Unit A

Unit A is a research-led BSc Architecture Design Studio at the University of East London, lead by Carsten Jungfer and Fernanda Palmieri. We work with live-project situations and connect design learning with research through knowledge exchange between students and external partner organisations. Unit A focuses on social-spatial conditions within contested urban contexts and understands architectural design both as a spatial and strategic response to specific socio-spatial contexts.

25/02/2013

Tue 26 Feb 14.00 Lecture on Adaptability + tutorials

Last lecture for this year - 14.00 - we will be talking about Adaptability and Flexibility - important topic....something most architects don't think of....

Regarding tutorials: Please remember to bring in your entire portfolio in again, so that the other tutor not seeing your work at the mid terms can catch up with this.

We expect to see floor plans of your buildings and section(s), as well as further design development. And also a clear idea / reflection on the feedback you received at the mid term review. What is your strategy to address concerns raised about your portfolio???

24/02/2013

Film screening: The social life of small urban places


William H. Whyte: The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces - The Street Corner from MAS on Vimeo.



The Architecture Foundation are screening "The social life of small urban places" by William H. Whyte next week. Quite related to what we are doing as a unit.

"William H. Whyte's 1988 film documenting use of public space in New York, begins by focusing on Seagram Plaza and proceeds to analyse successful, and less successful, public spaces in Manhattan. Closely observed and funny, this is a masterclass in accessible urbanism."

http://www.architecturefoundation.org.uk/programme/2012/we-made-that-the-open-office/social-life-of-small-urban-spaces

14/02/2013

Fri 22 Feb - Y3 Mid term review




As announced, Mid-term reviews are happening next week to which every student is expected to attend. It's a formal assessment and you will receive an indicative mark of your current standing.

Year 2 is on Tuesday 19th afternoon
Year 3 on Friday 22nd afternoon

We expect to see printed portfolios (A3 reductions are OK, full size portfolios better) of your complete work up to date ( yes all your work from September 2012 onwards).

The reviews are handled as table-top presentations to a mixed panel of tutors form Unit A and Unit C. This is different from open crits / public pin-ups. You should see this as a kind of 'dry-run' for the presentation to the External examiners, and/or and interview situation.

Prepare yourself to present your complete work in 10 minutes using your portfolio. Expect Q&A afterwards. We have taken into account the other activities happening - TS+computing - on those days that week.

Time slots are actual times - please ensure you are on time and ready to go.
LOCATION - WEST BUILDING! 


11/02/2013

Immigrant museum visit 13th February 10.30 am

Just reminding you about our Immigrant museum visit.

Its on the 13th of February (this Wednesday) at 10:30 am (please be on time) at 19 Princelet street close to Brick lane.

 https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=princelet+street+9&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&sa=N&tab=wl

Some ''house rules'' forwarded from the museum:


I hope you find the following reminders useful:

We would be grateful if the group could arrive on time and you should allow 90 minutes for the visit.

Do forewarn and emphasise to your group that this is an unheated building and therefore to wrap up as if going out for a country walk.
We have a map on our website at:
http://www.19princeletstreet.org.uk/find.html

Please do try to avoid bringing large bags, parcels or rucksacks.

Although there is one toilet at 19 Princelet Street we do ask that, if possible, groups try to make sure that there is no need to use the toilet on arrival as this can impact on the time visitors have to explore the museum.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming you and your group to 19 Princelet Street on the 13th of February at 10:30am.

10/02/2013

Tue 12 Feb Activity Lecture


Remember to bring your complete portfolio and all recent work with you + brief print out.

lecture uploaded to dropbox

08/02/2013

Fri 8 Feb - Brief Tutorials

Alongside the tasks you were ask to complete at your last tutorial we are asking you to bring A4 print outs of the following:
- 250 words describing your building brief / functional programme / manifesto
- 100 words describing how your brief relates to your understanding of the project site and your urban strategy
- detailed list of all individual spaces/rooms of your building and sizes (m2).

Also: Please from now on, we are asking you to bring along to every tutorial, an up to date A3 print-out of your portfolio

06/02/2013

Belgium field-trip guide book

The updated and complete Belgium field-trip guide that was collectively made, can be downloaded here. You may want to use some of the buildings we visited as precedences, so this may be useful resource.

LINK to download

Mapping Whitechapel

I noticed that groups have so far only uploaded pdfs to the dropbox.
Some groups are still missing the latest updates...
What we need is your original illustrator or dwg files so that eerybody can edit information and make this your own, depending on your personal brief. Please do upload as a matter of urgency. In can uploading does not work - e-mail me.
files size not larger than 15 MB please.

03/02/2013

Tue 5 Feb - Stairs and Ramps Lecture

Further on from the workshop on Tuesday last week we expect to see for the individual tutorials on Tue 5 Feb, 1-3 spatial sequence models of unfolding spatial narratives/experiences from streetlevel over entrance on to the core programmatic space of your building. Scale 1:100 / 1:200.

Note regarding Tuesdays Tech concrete lecture: this is obligatory for Level 2 students, not for Level 3 though. 

See dropbox. lecture now uploaded