Introduction

Introduction to architectural design and the study of buildings. The Vitruvian Triad. Relationships between architecture, technology and the environment.

4 hours

The building-environment

relationship

The anthropic environment and evidence of human activity. The evolution of the building-environment relationship from Rationalism to today. Interrelationship between physical space and the space of tradition, culture and memory. Interactions in anthropic space. Lot, site, location. Sites and non-sites. Urbanistic-architectural unity. Infill development. Challenges, principals and methods of placing a building in its context. The concept of sustainability in architecture.

6 hours

Modules and modular design

The module as historical legacy and as instrument of contemporary design. Various interpretations of the module concept. The module as regulator of proportions of architectural composition. The object module. The module as building block in contemporary architecture. The module as instrument of dimensional coordination.

6 hours

Construction quality

Activities, performance, requirements. Function and performance. The concept of quality in construction. Relativity and overall quality of construction. Architectural quality and structural quality, environmental and technical quality. Positive and negative aspects of the Performance-Based approach. The Italian and European regulatory system. The CE marking and certification systems.

4 hours

Foundations

Analysis of soils and their characteristics. Classification of foundations. Normal foundations and wide base foundations for continuous load-bearing structures. Footings, ground beams and at-grade slab foundations. Static behavior, structural and geomorphological characteristics of foundations. Slabs on grade. Pile foundations. Notes on pile statics. Wood, metal and reinforced concrete piles. Driven and bored piles, building systems. Notes load testing on piles and pier foundations.

8 hours

Vertical elements

The concept of vertical elements and enclosure. Wood and masonry structures. Requirements and performance of vertical elements. Classification of vertical elements. Types and implementation aspects of the most common traditional vertical elements.

6 hours

Educational laboratory

exercises and activities

Individual or group project: building design with definition of the building’s relationship to its environment as well as the architectural aspects and construction elements that characterize the structure.

26 hours