ARC 5034 - Fall 2021 Monday 7:30 - 11:10 p.m. EST Mark Farlow (mfarlow@ltu.

edu)
LTU - CoAD (online) Sara Codarin (scodarin@ltu.edu)

Eastern Market, corner Division St. / Russell St., photographs by Joshua Babcock (left), and Mark Farlow (center and right).

Fall 2021
Lawrence Technological University | College of Architecture & Design

Architectural Foundation Studio-3 Syllabus

ARC: 5034, Architectural Foundation Studio-3, CRN 1595 (online)
4.0 Credit hours
Prerequisite: ARC 5024 (refer to the CoAD Course Catalogue for specific expectations)

Course Meetings (online / synchronously)

Studio: Mondays from 7:30 p.m. – 11:10 p.m. EST (online)
Asynchronous / synchronous project team meetings (45-minutes) should be anticipated on a weekly basis.
The schedule for these meetings will change based on the availability of the students and the instructor.

Catalogue Description
The Architecture Foundation Studio sequence is a series of three courses intended to introduce students to
the principles and processes of architectural design. All courses in the AFS sequence address the elements
of architecture and their contextual relationships as well as design tools, techniques, and processes. The
third course in the sequence, Architectural Foundation Studio 3 (AFS-3), focuses on more, advanced
refinement and development of architectural proposals. The studio will explore architectural design through
traditional visualization methods alongside more experimental representational tools and techniques. The
primary purpose of the studio will be to refine student knowledge in the relationship between visual
practices and architectural development.

Studio Content
An exploration of architectural design, stressing tectonics, materiality, systems, and human environments.
Areas of focus include construction processes, design phases, and the relationship between constituent
parts and whole buildings. Topics include social and technological forces, urban patterns, and design
strategies in the making of architecture.

Studio Objectives
Students will successfully integrate all required NAAB Student Performance Criteria associated with
Architectural Foundation Studio 3 (refer to below).

Through this course, students should acquire:

• The ability to analyze codes, neighborhood bylaws, and urban zoning in building design.
• The ability to determine priorities for spatial quality.
• The introduction of more complex and advanced tactics appropriate to the design phase.
• The ability to align material and tectonic choices with appropriate building/site contexts and
cultural needs.

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LTU - CoAD (online) Sara Codarin (scodarin@ltu.edu)

Eastern Market, corner Division St. / Russell St. Proposal for Glass Mural, an office/retail building by MVRDV (2020).

Design Course Assignments & Projects

An architectural design project, spanning over the entire semester which integrates the required NAAB
Student Performance Criteria (refer to below).
Students will complete a comprehensive site and building design proposal through demonstration of
investigative research and applied design skills engaged with site (context) conditions, local historical
traditions, and global culture. Each project integrates environmental, structural, and spatial ordering
systems, and addresses issues of sustainability, accessibility, and life/safety in the design. The course
focuses on skills in required design documentation and producing a set of architectural drawings (and
models) delineating the project.
The course meets the NAAB accreditation standards for a graduate-level foundation design studio and is
supported by professional consultants who provide expertise through lectures, demonstrations, benchmark
reviews, and other design activities in all the content areas required for the course. The Studio component
of the course emphasizes the fully-integrative architectural proposition.
The course integrates previous knowledge gained in previous graduate-level foundation studios associated
with NAAB student performance criteria related to Architectural Foundations.
The studio will contribute to the learning experience that is culminated by a comprehensive project(s) that
may also be supported by smaller learning modules.

Required Texts
There is no required textbook for this course. Relevant texts (see below) will be suggested with each
assignment. Perusing various texts, essays, lectures (videos) is expected as part of the assigned
coursework.

Recommended Texts
Once in A Great City: A Detroit Story, ISBN-10: 147674839X, by David Marannis, Used, $5.

Fine Grain Student Work Exhibit and Faculty Review Schedule

Fine Grain Exhibit will be held during Final Exam Week. Tentative schedule: Student work posted on Friday,
December 10 with the Faculty Review on Monday, December 13.

Covid-19 Protocol
LTU requires every student living in a university dormitory, and every student-athlete (no matter where they
live) to be vaccinated.
LTU’s Coronavirus Covid-19 policies and procedures can be found at https://www.ltu.edu/coronavirus/.

LTU CoAD Lectures & Exhibitions

https://www.ltu.edu/architecture_and_design/lectures.asp
https://www.ltu.edu/architecture_and_design/exhibitions.asp
Public Lectures are organized by the College of Architecture and Design for the benefit of students and the
profession. Students are strongly encouraged to view the lectures on the college YouTube channel.

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LTU - CoAD (online) Sara Codarin (scodarin@ltu.edu)

Course Assignments & Schedule

Dates for more specific deliverables will be provided with each assignment. The outlined schedule is drafted
below and it is subject to change. *The Module Reviews will run over two separate live sessions.

Class Meetings Dates Schedule

WEEK 1 M Aug 23 Intro - Course Overview
WEEK 2 M Aug 30 Module 1 - Themes and research (20%)
WEEK 3 M Sept 6 ///
WEEK 4 M Sept 13 Research Themes
WEEK 5 M Sept 20 Benchmark 1 - Team Research Pin-Up Review*
WEEK 6 M Sept 27 Module 2 - Site strategy (35%)
WEEK 7 M Oct 4 Development of Concept Design for Building & Site
WEEK 8 M Oct 11 Development of Concept Design for Building & Site
WEEK 9 M Oct 18 Development of Concept Design for Building & Site
WEEK 10 M Oct 25 Benchmark 2 - Team Concept Design (plans, sections, massing) Pin-Up Review*
WEEK 11 M Nov 1 Module 3 - Final Design Proposal and Documentation (40%)
WEEK 12 M Nov 8 Development of Final Design Proposal
WEEK 13 M Nov 15 Development of Final Design Proposal
WEEK 14 M Nov 22 Development of Final Design Proposal
WEEK 15 M Nov 29 Development of Final Design Proposal
WEEK 16 M Dec 6 Benchmark 3 - Final Design: Final Review*
Last day of classes F Dec 10 ///
Grades are due on Banner W Dec 22 ///

Grade breakdown: Module 1 (20%), Module 2 (35%), and Module 3 (40%). Extra credits will be distributed
along the Modules based on the evaluation rubrics (5%).

Evaluation of Student Work

For assignments requiring group work, 10% of the allocated points will be for participation (based on peer
reviews, per the Teamwork Evaluation Criteria outlined below). For all assignments, 5% of the allocated
points will be for archiving the work (more information on archiving work to follow).

Each assignment will have clear objectives defined, and grading will be based on those objectives.
Objectives are different than criteria. The criteria for grading are listed below and are applied to all
assignments, the objectives will be defined for each assignment.

Grading Criteria

Thoroughness* (Depth): This factor includes initial research, exploration for opportunities, and exploration
for design responses in regards to depth of information retrieval. Evidence of rigorous application of
research and the exploration for alternatives. There is evidence of clear and intimate knowledge of the
research subjects.

Informativeness* (Communication): Project has a clear position and understandable content. Graphic and
written communication elements transfer content gained through “thoroughness”, and developed in
“synthesis' in a clear and useful way, leaving the recipient with an increase in knowledge or the reduction of
ignorance.

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LTU - CoAD (online) Sara Codarin (scodarin@ltu.edu)

Organization* (Structure): There is a strong organizational logic of both conceptual and physical elements.
Organization refers to the arrangement of the informational elements, experiential intentions, activity
containers, and formal structuring of the layers of the proposal resolution.

Synthesis** (Relevance): Project produced a proposal resolution which generated unique and new entity
from the combination of two or more entities. Entities considered for source material are not just simply
formal objects but can also be sub-systems, patterns, experiences, activities and experiences. Part of the
success of synthesis is the combination of disconnected and unassociated entities into new and significant
wholes. Synthesis is not simply the adjacency of entities but the combination of like and dislike constituent
elements into a new, cohesive, unified entity. This factor also includes the integration of, rather than
avoidance (or ignorance) of, existing context.

Evocativeness** (Significance): The project made engage either an evocative or a provocative position. If
provocative, the overall intentions and proposal resolution is stimulating, insightful, and challenging to
normative or baseline practices. The proposal is clearly the beginning of a deeper conversation and will
draw attention to important but overlooked opportunities, issues, or potentials. The overall effect is to
invoke or rouse discussion. Evocative work has the power to extend and project intentions and concerns
into the world. It should call up or produce memories, associations, and conditions that are of concern or
opportunities in this particular configurations of layers, and it should elicit a response. Either of these
should be in a thoughtful rather than emotional way (not just shock or a 'one-liner'). The proposal has
clearly exploited unseen opportunities, rather than simply addressing an apparent 'problem'.

* baseline and foundational proposal factors

** advanced factors – require clear success in baseline factors to achieve

Teamwork Evaluation (used for all team-based projects)

Individual assessments within the context of group work will be tracked through and informed by the peer
and faculty review process as part of the team learning environment. Timely completion of peer-review
surveys is a requirement of the course. If an individual on a team consistently underperforms per the
criteria below and/or is abusive, negatively disruptive, or otherwise undermines the success of the team,
that student will have grade reduction and may be asked to leave the course.

Engagement
• Actively listened and communicated with ideas, suggestions, feedback to others
• Assumed responsibility for key tasks central to the team’s success
• Met all deadlines as required for team success

Presence
• Fulfilled commitment to team presentations
• Fulfilled commitment to team-scheduled meetings (also see Attendance Policy below)

Effectiveness
• Focused on team goals and tasks, producing high-quality work
• Work completed extended, and added to, the overall quality of the team project
• Contributed to team trust and mutual respect

Other Evaluation Considerations

• Research and Citations: All references used in the presentation of work - whether text or image -
must be properly cited in a standard format. Reference and research work should ideally
demonstrate a range and depth of resources that extend beyond the internet.
• Group work produced in groups or teams must demonstrate consistent graphic presentation and
coordinated concept, and will be evaluated for these criteria in addition to the above.
• Spelling and Grammar: Counts. Take care to spell-check and edit your work.

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LTU - CoAD (online) Sara Codarin (scodarin@ltu.edu)

NAAB Student Performance Criteria (PC)

PC.2 Design: How the program instills in students the role of the design process in shaping the built
environment and conveys the methods by which design processes integrate multiple factors, in
different settings and scales of development, from buildings to cities.
PC.3 Ecological Knowledge and Responsibility: How the program instills in students a holistic
understanding of the dynamic between built and natural environments, enabling future architects to
mitigate climate change responsibly by leveraging ecological, advanced building performance,
adaptation, and resilience principles in their work and advocacy activities.
PC.6 Leadership and Collaboration: How the program ensures that students understand approaches to
leadership in multidisciplinary teams, diverse stakeholder constituents, and dynamic physical and
social contexts, and learn how to apply effective collaboration skills to solve complex problems.
PC.8 Social Equity and Inclusion: How the program furthers and deepens students' understanding of
diverse cultural and social contexts and helps them translate that understanding into built
environments that equitably support and include people of different backgrounds, resources, and
abilities.
SC.1 Health, Safety, and Welfare in the Built Environment: How the program ensures that students
understand the impact of the built environment on human health, safety, and welfare at multiple
scales, from buildings to cities.
SC.2 Professional Practice: How the program ensures that students understand professional ethics, the
regulatory requirements, the fundamental business processes relevant to architecture practice in the
United States, and the forces influencing change in these subjects.
SC.3 Regulatory Context: How the program ensures that students understand the fundamental principles
of life safety, land use, and current laws and regulations that apply to buildings and sites in the United
States, and the evaluative process architects use to comply with those laws and regulations as part
of a project.
SC.4 Technical Knowledge: How the program ensures that students understand the established and
emerging systems, technologies, and assemblies of building construction, and the methods and
criteria architects use to assess those technologies against the design, economics, and performance
objectives of projects.

Course Grading Policy

Note that the standard letter grades (and grade designations unique to LTU) are fully defined in The Student
Companion (link below). The grade standards below are abbreviations of the Department of Architecture
Grading Policy in the Companion.
A Outstanding performance relative to course objectives Excellent
B Strong performance relative to course objectives Good
C Demonstration of competency relative to course objectives Average
F* Failure to demonstrate achievement of course objectives Poor

*Note that ‘D’ grades are not given at the graduate level.

Student Conduct, Academic Honesty, and Department Policies

All of the college’s policies and procedures have been complied into a single document, The Student
Companion. All students are responsible for reading and understanding these policies. The Companion is
posted as a downloadable pdf document online for all faculty, staff, and students:
https://www.ltu.edu/architecture_and_design/student_resources.asp

Topics covered in the Student Companion include:

• The Studio Code
• Plagiarism
• Attendance and Late Work
• Participation

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LTU - CoAD (online) Sara Codarin (scodarin@ltu.edu)

Images from Detroit’s 1922 proposed building zone ordinance. Detroit, MI: City Plan Commission.

Questions about Grades

Grades will be issued for each assignment via Canvas, and final, official grades issued on BannerWeb.
Questions about grades will not be answered via email so you must schedule an appointment outside of
class time to discuss your grade. You must review the above outlined grading and evaluation criteria as well
as the CoAD meaning of grades (in the Student Companion, below) prior to submitting any grade inquiries.

The Student Companion

Student Conduct, Academic Honesty, and Department Policies All of the college’s policies and procedures
have been compiled into a single document, The Student Companion. Topics covered in the Student
Companion include the Studio Code, plagiarism, attendance, and late work, participation, etc. All students
are responsible for reading and understanding these policies. The Companion is posted as a downloadable
pdf document online for all faculty, staff, and students: http://ltu.edu/coad-student-companion.

Graduate Online Courses

Attendance, Participation, and Engagement CoAD Graduate Courses are comprised of asynchronous and
synchronous educational engagement structures so that knowledge can be explored in a variety of ways. In
order to maintain the high, rigorous standards of the CoAD academic environment, consistent attendance
and participation in both synchronous and asynchronous modalities is a necessity. Required synchronous
class sessions will be held within the class times listed on Banner, while other class meetings may be
arranged based on student-faculty agreement. In the case that conflicts occur between a listed course time,
synchronous content delivery, and extra-curricular student responsibilities, the student should
communicate directly with their faculty member. The student is responsible to compensate for these
scheduling conflicts during the semester. Since graduate work is assessed on performance, a lack of
engagement through absence will inevitably impact the educational outcomes.

Class Load
A four (4) credit studio requires 120-direct contact hours per semester. In addition to the contact hours,
there is a 1:2 to 1:3 ratio of in-class to out-of-class prep and work requirement standard for ALL courses in
all programs. For a 16-week semester course, this means 16- to 24-hours per week of time spent on the
studio at a minimum. This is in alignment with all university expectations of contact hour / work
expectations in class loads. Please adjust your other responsibilities accordingly.

Late Work
Due dates will be established for all exercises issued during the semester. As the majority of projects are
team based, no late work will be accepted on a team basis. The team not delivering a project at a deadline
will receive a grade of zero (0). For individual grading, only bona fide illness (doctor's note) or extenuating
events that affects a student participating in class or meeting deadlines will be considered on a case-by-
case basis. This situation requires the student to inform the instructor promptly and agree on terms of work
completion.

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LTU - CoAD (online) Sara Codarin (scodarin@ltu.edu)

Incomplete Work
Incomplete work will not be accepted without instructor's prior approval and written agreement for due
dates and grading policy. The grade of Incomplete can only be given if the work is substantially complete
and the student has bona-fide documentation of illness or extreme circumstances.

Attendance Policy
Due to the nature and speed of the course, it is not possible to receive equivalent experience or knowledge
acquisition through secondary means in the case of missed class meetings. Therefore attendance is
mandatory for all scheduled synchronous studio meeting times as well as asynchronous meetings as
determined by the course. Coursework and other information covered during class time will not be repeated
or re-presented due to student absence. While online course meetings may be recorded, these recordings
are for reference purposes only and are not to be in lieu of “live” attendance of scheduled online sessions.
Unexcused absences from the course will impact grading; excused absences might impact grading if they
affect the grading parameters outlined above. An excused absence is not the same as having an excuse for
being absent, rather an excused absence must be accompanied by documentation which confirms the
necessity of absence (doctor's note, demonstration of a family emergency, or a conflict with another
University event). It is the sole responsibility of the student to notify the instructor of any absences, provide
documentation for excused absences, and make up for content and/or contributions missed due to non-
attendance in a timely manner.

Online Course Management

This studio is an online, non-residential studio which includes synchronous and asynchronous
environments. This means there will be communication that is both real-time, group, delayed messaging,
and individual engagement with the instructor. Unless otherwise arranged, students are required to meet as
a full group once a week as well as once a week in scheduled small groups or individuals.

Canvas https://my.ltu.edu/
The course syllabus, course calendar, assignments, readings, links, announcements, etc. will be posted on
the course Canvas site. Students are responsible for monitoring the site on a regular basis and for keeping
up with coursework. Final assignments are to be submitted digitally on Canvas for grading, unless
otherwise noted.

Google Drive / Google Calendar / Doodle Poll

Course document and work-sharing will be through Google Drive. The course calendar and meeting links
will be shared through Google Calendar. Asynchronous weekly meetings for individuals and groups/teams
will be scheduled per the availability of students and instructors.

Zoom https://zoom.us/
The primary real-time interface for synchronous and asynchronous course meetings, reviews and lectures
will be via zoom. The course meetings will be scheduled through Google Calendar.

Mural https://mural.co/
Mural may be used as a virtual, visual workshop to host weekly ‘pin-ups’ and reviews of the work, facilitate
conversations between students for the duration of the studio, as well as hold the visual record of the
studio’s production. All documentation, sketches, discussions, and presentations will be through this
platform unless otherwise noted. Students are expected to monitor and engage this platform on a daily
basis.

Slack https://slack.com/
We will be using Slack as our asynchronous “back-channel” for discussions. Students will receive invitations
for Zoom, Slack, and Mural. Please wait for the invitation before making accounts. Please use your ltu.edu
email for the accounts (or sign in with your ltu.edu google account).

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LTU - CoAD (online) Sara Codarin (scodarin@ltu.edu)

Faculty Contact Information

Mark Farlow, Adjunct Professor of Architecture | Principal of Design, Hamilton Anderson Associates
Contact: mfarlow@ltu.edu / Cell: 248-909-5431

Sara Codarin, Adjunct Professor of Architecture

Contact: scodarin@ltu.edu / Cell: +39 333 9559 077

Faculty Background

Mark Farlow is an alum of both LTU and the University of Cincinnati. He has taught at several architecture
programs aside from LTU (where he has been teaching since 1995) including:
• University of Cincinnati (1982-1984)
• Mississippi State University (1984-1988)
• Plymouth Polytechnic (currently, the University of Plymouth, UK)(1988)
• University of Detroit Mercy (1995-2012)
• Ferris State University (2017)

Sara Codarin is an adjunct faculty at LTU-CoAD. She recently obtained her Ph.D. from the University of
Ferrara. Her dissertation investigates the relationship between robotic fabrication and conservation of
Cultural Heritage, with an application case in downtown Detroit. Sara’s freelance work focuses on the
renovation of social housing building stocks in Northern Italy. She has been teaching in Ferrara since 2016
both at the Department of Architecture and the Master’s Program in Innovation Design.

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