ARCH13-128: Design Futures Studio: Australasian Cities

Concentrating upon the socio-cultural and bio-climatic context of the urban regions of the Australasian and Oceanic context as a testing ground, this design studio will engage a project of intermediate complexity utilising creative and speculative design solutions to confront issues of regional and global concern that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Students will engage in an inclusive studio environment to develop solutions for sustainable, resilient public buildings. Sustainable design principles will be used to develop design concepts and spatial propositions for the contemporary inhabitation of denser urban environments and their morphological pre-context (such as built-up space, transport, open space, green space, public-private, infrastructure). This subject engages students in developing contextual relationships among building forms, program, and space as solutions, adapted to local climate, culture, and challenges. Design proposals are expected to critically engage with a contemporary urban and architectural discourse within a specific region to produce a project that exhibits detailed integration of design processes and conceptual endeavour. Projects will be explored through both manual and digital techniques, with individual and group work components.