Course Details

1. Comprehend the terms of civilization and culture and how these lead to the creation of architectural forms and landscapes.
2. Recognize the importance of urban design in shaping of the built environment and transforming of our culture and way of life.
3. Identify the importance of energy management and sustainable development and react accordingly to any given design issue providing architectural proposals that clearly define their relationship to climate and energy use.
4. React to and manage complex design issues involving environmental, social and economic matters.
5. Respond in a holistic way in the design process of the built environment producing forms with aesthetic, social and cultural meanings.
6. Pose the right questions and initiate activities for their response in a design process.
7. Develop an interdisciplinary thinking and practice.
8. Know how to learn and how to maintain up to date knowledge on any given design issue.

Analysis and design principles - Urbanization and Landscape: Introduction to issues of symbolism, collective memory and image of the place, in order to perceive the meaning and content of the notion 'place'. Comprehension of architecture as a key element in the shaping of the cultural scene. Use of consistent methodologies for recording and analysis of the cultural landscape in relation to the architectural project. Use of multiple scales for urban design representation.

Concept – Design parameters and intervention: Definition of a concept in urban design terms and according to special constraints and potentials (history, collective memory, symbolism) of a place. Implementation of a spatial organizational process with a coherent design approach on a strategic level. Formation of an urban intervention in the context of sustainable development, with emphasis on creating new spatial qualities of the built environment.

Spatial design – Cultural Landscapes: Set of parameters and concepts within a particular cultural landscape using symbolic notions as initial ideas for spatial design. Transforming creativity and initial ideas to concrete architectural structures with functional and structural requirements. Handling of materials and components for the urban design interventions in a manner that will highlight emotions, memories and symbolism. Development and implementation of a coherent synthesis process at multiple scales (from 1:100 to 1:50). Use of appropriate methods and tools for visualization and architectural representation.

• Σταυρίδης Στ. (επ.), Μνήμη και εμπειρία του χώρου, Αθήνα: Αλεξάνδρεια, 2006

• Στεφάνου Ιουλία, Περιγραφή της εικόνας της πόλης, Πανεπιστημιακές Εκδόσεις ΕΜΠ, 2003
• Κοτιώνης Ζήσης, 44 ιστορίες της αρχιτεκτονικής, Εκκρεμές, 2001
• Angelus Eisinger, Urban Reset. How to Activate Immanent Potentials of Urban Spaces, Birkhauser, 2011
• Felix Rottenberg, WiMBY! Hoogvliet, NAi Publishers, 2008
• References can vary each year according to semester’s chosen subject Course and lecture notes

The course is studio based requiring teacher to student interaction through individual and group discussions.

A key project is running through semester and is supplemented by creativity projects and other smaller scale assignments.
Studio work is carried out and delivered by means of multiple media representations such as maps - charts, sketches, artwork, collage, three dimensional models, etc.
Short written texts and oral presentations before the class, are encouraged as complementary means of architectural expression.
Studio work is supplemented by means of lectures, conducted with the help of computer presentations and by means of specially selected films and documentaries, followed by discussion. Lecture notes and presentations are available through the web.

Visits to project site and related to project’s theme sites are conducted.
Special guest scientists and practitioners are invited for lectures related to studio’s subject.