Design Research Studio D
Overview
This unit enables students to demonstrate mastery of creative design processes in architecture and/or urban design by identifying a contemporary design challenge; setting out an ambitious design research question; articulating a design research method; performing independent research, integrating their research directly into their design, and; putting forward a tested and rigorous design proposition. Students will model, simulate, test and communicate their proposals with relevant and suitable media and methods clearly and concisely. They will demonstrate an understanding of the environmental, spatial, material, structural, construction, theoretical, social, cultural and design practice contexts, at a range of scales relevant to their proposal.
Requisites
ARC70004 Theories of Buildings and Cities
Rules
Pre-requisite
ARC80001 Dynamic Modelling of Cities
AND
ARC70004 Theories of Buildings and Cities
01-June-2025
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Develop an independent design thesis proposal that uses architectural and/or urban design to explore a coherent research question and communicate the outcomes integrating theory, research findings, design concepts, and performance as a resolved prototype or design proposition in a professional manner
- Demonstrate an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ aspirations to care for Country and how these inform architectural and/or urban design.
- Apply planning and design concepts, skills, and knowledge, including history, cultural context and precedent across scales and spatial settings relevant to the design proposal
- Develop and draw conclusions from mapping, modelling and simulations that express and study a variety of parameters to examine behaviour, interaction and performance relevant to the design research proposal.
- Formulate an evidence-based design through testing a design proposal against relevant contexts and data, including regulatory, theoretical, performance, social, cultural and ethical frameworks
- Resolve and document design propositions that integrate regulatory, structural, construction, material, environmental, social and theoretical issues across the range of scales relevant to the proposal in a professional manner
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Activity Type | Activity | Total Hours | Number of Weeks | Hours Per Week | Venue Type and Activity Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus | Studio | 72 | 12 weeks | 6 | Design Seminar |
| Specified Activities | Various | 24 | 12 weeks | 2 | Online Content |
| Unspecified Activities | Various | 204 | 12 weeks | 17 | Revision |
| Total Hours: | 300 | Total Hours (per week): | 25 | ||
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Individual | 10% | 2,5, |
| Project and Presentation | Individual | 60% | 4,5,6 |
| Project and Presentation | Individual/Group | 30% | 1,2,3 |
Content
- Develop a design research proposal, identifying key issues and opportunities
- Undertake a series of critical and exploratory ideation studies leading to a design proposal
- Resolve design proposals to integrate spatial, material, environmental, theoretical, regulatory and cultural contexts
- Use digital and analogue tools and techniques as form finding instruments
- Research, work with and respond to varying and changing data
- Communicate and document design proposals using appropriate media for various audiences and purpose
- Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
- Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
- Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation
- Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Teamwork roles and processes
- Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information literacy
- Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Technical literacy
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.