"Emerging patterns of Hospitality" (tourism>> leisure, urban recreation, sport, food, health)_

a  morphological approach to Artifacts, Landscapes, Densities

"We have got used to thinking of architecture in terms of place, believing that it holds the keys to our ability to tackle the project. Many forms of anchorage to the location have  been developed in recent decades, from those involving the phenomenological root (Anchoring is the title of an important text by Steven Holl), via the Bergsonian influence in Moneo's work and the structuralist effect of the genius loci in Aldo Rossi, to attitudes that come from the Frankfurt School (Frampton and his contextualism).

In recent years we have witnessed an important shift: every location has started to be regarded as a landscape, either natural or artificial, and has ceased to be a neutral background on which more or less decidedly sculptural, artificial, architectural objects stand out.

In this way, by changing the point of view, the landscape loses its inertia and becomes the subject of possible transformations; it is the landscape that can be designed and become artificial.

The project is validated insofar as it constructs a complete redescription of the place; as it primarily proposes the invention of a topography. This dual movement from nature to the project and from the project to nature thus resuscitates an “ecomonumental” condition which is beginning to push inexorably beyond any argument of opportunity, in a way that others would not hesitate to call “the spirit of the times” or “the desire of the period”.

 ...to imagine a new naturalism arising from the profound ambiguity in which nature is presented  as the object of the knowledge and of the aesthetic experience, a hybrid, crossbred, entropic, humanized conglomerate that is confused with its former enemy,  the artifice, tightly wound into the political space, a carbon copy of what was once public space, a turbulent, flowing, random magma.

A new naturalism without natural referents: a paradoxical conclusion.”

Inaki Abalos & Juan Herreros,  from “A new Naturalism (7 Micromanifestos)”, 2G, n°22, Barcelona 2002

The Studio is a continuous workshop, granting 14 credits, focusing on architectural processes of transformation as mentioned in the words above.

Instructors

Fabrizio Leoni, M Arch, Phd, coordinator

Andrea De Matteis, M Arch, Phd

Cesare Ventura, M Arch

The Studio is a 15 weeks trajectory, organized in modules, i.e a number of quick and intense steps, including projects, exercises, mappings and readings/writings experiences, giving shape to an educational environment where personal participation and continuous  dedication to the activity of the workshop define an advanced learning atmosphere.

Each module corresponds to a “research project” developed at the level of one or more thematic layers  (e.g. "landscape/ground", "skin", "morphology", "circulation", "structure", "program"...) applied on a list of 5 different sites, ranging from the consolidated urban fabric to open landscapes. 

Each one of those projects is formally indipendent from one another.

Each module will receive its correspondent grade and each module must be entirely completed  in order to assure a passing grade.

The project sites are yet to be selected. 

The reading/mapping and design experience will foster intensively a critical design on the interaction among ground, equipment, morphology, typology, density, circulation, skin, structure and open space/landscape, both on the scale of a piece of urban fabric and on the smaller scale of an architectural object.

Lectures by the instructors and case studies presented by students (groups of the enrolled students will be responsible for both presenting a relevant example of contemporary issues on architecture  and fostering a class discussion on that) investigate an array of historic and contemporary points of the international debate.

Presentations by visiting professionals and site tours explore key issues from diverse viewpoints.

Readings, group discussions and critiques provide support for design directions (high proficiency in english is definitely required)

At the beginning of the Studio, students are individually asked to explore the territory of the given sites following some of the thematic issues suggested by the instructors, selecting their research methodology in a bland of objective information and subjective interpretation; and to convey the findings into a notebook, a graphically and conceptually although unformally organized booklet.

The booklet will possibly include raw materials expressed on a variety of media such as:

Sketches

Diagrams

Physical study models

Photomontages

Storyboards

Urban Images

Conceptual physical models

Texts

Commented key words

SWOT bubble diagrams.

That assignment is aimed to unfold a new architectural/urban meaning onto the areas mapped in the Booklet allowing the emergence of potentials, hidden qualities of the mapped situation.

Importantly, keep in mind that research and representation are acts of interpretation, not rote documentation.

In addition to class attendance and studio assignments, students should set aside time each week to gather information and images on urban projects of interest. We will maintain an urban archive in the online studio folder (available on "Beep" or "blog Architectural design Studio" or "Dropbox folder") into which students can drop materials for everyone to use as a research resource.

Tools: As the consistent production of quick and effective physical study models, especially while in the classroom, will be highly regarded and encouraged as the primary means of expression, a high proficiency in modelmaking is expected.

Advanced graphic skills are also welcome.

Thesis Projects

Some of the projects undertaken in the Studio can be furtherly developed into a research work for thesis presentation.

Basic references:

Marc Angélil, Dirk Hebel, Deviations Designing Architecture - A Manual, Anno edizione: 2009, ISBN: 9783764388324
M.Mostafavi, G.Doherty, Ecological Urbanism, Editore: Lars Muller Publisher, Anno edizione: 2010
AAVV, Metapolis Dictionary of Advanced Architecture: City, Technology and Society in the Information Age, Editore: Actar, Anno edizione: 2003, ISBN: 8495951223
Aurora Fernández Per, Javier Mozas, Javier Arpa, DENSITY IS HOME, Editore: a+t, Anno edizione: 2011, ISBN: 978-84-615-1237-9
Aurora Fernández Per, Javier Arpa, NEXT (Density Series) COLLECTIVE HOUSING in progress, Editore: a+t, Anno edizione: 2010, ISBN: 978-84-613-8676-5
Aurora Fernández Per, Javier Mozas, Javier Arpa, DBOOK Density, Data, Diagrams, Dwellings, Editore: a+t, Anno edizione: 2007, ISBN: 978-84-611-5900-0
Lotus International_Diagrams, Editore: Editoriale Lotus, Anno edizione: 2006, Fascicolo: 127
Lotus International_Urban Housing, Editore: Editoriale Lotus, Anno edizione: 2004, Fascicolo: 120

Specific readings and sources for the “Architecture of Hospitality” will be provided accordingly with the different exercises and assignments.

At the completion of the Studio, students who earn a passing grade should have the ability to fulfill a set of criteria, as established by the Dublin Descriptors within the Framework of the European Higher Education Area.

1_Knowledge and understanding_Discuss issues related to urban and landscape projects with an awareness of history, theory and a familiarity with contemporary built and conceptual works

2_Applying knowledge and understanding_Employ on-site and off-site research to observe and codify knowledge about specific architectural and urban design cases

3_Making judgements_Rely on critical thinking and self-assessed methods of evaluation on design processes

4_Communication skills_Communicate research results and important design concepts using modeling, graphic and verbal formats through desk reviews, informal peer critique, pin-ups, presentations seminars, booklets, intermediate and final formal exams

5_Learning skills_Manage design process from the conceptual phase to the complete development; contribute usefully to individual and group efforts in the studio environment; show genuine and consistent motivation, dedication and active participation in the Studio activity 

Course attendance, assignments and grading 

Attendance is a primary requirement for this Studio: students are therefore expected to attend all class meetings, for the entire scheduled time, since the very first day of classes; and to be actively working on the Studio assignments while in class.

Excuses will be granted only for specific circumstances.

According to the rules of the Master of Science in Architecture,  an attendance of less than 75% of meetings (which are approx 30 during the whole semester) will automatically result in a failure and in obligation to enroll the following year.  

Personal attendance at presentations and pin ups is strictly mandatory and permission must be received from the instructor prior to submitting late work.

All assignments must be completed to receive a passing grade.

Grades for this studio are based on a student’s performance relative to the instructors expectations and the performance of other students enrolled in the class.

A good final design of each exercise is not the only evaluation criterion: motivation, dedication and active participation in the workshop activity (for instance, mutual interest in other students work...) are also relevant criteria.

Being attendance a basic requirement, absences do affect the final grade.

Student work will be evaluated at the completion of each assignment (including design exercises, site research, text writing, participation in group discussions and presentations) based on the following ratings with plus and minus adjustments:

Excellent  A = 27-30

Above Average B = 24-26

Below Average C = 23-25

Poor D =18-21

Failure F

Final grades will be in the usual 18/30  to 30/30 cum laude.

Documentation: at the end of each module students must turn in electronic files of their research, design process and final design proposals as requested by the instructors.

At the end of the semester students are asked to hand a complete portfolio/booklet including all phases of Studio's research work.

We recommend students to deeply evaluate this syllabus before enrolling in this studio; because, according to the rules of the Master of Science in Architecture,  no change will be permitted after the official allocation to the studio .  

Course instructors reserve the right to make changes to the course syllabus, schedule and assignments as needed and with appropriate notification of students enrolled in the course.