Zachary Tay

 

TALES OF THREE CITIES (ARC 3113) 

Assignment 1: Ideas and theories in urbanism

 

 

In an increasingly urbanized world, there is growing international demand for urban design studies. This course work will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to participate in this rapidly expanding profession and find your position as architects. Urban design involves shaping the physical setting for life in cities. Throughout the course you will learn the core skills and techniques of urban studies.

The course work aims to inspire the students towards fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to design and deliver better urban places. It is an exploration of both literature and reality. Cities of similar contexts (eg. South-East Asian, Great Britain contexts and so on) will be studied for

 

a) the historic social significance over urban planning and design,

b) the application of contemporary theories on to design and practice and

c) spatial experience being the student as an explorer in the city.

 

The process will enable the student to comprehend the translation from

a) a theory into design and

b) a design into spatial experience in the urban context.

 

The usage of X-space is effectively practiced in terms of debates, case studies and virtual games on urban design. 

 

In the first Assignment the students are to acquire prior knowledge, from the literature on Eastern urbanism, before the case study visit. The students are to explore the various ideas/theories/social situations prevailed in the historical and contemporary times. Later in the Semester, the students are to explore the case study towns through visits.

 

 

Objectives 

The objectives of the project are as follows:

- To explore various urban theories and ideas in the Eastern World

- To know how various social situations responded to spatial forms

- To acquire an holistic understanding about various historical phases of the case study cities