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FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND PLANNING

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Unit of Study Outline
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DAAE2002: Architecture, Place and Society
Semester 1, 2015 | 6 Credit Points

Unit Coordinator(s): Dr Simon Weir

Office: 477
Phone: 9351 4506
Email address: simon.weir@sydney.edu.au
Consultation hours:
Lectures: Wilkinson Building ALT3, 2-4pm
Tutorials: Electrical Eng Tutorial Room 620, 4-5pm & 5-6pm.
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1. INTRODUCTION
!This unit aims to investigate the relationship between architecture, place and society and to
explore the meaning of cultural and social sustainability in architectural design. The unit assumes
that designers will increasingly work in places where cultures are unfamiliar at home or in a global
context, and that an ability to understand, and interpret, diverse cultures, and the way design
occurs in diverse locations, is an important area of knowledge for designers. A key aspect of social
sustainability is the practice of social responsibility, and the unit explores how this may occur,
including involving people in the design process. On completion of this unit students will be able to
demonstrate: an ability to better understand the connections between architecture place and
society, and the social, cultural, political and economic factors affecting sustainable environments;
skills and knowledge in participatory processes necessary for effective communication about
environmental design issues; increased critical awareness about social responsibility in relation to
the practice of architecture and the design of the built environment, and an ability to exercise this
awareness. This unit will provide architecture students with knowledge of the relationship between
culture and architecture, as well as practical knowledge of the social aspects of design practice. It
is intended that students from other disciplines will develop a critical awareness of the built
environment as a form of cultural production, and the possibilities for their participation in its
production.
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2. AIMS
The aim of this Unit of Study is to familiarise students with the public function of private and public
architecture, and thereby the expression of social values. The Unit begins with an engagement
with architecture through learning representational techniques and applying them to a simple
design situation, and developing an understanding of design logic. Then, having learned about
representation, design and architectural interventions at a small scale, students will deploy these
skills in a complex urban condition.
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3. LEARNING OUTCOMES AND LINKS TO GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES
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Intended Learning Relevant Graduate Links to Learning
Outcome Attribute and Teaching
Methods
Students in this unit are expected The Unit of Study Learning The main learning
to develop and demonstrate the Outcomes relate to the following activities through which
following learning outcomes. Faculty Contextualized Graduate students will practice
Students are expected to: Attribute: and develop their
knowledge, skills and
attributes:

1. Reading, writing and critical Information, literacy, learning Assessment 1, 2, 3

thinking skills and research skills
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2. Ability to develop a research Information, literacy, learning Assessment 3
proposal and research skills
3. Ability to carry out field Information, literacy, learning Assessment 2, 3
research project. and research skills
4. Explorations of the social Theoretical, social and/or Assessment 3
responsibilities of designers historic engagement
through current and past
examples
5. Understanding of social and Professionalism: Social and Assessment 2, 3
environmental sustainability, environmental ethics
and engagement with users of (Level 2)
the built environment.
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4. ELEARNING SITE
http://elearning.sydney.edu.au

For referencing, use Chicago style:

http://www.cite.auckland.ac.nz/index.php?p=quickcite
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5. WEEKLY SCHEDULE
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Week/ Lecture content Tutorial Preparation Assessments
Date Due

1 Introduction: 2D facades and A3 sheets & drawing tools

March 3 On Intuition, Liking, Stasis streetscapes
2 On Zoning, 3D facades and Architecture articles, from
March 10 Technical Drawing streetscapes selected newspapers.
3 Adobe Illustrator Stasis Architecture articles, from
March 17 selected newspapers.
4 Adobe Photoshop Caf Transformation Assessment 1:
March 24 Stasis Analysis
- 20%
5 On Approach Caf Transformation
March 31

6 -No Class-
April 7
7 On Structure Caf Transformation Presentation Assessment 2 :
April 14 Caf
Transformation
- 20%
8 Site Visit: SOH Note books and pens.
April 21 Hat, sunscreen umbrellas
etc. as appropriate.
9 On the Formation of Cities Circular Quay Transformation
April 28 without Social Value
10 Xenophilia Circular Quay Transformation
May 5
11 Architectural Sadism and Circular Quay Transformation
May 12 Masochism

12 Utilitarianism & the Circular Quay Transformation

May 19 Panopticon

13 Stasis, Sustainability & Circular Quay Transformation

May 26 Environmental Science

14 Circular Quay Transformation Presentation One printed A3 page, Formative

June 2 landscape orientation. Assessment 3 :
Circular Quay
Transformation
-No Class-

15 -No Class- Assessment 3 :

June 16 Circular Quay
Transformation
- 60%

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6. ASSESSMENT TASKS
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ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
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Assessment Item and Name Work Type Weight Due Learning Outcomes
(Individual or Assessed
Group)
Assessment 1 / Groups of 2 or 3 20% Week 4 1
Stasis Analysis
Assessment 2 / Individual 20% Week 7 1, 3, 5
Cafe Transformation
Assessment 3 / Individual 60% Week 15 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Circular Quay Transformation
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ASSESSMENT DESCRIPTION
!Assessment 1 / Stasis Analysis
Working in groups of 2, select 2 architecture articles from the Sydney Morning Herald or the
Guardian, or the New York Times. (if you are working in a group of 3, select 3 articles).
Identify, within the article, the three steps of stasis: facts, values, recommendation.
! The assessment must be submitted as a single A4 page, portrait orientation, as a PDF file.
!The file must be named using the following convention.
Surname_Name_and_Surname_Name_Stasis_DAAE2002_APS_2015.pdf
!The page must include: Your Name, Your SID, Assessment 1: Stasis Analysis, DAAE2002,
Architecture, Place and Society 2015, Coordinator: Dr Simon Weir
!Other than the these details the entire assessment consists of:
Two web links and seven sentences. No more, no less.
!The assessment has three parts: two equal halves and a concluding sentence:
The two equal halves are two articles analysed in the same manner.
(If you are a group of three, there are three equal thirds)
!Each equal half (or third) has four sections:
1. URL link to the article.
2. One sentence on the facts.
3. One sentence on the values.
4. One sentence on the recommendations.
!The final part is the concluding sentence.
The concluding sentence is a reflection, or evaluation, of the fact-value-recommendation of
the two or three articles.
!Since this last sentence could be variously conceived, I suggest selecting articles that produce an
interesting and insightful reflection; seen this way, the assessment is a design exercise, where
intelligently selecting from innumerable available options is the valued skill.
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!Since the assessment will be graded mostly on seven sentences, you should pay extra-close
attention to spelling, grammar and rhetoric. These sentences must be grammatically perfect and
exceptionally clear. Do not replace sentences with floating clauses or phrases or fragments or
idioms. This is an exercise in using the English language to maximum effect, with maximum
elegance and power. Considering the care expected in your writing of these two sentences, they
may also be understood as exercises in aphoristic poetry.
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Tip: Do not automatically reach for very long sentences. The priority aim is to write good
sentences. Say everything you need to say, and be succinct.
!Tip: Prepare the sentences so that they realistically represent the newspaper articles (or
architects) position, then the final sentence articulating a comparative criticism of the fact-value-
recommendations expressed.
!Tip: Write the three sentences so that they are coherent and informative to someone who has not
read the articles, but will make more sense to someone who has. The assessors will read the
articles in question to check the validity of your sentences.
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!Assessment 2 / Cafe Transformation
This assessment is an exercise in applying the logic of the fact-value-recommendation sequence
to an architectural design task.
!Your site for the first project is the cafe in the Law Building Annex. You may chose whether to do
respond to the Interior Brief or the Exterior Brief.
!Exterior Brief:
Eastern Avenue is the widest road on campus, the pedestrian thoroughfare beginning at the
forecourt of the Universitys main administrative and ceremonial hub, the Quad, to the Universitys
largest library and to a group of choice faculty buildings including Medicine, Law and Chemistry,
terminating both at a main road with bus stop, and at a bridge leading over the road into buildings
beyond.
!Yet for all its symbolic potential and daily importance, is is almost always an unpleasant place to
be. When it is hot and sunny there very seldom any shade, when it is raining there is no shelter
and the flat surfaces of the buildings often make fast wind channels that take your umbrella with
them.
!The buildings on each side rarely help the streetscape. The Library, Medicine, Law, Madsen and
most of Chemistry is surrounded by solid vertical walls. Chemistry steps back from the street edge,
making room for some trees and some nice places to sit beneath them. Among this oases, the
building has a large awning projecting out over the entry providing a dry place to close ones
umbrella before entering. While few people appreciate Chemistrys visual aesthetic, the architects
contribution to Eastern Avenue is deliberately friendly and generous.
!All the the newer buildings were designed without these motives. The design task for the Cafe
Perspective is to improve this building in whatever way you desire AND make it more
accommodating to Sydney life and weather.
!Interior Brief:
The rectangular interior space adjacent to Eastern Avenue has a glass entry at either end, a broad
ramp up to the restaurant entry and elevators, stairs down, and a standing-only cafe area. The
patterns of human movement through this space are easily seen. Visit the space at different times
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of day, and you can see how it changes. The queue for the cafe is kept suitably against the inner
wall, but when it extends longer, standing people obstruct access to the stairs. After queueing and
ordering, people stand around the free space waiting for their order. When many people are
waiting like this, is becomes very difficult to walk through the space. How could the architecture be
altered to better deal with these two problems? Propose a physical intervention to assist the
queuing and waiting patterns to reduce the obstruction for people not using the cafe.
!Outcomes:
Using the perspective techniques taught in class, alter a photograph to produce a realistic
representation of a design change to the building.
!Write a simple sentence (or two or three), using the three steps of stasis, to present your argument
for the design.
! The assessment must be submitted in two forms:
one A3 page, landscape orientation, as a PDF file less than 10Mb
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one A3 page, landscape orientation, printed and brought to the tutorial for pin-up.
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The file must be named using the following convention.
Surname_Name__CafeTransformation_DAAE2002_APS_2015.pdf
!The page must include: Your Name, Your SID, Assessment 2: Cafe Transformation,
DAAE2002, Architecture, Place and Society 2015, Coordinator: Dr Simon Weir
!The page must include your sentence/s presenting your argument,
and a single altered photograph, filling all, or almost all (>75%), of the A3 page.

!Tip for!Choosing the Photograph:

Since you are submitting an altered photograph, you should carefully and seriously consider the
photograph you will work with. Visit the site at all times of day, and learn how it works naturally (sun
and wind and rain) and socially (how people move in and around). You need a good photo of the
building, and a good sense of how other people see the building. Wait for the time of day that best
reveals the building, and chose this moment for the photo.
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Assessment 3 / Circular Quay Transformation.
This assessment has two parts: The first is exactly the same as the Exterior Brief of Assessment 2,
except the site is East Circular Quay. The second part is an analysis of another students Circular
Quay Transformation presented in Week 14.
! The assessment must be submitted as A3 landscape format PDF file less than 10Mb:
one A3 page including your sentence/s presenting your argument,
and a single altered photograph, filling all, or almost all (>75%), of the A3 page.
&
one A3 page representing and making an analysis of another students presentation from
Week 14. This analysis should be through visual diagram and stasis analysis of their design
logic. Also include some reflection on the design and perhaps how it has influenced your
design ideas.
!The file must be named using the following convention.
Surname_Name__CircularQuay_DAAE2002_APS_2015.pdf
!The page must include: Your Name, Your SID, Assessment 3: East Circular Quay
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Transformation, DAAE2002, Architecture, Place and Society 2015, Coordinator: Dr Simon
Weir
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Note, while Assessment 2 is largely a practical exercise in representation techniques, Assessment
3 is largely a design exercise. While strong representation skills are still essential, higher marks will
be given to projects which demonstrate an understanding of the social and environmental and
structural aspects of their design proposals. Furthermore, unique design proposals will be
especially welcomed, and students are encouraged to think radically and propose unusual ideas.
!Since the assimilation of design values and the realistic anticipation of designed outcomes is a
slowly learned skill, the class is arranged to maximise the opportunity for reflection and
development. The classes of week 14 are therefore set aside for presentation and feedback. This
is an important learning experience, and each student must both present, and also analyse and
comment upon other students designs. This session is also important to allow students to see
each others work and avoid accidental duplication of design ideas.
!Depending on class size and enrolment numbers, some accommodation might be made for this
assessment to be completed by pairs of students rather than only by individuals. The assessment
for pairs will be basically the same, except two images are required (either two altered
photographs, or other graphic representations discussed with your tutor) and the design logic also
needs to be developed further.
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ASSESSMENT RESULTS AND FEEDBACK
Assessment results and feedback will be provided within 3 weeks of the submission date.
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7. LEARNING AND TEACHING POLICIES
!The Faculty of Architecture, Design and Plannings Learning and Teaching policies (including
plagiarism, late submission, special consideration etc) are available from the Faculty webpage at
http://sydney.edu.au/architecture/current_students/formsPolicies.shtml. It is your responsibility to
familiarise yourself with these policies. The University of Sydney takes alleged cases of plagiarism
very seriously. Every student has the responsibility to submit appropriately referenced assignments
that are in line with the university policy. For information on different referencing system, visit
http://writesite.elearn.usyd.edu.au/m2/m2u5/m2u5s2/m2u5s2_1.htm .
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8. SUPPORT SERVICES AND RESOURCES
The Learning Centre (http://sydney.edu.au/stuserv/learning_centre/) assists students to develop
the generic skills and run many workshops: Academic Reading and Writing, Oral communications
Skills, Studying at University, and Workshops for English Language and Learning, etc. The Write
Site (http://writesite.elearn.usyd.edu.au/) provides online support to help you develop your
academic and professional writing skills. For information on staying on top of your study, visit
http://sydney.edu.au/arts/current_students/staying_on_top.shtml.
!Disability Services is located on Level 5, Jane Foss Russell Building G20. For further information,
visit http://sydney.edu.au/stuserv/disability/. Counselling and Psychological Services are located
on Level 5, Jane Foss Russell Building G20. For further information, visit their website at http://
sydney.edu.au/current_students/counselling/. The Koori Centre offers on-going academic support
to all Indigenous Australian students enrolled at the University of Sydney. To find out more,
visit http://sydney.edu.au/koori/.
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9. RECOMMENDED READINGS etc.
Teaching materials will be linked to the Blackboard website.
Log in via: http://elearning.sydney.edu.au
!Some Graphic tool help can be found here:
Basic:
http://helpx.adobe.com/en/photoshop/using/image-size-resolution.html#WS75D24624-
A761-40b6-832E-8AB0E2383C90a
http://pshero.com/photoshop-tutorials/graphic-design/a-scrap-of-notebook-paper
http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-architectural-photography
http://places.designobserver.com/feature/digital-deception-architectural-photography-after-
photoshop/37838/
!Advanced:
http://www.blenderguru.com/the-1-reason-your-render-looks-fake/
http://www.dezeen.com/2013/08/12/henry-goss-on-architectural-visualisations/
http://www.pearltrees.com/#/N-u=1_872101&N-p=93063596&N-fa=6626402&N-f=1_6626402&N-
s=1_6626402
http://gizmodo.com/5168454/how-to-create-stunningly-realistic-high-dynamic-range-photographs
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Below are suggestions for exploring specific assessment questions related to architecturally
synthesising structure and sustainability, and may be useful or not depending on your decisions.
!Farrelley, E.M. Three Houses - Glenn Murcutt. New York: Phaidon, 1993, 2002
!Heneghan,T. The Architecture of Glenn Murcutt Tokyo: Toto, 2008
!Balmond, C. Informal Munich: Prestel, 2002
!The entire El Croquis series
!Never, ever, use wikipedia as a reference.
!For referencing, use Chicago style: http://www.cite.auckland.ac.nz/index.php?p=quickcite
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!For more information about the Sydney Opera House, consider taking a guided tour:
!Either one operated by the SOH:
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/soh_tour_english_1516.aspx
!or Eoghan Lewis Sydney Architecture Walks
http://www.sydneyarchitecture.org/pages/opening.htm
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DAAE2002: Architecture, Place and
Society, 2014
Stasis Analysis
Tutor and Group:
Students:
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Criteria: Poor Mini Adeq Good Exce
Comments:
! mal uate llent

1. Article 1

2. Article 2 !
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3. Evaluation !
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fail pass
Formatting etc

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Overall Provisional Grade (F, P, Cr, D, HD):
Comments:
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DAAE2002: Architecture, Place and
Society, 2014
Caf Transformation
Tutor and Group:
Student:
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Criteria: Poor Mini Adequ Good Exce
Comments:
! mal ate llent

1. Visual and !
Representational Skill !
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2. Design !
- environmental !
- social !
3. Written Design Argument !
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fail pass
Formatting etc

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Overall Provisional Grade (F, P, Cr, D, HD):
Comments:
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DAAE2002: Architecture, Place and
Society, 2014
East Circular Quay Transformation
Tutor and Group:
Student:
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Criteria: Poor Mini Adeq Good Exce
Comments:
! mal uate llent

1. Visual and !
Representational Skill !
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2. Design !
- environmental !
- structural !
3. Design
- social

4. Written Design Argument !

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5. Analysis and Reflection

6. Week 14 Presentation

fail pass
Formatting etc

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Overall Provisional Grade (F, P, Cr, D, HD):
Comments:
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Grade Description
High Work of outstanding quality on the learning outcomes of the subject, which may
Distinction be demonstrated in areas such as experimentation with materials, techniques
85-100 and processes, ability to interpret diverse sets of ideas and practices into
creative works, criticism and ability to analyse and reflect upon research. This
grade may also be given to recognise particular originality or creativity.
Distinction Work of superior quality on the learning outcomes of the subject, demonstrating
75-84 a sound grasp of content, together with efficient organisation and selectivity.

Credit Work of good quality showing more than satisfactory achievement on the
74-65 learning outcomes of the subject, or work of superior quality on a majority of
the learning outcomes of the subject
Pass Work showing a satisfactory achievement of the learning outcomes of the
50 - 64 subject.
INC Work showing a satisfactory achievement and/or quality on the more important
learning outcomes of the subject, with an unsatisfactory (but close to
satisfactory) achievement on one learning outcome of the subject, but
insufficient to continue in higher subjects for which the subject is a
prerequisite.
Fail Work showing an unsatisfactory achievement of one or more learning outcomes
1-50 of the subject, and not qualifying for the grade of conceded pass.
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