Alternative Practice Module – Course Overview
Working Definition
An empathic approach to spatial design that works within existing social networks through a critical and participative design process to co-produce an integrated, holistic and contextually supportive strategy to any issue(s) faced by an individual or group of people living in a poor or unsafe condition or area.
Objective
The course aims to expose students to various socio-technical projects, practitioners while allowing students to develop their own methods and tools applicable to socio-technical design in South Africa.
Outcomes
This module aims to provide the student with grounding in the theories and tools required to practice ‘alternative’ architecture. While the first component of the course dealt with conventional office practice, this 2nd component of the module aims to equip students with knowledge and skills to operate outside of the context of conventional office practice and aims to address the socio-sptial complexity of South Africa.
The course is designed to co-produce a tangible information packages that can be used both theoretically and pragmatically by the students to engage in socio-technical design in South Africa.
Week 1 – Intro
Set by course
Week 2 – Overview Socio-Technical Design/Designers
Describe alternative practice (participatory, socio-technical design) through people (practitioners) & examples:
Teddy Cruz, Liz Ogbu, Nabeel Hamdi, Orinji Project in Pakistan, Community Architects in Thailand Shack Dwellers International, IDEOO, John Turner, e.t.c
- What is Socio-Technical Design
- Why Socio-Technical Design?
- Socio-Technical Design in South Africa
- Tools for Socio-Technical Design (broad)
- How the course will develop these tools with students + output (tool kit?)
- Hand out topics/practitioners to each student, who will present back to class the following week on various practitioners and their toolsets/methods/projects
Week 3 – Lecture + Discussion
Theories, Methodologies and Toolkits Presention + Discussion
Week 4 – UIA/JHB
UIA – students to go to Socio-Technical Technical Presentation and report back on chosen practitioners
Students who stay – must interview local practitioners
Week 5 – Graphic Discussions (Socio –Technical Designer)
Presentations of Socio-Technical Practitioners + discussion on ideals of Socio-Technical Designers
Students to present ideas on ‘tool kits’
Week 6 – Graphic Discussions (Socio –Technical Design)
Presentations of Socio-Technical Practices+ discussion on ideals of Socio-Technical Practice
Graphic Discussion on ideal Socio-Technical practicesin South Africa (JHB?)
Students to present evolved ideas on ‘tool kits’
Week 7 Crit Sessions
Final presentation of ‘ tool kits’
Example: 5 page multi-stakeholder accessible document/video to hand over as ‘toolkit’ for socio-technical design in South Africa
| Month | Week | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July | Week 1 | Monday 14 | INTRO WEEK | |
| Week 2 | Monday 21 | Overview Socio-Technical Design/Designers | ||
| Week 3 | Monday 28 | Presentation on Theories, Toolkits and methodologies | ||
| August | Week 4 | Monday 4 | UIA/JHB | |
| Week 5 | Monday 11 | Presentations + graphic discussion 1 (Socio ÐTechnical Designer) | ||
| Week 6 | Monday 18 | Presentations + graphic discussion 2 (Socio ÐTechnical Tools Methodologies) | ||
| Week 7 | Monday 25 | Final Presentations/Submissions |
Assignment(s):
You must each choose a practitioner on the list below. Please email your 1st and 2nd choice accompanied by a short (200 word) motivation for your first choice beforeThursday 31st of August 00:30 .
For the presentation lectures, in pecha kucha format (20 slides, 20 seconds) you will need to:
- Presentation Lecture 1:
- describe their background, reason, normative
- describe the theories that underpin their work
- begin to present your first idea for your own toolkit
- Presentation Lecture 2
- describe their methods/approach
- describe the ‘tools’ they use
- begin to present your first idea for your own toolkit
Each presentation will carry a mark towards your continuous assessment (40% of your final mark). Your final presentation will be weighted at 60% of your final mark.
Socio-Technical Practitioner/Practice List:
- Liz Ogbu
- Nabeel Hamdi
- Teddy Cruz
- Nabeel Hamdi
- Quillian Riano
- Alejandro Aravena
- Alejandro Haeik
- Arif Hassan
- Asiye eTafuelni
- Rodney Harber
- Hassan Fathy
- Father Jorge Anzorenza
- Jorge Mario Jaureni
- Samssook Bonybancha
Books:
Desire Lines – Noeleen Murray Et al
Counter Currents – edited by Edgar Pieterse
Design for the Real World – Victor Papanek
Housing by People – John Turner
Housing without Houses – Nabeel Hamdi
Cityscapes Journal – edited by Sean O’Toole, Tau Tavenga & Edgar Pieterse
A Place Maker’s Guide – Nabeel Hamdi
Small Change – Hamdi
Spatial Agency – Schneider, Till, et al
Cities with Slums – Marie Huchzermeyer
Housing By People – John Turner
Architecture for the Poor: – Hassan Fathy
Digital Resources:
www.spatialagency.net
www.architectureindevelopment.org
www.architectureforhumanity.org
http://1to1.org.za/links/
http://www.sdinet.org/
http://www.sasdialliance.org.za/
https://sites.google.com/site/shiftasinmove/
http://www.thehda.co.za/
http://www.upgradingsupport.org/
http://www.gcro.ac.za/
http://www.oppinstitutions.org/
http://www.codi.or.th/housing/frontpage.html
http://www.achr.net/
http://torredavid.com/
http://web.mit.edu/urbanupgrading/upgrading/resources/useful-downloads/WallChart.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGpAQz–4nM
http://www.communityplanning.net/
http://www.codi.or.th/
http://communityarchitectsnetwork.info/
http://www.achr.net/
http://aet.org.za/
http://www.jauregui.arq.br/
www.elementalchile.cl/en/
http://www.labprofab.com/en
http://dsgnagnc.com
http://www.achr.net/
