MSc & MArch Sustainable Environmental Design 2011-12
Term 2 Design Project : Refurbishing the City
Project Brief
The Term 2 design project is a continuation of our Refurbishing the City research agenda. Its purpose is to build on the findings of the previous term’s case studies, providing a vehicle for design explorations that make use of the principles and tools introduced by the taught programme. The resulting design proposals are expected to explore future visions of the city, following from the London 2020 Design Charrette, the Term 1 lectures and project fieldwork, and this Term’s study trip. Project briefs should address issues of urban morphology, transportation, built form and environmental design focusing on housing and home-work environments with newbuild or refurbishment schemes. Project teams are expected to show that occupant thermal and visual comfort can be achieved without recourse to non-renewable energy sources based on the application of passive techniques and adaptive architecturing. Lifestyle trends and developments in the technology of domestic appliances are reviewed to establish the likely energy demand for these end-uses and how such demand can be met from renewable energy sources. Design proposals should take account of the embodied energy and environmental impact of new construction and refurbishment.
Design Objectives
Key objectives of this project are:
• to improve environmental conditions and the quality of life in cities
• to achieve independence from non-renewable energy sources
• to develop the architecture of sustainable environmental design
• to demonstrate transparency in the process as well as the outcome of design.
