CQUniversity Unit Profile
BLAR13053 Urban Design and Development
Urban Design and Development
All details in this unit profile for BLAR13053 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This unit provides a broad and coherent study of urban design with some depth in specialist areas. These studies will develop your creative skills and critical judgement of urban design issues that are essential in professional practice, thus necessary content in the Bachelor of Building Design course. Topics review and deepen your existing knowledge of sustainable communities, environmental issues, and the movement of pedestrians and traffic in urban development. Specialist focus on heritage, diverse cultures, urban poverty, human behaviour, and emergency management in urban locations will be introduced. These studies and assessment tasks will develop skills in the exercise of critical thinking and judgement in identifying and solving problems. You will undertake teamwork to collaboratively and responsibly evaluate strategies in urban design.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 3
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 8
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Prerequisites: BLAR11045 and BLAR12036

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 3 - 2024

Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Written Assessment
Weighting: 25%
2. Written Assessment
Weighting: 60%
3. Online Test
Weighting: 15%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student Feedback

Feedback

Students report a rich learning experience from this unit that enhances their experience of grows building design by requiring that the design is developed by working from the outside - or the urban context into the building design - rather than focussing just on the design development of the building.

Recommendation

Students will continue to develop a design for an urban area as appropriate to their research of the urban, social and environmental context.

Feedback from Student Feedback

Feedback

Working as part of team supports students learning from each other and grows professional communication skills in preparation for work in industry.

Recommendation

Students will continue to work together in teams for the main assessment item.

Feedback from Student Feedback

Feedback

The set of assessments connect and develop students' understanding of Urban Design and Development well as the subject develops.

Recommendation

The assessments will continue to work together to help students develop an understanding of the subject.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Analyse heritage and environmental issues in urban development
  2. Reflect on and propose creative strategies to accommodate the diversity of human behaviour in the design of public urban spaces
  3. Compare and modify movement of pedestrians and traffic within urban design
  4. Adapt knowledge and skills to include diverse cultural needs and sustainable communities in urban design
  5. Participate effectively in collaborative team activities.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Written Assessment - 25%
2 - Written Assessment - 60%
3 - Online Test - 15%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes

Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Written Assessment - 25%
2 - Written Assessment - 60%
3 - Online Test - 15%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

Prescribed

Urban Design Thinking: A Conceptual Toolkit.

1st edition (2016)
Authors: Dovey, K
Bloomsbury Academic
London London , UK
ISBN: 9781472566942
Binding: eBook
Supplementary

The City Reader

7th edition (2020)
Authors: Le Gates, R. T., and Stout, F., Eds
Routledge
New York New York , USA
ISBN: ISBN 9780367204792
Binding: eBook

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
  • Microphone and camera for use with Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Stephanie Flowers Unit Coordinator
s.flowers@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 04 Nov 2024

Module/Topic

What is Urban Design?

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 Begin Date: 11 Nov 2024

Module/Topic

Humans in the Urban Environment

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 Begin Date: 18 Nov 2024

Module/Topic

The Basics: Access, Mix and Density

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 Begin Date: 25 Nov 2024

Module/Topic

Teamwork

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assignment 1 Due: Week 4 Monday (25 Nov 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 5 Begin Date: 02 Dec 2024

Module/Topic

Human Behaviour and Urban Design: Action, Drama, Interface

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 Begin Date: 09 Dec 2024

Module/Topic

Presentation of Initial Project Ideas

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 7 Begin Date: 16 Dec 2024

Module/Topic

Urban Identity: Image, Place, Character, & Creative Clusters

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Term Break Begin Date: 23 Dec 2024

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Term Break Begin Date: 30 Dec 2024

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 06 Jan 2025

Module/Topic

Draft Project Presentations

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9 Begin Date: 13 Jan 2025

Module/Topic

Commercial, Recreational and Transport Issues in Urban Desvelopment

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 Begin Date: 20 Jan 2025

Module/Topic

Regulation, Finances and Marketing in Urban Development

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 Begin Date: 27 Jan 2025

Module/Topic

Team Project Presentations

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assignment 2 Team Presentation


Assignment 2 Due: Week 11 Monday (27 Jan 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 12 Begin Date: 03 Feb 2025

Module/Topic

Review for Online Test

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Exam Week Begin Date: 10 Feb 2025

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Assignment 1

Task Description

This assessment task comprises a report with plans. You will analyse a given city and one of the city’s suburbs in order to gain an understanding of the context of a development site from an urban perspective.

Full and detailed briefing for this assignment will be available in the Assessment Block in Moodle.


Assessment Due Date

Week 4 Monday (25 Nov 2024) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Week 6 Monday (9 Dec 2024)


Weighting
25%

Minimum mark or grade
Must achieve 35% minimum in each assessment and an overall unit result of 50% to pass.

Assessment Criteria

The assessment criteria used are:

  • Comprehensive analysis of heritage and environmental issues in urban renewal
  • Propose creative strategies to accommodate the diversity of human behaviour in the design of public urban spaces
  • Compare and modify movement of pedestrians and traffic within urban design in a way that is sensitive to the surrounding environment as well as the needs of the user

Marks will be allocated as specified in the assignment brief in the Assessment Block in Moodle.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
via Moodle submission portal

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Analyse heritage and environmental issues in urban development
  • Reflect on and propose creative strategies to accommodate the diversity of human behaviour in the design of public urban spaces
  • Compare and modify movement of pedestrians and traffic within urban design


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Information Technology Competence

2 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Assignment 2

Task Description

This assessment task comprises a report with plans and has a team work component. You will choose a team and will design a development located in the suburb that was researched in the first assignment. The design will be presented in draft version Week 5 and the final design will be presented in Week 11. A self and peer assessment (SPA) survey will be conducted during the course of the assessment in which you will have the opportunity to review your own and the team's performance.

Full and detailed briefing for this assignment will be available in the Assessment Block in Moodle.


Assessment Due Date

Week 11 Monday (27 Jan 2025) 11:45 pm AEST

Team Submission via Moodle Portal on Due Date; Presentation to be held via Zoom after due date in the Week 11 live session, SPA to be submitted by Friday Week 11


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Monday (10 Feb 2025)


Weighting
60%

Minimum mark or grade
Must achieve 35% minimum in each assessment and an overall unit result of 50% to pass.

Assessment Criteria

The assessment criteria used are:

  • Comprehensive analysis of heritage and environmental issues in urban renewal
  • Propose creative strategies to accommodate the diversity of human behaviour in the design of public urban spaces
  • Compare and modify movement of pedestrians and traffic within urban design in a way that is sensitive to the surrounding environment as well as the needs of the user
  • Convincingly adapt knowledge and skills to include diverse cultural needs and sustainable communities in urban design
  • Participate effectively in collaborative team activities.

Marks will be allocated as specified in the assignment brief in the Assessment Block in Moodle.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online Group

Submission Instructions
Team submission via Moodle submission portal

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Analyse heritage and environmental issues in urban development
  • Reflect on and propose creative strategies to accommodate the diversity of human behaviour in the design of public urban spaces
  • Compare and modify movement of pedestrians and traffic within urban design
  • Adapt knowledge and skills to include diverse cultural needs and sustainable communities in urban design
  • Participate effectively in collaborative team activities.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Team Work
  • Information Technology Competence
  • Cross Cultural Competence
  • Ethical practice

3 Online Test

Assessment Title
Online Test

Task Description

The online test will open Tuesday 11 February at 7pm AEST and has a 90 minute duration after which it will auto submit.

You will need to press start between 7pm and 7:30pm to use the full 90min duration of the test.

This is a "one attempt only" test and will cover the unit content.

Further information will be available on the Moodle site.

Results for this assessment will be made available to students after the date of the quiz closing and before 01.03.25


Assessment Due Date

Return Date to Students

before 01/03/2024


Weighting
15%

Minimum mark or grade
Must achieve 35% minimum in each assessment and an overall unit result of 50% to pass.

Assessment Criteria

Test and apply knowledge based on the unit topics.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Analyse heritage and environmental issues in urban development
  • Reflect on and propose creative strategies to accommodate the diversity of human behaviour in the design of public urban spaces
  • Compare and modify movement of pedestrians and traffic within urban design


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?