Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Design Studio VIII
Other languages of instruction: English
Teaching staff
Student support is provided whenever required, throughout the scheduled class schedule, both theoretical and practical. A specific schedule for personalized, individual support is also established, each Friday between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Other support times may be arranged by appointment:
Alberto T. Estévez - estevez@uic.es
Mamen Domingo -
Borja Ferrater -
Introduction
COMPULSORY COURSE
5th Year Degree in ARCHITECTURE
2nd Semester
7 ECTS Credits
LEAD PROFESSOR: Alberto T. Estévez
PROFESSORS: Mamen Domingo and Borja Ferrater
Projects 8 constitutes the final cycle of Projects prior to obtaining the architecture degree and guides students toward the development of their Final Degree Project. This course presents a complex residential project, which requires the simultaneous integration of social, environmental, and economic variables from an innovative approach. In this context, students develop the cyclical sequence of analysis - synthesis - project within a broad scalar framework that encompasses everything from the landscape to the construction details. The goal is not to exhaustively define a building, but rather to work with all dimensions within the design process, understanding that working at a given scale entails repercussions, versus all those above and below it.
During this process, the student completes an individual project to fully address the project for the building and adjacent public spaces, while also developing specific group work. The various individual proposals should contribute to the construction of a unified and visually coherent civic matrix. Furthermore, each specific intervention must incorporate the program of uses necessary to generate centrality and promote the regeneration of the metropolitan, local, and global environment. All of this is done against the backdrop of the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) of the United Nations and the three key words of the New European Bauhaus (NEB): sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion.
Pre-course requirements
Have passed the project subjects up to Projects 6.
Objectives
Projects 8 aims to prepare the student for professional practice by dealing with the development of the subject of Final Degree Project. For this purpose, they contemplate the following general objectives:
- Train the student in the awareness that the practice of architecture interacts with the common space that surrounds it and how this practice must contribute to improving it.
- Train the student in multidisciplinary work. Promote the integration of the previous knowledge acquired by the student and contributed by the different areas of knowledge involved in the development of the architectural project (construction, structures, installations, urban planning, sustainability, accessibility, composition and graphic expression) that he has acquired to the length of the subjects developed in the Degree.
- Train the student in collaborative work, developing an individual project.
- Train the student in the simultaneous handling of the multiple scales of the architectural project. Facilitate the integration of the different levels of decision-making, ensuring maximum coherence between the interpretation of the city and the territory, and the development of a specific building, including the design of the interior space and construction details.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 35-T - Ability to conceive, put into practice and develop urban projects
- 37 - Ability to develop functional programmes for buildings and urban spaces.
- 42 - Ability to catalogue buildings and urban heritage and plan their protection.
- 45-T - Ability to design and execute roads and urban development, gardening and landscaping projects
- 46 - Ability to apply urban planning ordinances and standards.
- 47-T - Ability to prepare environmental and landscaping surveys and plans to correct environmental impacts.
- 51 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the study methods of social needs, quality of life, habitability and basic housing programmes
- 52 - To acquire adequate knowlege of the environment, sustainability and the principles of conserving energy and environmental resources.
- 53 - To acquire adequate knowledge of architectural, urban development and landscaping traditions of Western culture, as well as their technical, climate, economic, social and ideological foundations
- 55 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the relationship between cultural patterns and the social responsibilities of the architect
- 57 - To acquire adequate knowledge of urban sociology, theory, economy and history.
- 58 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the methodological principles of urban planning and metropolitan and regional development.
- 59 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the mechanisms of preparing and managing urban development plans on any scale.
- 60 - To acquire knowledge of civil, administrative, urban planning, building and professional regulations.
- 61 - To acquire knowledge of feasibility analysis, supervision and coordination of integrated projects.
Learning outcomes of the subject
The student will consciously and autonomously develop the multi-scalar and multi-disciplinary practice of the architectural project, and will be able to inscribe his individual proposal within a collective vision of the whole.
For this, it will coherently articulate the landscape project, the urban planning of an area ofopportunity, and the design of a building and its immediate environment.
The student will provide a complete graphic and written explanation of the building developed in all aspects and scales specific to the Basic Project. Likewise, he will communicate his proposal orally with solvency, accompanied by appropriate models and audiovisual resources.
Syllabus
The contents of this subject are arranged in line with the previously specified objectives, in order to develop the corresponding skills (35-T, 37, 42, 45-T, 46, 47-T, 51, 52, 53, 55 , 57, 58, 59, 60 and 61) detailed above:
- Basic and execution architectural projects, sketches and drafts. - Urban projects. - Aspects affecting the management of works in architectural projects. - Elaboration of functional programs for buildings and urban spaces. - Intervention, conservation, restoration and rehabilitation of the built heritage from the point of view of the project. - Architectural barriers. - The architectural criticism in the project. - Passive environmental conditioning, thermal and acoustic insulation, climate control, energy efficiency and natural lighting in the architectural project. - Cataloging the built and urban heritage, and planning its protection from the point of view of the project. - Security, evacuation and protection projects in buildings. - Civil works projects. - Urban layouts and urbanisation, gardening and landscape projects. - Urban rules and ordinances. - Environmental, landscape studies and correction of environmental impacts. - General theories of form, composition and architectural types in their application to the architectural project. - The incidence of the general history of architecture in the project. - Symbolisation, practical functions and ergonomics in the architectural project. - Social needs, quality of life, habitability and basic housing programs. - Ecology, sustainability and principles of conservation of energy and environmental resources in the architectural project. - The architectural, urban and landscape traditions of Western culture: their technical, climatic, economic, social and ideological foundations applied to the architectural project. - Impact on the architectural project of aesthetics, theory and history of fine arts and applied arts. - Relationship between cultural patterns and social responsibilities of the architect in the architectural project. - Vernacular architecture and architectural project. - Architectural project and urban sociology, theory, economy and history. - The architectural project from the methodological foundations of urban planning and territorial and metropolitan planning. - Civil, administrative, urban planning, building and industry regulations relating to professional performance.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Projects 8 is a final check before the Final Degree Project on the student's synthetic acquisition of all the skills required by an architect, as defined in the ESARQ-UIC Barcelona curriculum and in relation to the work previously developed by students throughout the entire degree program.
Thus, the project focuses on the individual development of a complex residential architectural project, based on a professional methodological understanding, as if it were a project developed in the professional office of the corresponding professor.
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | COMPETENCES | ECTS CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| Class exhibition | 34-T 35-T 36-T 37 38-T 39-T 40 41-T 42 43-T 44-T 45-T 46 47-T 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 60 61 62 | 0,84 |
| Class participation | 34-T 35-T 36-T 37 38-T 39-T 40 41-T 42 43-T 44-T 45-T 46 47-T 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 60 61 62 | 0,84 |
| Clase practice | 34-T 35-T 36-T 37 38-T 39-T 40 41-T 42 43-T 44-T 45-T 46 47-T 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 60 61 62 | 0,91 |
| Tutorials | 34-T 35-T 36-T 37 38-T 39-T 40 41-T 42 43-T 44-T 45-T 46 47-T 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 60 61 62 | 0,91 |
| Individual or group study | 34-T 35-T 36-T 37 38-T 39-T 40 41-T 42 43-T 44-T 45-T 46 47-T 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 60 61 62 | 3,5 |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Continuous assessment, "every week counts", includes class attendance and participation, presentations, and exercises. Assessment criteria will prioritize creativity and critical depth, intelligence, effectiveness of fascination, analytical and synthesizing skills, as well as scientific and professional attitudes (scholarship, precision, diligence, punctuality, presentation, typographical, spelling, and syntactical accuracy). Active participation in class will also be encouraged throughout the course and will be highly valued. And, of course, student attendance and interest will be taken into account.
The graphic and written documentation of a basic project will be assessed, taking into account the coherence between the formal options and the proposed methodological and technical solutions.
- Basic project of the building (scales 1/10000 - 1/2000 - 1/500 - 1/100 - 1/20 - 1/5).
The graphic and written documentation of the Basic Project will be reviewed, and the design of the interior space and the control of the details that define it will be evaluated. The quality of the project's visual communication will also be considered.
- Main model of the building and its immediate surroundings (minimum, 1/500 scale) and any other scale deemed appropriate.
Bibliography and resources
20 ANYS DE L’AGÈNCIA D’ECOLOGIA URBANA DE BARCELONA, Barcelona Regional i Agència d’Ecologia Urbana de Barcelona, Ajuntament de Barcelona, Barcelona, 2022
ESTÉVEZ, A. T., “La naturaleza es la solución”, Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseño y Comunicación, n. 105, pp. 165-193, Universidad de Palermo - Carnegie Mellon University, Buenos Aires (Argentina), 2020
ESTÉVEZ, A. T., “Sustainable Living? Biodigital Future!”, cap. pp. 137-162, en AA.VV. (eds. Jacqueline A. Stagner, David S-K. Ting), Sustaining Resources for Tomorrow, Green Energy and Technology, Springer Nature Switzerland AG, Cham (Suiza), 2020
ESTÉVEZ, A. T., “A pesar de todo, dicho en el vacío es más...”, Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios en Diseño y Comunicación [Ensayos], n. 132, pp. 181-199, Universidad de Palermo - Carnegie Mellon University, Buenos Aires, 2021
ESTÉVEZ, A. T., “Sustainable Nature-Inspired Architecture”, cap. pp. 4-1.-4.24, en David Ting, Jacqueline Stagner (eds.), Sustainable Engineering Technologies and Architectures, AIP Publishing, Melville, 2021
ESTÉVEZ, A. T., “Biofriendly architecture and design: nature and social-friendly architecture”, cap. pp. 115-134, en David S-K. Ting, Jacqueline A. Stagner (eds.), Adaptive Engineering: A Sustainable Development Endeavor, Woodhead Publishing Series in Civil and Structural Engineering, Ed. Elsevier, Londres, 2025
MOORE, Ch., ALLEN, G., La Casa: Forma y Diseño, Gustavo Gili, 1974
RASMUSSEN, S. E., Experiencia de la arquitectura, Labor, Barcelona, 1974
UNITED NATIONS, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, A/RES/70/1 General Assembly Distr.: General 21 October 2015
VENTURI, R., Complejidad y contradicción en la arquitectura, Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 1974 (1966)
ZEVI, B., Saber ver la arquitectura, Editorial Poseidon, Buenos Aires, 1951