APL8014 : Urban design and the use of design codes
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Dr Natalia Villamizar Duarte
- Owning School: Architecture, Planning & Landscape
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module aims to develop students’ ability to engage critically with design coding through the production of a coherent and deliverable urban design proposal. The module is structured as a design studio in which design coding is used as a framework to guide, test, and challenge design decision-making.
The module introduces students to the use of design codes and national design principles as tools for shaping place character, spatial structure, and built form. Students will work with an existing Design Code and/or the National Design Guide to develop a masterplan-led proposal for a defined area.
Outline Of Syllabus
This design studio will focus on the development of a masterplan for a defined character area. Students will work with an existing Design Code and/or the National Design Guide, which will establish the spatial and character framework for the project.
Students will develop their design proposals from initial conceptual diagrams to a resolved masterplan and a detailed area. Through this process, they will explore spatial structure, built form, public realm, and character, using precedent studies selectively to inform design decisions. Tutorials will form the core teaching activity and will support iterative design development and effective communication through drawings, models, and visualisations.
Short lectures, site visits, and guest speakers from the local authority and/or professional practice will support the studio by providing contextual insight and technical input relevant to the project brief. Students will also maintain a reflective design portfolio to document the development of their design ideas throughout the module.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 8 | 3:00 | 24:00 | Individual design tutorials – present in person |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | Individual design tutorials – present in person |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 2 | 4:00 | 8:00 | Critical reviews. |
| Guided Independent Study | Project work | 1 | 100:00 | 100:00 | Research and design development |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 1 | 6:00 | 6:00 | Site visit. |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | Reflective portfolio design and development |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | In studio lecture |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The design studio will be the primary learning environment for this module and will centre on the development of a design proposal. Teaching will support students in establishing a critical design process grounded in making, iteration, and reflection. Students will work within a defined character area, enabling them to concentrate on design development rather than extensive primary analysis. The studio will focus on the interpretation of design coding principles through spatial proposals, encouraging students to test, challenge, and refine ideas through drawings, models, and structured design reviews.
Teaching will emphasise how design codes operate in professional contexts as tools to shape and curate development rather than to prescribe outcomes. Tutorials and reviews will support students in producing believable and deliverable proposals, while encouraging critical reflection on design decisions and processes. These reflections should be documented within the design portfolio.
.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design/Creative proj | 2 | M | 80 | Design project as outlined in the module handbook |
| Reflective log | 2 | M | 20 | Reflective Portfolio |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The assessment focuses on students’ ability to interpret and apply design coding principles through design. Regular studio tutorials and design reviews will provide ongoing formative feedback, supporting students in testing, refining, and resolving their design ideas over the course of the project.
The final project submission will demonstrate students’ capacity to develop an urban design proposal across multiple scales, from initial conceptual interventions to a resolved masterplan and detailed area. Assessment will consider the clarity and spatial resolution of the work and the student’s ability to translate design intentions into urban form, aligned with the Design Code and/or the National Design Guide and communicated through appropriate professional modes of representation.
The reflective design portfolio will support the assessment by evidencing the development of design ideas, critical engagement with the Design Code, and the student’s evolving critical approach to the design process.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- APL8014's Timetable