the end of lectures, to have defined both methodological and architectural aspects of the project.
The main design exercise concerns the design of a complex specialistic building located in an urban context.
The majority of this work must be done in the classroom.
During the Design Studio will be programmed some visits and will be held a workshop in which it will be possible to deepen some project themes useful to the final definition of the architectural work. The main design exercise will be carried out in groups of two or three students. Learning assessment procedures
- During the Design Studio three phases of verification are identified, which correspond to the three development steps of the architectural idea. Each verification phase gets one vote.
The first test is carried out about the end of lectures series on themes and places to which is dedicated the main design exercise, and it is aimed at verifying student’s skill to describe the complexity of the urban context in which the architectural program will be developed and to define a strategic approach to the architectural project.
The second one is carried out at the end of lectures series introducing aesthetic principles and other regarding some theories and techniques of architectural design, and it is aimed at testing student’s skill to suitably use compositional and design techniques in the project of a single complex building located within an urban context.
The final oral exam is the third and final verification of the Design Studio, and it is aimed at deepening the formal, technical and material characteristics of the complex building developed through the project.
The final exam will focus on the discussion about the design process, the themes and issues addressed during lectures by mean of to the works presented in the final exam, verifying student’s skill to master of the entire process and to assess the relationships between the various scales of the project.
The final evaluation will have as vote the sum of the votes obtained in each phase. Reference texts
- C.Sini, Pensare il progetto, Tranchida ed. Milano 1991
A:Rossi, Autobiografia scientifica, Prtaiche ed, Padova, 1999
Reiser+Umemoto, Atlas of novel Tectonics, Princeton Arch.Press, New York 2005
Rem Koolhaas, “Junkspace”, Quodlibet, Macerata 2006
G.Corbellini, Le pillole del dott.Corbellini, , consigli agli studenti di architettura, Lettera Ventidue, Siracusa 2010
MANUEL GAUSA, VICENTE GUALLART, FEDERICO SORIANO, “The metapolis dictionary of advanced architecture”, Actar, Barcelona 2003
VICENTE GUALLART, “Geo Logics. Geography Information Architecture”, ACTAR, Barcelona 2008
STEVEN HOLL, “This is hybrid. An analysis of mixed-use buildings”, a+t architecture publishers, Vitoria-Gasteiz Spain 2014
ALESSANDRO GAIANI , “Sovrascritture urbane, Strategia e strumenti per il ri-condizionamento delle città.
Quodlibet, Macerata, 2017
Teaching materials, handouts and other useful bibliographic indications for the study of individual topics covered in the lecture series and addressed during the project exercises, in particular as regards the contribution of the didactic modules integrated into the Design Studio, can be downloaded from the web site of each of the 3 Design Studio and/or will be provided during the semester by Professors.
