Sustainable Urbanism, Study Abroad: China. Spring.
Engineering / Architecture / Planning Study Abroad Program:
Sustainable Urbanism from an International Perspective
SAID 6099, PLAN 6099, ENVE 6099
Travel Time: 05.01 ~ 05.15.( Subject to change)
About the course
This seminar course will focus on the concept and practice of urban sustainability in the global perspective, which emphasizes how to support the simultaneous development of our society, our economy, and the environment without sacrificing any aspects. Through field study across various disciplines, the course exanimates the most challenging sustainability issues we are facing. The course provides students with experiential learning in the application of the current theories, models, and methods used in engineering, architecture and urban planning to specific, real-world issues of sustainable urbanism as they are currently being confronted in the rapidly developing countries.
Student Learning Objective & Outcomes
At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
· describe the environmental impacts of rapid urbanization on urban life through a research paper
· describe how design and planning theory pushes the limitations of urban design and planning
· describe how environmental data for traffic, noise, water, air pollution, and other urban factors can be integrated into the design equation and planning solutions through a team-based design project
· describe how the sustainable design movement and planning techniques such as smart growth helped to address issues related to rapid urbanization in a research paper
· demonstrate an understanding of urban environmental principles and issues on a global scale through a team-based design project
· Identify specific analytical processes by which environmental engineering, architectural design, urban design, and urban planning are able to influence urbanization processes so they are sustainable, just and resilient
· quantify environmental, spatial, demographic, social, and cultural data into a design equation
Overview
This interdisciplinary study abroad course involving experiential learning that will involve faculty and students from the School of Energy, Environmental, Biological and Medical Engineering (SEEBME) in the College of Engineering and Applied Science; and the Schools of Architecture and Interior Design (SAID), and School of Planning (SOP) in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. In addition, qualified students from other UC colleges also will be eligible to enroll. The course will address the sustainability issue in an interdisciplinary manner by bringing future planners, designers, and engineers into the same classroom. Sustainability, that is, how to support the simultaneous development of our society, our economy and the environment without sacrificing any aspects, has become the most challenging issue we are facing, but fortunately is being addressed globally. This effort requires an understanding of different disciplines and a global perspective.
The proposed interdisciplinary course with a study abroad component brings together the three key disciplines responsible for sustainable urban environments in a way not currently offered at UC or other US universities. The course will provide students with experiential learning in the application of the current theories, models and methods used in engineering, architecture and urban planning to specific, real-world issues of sustainable urbanism as they are currently being confronted in Beijing and other rapid transforming Chinese major cities. China’s near double-digit annual economic growth rates over the past three decades have brought rising incomes and rapid urbanization, yet in ways that cannot be sustained. In the past decade, China’s cities have grown by more than ten million new urban residents annually, with a total urban population of more than 900 million expected by 2030. Beijing’s population was estimated in 2011 at 19.6 million, an increase of 44.5 percent over 10 years. It is projected that 400 new cities will be built over the next 20 years.
The great challenge for China is to create urban systems that protect the natural environment, preserve and extend the rich cultural heritage of the built environment, and ensure a high quality of life to all residents through a full array of safe, modern and cost-effective services. Unfortunately, the rapid development of coal-fired power plants, the uncontrolled conversion of agricultural lands to urban uses and the rise of personal vehicle ownership have resulted in dangerous levels of pollution and road congestion, and the destruction of cultural heritage sites. The associated large rise in CO2 emissions extends these impacts beyond China, as all countries are being impacted by global climate change. With 20% of the world’s population and nearly 20% of the world’s manufacturing, it is becoming increasingly important for US engineers, architects and urban planners to be able to both learn from the Chinese urbanization experience, as well contribute to sustainable solutions for China and the rest of the world
The course will utilize Beijing’s unprecedented urbanization experience as an opportunity for field study as part of a cross-cultural, multi-university, and interdisciplinary curriculum. The course will be co-listed under each of the three UC schools (ENVE6099, SAID 6099, PLAN6099) in 2013, and will be offered each year during the spring semester. The course will combine sustainable urbanism elements from all three disciplines. From engineering, students will learn about the skills used for the conceptualization, design and construction of sustainability infrastructure. Field trips to wastewater treatment plants, electricity generation plants, air monitoring stations, and municipal solid waste processing, etc. will be used to examine the function of real-world examples. From architecture, students will learn about sustainable urban design issues through parametric urbanism theory, a hybrid conceptualization that seeks logical urban forms. The use of computational urban design methods will be extended by exploring, collecting, analyzing, and visualizing urban information and physically representing the information through digital technology. From urban planning, students will learn about the theories, models, and methods of land use and transportation planning. Spatial relationships will be explored using Geographic Information Systems in order to potential alternatives for enhanced connectivity to essential services and amenities. Students from UC will join together with Chinese students in architecture, planning, and engineering from several universities in China to create interdisciplinary work teams. These teams will be formed prior to travel with communication via the Internet on an assigned sustainability issue. While in Beijing, each team will be tasked with producing a professional-quality consulting report on sustainable solutions.
The course will benefit greatly from the involvement of a diverse group of UC students from various disciplines who promise to be the future problem solvers of urban sustainability issues both in China and the US. The close interaction between the Chinese and UC students and faculty will benefit students, faculty, institutions, and cities on both sides of the Pacific and beyond it, educational objectives are intended to motivate UC students to pursue further study and/or careers in China, as well as Chinese students to pursue further study at UC.
Beyond working in Beijing, the program will use visits and activities in other selected cities and institutions in China to allow UC students to put the Beijing activities within a national context.
STUDENT EXPERIENCE
The team tentatively proposes a four-credit hour course to be offered in the Spring semester. It consists of 15 weeks lecture at UC, two weeks Study Abroad in China (Beijing and another mid-sized city).
Students and Faculty from Multiple Disciplines
This proposed program will involve faculty and students from three schools (SEEBME, SAID, and SOP). In addition, qualified students from other UC colleges also will be eligible to enroll.
Collaborative Methods
The specific objective of the Spring 2013 coursework and field study will be to provide a tangible urban design and development proposal for a historic neighborhood in one of the most rapidly growing areas of Beijing based on sustainable urbanism theory. The approach will address various urban design issues such as environmental protection and smart growth, transit-oriented development, and affordable housing. Students UC and BJUT will work with local residents, city officials and experts on environmental control, transportation, and real estate development. Chinese students will help UC students with understanding social and cultural issues involved in local planning and design approaches, as well as collaborating on design and planning proposals. Design, environmental engineering and urban planning professionals in Beijing will be invited for class critiques and lectures.
Part I: Theory, lecture and workshop, Cincinnati, 15 weeks
Lecture and workshops will prepare the UC students with urban design and planning theories; background information and the methods and techniques needed for sustainable urbanism field study.
Projects:
Students will continue the planning and design process. Materials will be shared each day with the Chinese students and faculty in Beijing through video conferencing and web-based communication.
Part II: Site visit, field trip, and data collection
Students from architecture, planning and environmental engineering will work as a team to conduct a field study in China. Data will be collected through multiple methods including field notes, archival document reviews, surveys, interviews, photo documentation, and video documentation in China. Students will document the history, extent, and nature of urban infrastructure provision and function, as well as document the associated design planning and management methods. Also, the process and workflow of planning, urban design, and environmental infrastructure provision will be documented. Field notes will be used to record conversations with stakeholders who interact or comment on the study. All information collected will be archived in journal notebooks and dated to allow the review of the study progress
Transformative Solution-Oriented Outcomes
The benefit of such collaboration has resulted in transformative results. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) design, which has become the new norm for the construction industry, is a perfect example. It was ordinated from the design/architecture field, and its point system is being evaluated and improved by the scientists and engineers (at the Depart of Energy).
Sustainable Environment
This course will use a real site in Beijing as a vehicle for exploring sustainable urbanism theory and practice. Beijing was chosen because of its prominence as a world capital and the intensity of its urbanization issues. It faces major conflicts between urban development and historic preservation, critical problems of the natural environment including air pollution and water shortages, as well as great opportunities as a political, economic and cultural center for China. While in Beijing, the students will visit several major and city planning organizations and environmental agencies to learn the rapid and intense urbanization process from Chinese urbanists, academics, and commentators.
Connection to the local community
In addition to working closely with BJUT officials and faculty, UC faculty members are in contact with several Beijing urban design firms as well as government agencies responsible for planning and environmental infrastructure in order to arrange for student tours and lectures.
Participating Colleges and/or External Partners
UC Students from DAAP’s School of Architecture and Interior Design and School of Planning, and the CEAS’s School of Energy, Environmental, Biological, and Medical Engineering.
Benefits to UC faculty and students
This course will greatly promote UC’s presence in China and the Asian area, especially in the areas where UC is strong: Environmental Engineering, Architecture, and Planning. It will undoubtedly help UC recruit more high caliber Chinese undergraduate and graduate students. It will greatly promote the faculty exchange from our Chinese partners, and promote further collaboration. UC students will be greatly benefited from this interdisciplinary approach of problem-solving. For the three faculty team, teaching this course will help bring more research collaboration. This experience will facilitate their collaborations in China. More importantly, they will set up an example to the UC faculty for cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Outcome and evaluation
This course will visit several ongoing large urban development projects in Beijing, with special concentration on how to apply sustainable urban design, planning and engineering strategies in a real-world context and provide tangible urban design, planning and environmental engineering solutions on specific sites.
The course outcomes will include an individual research paper and a team-based design or planning project. Students will be expected to describe: 1) how environmental impacts of rapid urbanization on the urban life; 2) how design and planning theory pushes the limitations of urban design and planning; 3) how environmental data for traffic, noise, water, air pollution, and other urban factors can be integrated into the design equation and planning solutions; 4) how the sustainable design movement and planning techniques such as Smart Growth helped to address issues related to rapid urbanization.
Student evaluation will be based on the demonstrated ability to integrate disciplinary perspectives within the context of their individual paper and contributions to a team project.