Module Breakdown: 3rd Year
As tradition has it, here is our in-depth module breakdown of our third year doing our undergraduate degrees at Westminster. Once again, we’ve got the Architecture BA and Architecture and Environmental Design BSc courses explained, completing our series of module breakdowns over the past three years at university.
If you’re considering studying architecture, or going into your third year, hopefully this gives you an idea of how your workload and submissions change as you progress through architecture school.
DES3A: Design & Technical Exploration
[Design & Technical Exploration module is the first design module which is compulsory for all BA students and it includes an architectural proposal & design statement (70%) and a technical study (30%). This module is worth 40 credits.]
The first design module of third year, similar to that of second year, consists of a portfolio submission assisted by an in-depth technical exploration. Something you will notice by the end of this post is that on the BA Architecture course at the University of Westminster, technical studies is no longer a separate module and is marked within the design modules. In order to fulfill the 120 credits requirement, a different module is introduced. Stick around till the end of the post to find out what it is.
So, depending on the design studio you have been put in (same selection method as second year -> check it out here [insert module breakdown year 2 link]), you will be responding to a brief in your first semester. For Elif and I, we designed a small prototypical residential project in London but this can change depending on which studio you are placed in. In some studios, you might not even be proposing a building for the end of your first semester, some studios were researching films for 6 weeks, and instead be heavily invested in research and then have a proposal at the end of second semester. In our case, our studio had a project assigned to each semester but both projects were linked to each other so we never began from bedrock when the second semester came around. Both projects are expected to be submitted with a completed design + access statement, portfolio and in-depth technical exploration. The design & access statement and portfolio is like how the past years have been. The difference here is how technical is approached. As mentioned previously, the technical module is no longer separate and instead it is embedded into your design modules however it is submitted separately. This is for ease of marking as two different departments will settle on two separate marks and then the average between the two, whilst taking into consideration weightings, will be your mark.
In the technical exploration of DES3A, you are expected to submit what is referred to as a ‘sourcebook’. All in all, it is very similar to that of DDS, EDS and other technical portfolio submissions in previous years. As we were amongst the cohort of COVID disrupted students, we were allowed to work on the sourcebook in pairs and as you could have guessed… Elif & I partnered up for this one. The sourcebook would need to be based on a material of your choice that you will be primarily using in your project and in our case it was cork. You are expected to cover topics such as embodied carbon, operational energy, qualities of the material, 2D + 3D details at 1:2, 1:5 or 1:10, physical models and more. On top of all this, we were also given the task to produce a ‘technical ad’ presenting the pros of the material we had based our sourcebook on. This didn’t have to be no more than a minute long… thankfully. The formative submission for these assignments were in January where you would receive feedback and then a final submission in May. That explains the technical exploration within the DES3A module. Now onto DES3B.
DES3B: Major Design Project
[Major Design Project is the second design module which is compulsory for all BA students and it includes an architectural proposal & design statement (65%) and a technical study (30%), exhibition design & setup (5%). This module is worth 40 credits.]
For DES3B you do a design proposal leading on from semester one research or prototypical ideas and design. For Sude and I’s studio semester two was the chance to move our prototypical london design, overseas to an international site in Beijing China. Here we continued to experiment with design ideas in a new urban context and finalise a new way of living after the pandemic. As we were not able to go to China ourselves we had multiple site visits to exhibitions and museums in London, as well as an additional online crits with tutors from CAFA, where we would have been if it wasn’t for Covid. As our brief was focused on housing, we also took a day trip to Cambridge, where we got to see different types of architecture and more specifically different housing types.
In the first two weeks of semester two as a way of understanding our new site and urban form, we split the studio into groups to make a 1.50 site model, where we would be able to test concept models and a 1.1000 model, looking at the wider context and urban mapping. From then onwards, it was a design process of modeling, iterating designs, solving new ideas and finally rendering visuals of the final proposals.
As mentioned under DES3A, this module also requires you to submit a completed design + access statement, portfolio and in-depth technical exploration of your proposal. The design & access statement and portfolio is the same format as every other year has been. However, the technical in semester 2 is a little bit different to any previous submission you’ve done before. The technical exploration of DES3B consists of research, structural axos, construction timeline and environmental qualities through diagrams in each season formatted onto five A1 sheets. This is submitted as part of your portfolio, so in the same PDF. In fact, your design tutor will be alongside the technical faculty during marking as your technical submission should be cohesive with your design proposal.
CC3: Dissertation
[The CC3 module is compulsory by all BA Architecture students and expected to be completed in their third year of study. You are given the freedom to write a minimum of 5000 words about an architecture-related topic of your choice. The dissertation is 100% of the CC3 module. This module is worth 20 credits.]
It is very common for architecture degrees to request from students a long piece of academic writing otherwise known as a dissertation or thesis as a part of their undergraduate. However, in some cases you may not be asked to do one at this level but definitely expect to do one during your Masters. In the case of Westminster students, you are expected to brainstorm potential topics broadly during the summer between second and third year. We were expected to have a 1000 word synopsis written over the summer break as discussion material for our assigned CC3 tutor sessions. In essence this is meant to be your breakthrough to starting to write your dissertation and was going to change a whole load throughout the semester. Surprisingly to some other architecture courses at Westminster, Architectural Technology students for example, we were expected to submit our final dissertation in the January of our 3rd academic year instead of May like others. Hence why the topic of dissertations came up at the very end of our second year right before we broke up on holiday with a brief lecture on what to expect and what was expected.
Additionally, we were also asked to share with our CC3 tutor groups a short presentation around mid first semester about where we had got up to with our dissertation research so far. Although it is not marked, definitely take advantage of this as it will push you to keep your dissertation going amongst all the design studio module stress. It was very easy to fall into the ‘I’ll work on it this weekend’ trap which is why I think these small tasks like the synopsis and presentation were added in deliberately.
Besides those two mini deadlines, you are more or less left to research, continue writing and developing your dissertation until the final deadline which is usually January/February of the academic year. You will have weekly drop in sessions with your CC3 tutors. Depending on the tutor, you may have weeks where everyone gathers for an informative informal lecture about dissertation formats, referencing and so on. Whether it be primary or secondary research, you are supposed to be juggling all your research and writing time simultaneously with your other ongoing modules. The next big break you have after the summer break is the Christmas break which is common for most students to write up their whole dissertation but do remember that your tutors are out of reach as this would be the end of the semester and everyone would be working towards the deadline now. You may be offered by your tutor to have a session or two before the deadline but ideally you should be making final tweaks, format changes and multiple reviews at this point.
Once submitting your dissertation, that’s it. The CC3 module is complete with 100% of your module based on your dissertation mark. Can be a little stressful but that’s why you have time from the end of your second year to begin your research and writing. It’s also pretty nice not having to think about CC3 for the whole year like the past two years but the degree introduces a different module for the second semester instead. One that you will not be familiar with.
PS3: Preparing For Practice
[Preparing For Practice is a module that aims to develop connections between academia and practice, providing an opportunity to develop skills that may be used in the year out. It is compulsory for all BA students and it includes a CV + Cover letter (25%), a website (25%), a workbook (50%) and a co-production workshop (Mandatory attendance). This module is worth 20 credits.]
CV + Cover Letter
The CV and cover letter are part of the modules first semester submission. The intention of this submission is to help you prepare the key documents for after graduation when you are job seeking. There are a series of tutor sessions which you can sign up to in order to discuss your work with one of the module tutors, which is quite subjective, but sometimes very informative. In the lead up to these sessions, you are expected to start working on your cv and cover letter, abiding by some set rules to do with the format and representation of it. For example, one rule was that you weren’t allowed to include a photo of yourself, or that you shouldn't write down unnecessary hobbies and qualifications that aren't related to the role you’re applying to. For this pdf submission we had a formative just before christmas and a final submission a couple weeks after, at the start of semester two.
Website
Similar to the CV and cover letter, the brief was to design a website that would showcase our work, ranging from design proposals and structural drawings to hobbies like photography and model making. It was an online submission at the very end of semester two, intended to help during the year out.. The idea is that when applying for a role, the employer can look at your work more broadly, beyond a selected portfolio.
Work Report (One Week Work Placement)
The work report is the heavier part of this module, accounting for 50% of your mark. This was solely focused on during semester two, starting a week prior to classes in January where we had a learning burst of lectures, to help inform us on terminology, ethics and working stages of projects in the workplace. The following week, the majority of students were allocated work placements in a range of architecture firms ranging in micro to medium sizes. Those who weren't given a place, had a substitute project to complete with the university and therefore also had a different hand in. The overall focus of the work report looks at project procurement in terms of practice management from the initial stages of a project, where it gets quoted, all the way till the end where it’s signed off and in use. In addition to this, while you critically explain this through diagrams, text and images,, you are required to contextualise and support these steps by referring to the RIBA working stages (e.g planning application, building control, tendering, technical packs, contracts etc…). While the submission format is an online pdf with explanations, reflections and comments, you are constantly encouraged to keep it as visual and diagrammatic as possible.The contents of the pdf is essentially structured into five parts. The practice, the project, the role of the architect with ethics and professionalism, work stage diagrams and self reflection.
Part A is all about the practice. You are expected to consider the type of practice you are working in and how their firm works in relation to other practices in context to the wider industry. This could include many pieces of information such as firm size, its history, employers and employees, the team structures, the hierarchy of roles, contract types used in that specific practice, diversity etc… Part B is about the project you are working on during your one week placement. This is the section to really discuss the brief, the site, the client, the design process and more specifics like cost and which work stages are being undertaken. Some other pieces of information you might include could be sustainability approaches, discussion on any relevant stakeholders and what influences the key issues of the project. In addition to this, this part is where you are able to discuss and comment more critically on the relationships in the design & procurement teams, the type of contracts that were being signed and who they were between. Once the main pieces of information have been set in the first two sections, you introduce Section C, the role of the architect: ethics and professionalism, the personal and the political- understanding the spectrum of practice. It is definitely more of an ethical topic where you’re required to give your opinion on practice motivation, approach to sustainability and projects that undertake social and economic responsibilities in a wider community. Following this is the last section in regards to your week placement, the work reports. Section D is you working out the work stages of the project you are working on. This includes stages prior to your arrival as well as educated estimates on the future timeline of the project.
Finally, section E of the project is probably the easiest part as it is based on your reflections and career aspirations. This part allows you to reflect on not only your placement but also as your design education as a whole over the past three years. This includes architecture related extracurricular activities like being part of the architecture society, exhibition building and RIBA mentoring. The aim of this section is to help you deung your career pals in the progression but looking back at how these experiences might have shaped your next career move.
Co-Production Workshop
The co-workshop was a two day activity in collaboration with medics from Imperial College London. The concept was to discuss ways in which the design of hospital wards for specific illnesses (i.e. dementia, mental health etc. ) could change to accommodate for better wellbeing, navigation and quality of stay. Whilst this part of the module doesn’t have it’s own submission, attendance is mandatory and using the screenshots and images of the work created, you are required to talk about it in your work report.
Note: For Architecture and Environmental Design, each module was equally weighted at 20 credits with the exception of DS3A: Final Thesis Project which was weighted at 40 credits.
DS3A: Final Thesis Project
For DS3A, we had to design a network of prototypes based in the Royal Docklands that responded to the climatic conditions of the site, and offer something to a selected user group that we chose based on site research. Our semester two project was an extension of this network, which required us to either design a new prototype at a larger scale that was related to the network, or one that was simply a larger, more complex version of the existing prototype structures. We had an interim portfolio submission for the prototype network project, which involved a mixture of group site research and individual design work. The final submission was a single portfolio that included both the network and larger prototype design, as well as the design statement that described the semester 2 design project. Essentially, we were required to define our own brief deciding on the users, programme and environmental performance of our prototypes and building. The use of different visualisation techniques such as overlaying environmental data onto technical drawings film was encouraged to better represent our ideas and enhance our portfolios.
DS3B: Prototype Fabrication and Testing
DS3B required us to take a component of our DS3A Semester 2 Design Project, such as a brick, a panel or a joint. We had to test this component environmentally in terms of its daylight, thermal, ventilation etc. performance. The use of different fabrication techniques was encouraged, as we were expected to consider how the components were made as well as their performance when applied to the whole building. The output of this module was documenting the process of developing this component through iterations of digital and analogue simulations as variations of the component were produced. This was to be presented in a portfolio format, with crits over the course of the semester to help provide feedback on the development of the component.
TES3: Environmental Energy and Performance
Our Technical Environmental Studies module was assessed through a report on our studies of our chosen site at different scales in the Royal Docklands. We had to analyse the environmental conditions of our project site at a macro-climate scale, micro-climate scale and building scale, also looking at building performance of our project. Through the use of different software and plugins such as Ladybug and Honeybee in Grasshopper, ENVI-Met and IESVE, we were able to simulate the building performance of our projects e.g. undertaking ventilation studies through CFD analyses, radiance and daylight simulations and even testing the acoustic properties of our building. By combining both site visits that entailed the collection of physical environmental site data using handheld equipment, and a series of environmental simulations, we were able to collate a comprehensive report on the site and building that we designed in the Royal Docklands.
PS3: Preparing For Practice
Similar to the BA Architecture course, the BSc Architecture and Environmental Design PS3 module entailed a co-production workshop with Imperial College and a work placement. The differing parts of the module assessment consisted of group coursework and individual coursework. The one-week work placement was assessed through a reflective logbook discussing our placement experience, what we took from the placement and a statement of our future career plans. For students who did not receive a work placement, we had to reflect on our experience working on a Live Project Assignment which we were given as an alternative. In addition, we had a group coursework portfolio that we submitted, where we researched the Royal Docklands site in relation to the London Plan and Local Plan, which would inform us how our design projects for DS3A would impact the area on different scales and whether or not they aligned with the goals of these two plans. The individual strategic report went into more detail on building regulations and the specifics on how our project would be carried out, subject to the RIBA working stages and legal regulations of our designs depending on the programme, site and scale of our proposals.
CC3: Personal Interest and Research Brief
Unlike the BA Architecture course, instead of a dissertation, the BSc Architecture and Environmental Design CC3 module was assessed through a combination of group work and individual work that contributed to a portfolio of research to support our design project. At the beginning of the year, we selected an environmental theme to research, which would eventually form the focus of our design project, and were grouped within our studio based on similar interests. We explored these themes (e.g. energy, biodiversity etc.) in relation to the Royal Docklands, and represented our findings through a combination of written and visual work such as maps and speculatory drawings (which were optional). Throughout the course of the year, we had workshops on how to map data using QGIS and Grasshopper scripts in Rhino, to demonstrate our research on our chosen environmental topics.
We hope this post explained what you can expect from your final year of studying architecture at the University of Westminster, whether you’re a BA or Bsc student. Bearing in mind this was from our experience and our year of study and all these are subject to change, but it’s sometimes nice to read up and prepare for yourself for the intensity of the work, as that is one thing which won’t be different in final year.
If you have any questions about studying final-year or studing architecture in general, make sure to let us know on our Instagram @archidabble.
