ARCH 7033 - Advanced Construction (M)

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2021

This course explores issues and concepts relating to contemporary developments in materials, construction and building engineering technology and introduces students to techniques appropriate for the production of medium to large scale buildings. Students will engage with these new theories and technologies in an exploratory environment to develop an understanding of various structural systems and elements, building fabric, materiality, detailing, and the relationship between design, construction and structures.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code ARCH 7033
    Course Advanced Construction (M)
    Coordinating Unit School of Architecture and Built Environment
    Term Semester 1
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Corequisites ARCH 7032
    Assumed Knowledge DESST 1507 and DESST 2518
    Course Description This course explores issues and concepts relating to contemporary developments in materials, construction and building engineering technology and introduces students to techniques appropriate for the production of medium to large scale buildings. Students will engage with these new theories and technologies in an exploratory environment to develop an understanding of various structural systems and elements, building fabric, materiality, detailing, and the relationship between design, construction and structures.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr David Kroll

    Lecturer and tutor: David Kroll
    Email: david.kroll@adelaide.edu.au
    Tutor: Juliana Croffi
    Email: jucroffi@hotmail.com

    Tutor: Garth Rowland
    Email: Garth.Rowland@aurecongroup.com
    Tutor: Mukesh Kumar
    Email: Mukesh.Kumar@aurecongroup.com

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes

    On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

    1. Carry out self-guided research in order to develop suitable construction and detailing solutions.
    2. Apply knowledge of contemporary architectural construction.
    3. Demonstrate skills in the detailing of complex building structures and envelopes.
    4. Apply advanced CAD/BIM software to prepare construction drawings and documentation to professional conventions.
    5. Employ research methods into construction practices.
    6. Apply transferable skills to achieve professional and disciplinary outcomes.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1,2,3
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1,2,3,4
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    4,5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    4,5
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    1,5
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    3,4,5
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Please refer to MyUni for details of recommended readings and other resources.
    Recommended Resources
    Please refer to MyUni for details of recommended readings and other resources.ice.
    Online Learning

    University Email:
    The school uses the University email system to get in touch with the students. So it is imperative that you check your email regularly and keep up to date with any new announcements.

    MyUni:
    MyUni is an essential online tool which will be used to communicate information regarding the course including details of assignments and interim grades. There are many other learning resources and assessment pieces that rely on the MyUni system for delivery. Therefore it is recommended that you familiarise yourself with the various functions of MyUni and employ it to its fullest extent. https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au

    Discussion Board:
    The MyUni Discussion Board can be used to interact with other students and tutors and is an essential tool to discuss information and increase your understanding of issues.

    Lecture Recording:
    In certain cases the recording of the lectures is made available in electronic format for students to listen through on their own time and make notes, and is provided through the MyUni system. However, this service is only available for lectures with essential course content and may not include guest lectures. Furthermore, where the presentation content is subject to copyright or the guest speaker is uncomfortable with the recording of the content, the lecture recording will not be made available online. So students should not rely solely on this mode of learning and arrange to attend or get lecture content from peers.

    Noticeboard / Handbook:
    General information about the activities at the School is available online from the Student Noticeboard which can be accessed at
    https://unified.adelaide.edu.au/group/professons-studentarchitecture/ current-student
    Students can also access a copy of the Student Handbook at the following link:
    https://unified.adelaide.edu.au/group/professons-student-architecture/enrolments

  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course consists of a series of lectures followed by a tutorial or studio session. It is expected that students will attend all sessions. 

    Lecture sessions are used to set up the theoretical frameworks underpinning the course, while studio sessions are used for exploratory exercises, and discussion on work in progress. Students will benefit greatly by engaging in the weekly lecture and studio sessions as a set since the content of the two will be closely related. The studio sessions often include seperate exploratory exercises outside of the ongoing submission tasks where students can engage with others to undersatnd new and unique ways to address the issues at hand. So it is highly recommended that students attend all sessions and make themselves available for full engagement in these exercises. 
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The University expects full-time students (ie. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote at least 48 hours per week to their studies. Accordingly, students undertaking this 3 unit course are expected to devote 12 hours per week to contact activities and self-guided studies. 

    Based on this framework here are some figures that might assist workload management:

    Total workload
    hours: 12 Hrs per week x 13 weeks = 156 Hrs
    Total contact
    hours: 3 Hrs per week x 12 weeks = 36 Hrs
    Total self-guided
    study: 156 Hrs – 36 Hrs = 120 Hrs

    These 120 hours should be used towards preparation of weekly tasks and for completion of the various
    assignments associated with the course, including development of various skills required to complete the
    same. Please organise your time wisely.

    Learning Activities Summary
    WEEK LECTURE TUTORIAL/STUDIO
    Week 01 Architectural Tectonics Close Reading & Mindfulness
    Week 02 Understanding Tectonics Contemplating Construction
    Week 03 Tectonic Culture Group Presentations in Class
    Week 04 Analysing Architecture Graphic Analysis & Collage
    Week 05 T01: Form and Tectonics A3 Collage Exercise
    Week 06 T02: Place and Space Discussion of Exercise 2a 
    BREAK TEACHING BREAK TEACHING BREAK
    Week 07 T03: Material and Empathy Peer Review of Exercise 2b
    Week 08 T04: Representation & Detail Discussion of Exercise 2b
    Week 09 Communicating Structures Discussion of Exercise 3a
    Week 10 Communicating Details Discussion of Exercise 3a
    Week 11 Construction History Discussion of Exercise 3b
    Week 12 Advanced Construction? Discussion of Exercise 3b
    Week 13 FINAL SUBMISSION  FINAL SUBMISSION
    Specific Course Requirements
    Failure to attend teaching due to medical, compassionate or extenuating circumstances is dealt with the School Policy, administered by the School Office. Submit the appropriate application for supplementary consideration together with the original signed medical or other relevant officer, to the School Office. If you foresee a problem contact the Course Coordinator BEFORE the problem actually occurs. Otherwise, contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible and submit the appropriate application for supplementary consideration to the School Office.
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    The course is run within a studio context which is based on a Small Group Discovery Experience (SGDE) format.
    In the studio, students work on specific exploratory tasks within a small group of 2-6 people under the guidance of a senior academic.
    In addition to this the ongoing research task is overseen regularly and discussed in small groups of upto 6 people with a senior academic and senior experts from the profession. The academic does not provide answers but guides an individual research project. In this sense the student and the academic are co-investigators in the task of discovery. 
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment TaskTask TypeWeightDue Date/WeekLearning Outcomes
    Structural concept (individual) Summative 20% Week 6  (date TBA) 1,2,3
    Developed construction model (individual) Summative 40% Week 8 (date TBA) 3,4,5
    Envelope detail + prototype (group) Summative 30% Week 12 (date TBA) 1,2,3,4,5,6
    Participation (individual) Summative 10% Every week 5,6
    Total 100%

    Due to the current COVID-19 situation modified arrangements have been made to assessment to facilitate remote learning and teaching. Assessment details provided here reflect recent updates.

    Assessment 1 & 2 remain unchanged. Submission with be online only.
    Assessment 3, no physical model will be required. It still needs to been maintained as a group assignment but the submission pages can be assigned to additional members.
    Assessment Detail

    Please refer to MyUni site for assessment details.

    • Final results for the course will only be available through Access Adelaide and students SHOULD NOT contact the course coordinator or the tutors for the same.
    • Most assignments will be marked within 3 weeks of the submission and the interim grades will be made available through the My Grades system. Students are expected to inform the Course Coordinator if there are any errors with the marks entered on the system.
    • The best examples of students’ work will be included in the All-In Exhibition to be held at the end of term alongside the best works from other courses and year levels.
    Submission
    All assignments must be submitted at the time and place as indicated above. Note that NO LATE submissions will be accepted unless it is due to illness and other accepted circumstances as explained in the School's Student Handbook.
    Selected submissions of the Final Assignment will be included in the All-In Exhibition at the end of the semester.

    Submissions (General):
     All submissions must include Student Name and Student ID Number. Submissions without Student Name or ID Number will not be considered for marking, and will receive zero marks in accordance with the guidelines.
     In addition, all assignments need to have an Assignment Cover Sheet which must be signed and dated by the student before submission. Please attach the cover sheet in front of the document, to the top left hand corner.
     Please adhere to submission deadlines and follow instructions provided.
     Students must not submit work for an assignment that has previously been submitted for this course or any other course without prior approval from the Course Coordinator.
     On occasion, the lecturer/tutor may wish to retain students’ work for future reference and the relevant student will be informed at such a time.

    Late Submission:
     The school will NOT accept late submissions and any such assignment will receive zero marks. This also applies to electronic submissions.
     Printing delays & hard disk crashes will not be entertained as legitimate causes for delay, so please ensure that the work is finished in advance.

    Good practice:
     Students should ensure that they regularly backup their work on multiple locations as hard-disk crashes are an unfortunate reality.
     When relying on community printing facilities, students should attempt to finish their work in advance to avoid unnecessary delays.
     Students must retain a copy of all assignments submitted (digital or hardcopy), as originals may be lost during the submission process.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.