URBP 232 U
D
S
S
2010
Instructor:
Office location:
Telephone:
Email:
Office hours:
Class days/time:
Classroom:
Prerequisites:
Course Website:
Heidi Sokolowsky
218 Washington Square Hall
408 924-5882 sokolowsky@earthlink.net
Thursday, 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Thursday, 4:00 to 6:45 pm
Dudley Moorhead Hall 162
Prerequisite: URBP 231 or instructor consent http://urbp232.pbworks.com
Through fieldwork and laboratory assignments, the student applies urban design theories, methods and principles to a current urban development issue. Prerequisite: URBP 231 or instructor consent.
This course concentrates on urban design, which is predominantly concerned with the physical and spatial aspects of the city. Urban design is an interdisciplinary field, which considers contextual factors such as community priorities, land use, transportation, built form, ecological conditions, the public realm, economic conditions, sustainability and historical context, to develop holistic design ideas and solutions as well as strategies for implementation. The course is set up in a studio format, which means most work will be performed in small teams with hands-on guidance, pin-ups and critiques, sometimes provided by guest reviewers from the design and planning profession. The studio environment allows for open discussions, critical thinking, exchanging ideas, developing design concepts and their graphic representation, exploring sketching, drawing and graphic design in both manual and digital form, and, last not least, learning from each other. Lectures and individual assignments will be limited to benefit the most from the studio time.
Course Learning Objectives:
The goal of this course is to develop concrete design solutions for the East Santa Clara Street
Corridor in San Jose that take the aforementioned factors into account and strike a balance between bold, visionary transformation on the one hand, and sensitivity, flexibility, and feasibility on the other.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
1.
Approach to real-world design problems using the same information, tools and techniques used by professionals.
2.
Work in teams to gather data, conduct a rigorous urban context and site analysis, and design interventions at several scales.
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 1 of 11

3.
Develop ideas and concepts, and translate them into design utilizing a variety of tools and techniques such as sketching, computer aided drawing, and 3-D modeling.
4.
Learn about the typical design process within a team, set goals, get familiar with evolving concepts and alternatives, and develop tasks and areas of focus.
5.
Prepare and conduct presentations to one another, the instructor, and outside reviewers.
6.
Understand the complexity of urban form and the interdisciplinary process applied in planning and urban design.
7.
Distinguish between different products, plans and documents generated by urban designers.
Prior experience with graphic communication and teamwork is recommended.
This Urban Design Studio will focus on streetscape design along East Santa Clara Street between 4 th
Street and 17 th Street. This low density, non-descript and in some areas neglected corridor is located between downtown and City Hall to the West and the Five Wounds Brookwood Terrace neighborhood to the east. Commercial, retail, and restaurant uses are predominant along East Santa
Clara Street itself, but residential and public uses, open spaces, as well as the San Jose State
University Campus are in the immediate neighborhood of the corridor. Although it is an important gateway to downtown from Highway 101, not much planning has occurred in the past to improve the economic vitality and aesthetic quality of this stretch corridor. However, the corridor will undergo significant changes in the near and mid-term future due to several planned projects: the
BART extension from Fremont to San Jose that will run under Santa Clara Street, a Bus Rapid
Transit System (BRT) along the corridor, and the redevelopment of the currently vacant Medical
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 2 of 11

Center site between 14 th and 17 th Street. For this reason, the City of San Jose and the Redevelopment
Agency in particular are very interested in potential ideas and strategies for improvements that respond to the role and significance the corridor may have in the future. Last semester, with the support of Kip Harkness and Paul Pereira for the Redevelopment Agency as well as other City Staff, the students participating in the Community Assessment course (URBP 201) prepared a thorough analysis of the area and identified specific issues along the corridor. Based on these findings, we will develop specific design ideas for the streetscape of East Santa Clara Street that not only integrate the planned transportation improvements but also suggest ideas for overall enhancement of the corridor in terms of identity, built environment, walkability, attractiveness, and usability. During the concept development and ideas findings phase, we will include the larger context surrounding the corridor to understand existing conditions and identify future opportunities that are relevant to the corridor.
Following this comprehensive approach, the teams will develop a vision and design for E Santa
Clara Street itself and determine focus areas that will be designed to a greater level of detail. We will explore streetscape design alternatives and the potential positive impact street elements can make to the overall improvement of the area. The project will allow the students to get familiar with a variety of scales and design issues, and with urban design opportunities in connection with transportation projects. Transportation and public infrastructure projects currently receive generous amounts of funding. This is an area where planners and urban designers can make important contributions to ensure that solutions are used to their fullest potential, not just for improved transportation but also for social, spatial, and economic improvements that are sustainable and attractive in the long-term.
Our studies can eventually become a complementary part of the E. Santa Clara Corridor final report that will comprised of the results developed in URBP 201 and the parallel work prepared in URBP
203. URBP 203 that will concentrate on community outreach, prioritization of improvements and their implementation while this course will focus on the design component of the corridor. The outcomes of the community outreach conducted in URBP 203 may inform our studio work over the course of the semester as well.
Readings are minimal to ensure adequate time for hands-on studio work. There is no written paper.
However, it is recommended to refer the following reference guides, books and articles during the studio:
Community Assessment of East Santa Clara Street Corridor Report prepared by URBP 201 class, available on course website http://urbp232.pbworks.com
APA Urban Design and Planning Standards, ISBN 978-0-471-47581-1, available at SJSU Library
Great Streets by Allan Jacobs, ISBN: 978-0262600231, available at SJSU Library
New York City DOT Street Design Manual, available online at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/streetdesignmanual.shtml
San Francisco Better Streets Plan –Draft for Review, available online at http://www.sf-planning.org/ftp/BetterStreets/proposals.htm
Bus Rapid Transit: A Handbook for Partners by George Gray, Norman Kelley, Tom Larwin, available online at http://worldcat.org:80/arcviewer/1/CBT/2008/06/26/H1214512271137/viewer/file1.pdf
The Urban Design Handbook by Urban Design Associates, ISBN 0-393-73106-5, available at SJSU
Library
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 3 of 11

Short description about the design studio format: http://depts.washington.edu/dmgftp/publications/pdfs/edutech97-eyd.pdf
We will use both digital and “by-hand” design tools in this course, and students are encouraged to combine them in creative ways. In addition to sketching and possibly physical model making, a variety of software applications for graphic communication will get introduced. Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop (available in department computer labs) will be used for presentation layouts, and
SketchUp will provide a basic, optional 3D modeling tool. We will also touch on Adobe InDesign, which is a layout program for creating multi-page documents such as reports and brochures.
Students with knowledge of additional software such as AutoCAD or other 3-D software may incorporate them to a limited extent. All students will be expected to keep a sketchbook for field notes, sketches, and ideas. Life-drawing, perspective sketching, and diagramming ideas by hand will be incorporated into the class meetings. Students should expect to acquire some basic materials
(tracing paper, straight edge, engineering scale, pencils, markers, etc., see paragraph below for costs).
A digital camera will be useful, although one per team should generally be adequate. Students may make limited use of the departmental plotter to print large-scale final presentations.
The following materials are required for the course: sketchbook, sketch paper, pens, color pencils or markers, and an engineering scale. While each student should have his/ her own sketchbook (cost: approx. $10.00) and pens, the other materials may be purchased per team to be shared. The cost for all these materials will be approximately $30.00 per person. It is suggested to organize the purchase of the materials in class.
In the light of the state’s and university’s budget crisis, please do NOT print course materials using department printers and paper – kindly use your own equipment for this. For large poster-size presentation materials, the department color plotter can be used. However, department policy requires contacting the assigned student assistant or the instructor to schedule a time for plotting.
Students must NOT use the plotter without assistance from the assigned persons or instructor.
At the beginning of the semester, $30.00 from each student will be collected for course-related costs such as meeting refreshments, paper and ink for the large-format plotter, and other costs. We should all be considerate with these funds and if surplus funds remain at the end of the semester, they will be equally divided amongst all students and returned.
The computer laboratory in WSQ208 and “mini-lab” (in the Planning Department lounge area) are available to you to complete in-class assignments and homework. If you plan to use your personal computer to complete assignments started in class, a USB Flash Drive with at least 2 GB of capacity and/or a rewriteable CD-ROM or DVD is strongly recommended for saving your in-class work and transferring it to your personal computer. Each student should have access to a computer with an
Internet connection and have access to the following software: Microsoft Internet Explorer (or
Firefox), Adobe Acrobat Reader (from www.adobe.com), and Microsoft Word and Powerpoint. We will also use graphics programs (Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, SketchUp), which are accessible on the lab computers. SketchUp is also downloadable for free at http://sketchup.google.com/ .
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 4 of 11

An urban design studio is characterized by a flexible structure with evolving themes and tasks that are partially resulting from the teams’ work and process. Thus, the outline described below is meant as a guide and is subject to change depending on the teams’ need and interests.
Part One: Student and Instructor Introductions; Project Review; Skills and Interests
Questionnaire; Sketching Exercises (1 week)
Part Two: Site Visit, Team Set-Up, Technical Skill Development, Background Information
(4 weeks)
Part Three: Studio Work: Site Analysis and First Ideas, Interim Presentation (4 weeks)
Part Four: Studio Work: Concept Development and Design, Interim and Final
Presentation (7 weeks)
Date Topics and Tasks
Jan. 28
Part 1 - Introductions, Project Review, Student Skills and Interests
Introductions
Course and Syllabus Review
Student Skills and Interests
Questionnaire
Sketching Exercise
Assignment 1 (Individual):
Street Sketch
Part 2 - Site Visit, Team Set-Up, Technical Skill Development, Background
Information
Feb. 4
Site Visit of the Corridor
Forming of Teams
Ideas Discussion
Feb.
11
Pin-Up of Assignment 1
Streetscape Presentation by Guest
Speaker
Sketching Exercise First Ideas
Assignment 1 due
Assignment 2 (Individual):
Summary of report
Feb.
18
-
-
BRT Presentation by Guest Speaker
Introduction to Illustrator and
Photoshop
Assignment 2 due
Assignment 3 (Individual):
Street Section
Feb.
25
Introduction to InDesign, Layout
Techniques, and SketchUp
Pin-Up of Assignment 3
Sketching Exercise Streetscape
Assignment 3 due
Assignment 4 (Team):
BRT Case Studies
Part 3 - Studio Work: Site Analysis and First Ideas, Interim Presentation
March
4
Studio Work: Existing Conditions and Analysis
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 5 of 11

March
11
Furlough – No Class
March
18
Studio Work: Site Analysis and Ideas
Pin-Up of Analysis Diagrams
Presentation of BRT Case Studies
Assignment 5 (Team):
Preparation of Site Analysis and Ideas
Presentation
March
25
Presentation of Site Analysis and
Ideas
Assignment 6 (Team):
Best Practices of Street Design
April
1
SPRING BREAK
Part 4 - Studio Work: Concept Development and Design, Interim and Final
Presentation
April
8
Studio Work: Concept Design
Development
Pin-Up of Assignment 6
Assignment 6 due
April
15
Studio Work: Concept Design
Development
Assignment 7 (Team):
Preparation of Concept Design
Presentation
April
22
Concept Design Presentation
Studio Work: Design Development
April
29
Studio Work: Design Development and Detailed Design Focus Areas
May 6 Faculty Furlough Day – No Class
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 6 of 11

May
13
Studio Work: Design Development and Detailed Design Focus Areas
Assignment 7 (Team):
Preparation of Final Presentation
May
20
Final Presentation
Your grade for the course will be based primarily on the following components and assignments:
Component Percentage of Assignment Title Percent of
Individual
Performance
Team
Performance
Final Grade
40%
60%
Component
Attendance and
Participation
Teamwork, Initiative, and
Communication
Individual Assignments
20%
30%
Creativity and Critical
Thinking
30%
20%
Team Assignments 20%
Interim Pinups/Desk Crits 20%
Site Analysis and Ideas
Presentation
Concept Design
Presentation
20%
20%
Final Presentation
Assignments and Course materials will be posted on the course website
20% http://urbp232.pbworks.com/ . Students are expected to check the website regularly.
In mid-semester, I will offer a voluntary meeting with each student who wants to discuss individual performance.
Students are expected to devote considerable time (6 to 8 hours) outside of class meetings to coursework, both in groups and as individuals. Coursework will be presented in graphic and oral form. All students are expected to contribute to visual presentation materials and to present them to the class and to outside reviewers. Because presentations are given to outside review panels, extensions can not be granted. Only under extraordinary circumstances, and with the instructor’s advance permission, can individual conflicts be accommodated. A studio is intended to replicate, to the extent possible, professional design work. Students are expected to be proactive and conscientious in shaping the design process, seeking out information, and communicating both
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 7 of 11

inside and outside the studio. Collaboration is a fundamental element of professional design practice. Students should expect to share their work with each other and the instructor at all stages.
Students of different levels are expected to work together and communicate effectively. Grading will reflect engagement, commitment, progress and communication, not simply the quality of the final designs.
This course is differs from most planning courses as it is set up as a studio with a design focus. It is similar to an architectural design studio where students explore designs and ideas, and share them with the team, the class and the instructor, and receive feedback for the further development of ideas. In contrast to many professional planning projects, which are often rigidly organized in specific phases and follow a fairly linear process, often times because a big team of consultants need to be organized and deadlines need to be met, an urban design studio is an opportunity to focus on the design process and the design itself with few constraints. These opportunities are fairly rare in professional life, although this learning by doing and experimenting is one of the best ways to learn about design. Urban design goes beyond a “toolbox” of prototypes and standards and requires a holistic understanding of the factors involved and a high level of creativity in order to arrive at solutions that can truly make a difference and are sustainable in the long run. Some students may already have some experience with design, while others may have never sketched anything before and may feel uncomfortable. It’s important to know that this course doesn’t require any drawing skills and drawing techniques are not subject to grading. However, since this is course is about exploring your own and others’ creativity and ideas and how to communicate them graphically, you are encouraged to test approaches and methods you have never tried before. In this course, the evolution of the project is as important as the final product. Thus, a great deal of self-initiative and hands-on production work is required during the studio time. The role of the instructor in a studio course is to teach, guide, mentor and encourage the project teams. The role of the student is to take full advantage of the freedom and flexibility offered by a studio course to collaborate with fellow students, to complete assigned tasks in a manner that exceeds expectations wherever possible and to produce professional-grade materials and presentations for the student’s portfolio.
We all need to be in agreement that the following standards will apply:
Instructor Responsibilities
 To create a physically and intellectually safe and stimulating environment for learning
 To assist students as much as possible with their individual and collective learning goals
 To help resolve conflicts that hinder learning by answering student questions clearly and promptly, or to research answers and reply to the student as soon as possible
 To treat students with respect and kindness, using encouragement and humor to foster learning
 To clearly explain tasks and objectives
 To evaluate and grade student work fairly and accurately while providing constructive feedback
Student Responsibilities
 To attend each class session and to arrive punctually, bringing all needed materials
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 8 of 11

 To treat other students and the instructor with absolute respect, supporting fellow students whenever possible with their learning objectives, and minimizing distractions in class
 To complete all assignments on time and professionally according to requirements listed in this syllabus
 To fully read and understand all aspects of this syllabus and to carry out the requirements therein
 To actively and consistently participate in class discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and team production work
 Be prepared to present your work in pin-up sessions to the class and outside reviewers
 To demonstrate self-reliance, self-motivation and self-direction in completing learning objectives
 To accept responsibility for working collaboratively in the learning process
 To devote the appropriate amount of additional time beyond of the scheduled class period to conduct research and to complete assignments
As with any studio-based course, the structure will not feature a regular series of lectures and clearlydelineated assignments; rather, you should expect to be given general direction and clear goals from your instructor who will work with you to determine the appropriate strategies for execution of the project.
Students that typically do well in studio courses:
 pull their weight by sharing the workload equally with team members and to attend all team meetings and discussions
 consistently demonstrate enthusiasm for the project, even when deadlines loom and stress levels elevate
 consistently demonstrate full support for their team
 devise strategies for carrying out the team’s short- and long-term tasks and goals
 are organized, respectful and professional in their conversations with community members and agency officials
 embrace the flexibility and inherent creativity of a studio course to actively pursue career interests and the acquisition of new skills
It is important to remember that the instructor’s primary role in a studio course is to help you succeed, formulate your objectives, and grow as a professional planner. Therefore, you should
always feel welcome to ask for help either during the class period, privately during office hours, or remotely via e-mail. Asking for assistance will never be perceived as a liability and will never impact your grade negatively. Similarly, it is important to recognize that instructors can constantly learn from as well and you are encouraged to offer your views of the course at any time during the semester to help me grow as a teacher and professional; you do not need to wait for the formal endof-semester course evaluation. I very much want this course to be useful and for you, so please let me know how you feel the course is progressing. Compliments and constructive criticisms are both welcome!
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 9 of 11

SJSU’s Policy on Academic Integrity states: "Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University, and the University's Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development" (Academic Senate Policy
S07-2). The policy on academic integrity can be found at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S07-2.htm
.
Plagiarism is the use of someone else's language, images, data, or ideas without proper attribution. It is a very serious offense both in the university and in your professional work. In essence, plagiarism is both theft and lying: you have stolen someone else's ideas, and then lied by implying that they are your own.
Plagiarism will lead to grade penalties and a record filed with the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. In severe cases, students may also fail the course or even be expelled from the university.
If you are unsure what constitutes plagiarism, it is your responsibility to make sure you clarify the issues before you hand in draft or final work.
Learning when to cite a source and when not to is an art, not a science. However, here are some examples of plagiarism that you should be careful to avoid:
 If you use a sentence (or even part of a sentence) that someone else wrote and don't reference the source, you have committed plagiarism.
 If you paraphrase somebody else's theory or idea and don't reference the source, you have committed plagiarism.
 If you use a picture or table from a webpage or book and don't reference the source, you have committed plagiarism.
 If your work incorporates data someone else has collected and you don't reference the source, you have committed plagiarism.
The University of Indiana has developed a very helpful website with concrete examples about proper paraphrasing and quotation. See in particular the following pages:
 Overview of plagiarism at http://www.indiana.edu/~istd/overview.html
 Examples of plagiarism at http://www.indiana.edu/~istd/examples.html
 Plagiarism quiz at http://www.indiana.edu/~istd/test.html
If you still have questions, feel free to talk to me personally. There is nothing wrong with asking for help, whereas even unintentional plagiarism is a serious offense.
It is important to properly cite any references you use in your assignments. The Department of
Urban and Regional Planning uses Kate Turabian's "A Manual for Writers of Research Papers,
Theses, and Dissertations, 7th edition" (University of Chicago Press, 2007, ISBN-10: 0-226-82336-
9). Copies are available in the SJSU King Library. Additionally, the book is relatively inexpensive, and you may wish to purchase a copy. Please note that Turabian's book describes two systems for
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 10 of 11

referencing materials: (1) “notes” (footnotes or endnotes), plus a corresponding bibliography, and
(2) in-text parenthetical references, plus a corresponding reference list.
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the DRC (Disability Resource
Center) to establish a record of their disability.
URBP 232, Urban Design Studio
Spring 2010 page 11 of 11