Aim
The aim of the course is to deepen the students’ knowledge about the fundamental issues, theories and methods relating to urban design. It aims to increase the awareness of the relationship between strategic social development and physical design. A further aim of this course is to increase the student’s understanding of the importance of the physical environment for peoples’ well-being.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

• be able to analyse the urban structure and its importance for long-term sustainability, attractiveness and strategic social development;

• be well acquainted with the levels, roles, problem complexes and methods related to the planning process;

• have gained insight into the importance of the physical environment for peoples’ well-being and

• have gained knowledge about current and historical urban design ideologies and strategies.

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

• demonstrate the ability to interpret, analyse and question the control mechanisms available to physical planning,

• demonstrate the ability to analyse urban space and urban contexts through the use of recognised methods,

• demonstrate the ability, orally and in writing, to reflect critically over the relationship of urban design to both the physical context and current and historical urban planning strategies,

• demonstrate the ability in a group to visualise proposals for the redesign of urban spaces and structures based on mutually formulated criteria for long-term sustainable urban design and

• demonstrate the ability both orally, visually and in writing to communicate ones standpoints and proposals.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

• demonstrate a critical, independent and creative approach regarding the possibilities of urban design for creating attractive urban environments and long-term sustainable urban contexts,

• take into account relevant scientific, societal, aesthetic and ethical aspects in ones reasoning with regard to urban design.

Contents
The course has its focus on the theories, processes, actors and elements involved in urban planning. The course provides the students with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and methods for the analysis of urban space as well as training their ability to reflection regarding urban environments and structures. The course provides the students with the opportunity to test the various roles in planning – as a planner and as a designer of somebody else’s vision. The tuition is carried out in the form of lectures, study visits, studio assignments, workshops and individual thesis work. The course is conducted in an innovative spirit regarding the development of tuition and examinations.

Literature
Compendiums the content of which vary from year to year.