University of Edinburgh : Architecture : MSc Advanced Sustainable Design

ARCH 11038 Sustainable Theories and Contexts

Coursework Assignment 1 : COMMUNICATING COMPLEXITY

Introduction
Authors such as Susannah Hagan have tried to classify sustainable architecture through
terms such as Symbiosis, Differentiation & Visibility. This can be seen as a different way of
perceiving environmental design rather than its measurable performance in terms of carbon
footprint, energy use and benchmarking systems. At the heart of this lie conflicting views of
how we value technology. A critical reading of this can be found in Guy and Farmer’s paper
Reinterpreting Sustainable Architecture. In many ways, it can be seen as a reaction to a
prevalent definition of ‘green building’ purely in terms of measured performance.

This coursework assignment asks you to research a key sustainable building concept that is in
some way conflicted. Sustainable and Environmental Design often set up terms that have
such strong associations that they seem impervious to challenge. Often the quantitative
attributes of a technology can be at odds with its qualitative response. Sometimes, local
conditions or programmatic demands mean that a key environmental goal is simply not
appropriate.

The term ‘quantitative’ can refer to a building’s carbon footprint, its energy use, the embodied
energy characteristics of its materials and components, its cost, and also how it rates in terms
of benchmarking strategies. The term ‘qualitative’ can refer to a building’s place in the
community, its style, design tradition, and place in sustainable theories and narratives.

Outcomes
1. We want you to research in depth and gain a considered understanding of key
environmental and sustainable design strategies. This involves careful literature review and
seeking out differing opinions.

2. You should be able to gather these issues together and distil them into a coherent
and well-reasoned argument that not only describes your area of study but explain its
complexities and ambiguities. This will help you research building and design technologies
when in practice, to ensure a reasoned design decision is made.

3. We want you to be able to relate architecture both in terms of scientific measurement

and a cultural, social and economic perspective.
Assignment Activities and Stages
This is a group work project. You are asked to enrol in groups of no less than 4 persons and
no more than 5 persons. You can sign up on LEARN.

Stage 1: Pecha-Kucha
We ask you to work on a short presentation to gain skills in focus, narrative and getting to
the point! So we ask you in groups to prepare a pecha-kucha presentation – which is
speaking on a theme with 8 slides with 30 seconds per slide. Present at Monday’s
seminar responses to the following questions. DUE 3 October. You will work in groups
and select one of the themes below.

PechaKucha Theme 1 Pecha Kucha Theme 2

It is more important to design to stop climate It is more important to design to mitigate

change climate change
PechaKucha Theme 3 PechaKucha Theme 4

Buildings must look green to be green Buildings don’t need to look green to be
green.

PechaKucha Theme 5 PechaKucha Theme 6

Urbanisation is an environmental threat Urbanisation is critical for a sustainable future

Stage 2 : Communicating Complexity

In the same groups, select a Topic for the next stage. All of the themes can be examined in a
global context.

Topic A Topic B Topic C

Is the idea of self-sufficiency Surely any form of building is Are we really living in the
flawed? unsustainable? Anthropocene?
Topic D Topic E Topic F
Should we be wary of natural Is embodied carbon more How can we challenge
ventilation? important than operational regulation as the best way to
carbon? effect sustainable
development

These topics are deliberately selected because they are paradoxical, counter-intuitive and
sometimes even contradictory to accepted narratives in mainstream sustainable discourses.
Why is this the case. You must focus on the question. Research the issue. Decide what the
fundamentals of a response. Design and Communicate a presentation. You need to
organise your work so you address the following:
- bibliography and source material for the selected theme.
- key observations on quantitative and qualitative aspects of the theme
- All the themes are conflicted none are straightforward. You must assess and evaluate
carefully.

Stage 3: Present
- submit your work as a powerpoint presentation and present to class. -
submit your work in digital format too by uploading to LEARN.
Assessment Criteria

- Demonstrate the ability to research sustainable strategies using a wide range of

primary and secondary source.
- To be able to reflect and make critical observations on quantitative and qualitative
response in respect to a selected theme
- To be able to communicate this clearly both in a class presentation and also through
the use of presentation panels.
We will only reward work originated by you. Credit will not be given for ideas explained
through the work of others.

Timetable
By 26 September Group sign up completed on LEARN. 6 groups each with a minimum of five
persons – sign up through TEAMS.

3 October: You should present your preparatory pecha-kucha presentation.

31 October : Tutorials

7 November :Final presentation : this will be in the form of a pdf presentation no longer than
10 minutes. Upload your presentation to LEARN by 12:00 on 7 November

ARCH 11038 Sustainable Theory and Contexts Assignment 1

Communicating Complexity
This is a project undertaken in groups that asks you to analyse and clearly explain a
complex issue in relation to sustainable design in wider societal contexts. This is
undertaken through a class presentation. It addresses all the learning outcomes for the
course.
Learning Outcomes
This is the form of a presentation that addresses learning outcomes 1 and 3.
The coursework is distributed on 19 Sep 2022
Assignment Stage Submit By Your feedback
Stage 1 pechakucha 3 Oct 2022 Written formative feedback by 10 Oct
presentation 2022
Stage 2 submit presentation 7 Nov 2022 Summative feedback by 17 Nov 2022

The assignment must be uploaded to LEARN by 12:00 Edinburgh Time on the

submission day
this assignment comprises 20% of your total mark for ARCH11038 Sustainable Theory and
Contexts

Assessment Information.
Please refer to your course handbook for assessment and submission information. This
assignment comprises 20% of your total mark for ARCH 11038 Sustainable Theories and
Contexts.