Master of Arts - Urban Design

Urban design is a discipline that acknowledges architecture and the city as a collective body of knowledge. It brings together professionals from various backgrounds who share a common goal of enhancing the design of our urban environments.

Students, regardless of their academic background in urban design, architecture, interdisciplinary design, or planning, will have the opportunity to connect with practitioners, planners, architects, and landscape architects to delve into the significance of urban design within the city.

This course adopts a research-by-design approach to analyze national and international cities. Students will explore governance as a spatial design issue and gain a comprehensive understanding of how cities are shaped within diverse political, economic, social, and cultural contexts. By honing their ability to apply theory to practice, students will grasp the intricacies of creating spaces across various structural layers.

Through studying the latest methods and design theories pertaining to urban environments, students will investigate the development and resolution of projects with a focus on achieving environmental sustainability. Collaborating with landscape architecture and town planning students, they will tackle briefs provided by external clients, enhancing their teamwork skills and contributing significantly to innovative designs.

In the advanced modules, students will have the opportunity to select a design-focused research project that explores alternatives to mainstream approaches and ethical considerations. Alternatively, they may opt for the research pathway, delving into urban themes in conjunction with interdisciplinary practice, social sciences, and design.