MSc Urban Design and International Planning / Course details

The course unit will have the following content:

• Urban Design and Heritage Conservation [An International Perspective]
• Introduction to Planning Frameworks within selected Fieldtrip destination city
• Briefing on fieldtrip destination city across multiple key themes including
• Transport and mobility
• Planning systems and policies
• Open and green space
• The public realm and space
• Heritage
• Social equality
• Architecture
• Development history
• Develop a focused urban design assessment approach at multiple scales for study tour
• Undertake international Study tour
• Study tour visits to series of urban design and development projects across multiple scales
• Self-observation of urban design and development projects

The course unit aims to:

• Provide a framework for critical urban analysis within an international context
• Explore urban design responses within a non-UK planning structure, considering differences in development policies and planning frameworks
• Develop design analysis skills regarding culturally sensitive urban design responses and approaches
• Developing knowledge on heritage conservation within urban design and international planning
• To engage students in on-site urban analysis and observation techniques.

On completion of this unit successful students will be able to:

• Understand how different social and environmental challenges in unique spatial contexts are met by developing urban design and planning policies
• Understand principles and practice of urban design, development, and heritage conservation within an international context
• Use urban design analysis techniques and skills to explore appropriate culturally sensitive design responses in urban environments
• Have ability to test and analyse different design projects within different contexts and multiple scales to understand best practice approaches and quality assessment
• Carry out a full urban design and planning assessment across multiple scales and themes in an international and heritage focused city
• Continue development in working with professionals in practice and group design work/analysis/presentation

The course unit will utilise a variety of pedagogical approaches including:

• Group assignment component(s) – including presentation and graphical report
• Regular tutorial teaching
• Regular studio workshops
• Studio crit (with formative feedback)
• The online urban design toolkit
• Week long study tour to international destination
• Local practitioner and academic led visits and presentations of urban design and development projects in destination city
• Self-observation of urban design and development projects in destination city
• End of semester assignment workshop/surgery

Bandarin, F. and van Oers, R. (2014) Reconnecting the City, Wiley Online Library
Cohan, N. (2001) Urban planning conservation and preservation, New York, McGraw-Hill Tweed Sutherland, M. (2007) Built cultural heritage and sustainable development, Landscape and Urban Planning 83: 62-69
Kostoff, S. (2014) The City Shaped, London, Thames and Hudson
Meeda et al (2009) Graphics for Urban Design. UDG