Introduction:

Graduate seminar investigating contemporary issues in urban design. The course will examine the state of the contemporary discourse in urbanism, the historical trajectory of contemporary theory, and its impact on design strategies as they pertain to the construction of the urban landscape. Case Studies from the U.S., Pacific Rim, Europe and Latin America are introduced to contrast and compare design practice with the theoretical underpinnings of urban design discourse. While exploring the broader contexts of urban processes, the course also explores specific design strategies and devices established to negotiate competing social and spatial forces in the urban landscape.

The theoretical positions in architecture and urbanism that have emerged as a result of the expanding metropolitan landscape and the resultant geographical space of the open city have thrown urban design into crisis. As architecture strives to regain its cultural relevance, the ongoing discourse of the city provides a constructed ground for its participation. Professionals who are engaged in the formation of urban environments are ill equipped to confront the realities of the constantly transforming infrastructure. While acknowledging that there is no longer a singular pervasive theory of the city, the intention of this course is to open up for discussion, possibilities, and to postulate strategies for enabling an urban architecture to operate synthetically within this realm.

This course is required for students enrolled in the Graduate Program in Urban Design.

Course Objectives:

• Examine the competing paradigms and discourses of contemporary urban design.
• Develop a critical understanding of the tactical initiatives being implemented in contemporary cities.
• Explore design strategies based on an understanding of the complexity of the urban landscape.

Assignments:

Students will be expected to undertake extensive readings on the current discourse in urban design and be prepared to engage in discussions around each weekly topic. In addition, a notebook will be required to be maintained with sketches and notes on the readings and lectures. The notebook will be turned in at the end of the course.

A series of position papers on the readings will be assigned along with in-depth research into an assigned case study which will be presented to the class.

Required Texts:

Course Pack: Selected Readings in Urbanism
Reading MVRDV NAi Publishers ed., Patteeuw, Veronique
Shaping the City : Studies in History, Theory and Urban Design ed., Robbins, Edward and El-Khoury, Rodolphe