COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: HOUSING AND CHANGE

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
ARCH 539	D	9	3	0	0	3	6

Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Elective
Classroom and Meeting Time:
Course Description:	The course deals with the main principles of organization of the residential environment. The process of the dwelling design is reviewed by the division of the living environment into different architectural levels – from the individual dwelling or apartment to the multifamily housing, housing complexes and residential districts.
Course Objectives:	The course deals with the main principles of organization of the residential environment. The process of the dwelling design is reviewed by the division of the living environment into different architectural levels – from the individual dwelling or apartment to the multifamily housing, housing complexes and residential districts. The theoretical set of lectures aims to understand the functional and spatial basis of the dwelling design, to study the low-rise and hi-rise housing typologies, to overview the influence of the climate and culture factors to the dwelling spatial organization. The set of lectures is supported by selected readings from the scientific research regarding the dwelling. The practical research is devoted to the analysis of the vernacular flexible Albanian dwelling and to the development of the design strategies for its sustainable use. Each student should describe the ideas he has learned and to illustrate the application of these ideas to design. Two critical reviews should question the reading material and try to make connections between the text and student’s experience. The aim of the final project is to create a collective paper showing the development of the spatial properties of the contemporary vernacular dwelling in Albania with the critical evaluation of the housing solutions.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Introduction into the course. Residential environment. The main types of residential buildings. Typology of residential development.
2	Main factors affecting the housing design.
3	Functional basis of the apartment design. Presentation of the case study
4	Typology of apartments and the building spatial organization
5	Architectural and spatial organization of the apartment. The influence of climate and construction system.
6	Classification of the low-storey residential buildings. Main design elements of low-storey residential buildings.
7	Flexibility in dwelling.
8	Midterm. Submission of the project concept
9	Low-storey residential buildings with the entrance from the ground. Individual and detached house.
10	Low-storey residential buildings with the common communications.
11	Specificity of the design of the high-rise residential buildings.
12	Typology of the high-rise residential buildings. High-rise residential buildings and the specific of climate and landscape conditions.
13	Architectural composition of the high-rise residential buildings. Multifunctional residential complexes
14	Final project submission

Prerequisite(s):
Textbook:	1.Gunter Pfeifer and Per Brauneck, Row Houses. A Housing Typology. 2008 Birkhauser 2.Gunter Pfeifer and Per Brauneck, Freestanding Houses. A Housing Typology. 2010 Birkhauser 3.Gunter Pfeifer and Per Brauneck, Courtyard Houses. A Housing Typology. 2008 Birkhauser 4.Rob Krier, Urban Space, London, 1979 5.Dietmar Eberle, European models for the urban block. 2001, Design for Homes Intensive Flair conference 6.Jeremy Till and Tatjana Schneider, Flexible housing: the means to the end, Architectural Research Quarterly, 9 (3-4), 2005 7.Bendik Manum, Generality versus Specificity; A Study on the Interior Space of Apartments, Oslo, 2005 8.Stefan Junestrand & Konrad Tollmar, The Dwelling as a Place for Work, Stockholm 1999 9.J. Branco Pedro, How small can a house be? Portugal SB10: Sustainable Building Affordable to All, 2010 10.N. John Habraken, The uses of levels, Seoul 1988 11.Sigrid Loch, Flexible Housing Types, Institute housing and design, 2009 12.Susanne Komossa, Towards New Architectural And Urban Models; The Dutch Urban Block, Public Domain And City Economy, (IFoU) 2009 Amsterdam/Delft 13.Nicky Kouwenberg, The Urban Block and Social Organizations in the City, 2013 14. Robert Gifford, The Consequences of Living in High-Rise Buildings, Architectural Science Review Volume 50.1 15. Chia-Chang Hsu, Chih-Ming Shih, A Typological Housing Design: The Case Study of Quartier Fruges in Pessac by Le Corbusier, Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, May 2006 16. Gordon Holden, Sustainable Higher Density Residential Development, 2nd International Urban Design Conference, Gold Coast, September 2009 17. Harry Giles and Fernando Lara, Innovations in the Development of Industrially Designed and Manufactured Modular Concepts for Low-Energy, Multi-story, High-Density, Prefabricated Affordable Housing
Other References:
Laboratory Work:
Computer Usage:	Yes
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	Understand the basics of the typologies of the residential buildings and individual dwellings
2	Demonstrate an understanding of factors influencing the spatial and functional organization of dwelling
3	Demonstrate the ability to recognize housing solutions that are well adapted to people's needs
4	Demonstrate the ability to evaluate the quality of the spatial structure of dwelling and to offer an alternative design solutions
5	Understand the tendencies of the spatial development of the residential architecture in Albania

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Integrated second cycle study program in Architecture (5 years) Program
1	Speaking and Writing Skills Ability to read, write, listen, and speak effectively	5
2	Critical Thinking Skills Ability to raise clear and precise questions, use abstract ideas to interpret information, consider diverse points of view, reach well-reasoned conclusions, and test them against relevant criteria and standards	5
3	Graphics Skills Ability to use appropriate representational media, including freehand drawing and computer technology, to convey essential formal elements at each stage of the programming and design process	3
4	Research Skills Ability to gather, assess, record, and apply relevant information in architectural course work	3
5	Formal Ordering Systems Understanding of the fundamentals of visual perception and the principles and systems of order that inform two- and three-dimensional design, architectural composition, and urban design
6	Fundamental Design Skills Ability to use basic architectural principles in the design of buildings, interior spaces, and sites	3
7	Collaborative Skills Ability to recognize the varied talent found in interdisciplinary design project teams in professional practice and work in collaboration with other students as members of a design team	2
8	International Traditions Understanding of the International architectural canons and traditions in architecture, landscape and urban design, as well as the climatic, technological, culture-economic, and other cultural factors that have shaped and sustained them	3
9	National and Regional Traditions Understanding of national traditions and the local regional heritage in architecture, landscape design and urban design, including the vernacular tradition	3
10	Use of Precedents Ability to incorporate relevant precedents into architecture and urban design projects	4
11	Conservation and Restoration of Historical Districts Knowledge on historical districts and the gain of conservation consciousness documentation of historical buildings and the understanding the techniques which are needed to prepare restoration projects.
12	Human Behavior Understanding of the theories and methods of inquiry that seek to clarify the relationship between human behavior and the physical environment
13	Human Diversity Understanding of the diverse needs, values, behavioral norms, physical ability, and social and spatial patterns that characterize different cultures and individuals and the implication of this diversity for the societal roles and responsibilities of architects

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)	1	25
Presentation	2	10
Case Study	1	5
Final Exam	1	40
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	6	96
Mid-terms	1	3	3
Assignments			0
Final examination	1	3	3
Other			0
Total Work Load:			150
Total Work Load/25(h):			6
ECTS Credit of the Course:			6