Search result: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2021

Architecture Bachelor Information
First Year Examinations
Examination Block 1
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
052-0603-00LStructural Design I Information O2 credits3GP. Block, J. Schwartz
AbstractDetermination of internal forces and description of structural behaviour of mixed arches and cable structures, of truss systems, beams, slabs, panels and frames using method of graphical statics as well as dimensioning of these structural systems. Structural behaviour of columns. Discussion of reference buildings and illustration of interplay of structural system and architectural intention.
ObjectiveAwareness of the most important structural systems. Understanding of the interplay of load and form. Estimation of the inner forces and dimensioning of elements.
ContentAfter a general introduction of basic concepts, structural systems such as cable and arch structures will be analyzed with the help of graphic statics. The students will learn to understand the flow of forces in a structural system in relation to the system's form. They will be able to modify this force flow and give dimension to the structural components.

All concepts, approaches and methods will be introduced in the weekly lectures and practiced in subsequent exercises.
Lecture noteson eQuilibrium
"Skript Tragwerksentwurf I/II"
Link

A printed version can be bought at the chair of Structural Design Prof. Schwartz for sFr. 55.-.
Literature"Rule of thumb structural design"
(Philippe Block, Christoph Gengangel, Stefan Peters,
DVA Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt 2013, ISBN: 978-3-421-03904-0)

Further learning material:
"Form and Forces: Designing Efficient, Expressive Structures"
(Edward Allen, Waclaw Zalewski, October 2009, ISBN: 978-0-470-17465-4)

"The art of structures, Introduction to the functioning of structures in architecture"
(Aurelio Muttoni, EPFL Press, 2011, ISBN 13: 978-0415610292, ISBN 10: 041561029X)
052-0703-00LSociology I Information W2 credits2VC. Schmid, I. Apostol, N. Bathla, A. Hertzog-Fraser
AbstractSociology I investigates the relation between social developments and the production of the built environment from a macro-sociological point of view. It examines central aspects of social change, historical and contemporary forms of urbanization, and typical examples of models of urbanization.
ObjectiveThis series of lectures should enable students to comprehend architecture in its social context.
ContentSociology I deals with the macro-sociological point of view, and investigates the relation between social developments and the production of the built environment. In the first part central aspects of social change are examined, –in particular the transition from Fordism to Neoliberalism and the interlinked processes of globalization and regionalization. The second part deals with historical and current forms of urbanization. Among other aspects, it focuses on the changed significance of the urban-rural contradiction, the processes of suburbanization, periurbanization, and planetary urbanization; the formation of global cities and metropolitan regions; the development of new urban configurations in centres (gentrification) and in urban peripheries (edge city, exopolis, new urban intensity). In the third part these general processes are illustrated by typical models of urbanization: Manchester, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris and Zürich.
LiteratureA detailed collection of original texts will be distributed.
052-0901-00LBuilding History I Information O2 credits2VS. Holzer
AbstractHistory of building from classical antiquity to modernity: building types, constructions, forms, with particular reference to functional issues such as flexibility of use, statics, durability. This is not a mere history lecture, but an important part of the basic introduction into construction.
ObjectiveParticipants know the fundamentals of building history, including landmark monuments of each era, key historic constructions and forms. They are able to "read" a historic building and to relate it to building history. They are aware of the variety of historic building constructions.
ContentBuilding history I covers the period from classical Greek antiquity to Gothic architecture. The principal topics include construction issues such as Greek megalithic buidling, Roman mortar-and-rubble construction, and Gothic rationalism of vaulted architecture.

Within the Vitruvian and Albertian triad of firmitas, utilitas and venustas, we focus on the first two topics, whereas the last topic (deciphering the "meaning" of architecture) stands at the heart of the "architectural history" lectures. The present lecture contributes essentially to deepening knowledge about historic constructions, an indispensable precondition for buildig within existing fabric.
Lecture notesPlease keep a tight record of manuscript notes yourself. Lecture notes to some topics will be provided. pdf of lecture slides will be on line before each lecture.
LiteratureWill be announced during the lectures.
CompetenciesCompetencies
Subject-specific CompetenciesConcepts and Theoriesassessed
Techniques and Technologiesassessed
Method-specific CompetenciesAnalytical Competenciesassessed
Decision-makingfostered
Media and Digital Technologiesfostered
Problem-solvingassessed
Project Managementfostered
Social CompetenciesCommunicationfostered
Cooperation and Teamworkfostered
Customer Orientationfostered
Leadership and Responsibilityfostered
Self-presentation and Social Influence fostered
Sensitivity to Diversityassessed
Negotiationfostered
Personal CompetenciesAdaptability and Flexibilityassessed
Creative Thinkingfostered
Critical Thinkingassessed
Integrity and Work Ethicsassessed
Self-awareness and Self-reflection assessed
Self-direction and Self-management fostered
Examination Block 2
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
052-0803-00LHistory and Theory of Architecture I Information O2 credits2V + 2UT. Avermaete, M. Delbeke, L. Stalder, H. Teerds, P. Ursprung
AbstractIntroduction and overview of the history and theory of architecture from the Renaissance to the nineteenth century. The course covers the chronology and key works, protagonists and discourses of early modern European architecture.
‘Fundamentals for the History and Theory of Architecture I-II’ provides a practical introduction to the methods and instruments of the history of art and architecture.
Objective1. Acquiring basic knowledge of the history and theory of architecture during the early modern period, of its key protagonists and discourses and of the methods and instruments of architectural research.
2. Identifying the main architectural issues and debates of the period and recognising the places and architectural works covered in the course.
3. Acquiring the tools to develop a historically informed reading of the built environment, recognising debates, styles, ideas and problems which drive and inform architectural production.
4. Developing the tools to draw on historical, theoretical and critical research to the benefit to one's own architectural culture.
ContentThe course ‘History and Theory of Architecture I-II’ offers a chronological and thematic survey of early modern architecture and architectural theory produced in Europe from the 15th up to 19th century. The course is based on thematic lectures, analysing key European architectural works, texts and iconography.
Themes will include the origin of the Vitruvian tradition in architectural theory and practice and its dissemination in Italy during the 15th and 16th centuries; the mediatisation of architectural principles through the development of book production during the 16th century; the development of divergent theories of architectural composition and design in Italy and France between the 16th and 17th centuries; the formation and international spread of religious symbolism through architecture; analyses of original design practices, such as in the case of Michelangelo; a study of building types, such as the palazzo and the villa, and their codification by architects like Andrea Palladio; debates over questions of beauty and ornament, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries; questions of patronage and the relationship between architecture and political and religious powers (e.g. the French Monarchy and the Roman Papacy); the relation between buildings and their urban setting in the development of European capitals like Rome, Paris and Berlin; historicism and attitudes towards the past in architectural styles.

In addition to the main lectures, the course ‘History and Theory of Architecture I-II’ will also include a series of seminars, called ‘Small Narratives’. These seminars are meant to widen the scope of the programme by exploring case studies, such as buildings and ruins in Zurich, which relate and contribute to the content of the course. While content of the ‘Small Narratives’ seminars is not part of the exam, students are invited to make use of it for their study, and attendance is compulsory.

The course ‘Fundamentals of the History and Theory of Architecture I-II’ aims to explore and develop basic methods and strategies to research the history of art and architecture. It consists of four parts, each developed under one of the four Chairs of the gta, and each dealing with a particular area of study in the field of architecture and art history. The course will consist of four different exercises and tasks, carried out under the supervision of each of the four Chairs throughout the year:
1. Architecture and books (M. Delbeke)
2. Architecture and media (L. Stalder)
3. Architecture and art (P. Ursprung)
4. Urbanism and the Commons (T. Avermaete)
LiteratureCourse scripts, PowerPoints and lecture recordings for ‘History and Theory of Architecture I-II’ will be available to download from the course page at the beginning of the semester. Printed copies of the course scripts will also be available for purchase.
Prerequisites / NoticeFor the course ‘History and Theory of Architecture I-II’ students will rely on assisted self-study to acquire basic knowledge of the history of architecture in Europe.
052-0601-00LBuilding Materials I Information O2 credits2VJ. Pauli
AbstractBuilding Materials - Introduction to the most common building materials

Raw materials+ Production
Properties + Application
Ecological footprint + Recycling
ObjectiveThe lecture develops an understanding of different building materials and its application for construction under the aspects of material properties and ecological aspects.
ContentThe lecture introduces the most common building materials concrete, steel, masonery and timber, but also clay, glas and polymers in a historical context. The fabrication processes are described and the most important properties regarding construction explained. A special focus is on the ecological aspects such as availability of raw materials, effort for production, emission of hazardous substances, disposal and recycling.
Lecture notesLecture slides as pdf
052-0701-00LUrban Design I Information O2 credits2VM. Wagner
AbstractThe means and potentials in the field of urban planning and design are pointed out from different perspectives in order to shape the city in the sense of a future-proof and humane environment. To this end, the basic principles are explained and concrete methods of urban design are presented.
ObjectiveThe goal is to provide students with a broad systemic basic knowledge, that enables them to synthesize and evaluate complex urban design and planning problems.
ContentThe lecture series imparts basic knowledge in urban planning and design. Pressing questions and main topics of contemporary urban design practice and theory will be addressed. The focus is on illustrating the richness of relationships as well as the potential of the discipline and its handling in everyday urban planning and design practice.
Lecture notesThere is no script to the lecture series. The lectures are recorded on video and made available online on Link a few days after each lecture.
LiteratureAt the end of the year course a reader with secondary literature will be made available for download.
Prerequisites / NoticeFurther Informations:
Link
052-0605-00LMathematics and Programming I Information O2 credits2VB. Dillenburger
AbstractThis course introduces computational design and teaches how design can be modeled and materialized using digital technology. Participants learn to use the computer strategically, thoughtfully, and sensitively within the design process. With the “digital literacy” acquired in this course, they develop an understanding of the potential of a digital building culture.
ObjectiveTo systematically harvest the potential of the computer in their work processes, architects need an insight into the fundamental principles of information technology. In this course, students learn the concepts, methods, and instruments of computational design. By the end of the two semesters, students will have mastered the basics of 3D modeling techniques, parametric design, programming code for Computer-aided-design (CAD), and digital prototyping. The acquired knowledge qualifies students to use the computer as a unique instrument to model their designs. Participants also learn to apply CAD and programming code creatively and productively in planning, design, and construction.

Specifically, the learning goals are:
● Critical understanding of the possibilities of information technology in design
● Acquiring an overview of the mechanisms and types of CAD systems and digital building models
● Gaining knowledge of the basic principles of computational geometry
● Applying visualization techniques and creatively using various digital media
● Learning concepts and application of parametric design.
● Being able to integrate computer-aided analysis and optimization methods in design-process
● Understanding the principles of digital process chains from design to production
● Strategically using visual programming code
● Reading, understanding, and adapting programming code within CAD software.
ContentArchitecture is no longer conceivable without information technology. The planning, construction, operation, and ultimately the nature of buildings are increasingly influenced by digital technology. The digital is omnipresent both in the work of architects and in our built environment itself.

The courses Computational Design 1 and 2 offer an introduction to the character, challenges, and possibilities of digital technology in architectural design. The lectures will discuss the topics of digital building models and data, computational geometry, digital fabrication, machine intelligence, and mixed reality.
In this course, students will practice digital modeling processes and related techniques. The spectrum of exercises includes manual modeling, visual programming, and programming code within CAD software. Students learn to read, understand and adapt this code. In addition, the courses will provide insights into the nature and handling of different digital media formats, from real-time rendering to mixed reality.

Topics discussed within the lectures:
● CAD - background, and developments
● On the nature of digital models and data
● Architectural geometry
● Computational geometry
● Parametric and generative creation of models
● Computer-aided analysis and optimization of models
● Artificial intelligence and architectural models
● Materialization of digital models
● Mixed reality

Course Structure
The course consists of theoretical lectures, practical tutorials introducing technical concepts, and exercises supported by tutors. Participants can find updated and detailed information on Moodle, which is the learning platform for the course.
Subjects with Semester Grade
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
052-0501-00LDesign and Construction I Information
Participation in the seminar week of the chair Deplazes (topic "Hybrid Modeling") from 25.-29.10.21, is mandatory!
Project grading at semester end is based on the list of enrolments on 2.11.21 (valuation date) only. This is the ultimate deadline to unsubscribe or enroll for the studio.
O8 credits4V + 10G + 2UA. Deplazes, D. Mettler, D. Studer
AbstractDesigning and constructing will be understood to be a complementarily complementary offer. The content and methodical foundations of design and construction are taught and deepened through lectures and exercises.
ObjectiveUnderstanding and dominating the methodology of designing and constructing.
ContentLectures and exercises to achieve the methodology and ability of designing and constructing.
Lecture notesAndrea Deplazes (Hrsg.), Constructing Architecture, From Raw Materials to Building, A Handbook, Birkhäuser, Basel Boston Berlin, 2013
LiteratureLiterature will be published in the lectures.

Book recommendation BUK I - IV: "Construction";
A reference work on contemporary construction
German or English
360 pages, 171 images, 20 color images, texts
ISBN 978-3-0356-2225-6
Online reference source: Link Konstruktions.html
Prerequisites / Notice100% of interest and engagement!

Participation in the seminar week of the Deplazes chair ("Hybrid Modeling") from 25th to 29th October 2021 is compulsory!
052-0503-00LArchitecture and Arts I Information
Project grading at semester end is based on the list of enrolments on 2.11.21 (valuation date) only.
This is the ultimate deadline to unsubscribe or enroll for the studio.
O8 credits2V + 6G + 1UH. E. Franzen, K. Sander, T. Becker, E. Vonplon
AbstractAttendance in the lecture „Thinking and Speaking about Art“. Elaboration of a self-contained artistic work in the framework of the group mentorates. (Emphasis of grading for the final semester grade: 3/5 final presentation, 1/5 written project-conception, 1/5 drawing examination in free and perspective drawing).
ObjectiveIn the HS21, students prove artistic thinking and practise and develope their knowledge in a mentored course with an independent artistic work.
ContentAttendance in the lecture „Thinking and Speaking about Art“. Elaboration of a self-contained artistic work in the framework of the group mentorates. (Emphasis of grading for the final semester grade: 3/5 final presentation, 1/5 written project-conception, 1/5 drawing examination in free and perspective drawing).
Examination Blocks
Examination Block 1
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
052-0607-00LStructural Design III Information O2 credits3GJ. Schwartz, P. Block
AbstractAfter a review of essential facts from the first year the course will be examine the interplay of architectural concept and structural system by analyzing buildings of exemplary quality. The focus will be on the integration of specifics of structural systems made out reinforced concrete or steel into architectural design.
ObjectiveStudents are enabled to integrate essential characteristics of structural systems made out reinforced concrete or steel into their architectural design.
ContentAfter a review of essential facts from the first year the course will be examine the interplay of architectural concept and structural system by analyzing buildings of exemplary quality. The focus will be on the integration of specifics of structural systems made out reinforced concrete or steel into architectural design.
052-0805-00LHistory and Theory of Architecture III Information O2 credits2VL. Stalder
AbstractThis two-semester course is an introduction to the history of architecture from the Second Industrial Revolution in the 1850s to the Oil Crisis in the 1970s in Europe. Students will be able to identify the “things”—technical objects and ensembles—that transformed architecture, and to relate them to the technical, scientific, and cultural concerns that introduced them as key features of modernity.
ObjectiveTo introduce students to the history and theory of architecture, the course has three objectives.
First, students will be able to identify the “things” that transformed architecture in modernity, and the crucial events, buildings, theories, and actors that characterize their history.
Second, students will be able to describe how these “things” operated at different scales, focusing less on the formal level, and naming instead the different forms of expertise that constituted them historically, as well as the processes within which they were embedded.
Third, students will be able to reflect on a series of apparatuses, devices, and building parts that are in fact micro-architectures which have often been neglected, despite their pivotal role in shaping the daily lives of modern societies.
ContentThe course proposes a new approach to the study of the history and theory of architecture in Europe during modernity. It focuses less on single architects or their buildings, and more on those “things” that have brought profound transformations in the built environment and daily life over the last 200 years, such as the revolving door, the clock, and the partition.
The notion of “thing” includes both the concrete building parts and the concerns associated with them, such as material performance, social synchronization, and individual expression. To understand buildings as assemblages of “things,” therefore, does not mean to diminish their significance, but on the contrary to add reality to them, to understand them in terms of the complex, historically situated, and diverse concerns within which they were designed.
Each lecture introduces one “thing” through a genealogy that shaped it, from patents and scientific discoveries and technological advancement, to cinema, the visual arts, and literature. A set of renowned projects as well as lesser-known buildings from all around Europe offer a variety of case studies to describe these “things,” to understand how they operated in relation with one another, and to identify the theories and tactics that architects mobilized to make sense of them.
Lecture notesLink
052-0635-00LMathematical Thinking and Programming III Information O2 credits2VL. Hovestadt
AbstractAn introduction to information technology for architects. It is not about the HOW, but rather about the WHAT, not about virtuosity when dealing with digital tools, but rather about understanding coding. Not about pragmatism, but rather about literacy. It forms the basis of digital architectonics, the art of joining, which needs to be cultivated with care, prudence and patience.
ObjectiveNormally, one would expect this course to teach students how to draw architecture while using computers. This course does not because digital architectural models are not drawn, but encoded.

In the current discussion about building information models (BIM), we see how blocked the situation can become when one draws architecture digitally. Today, digital models are a tedious 'minefield' with hundreds of gigabytes of data of all kinds. A digital model as code, however, is lightweight, compact and fast – a sparkling crystal, like poetry.

That is why coding is the focus of this course. More specifically, students learn to read code and to value thinking in code. Learning active coding goes beyond the time-frame and should not be forced upon people. Thanks to digital awareness, students can quickly learn a wide variety of software using help available in the Internet, and competently use it according to their personal preferences. The aim of the course is for the students to develop as architects and to grow a digital personality.

Specific reference is made to the history of architecture in conjunction with mathematics and philosophy. The essential tool of the trade is the lambda calculus in the implementation of Mathematica. The information technology interconnection of all digital media will be presented: text, image, graphic, model, animation, film, audio and the corresponding software. Current issues will be discussed: Internet, Internet of things, cryptography, privacy, big data, machine intelligence, building information models, responsive cities, smart homes, robotics, energy and logistics. Current and historical modelling processes will be worked on.
ContentThe Mechanics of Digital
Introduction and overview on folding
Calculus
Text and numbers
Lists and colours
Pictures and films
Cryptography and communication
Rules and graphs
Graphics and Animation
3D models
Solid models
Music and sound

The Big Plenty
Parsers
Databases
Machine intelligence
Many images
Many texts
Many drawings
Many models
Smart buildings
City and country
On the Internet of Things

A Digital Archaeology of Architecture
The geometry of Euclid
The architecture of the Greeks
The arithmetic of Ptolemy
The architecture of the middle ages
The geometry of Descartes
The architecture of the Renaissance
The arithmetic of Lagrange
The architecture of the Enlightenment
The algebra of Boole
The architecture of the classical period
The theory of categories
The architecture of the 20th century

The Digital Architectural Model
Architecture and poetry
The perspective model
The probabilistic model
The crystal
The hybrid
The continuum
The Oikos
The model concept 1920
The model concept 1950
The model concept 1980
The model concept 2010
Brand and style
Examination Block 2
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
151-8009-00LBuilding Physics II Information O2 credits2GJ. Carmeliet, M. Ettlin, A. Rubin
AbstractMoisture related problems are common in buildings leading to costly damage and uncomfortable indoor environments. This course aims at providing the necessary theoretical background and training in order to foresee and avoid these problems.
Objective• to develop a basic understanding of mass transport and buffering
• to become aware of potential moisture-related damage and health risks
• to learn how to (i) design building components and (ii) assess their hygrothermal performance
Content• hygrothermal loads
• conservation of mass (dry air, water vapor, liquid water)
• moist air: constitutive behavior, transport, potential problems and solutions
• liquid water: constitutive behavior, transport, potential problems and solutions
• exercises
Lecture notesHandouts, supporting material and exercises are provided online via Moodle.
Prerequisites / NoticePrior knowledge of "BP I: heat" is required.
052-0801-00LGlobal History of Urban Design I Information O2 credits2GT. Avermaete
AbstractThis course focuses on the history of the design of cities, as well as on the ideas, processes and actors that engender and lead their development and transformation. The history of urban design will be approached as a cross-cultural field of knowledge that integrates scientific, economic and technical innovation as well as social and cultural advances.
ObjectiveThe lectures deal mainly with the definition of urban design as an independent discipline, which maintains connections with other disciplines (politics, sociology, geography) that are concerned with the transformation of the city. The aim is to make students conversant with the multiple theories, concepts and approaches of urban design as they were articulated throughout time in a variety of cultural contexts, thus offering a theoretical framework for students' future design work.
ContentIn the first semester the genesis of the objects of study, the city, urban culture and urban design, are introduced and situated within their intellectual, cultural and political contexts:

01. The History and Theory of the City as Project
02. Of Rituals, Water and Mud: The Urban Revolution in Mesopotamia and the Indus
03: The Idea of the Polis: Rome, Greece and Beyond
04: The Long Middle Ages and their Counterparts: From the Towns of Tuscany to Delhi
05: Between Ideal and Laboratory: Of Middle Eastern Grids and European Renaissance Principles
06: Of Absolutism and Enlightenment: Baroque, Defense and Colonization
07: The City of Labor: Company Towns as Cross-Cultural Phenomenon
09: Garden Cities of Tomorrow: From the Global North to the Global South and Back Again
010: Civilized Wilderness and City Beautiful: The Park Movement of Olmsted and The Urban Plans of Burnham
011: The Extension of the European City: From the Viennese Ringstrasse to Amsterdam Zuid
Lecture notesPrior to each lecture a chapter of the reader (Skript) will be made available through the webpage of the Chair. These chapters will provide an introduction to the lecture, the basic visual references of each lecture, key dates and events, as well as references to the compulsory and additional reading.
LiteratureThere are three books that will function as main reference literature throughout the course:

-Ching, Francis D. K, Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. Hoboken: Wiley, 2017.
-Ingersoll, Richard. World Architecture: A Cross-Cultural History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2018.
-James-Chakraborty, Kathleen. Architecture Since 1400. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2014.

These books will be reserved for consultation in the ETH Baubibliothek, and will not be available for individual loans.

A list of further recommended literature will be found within each chapter of the reader (Skript).
Prerequisites / NoticeStudents are required to familiarize themselves with the conventions of architectural drawing (reading and analyzing plans at various scales).
052-0707-00LUrban Design III Information O2 credits2VH. Klumpner, M. Fessel
AbstractStudents are introduced to a narrative of 'Urban Stories' through a series of three tools driven by social, governance, and environmental transformations in today's urbanization processes. Each lecture explores one city's spatial and organizational ingenuity born out of a particular place's realities, allowing students to transfer these inventions into a catalog of conceptual tools.
ObjectiveHow can students of architecture become active agents of change? What does it take to go beyond a building's scale, making design-relevant decisions to the city rather than a single client? How can we design in cities with a lack of land, tax base, risk, and resilience, understanding that Zurich is the exception and these other cities are the rule? How can we discover, set rather than follow trends and understand existing urban phenomena activating them in a design process? The lecture series produces a growing catalog of operational urban tools across the globe, considering Governance, Social, and Environmental realities. Instead of limited binary comparing of cities, we are building a catalog of change, analyzing what design solutions cities have been developing informally incrementally over time, why, and how. We look at the people, institutions, culture behind the design and make concepts behind these tools visible. Students get first-hand information from cities where the chair as a Team has researched, worked, or constructed projects over the last year, allowing competent, practical insight about the people and topics that make these places unique. Students will be able to use and expand an alternative repertoire of experiences and evidence-based design tools, go to the conceptual core of them, and understand how and to what extent they can be relevant in other places. Urban Stories is the basic practice of architecture and urban design. It introduces a repertoire of urban design instruments to the students to use, test, and start their designs.
ContentUrban form cannot be reduced to physical space. Cities result from social construction, under the influence of technologies, ecology, culture, the impact of experts, and accidents. Urban un-concluded processes respond to political interests, economic pressure, cultural inclinations, along with the imagination of architects and urbanists and the informal powers at work in complex adaptive systems. Current urban phenomena are the result of urban evolution. The facts stored in urban environments include contributions from its entire lifecycle, visible in the physical environment, and non-physical aspects. This imaginary city exists along with its potentials and problems and with the conflicts that have evolved. Knowledge and understanding, along with a critical observation of the actions and policies, are necessary to understand the diversity and instability present in the contemporary city and understand how urban form evolved to its current state.

How did cities develop into the cities we live in now? Urban plans, instruments, visions, political decisions, economic reasonings, cultural inputs, and social organization have been used to operate in urban settlements in specific moments of change. We have chosen cities that exemplify how these instruments have been implemented and how they have shaped urban environments. We transcribe these instruments into urban operational tools that we have recognized and collected within existing tested cases in contemporary cities across the globe.

This lecture series will introduce urban knowledge and the way it has introduced urban models and operational modes within different concrete realities, therefore shaping cities. The lecture series translates urban knowledge into operational tools, extracted from cities where they have been tested and become exemplary samples, most relevant for understanding how the urban landscape has taken shape. The tools are clustered in twelve thematic clusters and three tool scales for better comparability and cross-reflection.

The Tool case studies are compiled into a global urbanization toolbox, which we use as typological models to read the city and critically reflect upon it. The presented contents are meant to serve as inspiration for positioning in future professional life and provide instruments for future design decisions.

In an interview with a local designer, we measure our insights against the most pressing design topics in cities today, including inclusion, affordable housing, provision of public spaces, and infrastructure for all.
Lecture notesThe learning material, available via Link is comprised of:
- Toolbox 'Reader' with an introduction to the lecture course and tool summaries
- Weekly exercise tasks
- Infographics with basic information of each city
- Quiz question for each tool
- Additional reading material
- Interviews with experts
- Archive of lecture recordings
Literature- Reading material will be provided throughout the semester.
Examination Block 3
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
052-0807-00LHistory and Theory of Architecture V Information O2 credits2VP. Ursprung
AbstractHistory of Art and Architecture since the 1970s
ObjectiveThe course target is to let the students gain a overview of a line of formative occurrences, works of art, buildings and theories from the early nineteen-seventies. The students should become sensitive for questions and problems in the field of history and theory and they should increasingly be able to relate their own praxis with historical relations.
ContentThe two-semester course offers an introduction to the history of modern and contemporary art and architecture since ca. 1970. Motivated by questions of the current discourse, central topics and exemplary works of art and architecture are discussed. Concepts such as "labor", "economy", "experience", "research", "nature", "diversity" or "surface" are used to focus on specific historical developments and connections. Art and architecture is considered as a field of cultural change as well as an indicator of social, economic, and political conflicts which in turn helps to understand historical dynamics.
Lecture notesA video documentation of the lecture class is available.
Link
LiteraturePhilip Ursprung, Die Kunst der Gegenwart: 1960 bis heute, München, Beck, 2019.

Philip Ursprung, Der Wert der Oberfläche, Essays zu Kunst, Architektur und Ökonomie, Zürich, gta Verlag, 2017.
052-0651-00LBuilding Process I Information O2 credits2GA. Paulus
AbstractThe building process is the main focus of this lecture series. The process is understood as a sequence of criteria in time.
Topics: Acquisition and building law, building economics and sustainability strategies, participants and their services, construction and planning organization.
Process thinking and a look at neighbouring countries complement the series.
ObjectiveAlongside a discussion of the basic principles, trends and terminologies, a closer look will be taken at each topic using case studies that investigate current structures as well as those relevant in terms of architecture and urban design. Active participation as well as interdisciplinary and process-oriented thinking on the part of students is a prerequisite.
ContentThe building process is the main focus of this lecture series. The process is understood as a sequence of criteria in time.
Topics: Acquisition and building law, building economics and sustainability strategies, participants and their services, construction and planning organization.
Process thinking and a look at neighbouring countries complement the series.
Alongside a discussion of the basic principles, trends and terminologies, a closer look will be taken at each topic using case studies that investigate current structures as well as those relevant in terms of architecture and urban design. Active participation as well as interdisciplinary and process-oriented thinking on the part of students is a prerequisite.
Lecture notesLink
052-0705-00LLandscape Architecture I Information O2 credits2VD. Richter
AbstractIntroduction to the history and theory of garden design and landscape architecture. Analysis of the design of historical gardens and landscapes within the cultural background.
ObjectiveThe course covers the basic history and theory of garden design and landscape architecture from its beginnings to the 21th century. The course aims to raise awareness of a changing perception of nature and landscape.
ContentThe lecture series on “History and Theory of Garden Design and Landscape Architecture” deals with the historical development of designed nature, from the beginnings of cultural landscapes and gardens to 21th century landscape architecture. In the analysis of each era, the focus is on the spatial and cultural relationship between the garden, the city and the landscape, as well as the changing perceptions of nature and its representation.
Lecture notesHandouts and a reading list will be provided.
LiteratureA reading list will be provided for the exams.
Prerequisites / NoticeGeneral Information for the final exam:
Bachelor students: The content of the lectures as well as texts and exam-relevant literature provided by the Chair make up the basis for preparing for the exam. The lecture series is conceived as a yearlong course. Since the written session examination will test knowledge from both semesters, it is necessary to fully attend the lectures of both courses "Landscape Architecture I" and "Landscape Architecture II".
The themes of the examination will be announced at the end of the semester. The Chair will provide literature and texts available for download as pdfs. These allow a more in-depth understanding of the lecture material.

Exchange students or students from other departments: Students, who are attending only one semester, may pass the oral end-of-semester examination. Test-relevant literature will also be made available for download for this purpose.
The students are requested to get in touch by email with the Chair.
052-0609-00LEnergy and Climate Systems I Information O2 credits2GA. Schlüter
AbstractThe first semester of the annual course focuses on physical principles, component and systems for the efficient and sustainable heating, cooling and ventilation of buildings on different scales and the interaction of technical systems with architectural and urban design.
ObjectiveThe lecture series focuses on the physical principles and technical components of relevant systems for an efficient and sustainable climatisation and energy supply of buildings. A special focus is on the interrelation of supply systems and architectural design and construction. Learning and practicing methods of quantifying demand and supply allows identifying parameters relevant for design.
Content1. Introduction and overview
2. Heating and cooling systems in buildings
3. Ventilation
Lecture notesThe slides of the lecture serve as lecture notes and are available as download.
LiteratureA list of relevant literature is available at the chair.
052-0507-00LArchitectural Technology V Information O2 credits2VK. Z. Weber, A. Thuy
AbstractThe lecture series explores the correlation among intentions of design, architectonic expression and construction premises. These critical areas or aspects of study, which are presented with selected projects, their respective theoretical backgrounds and historical development, are pluralistically associated and brought into relation with varying contemporary opinion.
ObjectiveThe final part of the lecture series Konstruktion V/VI aims to analyse (structural) construction techniques and their formal appearance and expression in their interrelation.
The different themed parts of structural design, building shell and knowledge of material get connected with architectural design in practice and reflected in the wider context of architectural theory. The intention is to consolidate the understanding of the connection between structure, process and formal appearance and expression in the architecture of the 20th century.
ContentThe lecture series in the course entitled Architecture and Construction explores the correlation among intentions of design, architectonic expression and construction premises. Each lecture is focused on individual themes, as for example, the application of certain materials (glass, or natural stone), of particular construction systems (tectonic, hybrid) or design generators (grids, series) and alternatively the search for a definable, tangible architectural expression (vernacular architecture, readymades). These critical areas or aspects of study, which are presented with their respective theoretical backgrounds and historical development, are pluralistically associated and brought into relation with varying contemporary opinion. The yearlong lecture cycle is comprised of twenty individual lectures, in which the majority of projects being analyzed date from the last few decades.
Lecture notesThe brochures published by the chair offer additional help. Knowledge of these brochures and their key subjects is recommended for the exam. The brochures can be ordered at the chair after the last lecture before the examination. However, the subject matters of the brochures and the lectures are not identical, the brochures provide information for a deeper understanding of the lectures. Apart from additional articles written by the chair, the brochures are composed of three modules: Project documentation, crucial texts on the work reception as well as theoretical articles about the particular thematic priorities by various authors. Concerning their content these anthologies allow insights into a wide range of theories, lines of reasoning and fields of research up to diverging point of views of specific problems.
LiteratureList of literature per lecture.
Prerequisites / NoticeGeneral remarks (on exam as well as exam preparation)
The comprehensive topics of the lectures are the subject matter of the exam. The lectures are scheduled for a full year (Konstruktion V/VI) and therefore the knowledge of the subject matter of the running as well as of the preceding semester's lectures is required. To improve your chances to pass the examination at first try, we strongly recommend you to take the exam after having visited the lecture during two semesters.
A “Leistungselement" as an interim exam will take place as part of the lecture in the first half of the semester. The interim examn is voluntary. It will be conducted under examn conditions and will be graded. Its grade will contribute to the overall grade of the course, if it has a positive influence.

If you are an exchange student, or a student from a different department and wish to take a partial examination covering only the subject matter of the last semester (Konstruktion V or VI), you need to contact the chair in advance.
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