REMP61: Development 1: Sustainable Urban Design and Site Planning

Module code: REMP61

Module provider: Real Estate and Planning; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Angelique Chettiparambil Rajan, email: a.chettiparamb@henley.reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Claudia Beatriz Murray, email: c.b.murray@henley.reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s): IN THE SAME YEAR AS TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE REMP62 (Compulsory)

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

Module(s) excluded: IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE RE3UDP OR TAKE RE3DEVP (Compulsory)

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 27 June 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module takes students through the initial stages of preparing a development proposal, from initial site observation and context analysis to proposal development in response to a client brief. The module aims to instil core knowledges for site planning and place-making, including sustainable urban design, integrated with key skills for professional practice, including observation, policy analysis, three-dimensional visualisation and creative synthesis. The module will enable students to develop a strong foundation in the knowledges, skills and attitudes necessary to respond creatively to a client brief, to prepare development proposals that respond to contemporary planning concerns to create well-designed places. 

The module prepares students for the module ‘Development 2: Process and Viability’, where students will develop their proposals further, incorporating considerations around financial viability and real estate development processes. 

Module learning outcomes

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

• Systematically appraise the qualities of a site and its context using critical awareness derived from advanced scholarship. 
• Apply comprehensive urban design knowledges and demonstrate originality in the application of skills to create a development proposal in response to a client brief. 
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between planning and sustainable urban design by incorporating into a development proposal relevant measures informed by advanced scholarship. 
• Demonstrate self-direction and team working to professionally communicate a proposal effectively through drawings and three-dimensional visuals using appropriate software. 

Module content

Core Knowledges

• Sustainable Urban design, placemaking theory and practice
• Climate change, mitigation and adaptation
• Healthy lifestyles, active travel and spatial planning
• Design policy, tools and codes
• Inclusive placemaking

Skills Development

• Effective visual communication and presentation using a prescribed software
• Observation and recording
• Policy Analysis
• Proposal formulation through creative synthesis
• Working with clients

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module is taught using a mix of lectures, tutorials and practical classes. The lectures introduce students to core knowledges around sustainable urban design and place making. The practical skills classes introduce students to key skills including observation; communicating using visual media and creative synthesis. Tutorial sessions will support students to prepare a development proposal in response to a real-world site. Students will be required to make an unaccompanied visit to the site. 

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 50% 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.

Tutorial sessions will include opportunities for students to discuss the development of their proposals with the module tutor and receive informal feedback and guidance. 

Reassessment

Additional costs