Module manager: May Newisar
Email: m.newisar@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
BA/BEng Architecture, Architectural Engineering or related degrees
This module is not approved as an Elective
This module is designed to immerse students in Architecture and urban design principles, methodologies, and practices. The studio structure and setup encourage hands-on exploration and critical thinking as students engage in real-world urban design projects. This module serves as a stepping stone for students to develop the necessary skills and design-thinking mindset for advanced architecture and urban design studies.
This module will demonstrate the students' ability to create architectural designs that satisfy both aesthetic, urban, and social requirements.
1. Appreciate the principles and advanced theoretical design concepts to develop meaningful architecture and urban design projects.
2. Develop design ideas that integrate social, cultural and technological aspects of the built environment
3. Foster a design thinking mindset that emphasises creativity, innovation, and iterative problem-solving.
4. Develop proficiency in utilising a variety of design tools, including digital software, hand sketching, and physical modelling.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1: Demonstrate the ability to respond to site constrains within the urban condition through informed decisions and design methodologies about space and form throughout the design development.
2: Demonstrate an understanding of how materials can inform architectural space and form, with reference to urban context challenges and considerations.
3: Analyse and evaluate the socio-cultural, economic, and environmental factors influencing urban contexts, demonstrating a critical understanding of the complexities of the built environment.
4: Demonstrate an ability to critically discuss, analyse and respond to user's needs through initial design proposals.
5: Demonstrate proficiency in utilising a range of design tools, including digital software, hand sketching, and physical modelling to critically analyse, discuss and communicate aspects of design in response to a context and users’ needs.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills:
a. Critical thinking
b. Creativity
c. Digital creation
d. Decision making.
e. Personal/self/career management
Phase 1: City and Neighbourhood Analysis.
Phase 2: Design Intervention.
Methods of assessment
The assessment details for this module will be provided at the start of the academic year
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fieldwork | 3 | 8 | 24 |
| Lecture | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Practical | 10 | 4 | 40 |
| Private study hours | 232 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 68 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 300 | ||
- Feedback given weekly during the 40 hours of studio time
- Oral feedback following in-class presentations (formative)
- Summative, via Blackboard 15 days after submission
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 30/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team