Course syllabus for Housing design: Space for living

Course syllabus adopted 2026-02-11 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameBostadens rum
  • CodeACE260
  • Credits10.5 Credits
  • OwnerTKARK
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • Main field of studyArchitecture
  • ThemeArchitectural design project 7.5 c,Environment 1.5 c
  • DepartmentARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • GradingUG - Pass, Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language Swedish
  • Application code 45111
  • Open for exchange studentsNo
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0123 Project 7.5 c
Grading: UG		 7.5 c
0223 Written and oral assignments, part A 1.5 c
Grading: UG		 1.5 c
0323 Written and oral assignments, part B 1.5 c
Grading: UG		 1.5 c

In programmes

Examiner

Eligibility

General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements

Specific entry requirements

The same as for the programme that owns the course
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements

Course specific prerequisites

  • Architectural design and aesthetics, or equivalent
  • Building design: space in buildings, or equivalent
The course is part of the learning sequence Design and builds on and deepens knowledge of applied aesthetics, morphology and design which were covered in the above-mentioned courses.

Aim

The course is part of a sequence of design courses that give students the knowledge and skills to initiate, implement and present projects at different scale levels and create sustainable and functional solutions of high quality and with good design. The course Dwelling design: space for living concerns the design and development of a dwelling in a simulated architect-customer situation. The course builds on and deepens knowledge of applied aesthetics, morphology and design. Students work iteratively with the overall composition of a dwelling through floor plan, section, facade and model but deepens the work further through the design of details and materialization and the relation between parts and the whole. The course provides students with basic knowledge of indoor climate in relation to thermal comfort, ventilation and light in order to contribute to sustainable solutions with regard to people's well-being. The course deepens knowledge and skills about the prerequisites of building technology and materials with a focus on wood. The course also gives students skills in digital production of architectural drawings. Furthermore, students will deepen knowledge and skills regarding presentation and communication of the project's results through oral and visual communication and combining analogue and digital tools.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

  1. Describe different housing typologies and their development over time and reflect on this based on sustainability and the requirement for long-term and functional solutions of high quality and with good design.
  2. Analyze and examine a client's wishes and needs, formulate a concept/main idea, design alternative proposals and evaluate them based on rational judgment and subjective values.
  3. Describe and design the dwellings indoor climate linked to people's well-being and living environment.
  4. Present the project's floor plan, section, façade and details in clear conventional drawings using both analogue and digital tools (with CAD software).
  5. Present the project in the form of a physical model and digital 3D perspectives (using tools such as Rhino, or similar) that clearly showcase the project's spatial qualities.
  6. Present a project to a client verbally as well as visually and with mixed tools.
  7. Discuss how the load-bearing structure, indoor climate, climate shell, building details and choice of materials interact with the building's architectural qualities and the demand for sustainable and high-quality functional solutions.
  8. Reflect on your own work and learning and formulate development needs that can be met in future courses.

Content

The course consists of three modules.

Project

The first module concerns a design project that gives students the knowledge and skills to initiate, implement and present a housing project in a simulated architect-client situation. Furthermore, the student will get a basic introduction to existing housing typologies and their development over time.

Written and oral assignments, part A

In the second module, the student will receive a basic introduction to the home's microclimate (e.g. air temperature, ventilation and light conditions), which affects the residents' well-being and is thus important for sustainable building design.

Written and oral assignments, part B

In the third module, students will gain further drawing skills where digital production of architectural drawings is introduced. Furthermore, the student will deepen knowledge and skills regarding presentation and communication of the project's results, where both oral and visual communication is developed and analogue and digital tools are mixed.

Organisation

The course uses project-based teaching where students learn from and with each other in the studio in combination with tutoring by teachers. Besides the design work, the course consists of lectures, several short design laboratories and seminars. The lectures introduce the students to different housing typologies and how housing has developed over time. Design labs are exploratory and provide students with basic design skills. Seminars aim to give students an opportunity to reflect on both the work of others and their own work. The course ends with a moment of reflection on acquired experiences from the course which are collected in a portfolio.

Literature

Nylander, Ola: Svensk bostadsarkitektur, Studentlitteratur, 2018.

If the course materials changes or include additional printed course literature, this will be announced at least 12 weeks before the course starts. Articles and materials produced by the department will be available on the course’s Canvas page.

Examination including compulsory elements

Examination takes place through
  • ­ Continuous examination of the project that corresponds to 7.5 credits and mainly examines learning outcomes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7
  • ­ Assignment, part A, on Sustainable development that corresponds to 1.5 credits and primarily examines learning outcome 3
  • ­ Assignment, part B, on Design and representation media that corresponds to 1.5 credits and primarily examines learning outcomes 4 and 5
  • ­ Reflection which mainly examines learning outcome 8
  • ­ Active participation in the course and active attendance at compulsory moments
Continuous examination means that examination takes place through several presentation sessions with clear submission requirements that are announced at the start of the course. Also, compulsory moments are announced at the start of the course.

The course includes a compulsory study trip to a Nordic city. Students who are unable to participate will be given a corresponding assignment.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers about disability study support.