This course discusses several artifacts such as furniture, architecture and cities, based on the idea of “Ecology”, which is understanding a living thing relative to its environment, not independently. In this course, the character of an artifact is considered relatively, as a part of an ecosystem. For example, a "chair" is, physically, just an object with a 40 square centimeter surface material supported by four rod-shaped members. But for the object to act as a “chair”, the ground should be flat, the surface material height from the ground should correspond to the length of a human leg, and further rod-shaped members have to be provided with sufficient strength to support the weight of the body.
Through several exercises to show how an artifact works, this course aims to cultivate the ability to observe as a fundamental of architectural design.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Observe what specifically is happening to surrounding artifacts in principle.
2) Integrate what they have observed into their analysis 3) Accurately represent the aforementioned
Architecture, Urban space, Design, Ecology, Behavior
✔ Specialist skills | Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
The course consists of lectures and exercises for each topic. In lectures, students join a discussion to understand each topic. In practice exercises, students work on a report with a sketch and description about the case they chose.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Guidance | None required |
Class 2 | Lecture : Tool | None required |
Class 3 | Exercise : Tool | None required |
Class 4 | Lecture : Furniture | None required |
Class 5 | Exercise : Furniture | None required |
Class 6 | Lecture : Window | None required |
Class 7 | Exercise : Window | None required |
Class 8 | Lecture : Room | None required |
Class 9 | Exercise : Room | None required |
Class 10 | Lecture : "Pet architecture" / "Made in Tokyo" | None required |
Class 11 | Exercise : "Pet architecture" / "Made in Tokyo" | None required |
Class 12 | Lecture : Typology | None required |
Class 13 | Exercise : Typology | None required |
Class 14 | Lecture: Crowds in public spaces | None required |
Class 15 | Exercise : Crowds in public spaces | None required |
None required
Jakob won Uexkull. A Foray into the Worlds of Animals and Humans, with A Theory of Meaning : Univ of Minnesota. ISBN 978-0816659005
Gibson, J.J. The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception : Boston Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0898599598
Bernard Rudofsky. Architecture without Architects : Univ of New Mexico. ISBN 978-0826310040
Bernard Rudofsky. Streets for People : Doubleday & Company. ISBN 978-0385042314
Kazunari Sakakmoto et al. Studies of Architectural Composition : Jikkyo Publishing, ISBN-13: 978-4407325720
Yoshiharu Tsukamoot et al. Made in Tokyo : Kajima Publishing, ISBN-13 : 978-4306044210
Yoshiharu Tsukamoto et al. Comonalities : LIXIL Publishing, ISBN-13 : 978-4864800099
Tokyo Institute of Technology Tsukamoto-Lab. Pet Architecture Guidebook, ISBN-13 : 978-4846523275
Tokyo Institute of Technology Tsukamoto-Lab. Windowscape -Window Behaviorology- : Filmart, ISBN-13 : 978-4845910588
Tokyo Institute of Technology Tsukamoto-Lab. Windowscape2 -Window Genealogy- : Filmart, ISBN-13: 978-4306070899
Students will be assessed on results from each exercise
None required