Girne American University | Girne Amerikan Üniversitesi

Faculty of Architecture, Design, and Fine Arts

Undergraduate Courses:

ARC252-Environmental Control Systems (3,0)3

This course aims at introducing students with understanding and knowledge of impacts of built environments on people and natural environment. The course focuses on the role of spatial designer in designing buildings, building environments and interior spaces that benefit from natural resources, provide maximum comfort levels, limit environmental damage and energy consumption. The topics covered in the course are climate and climate change; bio-climatic design; comfort levels of buildings; use of natural resources and passive and active systems in heating, cooling and lighting, and water and waste management in buildings.

INT252-Environmental Control Systems (3,0)3

ARC301-Architectural Design Studio III (3,6)6

This design studio course starts to focus and examine the impact of environmental issues with the aim to design an environmentally responsive building within the design process. The studio will develop an understanding of the relationships between space, function, built form and context throughout a sustainable approach. More attention is given to how the building fabric can be assembled and orientated to control energy use and building performance using sustainable construction processes. (Prerequisite: ARC202).

ARC351-Urban Design & Planning (2,0)2

This course is designed to help students develop the values, knowledge and skills which they need to become effective practitioners in the production of a better urban realm. A series of lectures which explore current urban design and planning theories and methods introducing the students to the analysis of urban problems in different context that will enable them to produce alternative design solutions in cities. This course will amplify the requisite understanding of urban areas practices with the development of analytical urban form theories through design lectures, behavior analysis and perception based exercises.

INT301- Interior Design Studio III (2,8)6

In the third design studio, students work on a small-scale hospitality project. In addition to solving problems of a more complex program, larger square meters and larger number of users compared to previous projects, students will also consider the issues of sustainability and universal design. At this level, they are expected to provide evidence-based solutions related to project topic; develop creative design solutions and use communication media effectively. (Prerequisite: INT202

ARC361-Human Factors in Design (3,0)3

This course aims at introducing students with knowledge and skills of designing barrier free environments that respond to various human needs, especially people with challenges. The course focuses on human anthropometrics, ergonomics of space, universal design and accessibility issues. The course further develops on generating design concepts that dismantle physical and cognitive barriers to mobility, orientation, hypersensitivity and multiple challenges in buildings and open spaces.

INT361-Human Factors in Design (3,0)3

ARC381-Professional Ethics (2,0)2

Introducing values/value judgments, evaluation and valuation systems, personal and collective responsibilities of professionals and the accountability of profession in Architecture and Interior Design, this course challenges the students to examine critically a broad range of professional, legal, and ethical problems architecture and interior design as professions face today.

ARC401-Architectural Design Studio V (3,6) 6

This design studio course represents the most extended and developed exercises in macro planning issues. First priority is given to the urgent needs of our environment in terms of regeneration project such as housing, schools, or community buildings for urban centers. Projects will reinforce the entire curriculum, emphasizing on the complex relationships of buildings in an urban context taking all factors into consideration by way of interrelated aspects of an existing urban fabric. (Prerequisite: ARC302).

ARC403 - Graduation Research and Preparation (3,0)3

This course deals with the development of an individual general study and research by the student on a specific topic of her/his own choice/interests which goes to the primitive draft and initial issues about the final project. The research encompasses the following stages: subject definition, data gathering and classification, information interpretation relevant case/sample studies, programming and planning (denoting to activities), spatial perceiving, and technical information, site/field analysis and environmental fitting which shall be presented as a research report. (Prerequisite: ARC302).

INT403 - Graduation Research and Preparation (3,0)3

ARC253- Energy Optimization Architecture (3,0)3

This course is to provide the fundamental knowledge for students to be able to determine the optimum building design parameters according to design variables (such as climate, building typology, occupancy...etc) in order to increase the energy efficiency of buildings. The analyses of the reference building design parameters will be addressed according to national and international building codes and standards. Students will develop an integrated design by building modelling via building energy performance tools in all phases of the design process. Students will develop an understanding that the optimization of design will be based on annual primary energy demands that do not compromise the occupant’s thermal comfort.

ARC254 - Sustainable Lighting Design (3,0)3

The aim of this course is to develop the students' understanding of quality lighting design in buildings. Students will develop the basic technical and conceptual design skills for designing sustainable lighting systems for different spatial typologies, forms and functionalities that enhance the physical and psychological wellbeing of the occupants.

ARC352- Urban Habitat – (3,0)3

This course aims at raising awareness of main problems of contemporary urbanization such as high density of population in large cities and megacities; environmental, social and economic changes which create a new form and model of living and new attitudes; and which force people to adapt to these new conditions. The course will focus on interpretation and analysis of different case studies from different countries, contexts, cultures and environments through the exploration of new organization of space in cities, organization of social groups and communities, movement and settlement patterns and will provide understanding and tools to consider dynamics of new urban population at different scales.

ARC353- Landscape Architecture- (3,0)3

This course provides the basic knowledge about Landscape Architecture. Principle of spatial design within the context of the natural environment will be discussed through a multidisciplinary approach. Students will develop their design skills within the context of natural and built environment.

ARC355 - Community Based Planning (3,0)3

This course is to introduce community based planning. Students will be encouraged to critically and analytically engage with the principles and the process of community based planning, which have been developed by a wide range of communities in various projects within different scales and contexts around the globe.

ARC356 - Ecological Architecture (3,0)3

This course is to introduce Ecological Architecture. Students will be encouraged to critically and analytically engage with the principles and the process of Ecological Architecture, which have been developed by a wide range of knowledge on ecosystems and ecological approaches to various projects within different scales and contexts around the globe.

ARC357 - Architecture and Public Space Interaction (3,0)3

This course deals with Architecture and the open spaces. Built form (that is, the buildings and their activities and the open spaces between them - streets, squares, plazas, courtyards etc.) operates as one entity and is experienced through users' interactions with and within it. The nature of activities it offers can be entirely in the public domain, on the one hand, or in the public-private domain, on the other. Therefore, to be successful and responsive to user needs, the interconnections between the elements and domains of the built environment as activity settings should be carefully designed/organized to augment their symbiotic relationships.

ARC359 -Urban Ecology - (3,0)3

Urban Ecology course investigates the processes, systems and relations between the living beings that inhabit a given urban environment. The key topics to be covered in this course are physical environment (climate & water), ecosystem structure and function (productivity, soils, nutrient cycling), changes in global systems (urban growth, disturbance, climate change), and urban environmental pollution.

ARC382 - Gender and Space (3,0)3

This course aims to equip students with the awareness of gendered spaces in relation to contemporary urban spaces and architecture design.

ARC455-Environmental Aesthetics – (3,0)3

This course deals with basic concepts of environmental aesthetics. This course explores the aesthetic experiences of the built environment from a philosophical perspective and includes detailed discussion on such topics as how is aesthetic appreciation of nature similar to and different from appreciation of art objects? ; What criteria may be used to evaluate beauty in nature and in the built environment?; how is our aesthetic engagement with the environment related to our embodiment, and how do the non-visual senses contribute to aesthetic appreciation?

ARC457 - Urbanization and Social Ecology - 3 (3, 0)

The goal of this course is to discuss the social and ecological problems caused by urbanisation and to introduce alternative habitat solutions. Students will be introduced to the Social Ecological issues within the urban context and a holistic understanding of alternative social and ecological models which inclusively cover the needs of human species and the other beings on this planet.

PA311- Experimental Media - 3 (3, 0)

This is a course designed to expand the perceptual horizons in art-making. It involves experimenting with different materials and processes that may best suit the artist's concept and the underpinning motive-s to be offered for publication/exposition. All the conceptual and practical skills learned to that point may be drawn upon as appropriate

PA325 Wearable house / home - 3 (3, 0)

This course stems from the phenomenon of many people in recent times being forced to relocate due to natural disasters, political upheaval or other reasons. This diaspora has resulted in bringing into question the concept of house and home. Whereas thousands of people may be forced to leave their old home with nothing, others such as the homeless of affluent modern cities are in a similar predicament even though it may be through life-style choices.

PA332 - Art in Context - 3 (3, 0)

This course aims to increase students' perceptive sharpness in their production of art with the aim to reach out to a wider audience with their work. In other words, artists need to be intelligently, receptively and actively involved in the process of acquiring knowledge of the historical, social, cultural and political contexts within which their artistic sensibilities are formed and informed. Subsequently the student, while engaging in the complex web of socio-cultural dynamics of his/her environment, will critically evaluate the production of his/her work before submitting it to the public domain.

GRA351 - Urban Art - 3 (3, 0)

To provide students a broad understanding of ‘Urban art’ which combines street art and graffiti and is often used to summarize all visual art forms arising in urban areas, being inspired by urban architecture or present urban lifestyle.Throughout this course, we will journey through the world of graffiti, its transformation into street art, and its migration from the fringes of the mainstream to the centre.

MİM252 – Environmental Control Systems (3,0) 3 (Turkish)

This course discusses the effects of the built environment on people and nature. The main focus of the course is to introduce methods by which spatial designers can design buildings, built environments, and interior spaces by using natural resources to achieve the highest level of comfort, minimize environmental damage, and reduce energy consumption to the lowest possible level.

MİM301 – Architectural Design Studio III (3,6) 6 (Turkish)

Within the scope of this design studio, a project at the urban scale will be developed. In addition to resolving the complex internal relationships of the proposed project by considering urban-scale problems, students are expected to approach the project holistically together with the city, neighborhood, and surrounding landscape areas.

MİM351 – Urban Design and Planning (2,0) 2 (Turkish)

This course covers the fundamental principles and theories of urban design and planning. Students are given various assignments to conduct analyses and identify problems at the urban scale. Contemporary approaches in urban design and planning are shared, and by the end of the course, students are expected to develop the ability to propose solutions to urban-scale problems.
(Prerequisite: completion of first-year courses)

MİM361 – Human Factors in Design (3,0) 3 (Turkish)

This course focuses on human needs and problems, aiming especially to develop students’ skills in designing accessible and barrier-free environments. Therefore, the course content includes anthropometry, ergonomics, universal design, and accessibility.

MİM251 – Energy-Efficient Building Design (3,0) 3 (Turkish)

This course covers the concept of smart buildings and examples from Turkey and abroad; contemporary and technological building automation systems such as lighting, alarm, centralized ventilation-heating-cooling, and telecommunication systems; as well as the relationship between smart buildings, environmental ecology, energy systems, and energy efficiency.

MİM355 – City and Landscape (3,0) 3 (Turkish)

This course begins by discussing the relationship between urban design, landscape applications, and architecture. In addition to theoretical discussions aimed at diversifying and exemplifying urban design and landscape through different themes, the course includes a field study conducted throughout the semester.

The theoretical discussions focus on urban open spaces and address social, physical, and legal criteria and principles related to open and green spaces. Topics include urbanization processes, zoning, the concept of open and green spaces, open and green spaces in development plans, their functions, systems, classifications, standards, and the general principles of urban landscape planning. Each week, these topics are examined through a different theme.

The field study, supported by these discussions, involves weekly in-class evaluations of an urban problem assigned at the beginning of the semester, developed around each participant’s individual project.

İÇM252 – Environmental Control Systems (3,0) 3 (Turkish)

This course discusses the effects of the built environment on people and nature. Its main focus is on methods for spatial designers to design buildings, built environments, and interior spaces by utilizing natural resources to achieve maximum comfort, minimize environmental damage, and reduce energy consumption.

İÇM361 – Human Factors in Design (3,0) 3 (Turkish)

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the reciprocal relationship between human needs, abilities, behaviors, and the built environment. The relationship between environment and human behavior, as well as how people perceive, experience, and live within spaces, form the core topics of the course. Students learn to use research methods from environment–behavior studies and to develop their designs based on the findings of these studies. The course focuses on ways to design more humane and inclusive environments.

Graduate Courses:

MARC543 – Interfacing the Local and the International - (3,0)3

This course introduces students to the concept of the local and the international. It provides opportunities for consolidation of critical approach toward local and international context in theory and practice which increases students’ awareness.

MARC552 - Sustainable Urban Development - (3,0)3

Sustainable Urban Development as a concept encompasses all economic, social and environmental aspects of growth, yet it poses many challenges and barriers for urban designers, practitioners, decision-makers and the urban dwellers in terms of achieving its goals with the current policies and practices in different cultural, institutional and geographical contexts. Due to the rapidly increasing risks of climate change and the resultant impacts, the urban development methods, strategies, policies and practices require more effective approaches. This course in Sustainable Urban Development offers to provide the essential knowledge on the sustainability concepts and urbanization trends as well as the emerging urban development and design methods to a wide range of researchers and professionals. It contributes to further develop and implement strategies in conjunction with their rapidly changing environmental, economic, social and physical realities

MARC554 - Place and Resilience - (3,0)3

The main purpose of this course is to identify how far existing planning systems and practices are able to support the sustained development of urban areas and prepare them to withstand both foreseen and unforeseen changes. The course will introduce an alternative perspective to planning introducing the “resilience thinking” for the creation of “resilient cities”.

ARC652 - Sustainable Urbanism - (3,0)3

There are many complexities with regard to operationalizing macro-theoretical models and concepts especially in regard to the planning, development and redevelopment of rapidly growing cities and the urban populations. The current urban policies, strategies and frameworks are becoming inadequate to address the emerging risks to social, economic and physical well-being of all populations including the eco-systems on which we depend to survive. Such existential crises require different approaches in design, development, production and consumption as well as the rapid changes in the behaviors and lifestyles of urban dwellers. This course endeavors to provide a better understanding of the rapidly emerging social, physical and environmental shocks and pressures in the urban contexts. It is designed to address an array of challenges and identify potential new directions toward more effectively achieving sustainability in urban environments.

ARC654 - Advanced Studies on Place and Resilience - (3,0)3

The main purpose of this course is to identify to what extent the current philosophies and methods of planning systems and practices are able to support the sustained development of urban areas and prepare them to withstand both foreseen and unforeseen changes. The course will introduce an alternative perspective to the current philosophies and methods of planning introducing the "resilience thinking" for the creation of "resilient cities".