Philadelphia University
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Architecture
Second Semester (2011/2012)
Course Syllabus
Course Title:
Urban Design
Course Level:
4nd year
Lecture Time:
10:30-12:00 Sunday & Tuesday
Course code:
0660437
Course prerequisite (s):
Landscape Architecture
Credit hours:
3
Academic Staff Specifics
Name
Rank
Office
Number and
Location
Office Hours
E-mail Address
Dr. Afnan Saleh
Assistant
professor
61-317
ST 8:00-9:00
MW 12:00-2:00
a.saleh@ philadelphia.edu.eg
Course description:
This course provides an overview of urban design as interdisciplinary practice that is concerned
with defining the human settlements. It provides a brief history and definition of urban design and the
roles of the various professions involved (Architect, landscape architect, urban planner and civil
engineers). It looks at the element of urban form, from the scale of the city and its region to the
importance of details and materials.
Course objectives:
This course aims essentially to explain the importance of urban design to architecture. This main
goal can be achieved through achieving the following objectives:
 To understand the meaning of Urban Design as a discourse between architecture, landscape
architecture, urban planning and civil engineering.
 To recognize the concept of the urban context and the legibility of urban relationships as
tools to make sense of the city.
 To explore both the tangible and less tangible measures that inform the design of cities and
the vitality of urban spaces
 To define the character of an urban space according to its movement patterns, with
emphasis on the walkability as a key to good urban design.
2nd Semester (2011/2012)
Urban Design

To be aware that a city is the product of culture, but equally, it is an important shaper and
creator of culture.
Course components
Books;
The selected text book is:
Wall, Ed and Waterman, Tim. 2010. Urban Design. London : Avabooks, 2010.
Support material;
Various illustrations on Data Show, books, magazines, site visits, and DVDs.
Homework and laboratory guide:
A series of exercise sheets designed to achieve the course objectives. Each sheet includes
exercise description, exercise objective, required instruments and materials, and guiding
instructions and the time of work to produce required submittals.
Teaching methods:
This course follows the process of enhancing the student’s knowledge and intellectual skills in
learning. This course focuses on improving the following skills;
 Verbal and Writing Skills: Ability to speak and write effectively on subject matter contained in
the professional curriculum.
 Critical Thinking Skills: Ability to make a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of a
building, building complex, or urban space.
 Research Skills: Ability to employ basic methods of data collection and analysis to inform all
aspects of the programming and design process.
 Collaborative Skills: Ability to identify and assume divergent roles that maximize individual
talents, and to cooperate with other students when working as members of a design team and in
other settings.
 Human Diversity: Awareness of the diversity of needs, values, behavioral norms, and social
patterns that characterize different cultures, and implications of this diversity for societal roles
and responsibilities of architects.
 Ethics and Professional Judgment: Awareness of the ethical issues involved in the formation of
professional judgments in architecture design and practice.
Assessment instruments
Work for the class will include extensive reading, two short written exercises, a longer final paper,
and three exams (two in-class and the other a final). Approximately 10% of your grade will be based on
the two shorter exercises, 70% on the exams, 10% on the quality of your final paper and 10% on class
participation. It is essential that all reading be completed in advance of each class. There will be an
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2nd Semester (2011/2012)
Urban Design
occasional pop quiz on the day's assigned readings. These quizzes will affect your class participation
grade; if you don't do the readings, you can't participate in class discussion.
Allocation of Marks
Assessment Instruments
Wight
Mark
First Exam
Exam 1
20%
20%
Second Exam
Exam 2
20%
20%
Reports
Exercise 1
10%
20%
Class participation & quizzes
10%
Exercise 2
10%
Exam 3
30%
Final Exam
Total
100%
40%
100%
Engineering student should have the ability of time management. Consequently, assignments and
exercises should be submitted on time. A bonus of 5% of the students’ grade will be awarded to those
who submit their projects on time. A penalty of 5% of the students’ grade will be inflicted foe each day
of delay (weekends included).
Documentation and academic honesty
The students are trusted to act honorably. Those who are in violation of the academic honesty can
be subjected to standard penalty for a first offence includes issuing "No Pass" or "No Credit" for the
exercise in which the violation occurred. The standard penalty for a multiple violation includes "No
Pass" or "No Credit" for the course. Examples of conduct which to be regarded as being in violation
include unpermitted collaboration and representing the work of another as one's own work.
Course academic calendar
Week
No.
1.
Dates
Subject
12/2/2012
14/2/2012
2.
19/2/2012
21/2/2012
26/2/2012
28/2/2012
4/3/2012
6/3/2012
11/3/2012
13/3/2012
Drop/ add period
Course outlines and requirements
What is urban design?
What is urban design?/ Historical perspectives
What is urban design?/ Classical texts of urban design
What is urban design?/ Theories into practice
What is urban design?/ The nature of urban design
Urban design context/ City and territory
Urban design context/ City
Urban design context/ Neighborhood and blocks
Urban design context/ Street
Urban design context/ Detailing
Exam-1
Exam-1
3.
4.
5.
6.
18/3/2012
Readings and homework
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2nd Semester (2011/2012)
Urban Design
Week
No.
Dates
Subject
Readings and homework
20/3/2012
Urban design measures/ Street
Urban design measures/ Blocks
Urban design measures/ Buildings and open spaces
Urban design measures/ person
Urban design measures/ infrastructure and utilities
Urban design and movement/ Innovations and trends
Urban design and movement/ Speed
Urban design and movement/ modes
Urban design and movement/ Mass vs. individual
Urban design and movement/ stasis
Urban design and culture/ Societies and culture
Urban design and culture/ Politics and economy
Urban design and culture/ Community and individuals
Urban design and culture/ Necessities
Urban design and culture/ Diversions
Exam-2
Exercise-1
7.
25/3/2012
27/3/2012
8.
1/4/2012
3/4/2012
9.
8/4/2012
10/4/2012
15/4/2012
17/4/2012
22/4/2012
24/4/2012
10
11.
12.
29/4/2012
13.
6/5/2012
8/5/2012
13/5/2012
15/5/2012
20/5/2012
22/5/2012
14.
15.
The core of urban design work
The future of urban design
discussions
discussions
Exercise-2
Expected workload:
Architectural Design courses are the most important courses for the architectural engineering
student. This course involves creative tasks that require patience and continuous practicing which
implies spending extra time (not less than 10 hours/week) in working on projects and exercises.
Attendance policy:
Absence from lectures and/or tutorials shall not exceed 15%. Students who exceed the 15% limit
without a medical or emergency excuse acceptable to and approved by the Dean of the relevant
college/Faculty shall not be allowed to take the final examination and shall receive a mark of zero for
the course. If the excuse is approved by the Dean, the student shall be considered to have withdrawn
from the course.
References
Broadbent, Geoffrey. 1990. Emerging Concepts in Urban Spaces Design. New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold
Company, 1990.
Carmona, Matthew and Tiesdell, Steve, [ed.]. 2007. Urban Design Reader. Oxford : Elsevier, Architectural
Press, 2007.
Cullen, Gordon. 1961, 1990. The Concise Townscape. London : Butterworth Architecture, 1961, 1990.
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Urban Design
2nd Semester (2011/2012)
Kostof, Spiro. 1992. The city assembled: the elements of urban form through history. London : Thames and
Hudson, 1992.
—. 1991. The city shaped: urban patterns and meanings through history. London : Thames and Hudson, 1991.
ISBN 0-8212-1867-0.
Lang, Jon. 2005. Urban design: a typology of procedures and products illustrated with over 50 case studies.
Oxford : Elsevier: Architectural Press, 2005.
Lynch, Kevin. 1960, 1977. The Image of the City. Massachusetts : The M.I.T. Press, 1960, 1977.
Moughtin, Cliff, et al. 1999. Urban design: method and techniques. Oxford : Butterworth-Heinemann:
Architectural Press, 1999.
Moughtin, Cliff, et al. 1992, 2004. Urban design: street and square. Oxford : Butterworth Architecture, 1992,
2004.
Wall, Ed and Waterman, Tim. 2010. Urban Design. London : Avabooks, 2010.
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