2014 Project 2

Identifying and addressing collective sustainable issues in your neighborhood

In this assignment, students worked in groups to conduct analysis and research within their own neighborhoods, to identify context specific issues that had been discussed in the course: energy, material and waste, transportation, public space and community, water, population, health and environment.

Then, students were expected to create proposals based on their analysis, in order to address one specific issue related to sustainability and the built environment.

The output of this assignment illustrated in the issue that the group has chosen to address; argumentation about the issue,  and how it relates to the local area and context;  the methods and means of the final proposal in the built environment (physical intervention, infrastructural development, change in community habits, change in legislation,  etc.) The format of their final presentation board had to support the area of investigation and content of the proposal.

The assignment was meant to foster opportunities for student’s academic exploration, reflection and application of what they have learned throughout the course lectures, tutorials, assignments, and readings.

Students were asked to express their own opinions and creative solutions to existing issues that they identified within their own neighborhoods and communities. Groups were encouraged to apply and develop their own findings, views, and experiences into proposals that address an issue of the group’s choosing. This issue had to relate to the overall theme of the course:’sustainability of the built environment’.

Investigation and consideration the different dimensions of the chosen issue was required throughout the development of their research and final proposals. For instance, student proposals examined the potential physical, cultural and social factors that the project may need to consider in order to become a viable solution.