| CODE | SPI5714 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Sustainable Urban Design and Development | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Spatial Planning and Infrastructure | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit uses a mix of formal lectures but especially seminars and workshops to critically explore the concepts, principles and indicators of sustainable urban development. The study-unit engages the contemporary issues of urban ecology, and its articulation to design and develop in urban settings. Key seminars will feature case studies of successful sustainable urban design interventions located at the interface between a building and its surrounding neighbourhood. Lectures will focus on urban design principles that address the need for a comprehensive design-based approach regarding the longer-range future of sustainable urbanism. The study-unit also comprises a workshop wherein students will be required to examine community needs and present a unique approach in choosing strategies that best addresses these needs, whilst advancing sustainable development in the area, through applied design research, which will include conceptualizing and prototyping alternatives. Study-unit Aims: The study-unit aims to challenge urban design professionals to deal with how urban and environment spaces can be analyzed, designed, managed, evaluated, represented and modified so as to respond to modern day sustainability issues. The study-unit aims to cover the philosophical origins of: - sustainability; - systems thinking; - government and market solutions to social and environmental problems; - sustainable community initiatives; - the question of equity. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Demonstrate an understanding of the meaning of sustainability and systems thinking in urban design; - Comprehend the urban design principles that address the future of sustainable urbanism; - Comprehend the role of government interventions and market solutions to social and environmental problems; - Critically evaluate case studies of sustainable urban design interventions; - Evaluate community requirements, in the context of sustainable development, and the question of equity. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Examine community needs and present strategies to address such needs, within the context of sustainable development principles; - Conceptualize and prototype alternative solutions to urban development problems of sustainability, and apply design research techniques to prioritize such solutions; - Take part in discourse on contemporary issues on sustainability in urban design and development; - Analyze and evaluate existing urban spaces, or proposals for design or modification of urban spaces, and apply the relative indicators to measure contemporary sustainability criteria. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Barton, H. and Gilchrist, A. (2000). Sustainable communities: the potential for eco-neighbourhoods. London: Earthscan. - Beatley, T. (2000). Green urbanism: learning from European cities. Washington, D.C.: Island. - Beatley, T. (ed.)(2012). Green cities of Europe: global lessons on green urbanism. Washington, DC; London: Island Press. - Coyle, S. (ed.)(2011). Sustainable and resilient communities: a comprehensive action plan for towns, cities, and regions. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. - Farr, D. (ed.)(2007). Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. - Haas, T. (ed.)(2012). Sustainable urbanism and beyond: rethinking cities for the future. New York; London: Rizzoli. - Hough, M. (2004). Cities and natural process: a basis for sustainability (2nd ed.). London: Routledge. - Lehmann, S. (2010). The principles of green urbanism: transforming the city for sustainability. London: Earthscan. - Ritchie, A. and Thomas, R. (ed.)(2009). Sustainable urban design: an environmental approach (2nd ed.). Abingdon: Taylor & Francis. - Tolley, R. (ed.)(2003). Sustainable transport: planning for walking and cycling in urban environments. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing. - Williams, K., Burton, E. and Jenks, M. (ed.)(2000). Achieving sustainable urban form. London: Spon. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Seminar & Independent Study | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Antoine Gatt Sarah Scheiber Antoine Zammit |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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