The Preliminary Studies is a preparatory assignment that focuses on investigating basic notions of the city, and learning from examples of urban infill market-places around the world. This assignment aims to firstly introduce students to the basics in urban design and its relation to architecture, and secondly, studying and determining the programmatic function, societal role and spatial layout of a market-place and architectural responses for urban infills.

 

The Preliminary Studies comprises of three components: Site Documentation, Site Analysis, and Precedent Studies of Urban Infills and Market-Places. The Site Documentation and Site Analysis will equip students with a firm understanding of the site they will be working with this semester, while the Precedent Studies will provide an insight into architectural responses for designing an urban infill contemporary market-place.

 

The outcome of the Preliminary Studies will include the production of site documentation materials (drawings and models in both digital and physical copy for further use), a comprehensive analysis of the site, and a detailed case study of a relevant urban infill and market-place. 

 

 

OBJECTIVES : 

1. To have an overview of the formation of cities and introduce basic concepts of urban design in relation to architectural design

2. To introduce and implement basic methodologies of urban studies

3. To investigate the role of market-places in traditional and contemporary urban societies

4. To examine various examples and architectural responses for urban infills 

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES : 

1. Conduct case studies and site analysis to generate an understanding of the physical and cultural context and development of urban environments

2. Determine and describe the role of a market-place in a contemporary urban setting

3. Examine and establish appropriate architectural responses and strategies for designing within an urban infill site

4. Produce necessary documentation (diagrams, mappings, photographic images, orthographic drawings and models) to record and communicate site analysis findings, and for further use in the coming design stages