Course syllabus for Architectural technology: Theme structural design and construction

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

Overview

  • Swedish nameForm och teknik: tema konstruktion och byggande
  • CodeACE625
  • Credits4.5 Credits
  • OwnerTKARK
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • Main field of studyArchitecture
  • ThemeArchitectural design project 1.5 c
  • DepartmentARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • GradingUG - Pass, Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language Swedish
  • Application code 45121
  • Open for exchange studentsNo
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0124 Written and oral assignments 4.5 c
Grading: UG		 4.5 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 technology: Theme wood, or equivalent
  • Architectural technology: Theme brick, or equivalent
The course is part of the learning sequence Architectural Technology and deepens the knowledge of architecture's materials and technical systems at different scales.

Aim

The course is the third in a sequence of Architectural technology courses dealing with architectural materials and technical systems at different scales: material, detail, building and urban. The overall aim of the courses is to provide a systematic overview of the field and an approach that emphasises how functional technical systems and the physical properties of materials interact with perceived materiality and architectural wholeness. Furthermore, the courses provide the student with a repertoire of built examples that illustrate this interaction and that can support investigations of alternative designs and material choices in an iterative design process.

In the course students learn how to design efficient structures in interaction with architectural design and spatial organisation, and how to translate drawings into physical representations in model scale and full scale.

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

  1. Describe and explain the basic concepts and relationships in structural design.
  2. Demonstrate a basic repertoire of archetypes in structural design.
  3. Show examples of completed sketch and modelling work where the interaction between force patterns, construction, space and expression has been investigated.
  4. Read and translate 2D drawings into a 3D physical building.
  5. Describe and explain the construction of a physical building in different scales.
  6. Reflect upon how structural design interact with architectural qualities, material efficiency and functional solutions.

Content

The course is divided into two thematic parts: Structural design and Practical building

Structural design deals with:
  • the building as a load-bearing system
  • basic concepts and relationships
  • structural systems in architecture
Practical building deals with:
  • translation from drawing to physical model and to full scale
  • understanding a practical construction process
  • construction terminology and terms

Organisation

The course consists of lectures, design labs, tutorials and seminars.

Lectures cover concepts, materials, behaviors and principles/concepts for load-bearing structures, climate systems and building details. The lectures provide typical examples that illustrate how different technical functions can be solved in principle. There is also a repertoire of built examples that highlight the interaction between architectural values and how technical functions can contribute to achieving these - Architectural technology.

Design labs are exploratory investigations with the aim of testing/sketching and analysing different possibilities/combinations in a simple set-up and then taking knowledge and skills to more complex design projects.

Supervision and seminars provide opportunities for reflection on both the work of others and your own.

The course ends with a reflection moment in the form of a peer review where the strengths and weaknesses of design choices are discussed and the basis for these design choices. Proposals and reflections are collected in the student's portfolio.

Literature

Kurslitteratur Konstruktionslära

Meistermann, A.: Basics loadbearing systems. Birkhäuser, 2020. ISBN 9783035621884

Kursboken ger en kort men bra sammanfattning av kursen. Läsning rekommenderas först efter att grundläggande begrepp är etablerade genom kursens övningar.


Referenslitteratur Konstruktionslära

Sandaker B. N., Eggen A. & Cruvellier M. R.: The Structural Basis of Architecture. Routledge, 2019. ISBN 9781138651999

Engel, H.: Structure Systems. Verlag Gerd Hatje, Ostfildern-Ruit, 2009. ISBN 9783775718769

Ching, Francis D. K.: Building Structures Illustrated: Patterns, Systems, and Design. Wiley, 2014. ISBN 9781118458358

Schodek, D., Bechthold, M.: Structures, Pearson, 2013. ISBN 0132559137

Engström, D. et al: Arkitektur och bärverk. Formas, Stockholm 2004. ISBN 9789154059232.

Salvadori, M.: Why buildings stand up, the strength of architecture. W. W. Norton, New York, 1991. ISBN 9780393306767

Salvadori, M.: The art of Construction, Chicago Review Press, 2000. ISBN 9781613741267

Björk, C., Reppen, L., Kallstenius, P.: Så byggdes husen 1880-2020. Formas, 2021. ISBN 9789179170943

Andrew, C.: Structure as Architecture. Routledge, 2014. ISBN 9780415644594


Referenslitteratur Praktiskt byggande

Strandberg, B., Lavén F.: Bygga hus - illustrerad bygglära. Studentlitteratur, 2021. ISBN 9789144151120

TräGuiden - Digital handbok för trä och träbyggande. Svenskt Trä.
https://www.traguiden.se/Links to an external site.

Examination including compulsory elements

Examination takes place through
  • Assignments that mainly examines learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6
  • Attendance at construction days that examine primarily learning outcomes 4 and 5
  • Reflection tasks which mainly examines learning outcome 6
  • Active participation in the course and active attendance at compulsory moments
Submission requirements and compulsory moments are announced at the start of the course.

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.