We all know by now that Branding is more than coming up with a cool logo. But why is it interesting to architects and why have so many architects become involved with it? Aside from the fact that there are vast amounts of money to be gotten through branding, it's also very neatly aligned with an architect's traditional tradecraft. Branding is only 5% about selling a product and 95% about creating identity and that's what architects do every day. It also refocuses an architect's attention on the notion of total design

When we develop a complex intuitive understanding of a client and their needs we are practicing branding. When we coordinate people with a variety of different skills and abilities so that the product appears to come from one hand we are practicing branding. When we understand the character of a building so well we instantly know which door handles and light fixtures will be appropriate we are practicing branding. When we consider a design from historical, political, social, economic, psychological, and a myriad of other perspectives we are practicing branding. When our designs function smoothly at the city, neighborhood, street, building, room and furniture scales, we are practicing branding. All of these factors are as important to the identity of a company or a store as they are to the character of a building - its total design.

This semester we will use the multiple scales of branding as a lens through which to study building design. The project will be in two interrelated parts - a store and a boutique hotel in one building in downtown Austin. By designing these businesses from the shopping bags and bath towels to the urban form and energy performance we will practice total design and maximize the architectural and experiential potential in the building. There will be frequent due dates with many small design assignments. The effectiveness of your branding concept (and consequently your grade for the course) will depend on serious and rigorous completion of each of the assignments. Please refer to the attached calendar for due dates (in italics and bold)

Grades

Establishing grades for projects of a creative nature is a more complex matter than grading in other academic areas. While each project contains certain quantifiable elements by which it may be evaluated, a significant portion of each grade is derived from a broader, more subjective set of issues.

Grading for studio courses is broken into three components for each given mark:

1/3 grasp (the ideas and understanding of the project at hand, combined with an appropriate process of inquiry),

1/3 effort and effectiveness (amount of work measured by stacks of paper and piles of models as well as the efficiency of these efforts) and

1/3 resolution (the demonstration of competence, completeness, and finesse through representation).

Your work will be evaluated on its rigor and evolution over the semester.

grade descriptions

A : excellent work- Project surpasses expectations in terms of inventiveness, appropriateness, verbal and visual ability, conceptual rigor, craft, and personal development. Student pursues concepts and techniques above and beyond what is discussed in class. Project is complete on all levels and explores modes of communication not required by the instructor.

B : good work- Project is thorough, well researched, diligently pursued, and successfully completed. Student pursues ideas and suggestions presented in class and puts in effort to resolve required projects. Project is complete on all levels and demonstrates potential for excellence.

C : required work- Project meets the minimum requirements. Suggestions made in class are pursued but not with dedication or rigor. Project is incomplete in one or more areas.

D : poor work- Project is incomplete. Basic skills including graphic skills, model-making skills, verbal clarity or logic of presentation are not level-appropriate. Student does not demonstrate the required design skill and knowledge base.

F : unacceptable work- Project is unresolved. Minimum objectives are not met. Performance is not acceptable. Note that this grade will be assigned when you have excessive unexcused absences.

X : (excused incomplete)- Can be given only for legitimate reasons of illness or family emergency. Simply not completing work on time is not an adequate cause for assigning this evaluation. It may only be used after consultation with the Associate Deans' offices and with an agreement as to a new completion date. Studio work must be completed before the second week of the next design semester in which you are enrolling, according to School of Architecture policy.

ALL GRADES ARE SUBJECT TO DEDUCTIONS FOR ABSENCES, LATE WORK AND LATE ARRIVALS.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. Participation is expected. Students with three (3) unexcused absences may be dropped from the course without further notice. The minimum penalty for more than three unexcused absences is a full letter drop in your final grade for the course. Please contact the instructor prior to class if you expect to be late or miss class. A student who misses classes or other required activities for the observance of a religious holy day should inform the instructor as far in advance of the absence as possible, so that arrangements can be made to complete an assignment within a reasonable time after the absence. A student who fails to complete missed work within the time allowed will be subject to the normal academic penalties.

Disabilities

Please notify your instructor of any adaptation you may require to accommodate a specific physical need. You will be requested to provide documentation to the Dean of Students' Office, in order that the most appropriate accommodations can be determined. Specialized services are available on campus through the Services for Students with Disabilities, also found via the web at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/ssd/.

Security, safety and the studio

The studio is an exceptional learning environment. Since it is a place for all, it necessitates the careful attention to the needs of everyone in it. Please see your instructor if there are any problems (music, visual pollution) that you are unable to resolve on your own. All spraying of fixative, spray paint or any other substance should be done in the shop. Security is a necessary component for a studio that is accessible to you and your colleagues 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please be mindful not to admit any uninvited visitors and keep all exterior doors locked after hours.

Academic Integrity

The following statement references the University's policy on academic integrity. According to the General Information catalog, "the value of a university degree depends on the absolute integrity of the work done by each student for that degree, a student should maintain a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work" (page 98). All work handed in by you is considered to be your own work, prepared without unauthorized assistance" (page 72). Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.