Start semester
40 648 Timber Housing Cycles
Emnenavn på Norwegian Bokmål:
Timber Housing Cycles
Credits:
24
Course code:
40 648
Level of study:
Master
Teaching semester:
2022 Spring
Assessment semester:
2022 Spring
Language of instruction:
English
Year:
2022
Maximum number of students:
16
Person in charge
Ute Christina Groba
Required prerequisite knowledge
Admission to AHO and successful completion of three years bachelor level studies (180 ECTS)
Part of course series: Timber
Course content
This is the fourth studio course in a series that focuses on timber construction and housing as means of sustainable urban densification. This time, we will explore the role of wooden building materials in a circular perspective.
Extending the life time of buildings and their components is key to more sustainable building practices, both in terms of environmental concerns, social relations and neighbourhoods. Both quantifiable and qualitative focus areas are important:
Buildings will last longer if their material, construction and detail choices are sound and robust. Timber will work as a carbon sink as long as the material is in use. The spatial and functional properties of a building will remain viable over time if they are general enough or adaptable to answer changing needs and technical requirements. The "lovability" of a building will also be part of defining its life time, as buildings that are liked are better taken care of and more likely to make users tolerate their standard when requirements for new buildings change.
The overall aim of the studio course is to understand and design for ways of extending the life cycle of urban residential timber buildings and their constructive components.
The course will be structured around a number of investigation areas:
- flexibility concepts (1. generality 2. adaptability 3. flexibility; and how material, surface and detail choices both facilitate and communicate them)
- circularity (1. inclusion of re-used building materials, 2. design for disassembly)
- housing qualities
- timber construction.
Based on lectures, literature and the study of example projects, the investigation areas will inform the student projects. Each of these areas are envisioned as chapters of a course book that also will include the students' final projects.
We are going to develop the projects through conceptual models, sketches, texts, drawings and working models.
Teachers: Ute Groba, Cathrine Vigander, Ona Flindall
Learning outcome
An introduction to timber construction, both in general and within a circular economy, exploring its challenges, potentials and design implications.
- An overview of different timber construction systems and detailing.
- Introduction to timber architecture within academic fields of discourse.
- The development and communication of a consistent architectural approach and its materialization in sketches, working models, drawings and text.
- Understanding the importance of integrating a project’s load bearing structure in early architectural concepts.
- The course will be documented in a course book that archives exploratory models, lecture notes, precedent analyses, and the students' final projects.
Working and learning activities
Activities:
- Pre-task / wood workshop
- Lectures and workshops with AHO staff / externals
- Regular supervision and desk crits
- Midterm Review and Final Presentation with external reviewer
- Exhibition / course book
- Each student will have a small extra task that benefits the entire class
Group work:
We aim for working in groups of two students. Final deliverables (such as number of drawings and models or degree of detailing) will be adjusted to the number of team members in case of different group constellations.
Site:
- Urban site in Oslo
Excursion:
- Yet to be determined, depending on restrictions due to the Covid-19 situation.
Main scales of the students' work (will be specified in each task throughout the semester):
- Urban strategy 1:500
- Architectural approach in plan, sections, facades 1:200 / 1:100
- Detail solutions / section perspective 1:50 / 1:20 (number of details depending on group size)
Deliverables at the end of the semester:
- Concept description in text and diagrams
- Drawings: site plan, plan drawings, sections, facades, details
- Illustrations/renderings/collages/model pictures
The above drawings will be part of your final digital presentation and must also be delivered in printable quality for a course book.
- Working model; model pictures (The model will be in use and under modification throughout the semester and is not meant to be beautiful, but useful)
- Final model; model pictures
- (Depending on chosen site: maybe collective site model)
- Lecture reports, precedent analysis and other documentation of additional tasks where relevant. These will be handed in during the course of the semester after each task is completed and be included in a course book. They will not be part of your workload towards the final delivery.
Requirements to pass:
Active participation in lectures, workshops, group meetings and desk crits are required, as well as the steady development of the project with regular supervision meetings. It is mandatory to attend and meet the requirements of midterm and final review.
| Mandatory coursework | Courseworks required | Presence required | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annet - spesifiser i kommentarfeltet | Required | Requirements to pass: Active participation in lectures, workshops, group meetings and desk crits are required, as well as the steady development of the project with regular supervision meetings. It is mandatory to attend and meet the requirements of midterm and final review. |
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe) | - | Pass / fail | The final grade will be set on the basis of: -project assignment -oral presentation -exercise (delinnlevering) Details for project assignment, see list: Deliverables at the end of the semester. It is mandatory to attend and meet the requirements of midterm and final review. |
| Workload activity | Comment |
|---|---|
| Excursion | Those who do not have the opportunity to participate in excursion will receive a task / a project that replaces this. Those who do not have the opportunity to participate in excursion will receive a task / a project that replaces this. |