Elements of Urban Design

The studio was structured as an introduction to urban design representation and how it is used as a means of design thinking. The premise is that urban design is best understood and expressed through the study and representation of the built urban environment. Hence the studio focused on the study and representation of the key urban elements in cities and was structured in multiple modules running through the semester, each culminating with an exhibition of the outcome. These modules significantly focused on effectively capturing and communicating the spatial qualities of the urban built environment. Module 1 involved perceiving and representation of the key elements of urban design. The premise is that building types, urban blocks, streets, and public open spaces form the key elements that come together to make any functional urban space. The exercises in this module enabled students with methods to study each element and how they contribute to the scale, form, character, and their relationship with the larger urban context. Module 2 final exercise which involved the application of the abilities and skills developed in the first module through the preparation of a framework plan for an urban intervention. This module focuses on preparing and representing site analysis, design strategies The culmination of this module was to prepare a set of effective communication representation drawings for the design and the analysis.