Overview
Through a unique Dutch approach learn how to design landscapes and cities in response to social and environmental challenges.
Are you an urban planner, designer, policy maker or involved or interested in the creation of good living environments?
This course will broaden your scope and diversify your take on the field of urban planning and design. We will focus on a unique Dutch approach and analyze how it can help those involved with urban planning and design to improve the physical environment in relation to the public good it serves, including safety, wellbeing, sustainability and even beauty.
You will learn some of the basic traits of Dutch Urbanism, including its:
- contextual approach;
- balance between research and design;
- simultaneous working on multiple scale levels.
You will practice with basic techniques in spatial analysis and design pertaining to these points. You will also carry out these activities in your own domestic environment.
This course is taught by the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at TU-Delft, ranked no. 4 in Architecture/Built Environment on the QS World University Rankings (2016).
All the material in this course is presented at entry level. But since the course has an integral perspective, combining planning and design aspects, it can still be relevant for trained professionals who feel they lack experience in either field.
What you'll learn
- Dutch Urbanism basics;
- How to draw simple maps of your own living environment and perform basic urban analyses of them;
- How to apply your findings in small design activities;
- Where to find additional literature that will deepen your knowledge and bring you up to date on the latest research findings in urban planning.
Learner Story
"Taking this course was one of the most enriching experiences I have ever had. The fact that we could come close to others' cultures, points of views and learn so much about countries, people, and urban challenges was extraordinary. I wish to thank every professor that took so much of their time and knowledge to share with us the amazing Urban Design in the Netherlands as an inspirational platform for our work." - Monica, USA
"I recently graduated in architecture and was looking for a master’s program in urban design. Taking this course was one of the best decisions I’ve made. There wasn’t a single moment when I felt bored. It gave me a fresh perspective on my own city and its situation, and it showed me how people from other countries can become creative or find points for improvement when facing challenges in their cities." - Tina, architect from Iran
Details
Course Syllabus
Week 1: The first module is a thematic and technical introduction of the basic concepts behind the course and its functionality.
Week 2: We will focus on the concept of "public goods" and how these can be strengthened or created by design and planning actions.
Week 3: This module is focused around the structural role of the natural landscape in any urban environment.
Week 4: We will introduce you to the concept of Urban Metabolism and the way in which different urban "flows" interact.
Week 5: We will look at how seemingly small interventions like the restructuring of an urban plaza can have a great impact on the usability and enjoyability of the city for all.
Week 6: This module is an introduction to the realm of data driven design. What may someday result in "smart cities" must start from a basic understanding of the relation between data and design.
Week 7: Another exercise in how to achieve big results with small interventions: In this module, we will look at how strategic changes in infrastructure have brought new life to a dilapidated area.
Week 8: Rounding off this course, we will bring the concept of design for the public good to an new level, what have we learned? But more importantly, what are the roads ahead?
License
Unless otherwise specified, the Course Materials of this course are Copyright Delft University of Technology and are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Admission
This is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that runs on edX.
Prerequisites
Basic hand drawing skills, familiarity with reading and interpreting maps.
