COURSE DESCRIPTION

ARC 412
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND
PRESENTATION-6
4TH. YEAR, 2ND. SEMESTER
9 CREDIT HOURS

ARCH. M. AFZAL EBRAHIM

ARCH. ZAIN UL ABEDIN
 COURSE DESCRIPTION

Studio Course would involve design of 2 building projects

with duration to be of 5 weeks and 11 weeks. The weeks
allocated to each building project are to be inclusive of
project evaluation and grading.

Studio hours would be 9 hours per day and the class will
meet three days a week. The hours per day for the class
would be inclusive of lunch time and periodic short breaks
as deemed necessary.

The type of building design projects and assignment would

be:

1. CDA Existing Library Renovation and Interior Design

(ELR).
2. CDA Community Center Complex (CCC).
3. Identification of Fifth Year Design Thesis.
 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal and objective of ELR would be to renovate an existing
building, integrating old construction with new construction and
technologies, while, at the same time, re-examining and
renovating the building architecture to exemplify Form-In-Context.
It would heavily weigh on green building methods and
sustainability. This project would also involve documenting the
existing building.

The goal and objective of CCC mainly would be studies of Form-In-

Context with multiple aspects of the CCC with various facilities
contained within for public use, and renovation of an existing
building. The CCC design exercise will involve a detailed study of
various facilities for public use, interrelationship of the facilities
within one complex, construction techniques and technologies as
applicable to the various types of buildings, such as structural,
mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire safety, civil works and
landscaping. It would also incorporate green building methods and
address other sustainability issues, the knowledge of which would
be acquired with the exercise of ELR in the first part of the
semester.

Identification of Thesis Design assignment for the Fifth-Year is a

mandatory goal for the students in this semester to prepare them
for the research work needed and executing the actual thesis
design, thereafter, in the fifth year.
 EXPECTED OUTCOME
In the real world, architects are frequently faced with renovating and/or interior
design of existing buildings to house existing functions or functions that would be
different from the original use. The CDA Existing Library Renovation (ELR) exercise
introduced in this semester would enable the students to gain an understanding to
integrate old and new spaces, technologies and building systems, learn the interior
design process and, at the same time, address the existing building Form-In-
Context, albeit in a modern context. The existing building survey work, which will
precede the actual renovation and interior design work, would prepare the student
to actualize the documentation process. The outcome would be two-fold; in this
specific case the student would learn to assess the existing building condition to
propose renovation measures; but generally, the student would also have learnt the
documentation process to apply his skills to historic preservation of buildings.

The Community Center Complex (CCC) exercise would enable the students to gain a
comprehensive understanding of the various building types within the CCC, the
various building types and the interrelation of the buildings contained within the
complex, the integration of building technologies (structural, mechanical, plumbing,
electrical, fire safety, civil works and landscaping) as well as site design. This course
which will weigh heavily towards environmental design, energy efficient building
design, bioclimatic architecture, green building products and sustainability, all of
which would be focused to minimize energy use, maximize thermal comfort in
buildings and minimize the carbon footprint in the environment.

The Thesis Design would prepare the students to develop their mindset for the
student to undertake the research work and the actual building designing the final
fifth year. The student will have achieved the capability to conduct research work
and implement the findings of research work to the respective projects. This will
enable them to apply the same procedures for research and implementation on
other projects should that be necessitated during their professional careers.
 SKILL REQUIREMENTS

The basic skill requirements for the students to

take this class would be acquired mostly in their
previous design projects. However, in this course
the student us expected to have matured in their
thought process and presentation skills to the
next level. Along with the design class, lectures
on relative subjects would be periodically
introduced to support the design thought process.
The students would have to develop the skills to
integrate seamlessly the lectures with the actual
designs being worked upon. They would be
expected to visualize interchangeably from
conceptual design to 2D and 3D with freehand
sketching, CAD applications, graphics and scale
models.
 TEACHING METHODS

The teaching methods would be a mix of

building/site design technologies and
methodologies, lectures as and when needed,
student/teacher interaction at a one to one level
as well as in group settings, preliminary and final
critiques, project evaluations, audio/visual
presentations, site visits and visits/lectures by
experts and outside consultants.
COURSE EVALUATION AND GRADING SYSTEM

For each of the two projects:

Studio Work, Projects and Quiz 70%

Final Project Jury 30%

Overall-weighted final grading would be:

CDA Existing Library Renovation (ELR) 25%

Sessions 1 (one-day design exam) 10%
Community Center Complex (CCR) incl Sessions 2 55%

(Thesis Selection Report) and

Student Participation and Progress 10%
TOTAL 100%
 RECOMMENDED READING AND WEBSITES
BOOKS:

Anderson, B., ed. Solar Building Architecture.

Barnett, D. L., with W. D. Browning. A Primer on Sustainable Building.
Brown, G. Z., and M. Dekay. Sun, Wind and Light: Architectural Design Strategies, 2nd Edition.
*Buchanan, Peter.
Peter. Ten Shades of Green. The Architecture League of New York, 2005.
*Chiang, Francis D. K. Architecture, Form Space and Order, John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
Cofaigh, E. O., J. E. Olley, and O. Lewis. The Climatic Dwelling: An Introduction to Climatic-Responsible Residential
Architecture.
Cook, Jeffrey, ed. Passive Cooling.
Crowther, R. L., ed. Ecological Architecture.
*Davies, Colin. Keyhouses of the Twentieth Century. Laurence King Publishing Ltd., 2006.
*De Chiara, Joseph and Michael J. Crosbie. Time Saver Standards for Building Types, 4th Edition. Mc Graw Hill
International Edition.
Givoni, B. Climatic Considerations in Buildings and Urban Design.
*Hawkes, Dean and Wayne Forster. Architecture, Engineering and Environment. Laurence King Publishing, Ltd.,
2002.
*Krishan, Arvind, Nick Baker, Simon Yannas, S. V. Szokolay. Climate Responsive Architecture.
*Lechner, Norbert. Heating, Cooling, Lighting,1991.
Lighting,1991.
*Wilson, David. 100 Sunrooms.
Sunrooms. Rockport Publishers, Inc., 2004.
*Pople, Nicolas. Small Houses.
Houses. Laurence King Publishing, Ltd., 2003.
*PRP Architects. Place and Home.
Home. Black Dog Publishing Ltd., 2007.
*Walker, Peter and Partners. Landscape Architecture. Thames and Hudson, Ltd., 2005.

PARTIAL LIST OF GREEN BOOKS

Trask, Crissy. It’s Easy Being Green: A Handbook For Earth-Friendly Living.
Poole, Buzz. Green Design
Wilson, Alex and Piepkorn, Mark. Editor, Green Building Products, 3rd Edition: The GreenSpec Guide To Residential
Building Materials.
Horn, Greg. A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability.
Hermannsson, John. Green Building Resource Guide.
Glavinch, Thomas E. and Associated Contractors. Contractors Guide to Green Construction: Management, Project
Delivery, Documantation,and Risk Reduction.
 WEBSITES

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN).

www.eren.doe.gov/erec/factsheets

Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC).

www.fsec.ucf.edu

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA).

www.nesea.org

Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC).

www.sbicouncil.org

U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

www.usgbc.org

International Solar Energy Association (ISES).

www.ises.org
 DETAILS

These design exercises will incorporate the six stages of design as

envisaged in Academic Plan And Program (APP), March 2008. They
are:

1. Conception.
2. Written Statement of Concept Development.
3. Project Design.
4. Structural Systems and Materials Use.
5. Design Journal.
6. Written Report.

For a complete explanation of the above, refer to APP, March

2008.

As a separate exercise in the fourth year, the student would be

required to identify a 5th year thesis project and submit a written
statement as to the type of project. This exercise can be started at
anytime during the fourth year, but a well-defined thesis proposal
identification would be due at the end of the second semester of
the fourth year.
 CDA Existing Library Renovation/Interior Design (ELR):
5 weeks, 25% of overall grade.

Week 1:
Project Introduction, Site Visit, User Brief, Existing Library Research, Case Studies,
Jurisdiction By-Laws and Building Code Research, Green Products Research,
Develop Programmatic Requirements and review by Instructors.

Week 2:
Building/Site Analysis, Develop Freehand and 3D Schematic Sketches to depict
site/floor plans, building form in context of surrounding existing buildings and
anticipated building functions. Projects due on last day of class.

Week 3:
Juries, Site Development and Building Design Development based upon previous
juries‘ input, Building Systems Development and Integration, CAD Drawings
Development, Thesis Selection Discussion as and when required.

Week 4:
Site Development and Building Design Development based upon previous juries‘
input, Building Systems Development and Integration, CAD Drawings
Development, Thesis Selection Discussion as and when required.

Week 5:
CAD Drawings Development continuation, Projects due at the end of the first class
that week, Juries.
 Community Center Complex (CCC):
11 Weeks, 55% of overall grade.

This project would involve a CDA site zoned for the CCC in Islamabad.

Weeks 1-3:
Project Introduction, User Brief, Site Visit, Jurisdiction By Laws and Building Code
Research, Project Site and Existing Study, Trends of Similar Buildings , Project
Research, Outside Expert Visits, Lectures, Site Analysis, Environmental Design and
Green Products’ Studies, Conceptual/Schematic Building Form and Design, Site
Analysis, Schematic Design, 3D and study model due. Schematic design due on
last day of week 3, Thesis Selection Discussion as and when required.

Weeks 4-8:
Schematic Design Juries, Design Development based upon Schematic Design
Juries, Outside Expert Visits, Building Systems Development, Preliminary CAD
Presentation, Lectures, Design Development due at the end of the week including
Study Model revisions and 3D CAD Modeling. Preliminary/Pre-final submittals due
on the first day of the week, Prelim./pre-final submittals juries on last 2 days of the
week, Thesis Selection Discussion as and when required.

Weeks 9-11:
Further Design Development and Final Design based upon Prior Juries, Thesis
Selection Discussion as and when required, CAD Presentation Work and 3D Models
development, Outside Experts Evaluations, Final drawings submittals, Thesis
Selection Reports due, Juries and final Grading.
 Notes

Sessions 1 (One-day design exam) and Sessions 2 (Thesis

Selection Report) are to be scheduled according to the
dates announced by CIIT.

Lectures for Thesis Selection Report are to be

incorporated within the two design projects schedule.

No specific schedule is to be set up for the Thesis

Selection Report. Students would be required to
incorporate and discuss their individual their thesis
selection during the two design projects.
 SHUKRIYA !

THANK YOU !

GRACIAS !

ARIGATO !

MERCI !

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE, COMSATS INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, ISLAMABAD