COURSE SUMMARY

Construction One is a broad survey of materials, material systems and construction methods including both conventional and emerging technologies. For students of architecture Construction One is the first course in a series of four required building construction/building structures courses. For students of historic preservation Construction One is the first course in a series of three required building construction/materials conservation courses.

MATERIAL TAXONOMIES

The profession of architecture classifies materials based on type or taxonomy (masonry, metals, ceramics etc...) and further affiliates their assembly with building systems (foundation, structure, roof, wall, etc...). This course is organized material by material, in a taxonomic structure.

The EIGHT materials covered by this course:

• concrete
• masonry
• wood
• plastic
• composites
• steel
• glass
• fibers

will be examined accordingly:

• microstructure
• appropriation, synthesis or harvesting regimes
• manufacturing and unitization
• structural systematization
• fabrication and assembly methods
• construction systematization

Construction One's content simultaneously engages material fact, conventions, rules of thumb, and broader theoretical agendas or forces which shape the way we approach construction and design. Over the next fifteen weeks each student will be challenged to overlay material attitudes of convention, invention and intervention onto eight materials in six different physical states. As we proceed with lecture, lab and semester research these attitudes should differentiate themselves. In this course each student should discover the necessity for material and construction convention, but also the grounds for design invention and innovation.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Texts

FRANCIS D.K. CHING'S BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ILLUSTRATED 3^RD EDITION available at the University Coop.

CONSTRUCTION ONE COURSE PACKET available at Speedway Printing in the Dobie Mall. The construction one course packet constitutes the bulk of required reading.

The supplemental reading listed on your weekly assigned reading sheets, as well as WWW links, charts and graphs are available on this course's electronic reserves site. Electronic reserves are accessed through the University of Texas at Austin Libraries link or at www.lib.utexas.edu. The password to the site will be given out on the first class day.

Lectures and Weekly Reading Assignments

Students are expected to approach the required reading as research which must be completed prior to each lecture. Lectures re-organize the required reading material into accessible construction and material assembly scenarios. Lectures will not methodically reiterate the required reading.

Lab

The construction I lab serves as a place for discussion, lecture review, homework review and hands on material experimentation. Lab location varies week to week. It may be held in the assigned classroom, Materials Lab or the experimentation deck at Goldsmith Hall.

Homework and Pop Queries - 25% OF YOUR GRADE

There are seven (7) required homework assignments for this course. Homework will cover information and concepts introduced through lecture and the required reading. Late homework will not be accepted.

Pop queries may be given before or after lecture. Make up pop queries will not be given.

Research Modules - 25% OF YOUR GRADE

Open book, take home research modules are packets of 15 - 20 questions approached as an examination of course content. Research modules will challenge each student to deploy material and construction fact and theory through short answer, essay, drawing and diagramming. Research modules may exact any information from all lectures, labs, reading assignments and homework. Two research modules are scheduled during the fifteen week semester. A third will be given during final examination week. On a given research module week packets will be handed out after Tuesday's lecture and returned at the beginning of Thursday's lab. Late research modules will not be accepted.

Quizzes - 25% OF YOUR GRADE

Closed book quizzes, following the completion of each research module, will test each student's ability to recall factual material and construction information. Comprised of 5 - 8 questions, quizzes will require short answer, drawing and diagramming. Two quizzes are scheduled during the fifteen week semester. A third will be given during final examination week. Make up quizzes will not be given.

QUIZ1 THURSDAY OCTOBER 4

QUIZ 2 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 8

QUIZ 3 FINAL EXAM WEEK. DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED.

Research Project - 25% OF YOUR GRADE

A two part architectural case study requiring drawing, modeling and final presentation comprises the individual/group semester research project. Late projects will receive a one letter grade deduction for each class period missed (including lab). Due dates are as follows:

Research Part 1 AND 2
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 6 (ASSIGNED)

Research Part 1
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 13 (PINUP AND DISCUSSION)
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 20 (PINUP AND DISCUSSION)
THURSDAY OCTOBER 11 (PINUP AND DISCUSSION)
THURSDAY OCTOBER 25 (PINUP AND DISCUSSION)

Research Part 2
THURSDAY OCTOBER 25 (PINUP AND DISCUSSION)
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 8 (DISCUSSION)
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 20 (DUE)

COURSE POLICIES

Group work policy

Group work requires equal participation from all members. Any individual not performing a commensurate share of the work may be eliminated from the group but is still responsible to satisfy the assignment requirements.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is mandatory and will be taken at all lectures and labs. At the instructor's discretion, any student with more than 2 absences may be dropped from the class or the student's final grade will be adjusted a letter grade less for each additional absence.

Grading Policy

Final Grades are derived from homework, pop queries, two semester research modules/quizzes, a final research module/quiz and semester research project. Final grading is based on a 100 point scale in a plus/minus system:

A 93 - 100
A- 90 - 92
B+ 87 - 89
B 83 - 86
B- 80 - 82
C+ 77 - 79
C 73 - 76
C- 70 - 72
D+ 67 - 69
D 63 - 66
D- 60 - 62
F 59 or lower

The grades accumulated over the semester are averaged towards the final grade as follows:

QUIZ 1, 2 AND 3 25%
RESEARCH MODULE 1, 2 and 3 25%
HOMEWORK/POP QUERIES 25%
RESEARCH PROJECT 25%

The Office of Graduate Studies requires a grade of at least C (73 - 76) for a course to be included in a graduate student's program of work.

University Policy Regarding Observance of Religious Holidays

A student who is absent from a class or examination for the observance of a religious holy day may complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence, if proper notice has been given. Notice must be given at least fourteen days prior to the classes scheduled on dates the student will be absent. For religious holy days that fall within the first two weeks of the semester, notice should be given on the first day of the semester. It must be personally delivered to the instructor and signed and dated by the instructor, or sent certified mail, return receipt requested. A student who fails to complete missed work within the time allowed will be subject to the normal academic penalties.

Students with disabilities:

The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641.