Course Overview

The use of urban graphics in consultation is a powerful way of conveying information without using jargon and enables the sharing of a vision between councils, development authorities, developers and communities. Communicating ideas visually can be a powerful tool in helping planners to explain complex policies and proposals. Knowledge on reading urban graphics aids planners to take vital decisions on development. The course is designed for the first year undergraduate students in planning so that they gain knowledge and skills for graphic communication, design and outreach. Students will gain the ability to draw, interpret and present urban graphics effectively and produce diagrams, presentations and reports in electronic format, and use physical models in their academic and professional life.

Course Objectives

This course intends to:

·       Introduce planning students to the computer programs most commonly used to prepare conventional architectural drawing

·       Enable students to use graphic software and model building techniques for making creative and effective graphical presentation

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This is a practical, hands-on course. After completion of this course, it is expected that the students will be able to:

·       Draw the conventional architectural drawing utilizing their knowledge and skills in graphic software;

·       Present urban raster and vector graphics. This includes: creating page layouts for graphic presentations, layering analytical graphics over aerial photographs, scanning and editing hand drawn work, producing computer generated images and conventional architectural drawing and generating three-dimensional massing models;

·       Produce posters, pamphlets, reports, models and other graphical presentation materials appropriate for their future academic as well as professional life.