1/23/2026 11:39:31 AM	ARCH 12 Course Outline as of Fall 2015	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  ARCH 12	Title:  INTRO ENVIRONMENT DESIGN
Full Title:  Introduction to Environmental Design
Last Reviewed:1/25/2021

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		8 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  ARCH 79

Catalog Description:

Exploration of the work done in the design professions: architecture, landscape, and planning. Using case studies and environmental exploration, students will begin the process of articulating a personal design vocabulary.  Project based course.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 1A or equivalent

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Exploration of the work done in the design professions: architecture, landscape, and planning. Using case studies and environmental exploration, students will begin the process of articulating a personal design vocabulary.  Project based course.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 1A or equivalent
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2004	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2008	Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Describe the role of design professionals in the context of the creative process.

2. Evaluate the impact of social, climatic and technical elements influencing housing design and forms.

3. Analyze the role of landscape in building design.

4. Analyze the role of the urban planning context in the development of design.

5. Examine ecological processes and sustainability issues that influence design.

6. Express elements of a personal design vocabulary based on historic precedent, observation, personal experience and the creative process.

Topics and Scope

I. The creative process for design professionals

II. What architects do and how they do it

III. Architectural design context

 A. Cultural context

  1. Communities and regions

  2. Planning ordinances

 B. Impact of climate

 C. Common building materials

 D. Methods of construction

 E. Building technology

 F. Function of housing

   1. Individual and multiple units

   2. Historic

   3. Contemporary

 G. Sustainability issues in architecture

IV. What landscape architects do and how they do it

V. Landscape design context

 A. Natural environment

   1. Historic

   2. Contemporary

 B. Relationship of buildings to landscape

 C. Role of the garden

   1. Historic

   2. Contemporary

 D. The landscaped environment

 E. Sustainability issues in landscape architecture

VI. What planners do and how they do it

VII. Planning context

 A. Developing the general plan

 B. How cities are organized

 C. Role of zoning ordinances

 D. Location of city functions and impact on city form

   1. Historic

   2. Contemporary

 E. Sustainability issues in planning

VIII. Integrated design context

 A. Concept of ecological zones and importance of biodiversity

   1. Historic

   2. Contemporary

 B. Principles of ecological restoration

 C. Energy efficiency and design

IX. Developing and expressing a personal design vocabulary

 A. Elements of a personal design vocabulary

   1. Historic precedent

   2. Observation

   3. Personal experience

   4. Creative process

 B. Expressing a design vocabulary

Assignments:

Representative assignments:

1. Maintain a journal of research findings and observations.

2. 2-5 research papers and/or project report(s) of at least 2-3 pages each.

3. Project, design vocabulary.

4. Reading: 20-30 pages per week.

5. Midterm; final exam.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 35 - 60%
Research paper(s), project report(s)
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 20 - 35%
Project, design vocabulary
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 15 - 25%
Multiple choice, true/false, matching items, completion
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 10%
Attendance and participation.

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Nature, Landscape and Building for Sustainability. William S. Saunders, Ed. University of Minn. Press, 2008 (classic)

Introduction to Architecture: Francis D. K. Ching and James F. Eckler; Wiley; 2012

 

Instructor prepared materials.

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