RE3UDP: Urban Design in the Development Process

Module code: RE3UDP

Module provider: Real Estate and Planning; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Richard Nunes, email: r.j.nunes@henley.reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: Mini placement

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 28 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to provide students with an introduction to the core principles of urban design, and its role in the development process. It considers academic debates and policy challenges surrounding the practice of urban design, and its contemporary relevance or value to real estate development and place-making. It covers the practice of urban design where it concerns both the creation and maintenance of places as part of sustainability transitions and/or regeneration processes toward more resilient futures. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Identify and contrast different viewpoints or motivations of urban design as public policy. 
2. Debate the substance, roles, and relevance of urban design in the development process, defending evidence-based points of view relative to urban design principles. 
3. Appraise the application of urban design tools in the delivery of sustainable development. 
4. Debate design quality relative to development viability/financial appraisal. 

Module content

• Urban design history and theory 
• Urban design as public policy (science / policy interface) 
• Urban design in the development process (development economics / policy design choices) 
• Urban design principles 
• Urban design tools (place shaping, regulatory, stimulus / capacity building tools) 
• Master planning and urban infrastructure design 
• Design-led development and sustainable procurement (design codes / industry standards) 
• Design quality and development viability (visualisation / financial appraisal) 
• Business of regulating for urban design (business as usual / alternative models) 
• Urban design value creation (strategies, monitoring / evaluation)

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module is delivered using lectures, reading seminars and in-class group debates.

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students will have the opportunity in class to discuss assigned reading, and to debate case study material each week. 

Reassessment

Additional costs