70234 - Technological planning (A)

Learning outcomes

The training program of this subject consists in the study and the check of relationships among building structure, theoretical resolution of construction plant and selection of technological procedures depending on the functional optimization of spaces.

The study of construction techniques evolution completes the cognitive scope. Students will be able to apply their knowledge and skills in relation to define architectural construction design.

Course contents

Architectural Construction Laboratory I (Integrated Course) comprises the integrated modules Technological Design (8 ECTS credits), Environmental Design 1 (2 ECTS credits), and Environmental Design 2 (2 ECTS credits). The final examination is comprehensive and brings together the contributions of the different modules.

The Laboratory explores the relationship between architectural design and construction, addressing the stages of the design and construction process and the relationships among spaces, activities, requirements, performance, technical solutions, and construction methods. The project is developed through sequential stages, coordinated with specific short assignments, culminating in the preparation of the final project documentation.

Design decisions are grounded in a critical analysis of needs and in a requirements- and performance-based approach. The following aspects are considered in an integrated manner: the relationship with the environmental, historical, and sociocultural context; requirements concerning comfort, safety, accessibility, and use; available resources; organisational and management aspects of the building process; the relevant regulatory framework; production and construction systems; technological innovation; and durability, maintenance, and adaptability throughout the building life cycle.

Specific Content of Technological Design

• the requirements- and performance-based approach and the relationship among activities, spaces, requirements, and performance;
• the conception of the construction system and criteria for selecting and combining technical elements;
• materials, products, and construction processes, with reference to traditional systems and dry construction technologies;
• the relationship among structure, building envelope, partitions, construction details, and expected performance;
• the assessment of constructability, durability, maintainability, and performance in use over time;
• coordination among drawings, technical decisions, and the design rationale.

Coordination with Environmental Design

The content of Technological Design is developed in coordination with Environmental Design, which focuses in particular on the relationship among buildings, the environment, available resources, material cultures, and building processes. The technological decisions developed in the final project must therefore also be justified in relation to environmental considerations, the sustainable use of resources, knowledge of materials, and the conditions governing the use and transformation of the building system.

Readings/Bibliography

Required Reading

• Boeri, A.; Cinti, S.; Conato, F., Elementi costruttivi. Progetto e realizzazione, Bonomo Editore, San Lazzaro di Savena (BO), 3rd ed., 2023.
• Boeri, A.; Longo, D.; Piraccini, S., Il progetto dell’involucro in legno. Qualità costruttiva ed efficienza energetica, Dario Flaccovio Editore, Palermo, 2012.
• Arbizzani, E., Progettazione tecnologica dell’architettura. Processo, Progetto, Costruzione, Maggioli, Santarcangelo di Romagna (RN), 2021.

  Recommended Reading

• Boeri, A., Criteri di progettazione ambientale, Delfino, Milan, 2007.
• Gaspari, J., Il progetto dell’involucro efficiente, EdicomEdizioni, Monfalcone, 2007.
• Boeri, A., Sistemi di pavimentazione. Requisiti, criteri progettuali, applicazioni, prestazioni, Hoepli, Milan, 2001.
• Davoli, P., Costruire con il legno. Requisiti, criteri progettuali, applicazioni, prestazioni, Hoepli, Milan, 2001.
• Various authors, edited by A. Baglioni, Manuale di progettazione edilizia, vol. 4, Tecnologie: requisiti, soluzioni, esecuzione, prestazioni; vol. 5, Materiali e prodotti, Hoepli, Milan, 1995.

  Further Reading

• Boeri, A.; Antonini, E.; Gaspari, J.; Longo, D., Energy Design Strategies for Retrofitting. Methodology, Technologies and Applications, WIT Press, Southampton-Boston, 2015.
• Longo, D., Decostruzione e riuso. Procedure e tecniche di valorizzazione dei residui edilizi in Italia, Alinea, Florence, 2007.
• Boeri, A.; Gianfrate, V.; Longo, D., “Green buildings and design for adaptation: strategies for renovation of built environment”, International Journal of Energy Production and Management, 1(2), 2016, pp. 172-191.
• Antonini, E.; Boeri, A.; Giglio, F., Emergency Driven Innovation. Low Tech Buildings and Circular Design, Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management series, Springer, 2020.

Teaching methods

• lectures and theoretical-methodological overviews;
• a principal design assignment, developed progressively during class sessions;
• short assignments and interim time-limited design exercises serving as milestones in the development of the principal design project;
• design reviews, tutorials, and joint discussion sessions involving the Laboratory modules.

The principal assignment concerns the design of a building type to be situated within a predetermined context, integrating traditional construction systems and dry construction technologies. The short assignments examine specific aspects of the principal assignment in greater depth and serve as milestones in the project’s development.

Assessment methods

In-class assignments, time-limited design exercises, and interim assessments are scheduled as progressive opportunities to evaluate learning and project development. Each time-limited exercise lasts five hours and examines specific aspects of the syllabus in greater depth.

Each time-limited exercise is assigned a rating from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). This assessment is formative: it provides students with feedback on their learning and the progress of their project and does not contribute directly to the final grade through an arithmetic average.

The final examination is individual and consists of the presentation and discussion of the project work produced during the course, together with an assessment of the theoretical topics covered in lectures and Laboratory activities.

Assessment of the Technological Design Component

The assessment is expressed on a thirty-point scale, on the basis of the following criteria, with a maximum of six points awarded for each criterion:

1. design quality and the graphic and communicative clarity of the submitted work;
2. level of detail and consistency of the detailed design documentation;
3. quality and technological appropriateness of the proposed solutions;
4. consistency among design decisions, performance requirements, and the theoretical content of the course;
5. command of the theoretical topics and the ability to provide a critical justification for the decisions made.

A satisfactory assessment corresponds to an overall coherent project that nevertheless demonstrates limited independence and depth; a good assessment corresponds to a sound, informed, and adequately substantiated project; an excellent assessment corresponds to a complete, coherent, and technically well-developed project, accompanied by full critical command of the subject matter. Honours may be awarded where the work demonstrates exceptional quality, independence, and design maturity.

Determination of the Overall Grade for the Integrated Laboratory

Consistent with the comprehensive nature of the examination, the overall grade for Architectural Construction Laboratory I (Integrated Course) is determined jointly by the module instructors, on the basis of the integrated discussion of the final project and the assessments relating to their respective subject areas. The evaluations obtained in the individual modules contribute to the overall judgement. The final grade is not derived from a simple arithmetic average; it also reflects an overall assessment of the knowledge and skills acquired and the work produced by the student.

Students with specific learning disorders or temporary or permanent disabilities are advised to contact the relevant University office in good time. Any reasonable adjustments proposed by the Office must be submitted sufficiently in advance for approval by the course instructor, with due regard to the course learning outcomes.

For assessment purposes, limited, declared, and non-substantive use of AI is permitted for supporting activities such as summarisation and reformulation. Substantive use of AI to complete parts of an assessment or to produce content that replaces the student’s individual design and critical contribution is not permitted.

Teaching tools

• in-person class attendance for the progressive development of the project;
• support from the course instructor, tutors, and teaching assistants;
• the Department library and the University’s bibliographic resources;
• facilities of the Department of Architecture and the Cesena Campus;
• teaching materials and digital tools provided by the University.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Boeri

See the website of Rossella Roversi