Studios
UD 6610 (6 credits). Infrastructure Studio
First of a three-studio sequence introduces urban structure and morphology and present the city as a complex, ecological organism comprised of interrelated systems or networks. Working on urban/metropolitan scale, students deconstruct the city into a series of infrastructural layers, attending to environmental factors, land use and urban growth patterns and transportation networks. Students are charged with recomposing and restructuring cities in a more integrated fashion.
UD 6611 (6 credits). Regulatory Studio
The second of a three-studio sequence advances understanding of the tools, methods and practice of urban design. Operating on neighborhood scale, studio focuses on methodology and implementation and emphasizes the proactive role designers play in shaping regulations and a resultant built form. Students consider real estate development economics, aesthetic criteria and historic preservation. This complex, interdisciplinary studio underscores the importance of effective community participation and highlight frequent interaction between design, architecture, landscape, and planning practice.
UD 6612 (6 credits). Urban Synthesis Studio
Third studio in three-studio sequence synthesizes learning from previous studios and focuses on one complex, detailed project. Emphasizing intervention on a variety of scales, students are encouraged to explore and experiment with the possibilities of the city. Community participation and civic engagement are paramount components of the course, with the studio taking place in a variety of challenging contexts, including metropolitan regions in China, India and the Middle East.
Seminars
UD 6640 (3 credits). History of the City
Introduces students to the history of global cities through selected typologies. Explores similarities and differences among cities considered against the larger cultural, political and socio-economic envelope of which they are part. Provides awareness of origins, growth and evolution of urban form.
UD 6641 (3 credits). Design Process/Practice
This seminar focuses on method, tools and techniques of urban design and advances current practice by exploring innovative and pioneering methods of design analysis, production, representation, and communication. Issues of community participation and civic engagement are at the core of the seminar. Students are introduced to the business of urban design through presentations by prominent urban design professionals.
UD 6642 (3 credits). Design Policy/Regulation
Seminar argues that urban designers are conscious agents with a responsibility to proactively shape the built environment through a combination of physical intervention and policy development. Students review urban economic and real estate development trends and compare traditional with innovative zoning codes and land use planning techniques to establish links between regulations and built environment quality.
Independent Study/Internship
UD 6840 (3 credits). Independent Study
Studies initiated by students or faculty and sponsored by a faculty member to investigate a special topic or problem related to urban design.
UD 6930 (3 credits). Urban Design Internship
Designed to provide professional practice experience in urban design. Emphasis on actual work experience in settings with client groups as students assist them in determining solutions to problems. Program director’s approval required.
Accurate as of 6/16/09