Duration
128h Pr
Number of credits
| Master in architecture, professional focus in architecture and urban planning | 10 crédits |
Lecturer
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Originating from the Master's programme Habitat / Habiter, this "experiential" studio addresses the interfaces of inhabiting - the in-between spaces that articulate the public, the collective and the private. It stands out through the particular attention paid to the diverse ways in which these spaces are invested by those who inhabit them on a daily basis.
The studio thus proposes an approach to architectural design grounded in the exploration of lived spaces. It engages students in immersing themselves within a site in order to grasp its depth and its rough edges: the diversity of representations and practices, modes of appropriation and attachment, temporalities, conflicts and negotiations of use, as well as imaginaries, qualities, and overlooked needs.
To this end, students are introduced to a range of qualitative research methods adapted to architectural production: inhabited surveys, (participant) observations, photography, semi-structured interviews, and in-situ sketching. Each of these tools provides a particular lens on the material and social dimensions of the site under study. Learning also involves collective work of pooling and presenting these investigations in textual, graphic and narrative forms, fostering a shared and sensitive understanding of the data gathered.
The studio continuously articulates research and design. Fieldwork data serve as resources in their own right for developing the architectural project, allowing for situated responses attentive to use. Conversely, the project provides a medium through which to test and challenge the data and reflections emerging from the inquiry. This hybrid approach aims to raise students' awareness of the mediations between spatial dispositifs and social dynamics, to develop their attentiveness towards users, and to invite them to question the architect's stance vis-à-vis the recipients of their projects.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
By the end of this studio, students will be able to:
- Mobilise investigative tools drawn from the social sciences and grasp their relevance within the process of spatial design;
- Produce a synthesis of the collected data;
- Use this material to develop hypotheses for situated architectural interventions.
- Deepen their skills in spatial design;
- Experiment, in real-life contexts, with situations of interaction with users/inhabitants;
- Develop reasoning that engages with the complexity and nuances of the interfaces between public, collective and private spaces;
- Strengthen their ability to propose architectural responses that are proportionate to a given situation.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
The studio requires mastery of the skills acquired in the architectural design studios of the Bachelor cycle.
As it involves active interaction with participants in the field, it also requires a good command of the French language.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The exercise is structured around the intersection of three interdependent and simultaneous components: fieldwork, architectural design, and scientific literature.
Fieldwork is carried out through the method of the inhabited survey, combining drawings, photographic documentation, (participant) observation, and semi-structured interviews. Its aim is to identify what causes difficulties and what matters to the users of the space, with attention paid to traces of appropriation, patterns of use, spatial and material qualities, shortcomings, and tensions between inside and outside, between private, collective and public spaces, etc. Compulsory training sessions on the use of research tools will be held before the data collection begins. The results of the field investigations are shared collectively: students are expected to draw upon the entirety of the data collected within the studio to inform the design component. (Groups of 2 to 4 students).
The architectural project consists of developing one or more architectural hypotheses that reflect a process of exploration and reinterpretation of the public / collective / private interfaces. This work is grounded in the fieldwork, the lived reality of the space, and relevant scientific literature. It also requires students to:
- Demonstrate creativity: go beyond the purely functional approach to interfaces, and explore through design what these spaces imply and can potentially offer in terms of dwelling quality, appropriation, coexistence, gradations of intimacy, pathways, etc.;
- Work from the existing: develop a surgical approach (piercing, cutting, adding, grafting, subtracting, etc.) to resolve problematic situations and reveal the potentials highlighted by the fieldwork;
- Develop an efficient project: avoid disproportionate or unnecessary measures and instead propose an architectural response that is just;
- Pay careful attention to detail: take into account issues of safety, accessibility, maintenance, ergonomics, views, etc.
(Individual work).
Beyond data-sharing, certain tasks are also pooled to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the studio (e.g. elaboration of a graphic charter, collection and preparation of base drawings, organisation of presentation materials, etc.). Students are required to contribute to these tasks equitably and responsibly, in a collaborative spirit.
Active attendance and participation in all activities, both within the studio and on site, are compulsory. Students are expected to remain engaged in their learning throughout the day: listening to their peers' presentations, interacting with fellow students and instructors, and working in the studio. Each student must bring the necessary materials to work on site and must attend class with the required work completed. Expectations will be communicated orally at the end of each studio session or via eCampus. Failure to meet this condition will result in the instructors refusing to engage with the student.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Course materials, some data collection tools, and reference texts will be made available via the eCampus platform.
Some readings may be compulsory. Where applicable, students will be notified at least one week in advance.
Furthermore, students are expected to actively use the Faculty library resources to support their work and enrich their architectural knowledge.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
oral exam
Written work / report
Out-of-session test(s)
Further information:
The work is assessed in two stages:
- Intermediate assessment, during the term, accounts for 25% of the overall grade. It will cover the survey work and a preliminary architectural project sketch. Both elements must be presented orally and through graphic documents, following the instructors' guidelines. These tasks will be assessed by the course instructors.
- Final assessment, at the end of the term, accounts for 75% of the overall grade. It will focus on the architectural project and its alignment with the survey data. This work will be presented orally and through graphic documents, in accordance with the instructors' guidance. It will be evaluated by a panel composed of the course instructors, other Faculty members, and, if applicable, external experts.
- Inhabited survey: the thoroughness of data collection, the quality of interpretation and analysis, the ability to synthesise findings, and the quality of presentation materials.
- Architectural project: the student's ability to implement an architectural research approach, to question and explore habitation interfaces through the project, the effectiveness of the proposal (an appropriate architectural response using proportionate means), the quality and subtlety of details (materiality, accessibility, maintenance, ergonomics, etc.), and the quality of presentation materials.
- Integration: the student's ability to develop reflections, explorations, and positions in the project based on survey data, considering residents' concerns as a driving force for the project.
- Communication skills: verbal and graphic presentation abilities.
- A general attendance rate of 80%, or at least 50% attendance in the case of justified and accepted absences.
- Strict compliance with submission instructions as communicated by the instructors (submission time and place, required formats, etc.), except in cases of duly justified impossibility.
Any student failing to meet these access conditions will be penalised by the non-acceptance of their work and will receive an overall grade of 0/20.
- Inform the course coordinator by email before the submission date and time;
- Submit the work (in its current state) via a third party on the scheduled day, time, and place, or, if this is not possible, digitally to the course coordinator;
- Provide the student office and the coordinator with an absence justification on the same day.
At the conclusion of the final submission, the instructors will complete an official report documenting the evaluation of the criteria and, in the case of failure, justifying the grade. Students may consult this report during the "script consultation" at a date to be communicated later.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
The workshop requires compulsory field visits. These visits depend on the availability of the users of the sites we are working on and may therefore take place outside the regular course hours. These visits are not expected to incur significant costs (the site is accessible by public transport from Outremeuse).
Fieldwork and its reporting require strict adherence to the ethical rules governing scientific research. These rules will be explained to students, who are required to comply with them.
The smooth running of the workshop relies on students' ability to "work collectively." It is therefore expected that everyone participates in their own way to ensure the effective functioning of the group (sharing information, participating in work subgroups, being proactive during group discussions, etc.).
The course coordinator will take attendance at each session. Any absence must be duly justified by providing supporting documentation, which should be sent as soon as possible by email to Julie Neuwels and the Student Office (service.etudiants.archi@uliège.be).
Contacts
Julie Neuwels : Julie.Neuwels@uliege.be
Pierre de Wit : pdewit@uliege.be