| Spring 2009 Architecture Lower- and Upper-Division Courses |
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ARCH 24 (1) Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. One hour of seminar per week. Sections 1-2 to be graded on a letter-grade basis. Sections 3-4 to be graded on a passed/not passed basis. The Berkeley Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small-seminar setting. Berkeley Seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester. Explorations of the Architecture Profession This seminar will examine the historical foundations of the architectural profession, the role of education in preparing professionals, the structure of contemporary architectural practice and the changing context of the future of architectural profession. These aspects will be introduced by reading and discussing selected literature and case studies. This is a five week "module" course and will meet from 4 March through 8 April ONLY. ARCH 98 (2) One to four hours of directed group study per week. Course may be repeated for credit. Enrollment is restricted. Must be taken on a passed/not passed basis. This is a special topics course intended to fulfill the individual interests of students, and provide a vehicle for professors to instruct students based on new and innovative developments in the field of architecture. ARCH 100A (5) Three hours of lecture and five hours of studio per week. Prerequisites: ENV DES 11A-11B. Must be taken in sequence. Introductory courses in the design of buildings. Problems emphasize the major social, technological and environmental determinants. 100A focuses on the design process, social factors and site planning. Studio work is supplemented by lectures, discussions, readings and field trips. ARCH 100B (5) Three hours of lecture and five hours of studio per week. Prerequisites: ED 11A-11B. Must be taken in sequence. Introductory courses in the design of buildings. Problems emphasize the major social, technological and environmental determinants. 100B stresses structures, materials, and energy considerations. Studio work is supplemented by lectures, discussions, readings and field trips. ARCH 101 (5) Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Three hours of lecture and five hours of studio per week. Prerequisites: 100A-100B. Problems in design of buildings of intermediate complexity. Each section deals with a selected topic, such as housing, site planning, institutional buildings, community development, and interiors. Studio work is supplemented by lectures, discussions, readings and field trips. ARCH 101 SEC 1 >>Download full course syllabus. Mayor Ronald V. Dellums Transportation Justice Terminal and Port of Oakland Labor Museum, Jack London Square, Clay Street Corridor, Oakland, California The Oakland City Council has voted to create an intermodal transit hub linking major elements of public transportation in the city. In honor of Mayor Dellums’ long association with labor rights and civil justice, and the historical centrality of transportation in local, national, and international civil rights and labor struggle, this new transit hub is intended to equally serve as a commemorative reminder of Oakland’s historical and continuing commitment to justice in public transportation and in the daily life and work of its citizenry. This is a complex project both in practical terms and in the symbolic significance envisioned by the council. Two professional teams have already fallen short, and have been dismissed by the Council—one architect proposed a highly practical and efficient transit center, but fell short in conveying any sense of civic imagination and broader cultural commitment; the next architect proposed an inspiring collection of memorials, yet failed to provide for the efficient daily transit needs of living citizens. The council turns now with great hope to a new generation of architects. In competition, 3 teams of young architects are each challenged to design a new transit hub effectively supporting everyday transportation needs, while simultaneously embodying the highest social and artistic ambitions of the city. Program Elements
Each studio participant will work in a team of four. Each of the four will be the design architect for one of the primary program elements—BART Station/Bus terminal, Amtrak Station, Museum, or Ferry Terminal/Fire Station. These four individual architects will collaborate together to design a site strategy effectively linking all of these projects together into an integrated transit hub. All of the individual buildings must be designed in coordination and presented together as a single unified urban design proposal. Each architect will have great freedom within the primary project, but must negotiate and collaborate on the big picture concept, the transitions, and the coordinated presentation. More detailed program information is provided at the end of this document. Each architect will be responsible for researching and finalizing a full design program for the project. ARCH 101 SEC 2 ARCH 101 SEC 3 Sustainable, Low-Income Housing for a Native American Community In this design studio, students will plan a neighborhood of low-income housing (10 units) for the Pinoleville Pomo Nation (PPN) community near Lakeport (a Native American community located two hours drive north of Berkeley). The acquaintance with the PPN was made through students of UC Berkeley's engineering department who work on renewable energy solutions for this community and voiced a keen interest to learn from the architectural design process through collaboration between an engineering class and this studio. The course is uniquely positioned to leverage a synergy between a deserving community in need, and the students undertaking real-life design challenges. In addition, we expect to include engineering students, who will help address different design aspects and will enhance the multidisciplinary nature of the design process. The PPN faces several critical challenges associated with the development of housing throughout their communities. In order to meet the growing demand of people seeking to return to the lands of the PPN, especially those from low-income background, more housing developments are being undertaken with help and funds from HUD - The Department of Housing and Urban Development. At the same time, rising energy costs associated with heating and cooling are placing an increased burden on residents. Furthermore, the drought conditions within and around the PPN are also taxing the resources of the residents and the local government. As a result, the PPN is seeking to implement sustainable design and technology best practices that will increase their self sufficiency and meet their housing, energy, and water conservation needs. To accommodate the PPN needs while giving students a comprehensive educational experience the course will focus on three main topics (in parallel), addressed both theoretically and on a practical level: 1. Native American culture, history and social structure. In this part we will learn about the native-American culture, and especially the Pinoleville-Pomo culture. Those students who have taken Arch 110AC will be able to observe, interview, and listen using semantic ethnographic skills. We will debate which cultural aspects are important for the design and how should they be expressed. The theoretical part will be obtained through lectures by Native American Culture experts on campus, and through relevant literature. The practical aspects will be learned through case-studies, site visits, and discussions with the community. 2. Sustainable and low-energy building design. What is sustainable design and how to achieve it? Looking at different existing answers (LEED, AIA Top Ten Green Projects requirements etc.). Students will examine the site's climate, for tuning the design to local conditions, targeting reduced energy consumption while increasing thermal comfort. Learning occurs through case-studies, lectures and use of computerized tools and calculations. In addition, since the Native American nations are not required to comply with California Building Code, they can consider using less-conventional building materials, which may improve sustainability. Through this course we will learn different solutions, their advantages and drawbacks and how to design using these materials without compromising earthquake resistance and other possible flaws. We will learn about the "materials debate" through literature, lectures and a fieldtrip. 3. Low income and public housing; HUD requirements and people's needs. What are the roles of HUD in designing public housing? What short-comings could be observed with the current designs by HUD? How to comply with HUD requirement while respecting local, social, and cultural needs. This part will include examining existing houses on site, looking at successful and less-successful public housing examples (relevant literatures and lectures from professors in the department) and studying the HUD requirements and motivations. Students will visit the site at least twice. These visits will include interaction with the community through two "design charettes" - the first early in the semester and the second before the mid-term review. In addition, community representatives will be part of the jury, both in the mid-term review and the final review. The students will work in groups of 3 to 4 students. Each group will aim to have one engineering student, at least one architecture student majoring in Social and Cultural Factors, and one majoring in Building Science. The work in multidisciplinary groups, together with the community, will help designers reach a comprehensive solution which takes into account a great variety of real-life challenges. The PPN will be able to use these designs and realize them through their local contractors. The design studio itself will be body conscious, which means working in bio-mechanically sound postures, changing postures frequently, setting up a variety of options for work and rest in the studio, working and relaxing regularly so as to avoid all-nighters. Further, we aim to be effective within the time allotted for this portion of your course load. ARCH 111 (3) Three hours of lecture per week. Introduction to international housing from the Architectural and City Planning perspective. Housing issues (social, cultural, and policy) ranging from micro-scale (house) to macro-scale (city) presented with a comparison of housing situations in developed and developing countries. ARCH 128 Download the course overview and initial interview form. (5) Twenty-four hours of lecture/seminar and 160 hours of internship per semester. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. An intensive and structured exposure to the professional practice of architecture using the resources of practicing architects' offices as the "laboratory." Extended Course Description This course provides an opportunity for students to evaluate professional practice in a seminar combined architectural office experience. Students will spend two full days per week in a local design office where they will be exposed to four areas of professional practice: 1) design and planning, 2) construction documents, 3) construction monitoring, and 4) office administration. Each week, students will also attend a two hour seminar each week to discuss issues in contemporary professional practice in the context of their individual experience. Entry Requirement: Senior standing or Graduate Student Internships require TWO FULL DAYS available to work in an office (M, W, Th, or F); half days are not allowed by the participating firms. NOTE: Students should enroll on the waitlist with TELEBEARS. Admission to the class is not finalized until the placements with firms are complete. Interested students should submit a completed questionnaire and a one page resume to Professor Mary Comerio by email by December 10. They will be contacted by Prof. Comerio for an interview. Send email forms and CV to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Note: Interviews will be in the weeks of Dec. 8 and 15th. Sign up sheets will be posted outside the Architecture Department Office (232 Wurster). Applications for the course will be accepted until the interview times. ANSWERS TO TYPICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT ARCH 128: Arch 120 is not a prerequisite and will not affect admission, despite what it says in the General Catalog. Students are asked to evaluate their own skill level and show their work in an interview. The questionnaire is available for download here, or from Prof. Comerio. If you are interested in taking the class, you will need to schedule an interview with her. In this class, we review the student's skill level and make a match with a firm that is on a roster of ones who regularly take CAL students from this class. This is not an AIA sponsored internship. This is not like a job in the sense that you are not paid, and not treated exactly like an entry-level employee. Students in this class have a mentor at the firm, and they do work on a variety of projects, but they also get to go to job sites and meetings that most junior staff never have the opportunity to do. This is a professional practice class with on-site experience. The time frame is fixed. The seminar meets on Tues 9:30-11AM, So, you need NO CLASSES on TWO of the other 4 weekdays. NO DEALS are allowed. We place students with firms that have a have a long-term relationship with the class and they have made it clear that they only want students who can commit to two full days each week. This is a five unit class, so the time commitment is like a studio. Students are not allowed to take this course and studio unless they have permission from Mike Martin. Note that you can choose any two days that fit into your schedule. The firms will let you pick the days, but they do not want any half days. It is a regular work day typically 8:30 to 5:30, but remember, you have to get there and back so do not imagine that you can do an 8am class or a 5pm class. Like a workday, you have to build in the commute time. The questionnaire and resume are due the end of November. Interviews will be set up by appointment with Prof. Comerio. Note: There are no late placements—i.e., students cannot expect to get into the class if they do not make the effort this semester. ARCH 130 (3) Forty-five hours of lecture and 20 hours of discussion per semester. Formerly 130A. Comparison and discussion of the theories of environmental design, and development and testing of various methods, tools, and techniques available for environmental designers. Particular emphasis lies on the difficulties of environmental design and related fields. ARCH 139X/ARCH 239A (1–4) Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Fifteen hours lecture/seminar per unit per semester. Prerequisites: 130. Extended Course Description Metropolis of the Mind: Designing Virtual Worlds Virtual worlds were once the province of science fiction authors, like Gibson (Neuromancer, 1984), Stephenson (Snow Crash, 1992), and Wachowski (The Matrix, 1999). The advent of on-line, multiplayer games like World of Warcraft, and ‘alternative’ worlds like SecondLife, made them reality. Virtual worlds are digital, three-dimensional, immersive, interactive environments that mimic existing, bygone, or fantasy worlds. They are populated by avatars representing individuals participating online in social, economic, educational, and other activities. Virtual worlds are based on principles borrowed from architectural theory, game technology, and filmmaking, blended and adapted to support specific objectives. They can be used to design and test new places (buildings, cities, etc.), to re-create culturally significant but destroyed places, and to create new types of combined physical/informational places that can only exist in Cyberspace. Starting with architectural place-making, game design theories, and filmmaking principles, the course will introduce the principles of designing virtual worlds, through readings, discussions, and exercises. Working in groups, students will design of an actual SimVenture (simulation/adventure) of their own choice (e.g., a virtual museum, a virtual learning environment, a virtual cultural heritage, etc.). The course project will be implemented in Virtools (a commercial web-based game engine), which will be taught in class. (PhD students can substitute the course project with a research paper on a related topic.) The course is open to graduate and undergraduate students, from all departments. Prior knowledge of gaming, programming, or architectural design are desired, but not required. ARCH 140 (4) Fifty hours of lecture and 30 hours of discussion per semester. Prerequisites: Physics or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Study of the thermal and lighting environments in buildings, with emphasis on quantitative design techniques. ARCH 154 (3) Thirty hours of lecture and 45 hours of laboratory per semester. Prerequisites: 150. Design and analysis of whole structural building systems with the aid of finite element analytical methods. Advanced structural concepts explored in a laboratory environment. ARCH 160 (4) Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. This introduction to the materials and processes of construction takes architecture from design to realization. The course will cover four material groups commonly used in two areas of the building assembly (structure and envelope): wood, concrete, steel, and glass. You will understand choices available and how materials are conventionally used. By observing construction, you'll see how our decisions affect the size of materials, connections, and where they are assembled. Architects must understand not only conventions, but also the potential in materials, so we will also study unusual and new developments. Extended Course Description This course is intended as an introduction to the materials and processes that take architecture from design to realization. For many architects, successfully navigating the construction phase is disheartening; there is a sense within the profession that this is the stage when dreams die. But for the best architects, construction is not only necessary, but stimulates good design. As this is an introductory course, we will cover a number of topics in a relatively short time. The course will focus on three major material groups: wood, especially dimensioned lumber and engineered wood; precast and sitecast concrete; and metals, especially aluminum and steel. We have selected these topics because the materials are commonly used for two major areas of the building assembly: the structure and the envelope. For each subject material, there will be a team-built shop project. You should not expect to be an expert on these building materials at the end of the semester. Instead, you should be able to understand the choices available to you as a designer, and have a passion for the stuff of architecture. In our experience, much of the mystery that construction holds for students is a lack of awareness about what you already know. Through your experiences—living in buildings, crossing bridges, and doing things like walking out on diving boards—you have already developed a fundamental appreciation of the strengths and sizes of construction materials. (Ever feel like it might be dangerous to walk under something?) In this class, we will help you see what you know, and build on it. Note: In Spring of 2008 only, this class will be co-taught by Dana Buntrock and Lauren Mallas. Graduate students are welcome, but should also know that a graduate-level course will be offered in Fall 2008. ARCH 170B (4) Forty-five hours of lecture and 15 hours of seminar/discussion per semester. 170A studies the ancient and medieval periods; 170B studies the period since 1400; the aim is to look at architecture and urbanism in their social and historical context. (1–4) Course may be repeated for credit. Enrollment is restricted; see the Introduction to Courses and Curricula section of the general catalog. Grading option: Must be taken on a passed/not passed basis. Description: Studies developed to meet needs. ARCH 198 SEC 2 Computer-Controlled Machining Practicum (1) In this course you will learn to apply your computer-based design skills to small-scale fabrication — an emerging area in the field of architecture — and will discover another avenue to become familiar with the materials used in architecture and interiors today. In particular, you will learn to evaluate the suitability of your 3D designs to production or modeling via 3-axis computer-controlled rotary cutting tools in a variety of media. You will learn to select tool types appropriate to your material, as well as suitable tool diameters, lengths, rotation speeds, linear feed rates, feed directions, and cutting patterns. You will learn to preview the duration of your proposed operations, and how to modify them if necessary. You will learn how to safely install and adjust cutting tools and materials to be worked on the machine. These skills will have direct benefit to you as a designer, as they have become integrated into all professional programs in the country. Instruction will be by means of lectures, demonstrations, and lab projects. Due to facility space limitations, it is anticipated that during most class meetings, half of the students will attend a lecture presentation while half are observing a demonstration. Therefore, attendance at all classes, except for open lab sessions, is essential — each class is two-in-one! Evaluation will be by means of attendance, written tests based on lectures and demonstrations, and three lab exercises, including a final project of your own design. ARCH 198 SEC 4 |