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CRP455 AESTHETICS AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE IN URBAN DESIGN

Course Objectives

By the end of the course students will be able to;

CO1- Become researchers who will take an active role in conducting an inquiry on aesthetics issues in urban design. This intends to train students in how research can be done as part of a design process. Thereby, students will gain basic managerial skills in a process of conducting a scientific inquiry and to apply appropriate methods and techniques. Research will be integrated with the conduct of the class. 

CO2- Acquire an insight into the historical and theoretical evolution of environmental aesthetics issues in urban design in general as well as methodological tools to enhance that. 

CO3- Focus practically on the assessing the aesthetics issues in the selected residential areas in Ankara under the guidance of "Ankara Apartmanları."  

CO4- Demonstrate proficiency in critical and constructive thought as well as in communicating complex ideas through creative presentations, and reflexive thinking for their own experience.

Course Content

An overview of environmental psychology. Issues of environmental perception and cognition, elements and structure of mental maps, orientation and wayfinding, environmental aesthetics, diversity and environment, use of psychological information to evaluate environments, programming for design for human use, implementation tools of environmental attributes salient to human use. Self-managing in –depth group discussions on environment and human experience reflecting on case studies.

Course Learning Outcomes

CFP1- Open-mindedness * Constructive Attitude * Willingness to Work Together

If you think, you may struggle with showing these qualities; you may become easily unhappy in this course throughout the semester. This course will be treating the learning process in the class as a social change process, and thus, it will engage students in taking the responsibility of facilitating a real-life change process. Social processes are multi-dimensional phenomena involving human beings from diverse backgrounds and experiences. This adds full of ‘uncertainties’ and the ‘unexpected’, yet continuously reveals ‘new emergencies’. That is what is exciting about this, because there is always something innovative and creative in new emergencies, and that is what makes us learn something new about life in general, and evolve as a human being. Thus, in this course, it is truly OKAY not to know, and to be genuinely willing to know more is most appreciated.

The course will maintain some degree of flexibility about the outline of the course. We will conduct the course together in line with the course content; however, it will also be open to change with reference to the procedural and students’ needs along the way. The course may take a significantly creative path due to the group dynamics which we may not predict in advance. Such a change can be both surprising and valuable in a way that may help you develop your adaptability skills to new emergencies. 

Furthermore, we will be working together throughout the semester just as in real-life situations and in a real-life situation. Thus, developing your collaborative skills and working as a team will be a significant component of this learning experience. Assisting a real-life process requires taking the responsibility of representing the self as an inspirational, enthusiastic and motivating individual who can tackle any complex challenges that may come along the way. If we, as the assistant leaders of the process, are not enthusiastic about what we do, we will not be able to convince others to act in a particular way. 

CFP2- LEARNING is what matters!

This course greatly values what you get out of this experience. Most often students are over concerned with grading. I see the grade as an end-outcome, yet what makes us evolve into a wise person is what we experience during the process. Within this respect, everybody has a meaningful role in life, and thus, has something to contribute to one another. Recognizing the role of grades in your future plans, once more I will repeat: A genuine willingness to learn and gradually improving performance in your contribution to the learning experience of All is what counts and what will be appreciated the most in this course. If you engage yourself fully and commit to your improvement, the success will automatically and naturally come along.

CFP3- PLAGIARISM of any kind will not be tolerated!

Plagiarism is quoting, paraphrasing or summarizing without acknowledgment. It is failing to acknowledge the source of an idea, another person’s data, evidence or critical method without credit or permission. It is submitting another person’s work as one’s own and using unacknowledged research sources gathered by someone else.

Program Outcomes Matrix

0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution