95842 - STRUCTURAL CONCEPT DESIGN

Learning outcomes

Once completed the course, the student owns an adequate knowledge of the theories and methods of structural design and he/she knows how to effectively integrate them in the definition of the project.

Course contents

The Integrated Lab “Structuring the city by design” consists of the modules Sustainable Features of the Urban Systems, Structural Concept Design and Architectural Design III.

The field of experimentation of this Lab is sustainable urban transformations, with a specific focus on contemporary instances of urban regeneration. The experimented approach is integrated between the different disciplines that are part of the Laboratory and moves in a coherent way between different scales of the project – from urban design to architecture and structures.

The "Structural Concept Design" module focuses on the essential aspect of conceiving robust and efficient structural systems for urban infrastructures. Students engage in analyzing and designing structural elements that can withstand static forces while ensuring safety and functionality in the urban context. This module serves as a crucial foundation for constructing durable and resilient urban landscapes. The contents of the course are listed below.

1. Structural Design Principles for Architecture

• Loads on Structures
• Forces and Vector Analysis
• Equilibrium
• Catenary cables and arches
• Trusses
• Material properties
• Cross-sectional properties
• Shear and bending stress in simple beams
• Deflection in simple beams
• Buckling in columns

2. Sustainable Architecture and Design

• Sustainable Building Systems
• Social and Environmental Design
• Cost-Effective Architectural Solutions

Readings/Bibliography

• Instructors’ notes (available on the web site https://online.unibo.it [https://online.unibo.it/] ).
• Basic Concepts of Structural Design for Architecture Students, A. Khodadadi, Portland State University Library, 2021.
• Sustainable Building Systems and Construction for Designers, Lisa M. Tucker, Fairchild Books, 2015.

Teaching methods

The laboratory includes a series of lectures, design exercises, and seminars.

The detailed program, deadlines, and methods of presentation of the exercises will be communicated at the opening of the laboratory. The lectures will be accompanied by periodic reviews of the work of students and some collective seminars on the progress of the work.

The laboratory will develop by drawing content from disciplines relating to the areas of urban planning, construction science and architectural and urban composition, ensuring a comprehensive and interdisciplinary learning approach. The instructors will supervise students during their laboratory activities.

Assessment methods

“STRUCTURING THE CITY BY DESIGN LAB I.C.” consists of three modules, including (i) SUSTAINABLE FEATURES OF THE URBAN SYSTEMS (4 + 2 CFU, 60 hours), (ii) a module of STRUCTURAL CONCEPT DESIGN (4 + 2 CFU, 60 hours), and (iii) a module of ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN III (3 CFU, 30 hours).

The final exam includes the assessment of the contents of all the modules that compose the Integrated Laboratory and takes place in a single exam.

The assessment of the laboratory themes will concern the evaluation of the project, the exercises carried out during the semester and the theoretical themes approached during the lessons.

Teaching tools

Lectures in the classroom with multimedia presentations are available in IOL.

Group work supported by maps and site visits.

Department library as useful support for bibliographic research, specific documentation, and investigation.

Office hours

See the website of Nicholas Fantuzzi

See the website of Farhad Zeighami