Category: 04

Assignment 04: In/Visible 

Group – Delivery Time 2 Weeks 

 

In this assignment, students will analyze environment open space, urban form, and infrastructure.  

 

Objective: Work collaboratively to investigate spatial relationships. Investigate how the human body relates to urban space by considering both seen and unseen elements. Describe and study in/visible infrastructure. 

 

Process:  

• Using a combination of site visits and maps, and aerial imagery you will investigate, draw, and begin to analyze the open space, urban form, and infrastructure of the Buchanan Courtyard at UBC.  

• Create a base plan at a scale of 1:500 to show open spaces, and distinguish between soft landscapes (e.g., formal and informal vegetated areas, tree canopy) and hard landscapes (e.g., paths and plazas).  

• Using additional layers, interpret visual infrastructure (what you can see with your eyes) and invisible infrastructure (what you need tools to see). For example, visual infrastructure includes features such as stormwater solutions, central heating, parking, and roads – whereas invisible infrastructure includes features such as the location of water pipes and telephone lines. 

• After compiling your findings, select two forms of infrastructure that you are interested in and investigate their relationship (e.g., tree canopy and open space). Draw your observations in plan, section, and axonometric, or expanded axonometric at a scale of your choice.  

• Practice annotating your work and ensuring visual hierarchy. 

• Be prepared to discuss your findings in class.  

 

Deliverables*: 

• 1:500 base plan and additional layers to show in/visible infrastructure 
• Plan, section, and axonometric drawings of two infrastructure relationships 

Ensure the scale of your drawing is clear. Include a scale bar and north arrow when appropriate. The deliverables can be drawn analog, digitally or as a combination of both.  

Please submit your work to the blog by Tuesday, October 11th at 11:59 pm.   

* In general, the number of deliverables is flexible for this course. We encourage students to make their own decision about what drawings are needed; the deliverables are a suggestion.  For example, students may wish to alter the scale or add additional drawings to explain their observations.  

 

References: 

Required 

Davis, L., Galdón, M., Girling, C., & Kellett, R. (2014). Green Infrastructure in Calgary’s Mobility Corridors.  City of Calgary: Plan it Calgary. (pp. 1-53). Available on Canvas.   

Huber, J. E., & University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Community Design Center. (2010). Low impact development: A design manual for urban areas. University of Arkansas Community Design Center. Available on Canvas.    

Roehr, D., (2022). Multisensory landscape design: A designer’s guide for seeing. Routledge.  

• Chapter 4 (pp. 101-131, 135-202) 

Recommended 

Freethink Media [Freethink]. (2021, March 6). Tactical urbanists transform streets overnight [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waiI9EQTdaw  

Smart Growth America. (2021, September 13). Dangerous by design 2021. https://smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-design/#:%7E:text=Dangerous%20by%20Design%20ranks%20states,of%20people%20who%20walk%20to  

TED Conferences [TED]. (2017, May 8). Invisible cities of visible infrastructure | Tarik Oulalaou | TEDxRoma [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omNiHjt8Lt8 

DES430 2022 Student Examples: 

Akari Esaka, Allen Zhou, Veronica Chan: https://blogs.ubc.ca/des430x2022w1/2022/10/11/assignment-4-akari-esaka-allen-zhou-veronica-chan/ 

Collette Bartschat, Ewen Hall, Tasha Spinks: https://blogs.ubc.ca/des430x2022w1/2022/10/11/assignment-4-ewen-colette-tasha/