School of Architecture, Department of Urban and Environmental Planning

Prof. David L. Phillips, 128 Campbell Hall,  dlp@virginia.edu

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 --9:50  and  Fri.  11-2.Lab Campbell 105

Prerequisites

This course is open to Planning majors as a required course typically taken in the second year.  Planning minors and other students at the University may take the course on a space available basis with that priority.  The course will rely heavily on computer technology.  While there is no formal prerequisite knowledge, familiarity with the MS Windows operating system and working on the Internet are assumed skills.  While class time will be conducted on School computers, a personal computer compatible with the School of Architecture network and software is highly recommended.

Course description and methods:

Digital technology for representing and analyzing planning data will include skill development in photo-editing, web page design, 3-D digital sketching, geographic information system mapping, spreadsheet modeling and document layout and production. . A series of exercises will apply these digital skills to two- and three-dimensional representation of spaces common to planning: streetscape, neighborhoods, communities and regions. This will be focused around a local Charlottesville Neighborhood Urban and Environmental Design study. Representation of the past, the present and prospective futures to both professional and citizen audiences will receive critical attention. Representation and beginning analysis of social space as well as physical space will be introduced drawing upon principles of site and urban analysis. Lecture/workshops will introduce both the substantive concepts of analysis and spatial representation and the way software facilitates that analysis and representation. During the Friday Lab and outside of class students will work on a series of projects applying these concepts and skills. Individual student work on exercises will be coordinated into team approaches to urban and environmental design questions.  Students will also be asked to be reflective about their learning and problem solving experiences.

Requirements

Successful completion of the exercises and projects will generate a B grade.  To achieve higher grades, the quality of the finished product should demonstrate care, creativity and imagination.  Reflective essays about those exercises will demonstrate solid, progressive learning of computer knowledge and reasoned extrapolation of how this can be used fruitfully in professional practice.

Readings (Textbooks)

Textbooks will include the following. You may wish to collaborate with classmates in sharing some of the textbook expense. Other readings will be found in the Fine Arts Library or on the WWW. [Software and books change versions often, be careful.]

Talen, Emily,  Urban Design Reclaimed, Planners Press, Chicago Il.  2009 (NEW)
Cohen, Sandee, InDesign CS3 for MacIntosh and Windows
Weinmann - Photoshop CS3 for Windows and MacIntosh
Hester - Creating a Web Site in Dreamweaver CS3, PeachPit Press
ESRI, Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop, 2nd ed.

Reference:
The Sketch-UP Book, by Bonnie Roskes.
Or Aidan Chopra Sketch-up for Dummies
O'Leary Microsoft Excel

About the instructor

Professor Phillips is a full time planning faculty member who has taught computers, geographic information systems and quantitative methods for a number of years.  His website is: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~dlp/

Web Address URL: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~dlp/2003site/courses.html

Number of Students Authorized to Enroll: 20

Satisfies Requirement: Required Planning course;