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TRP210

Urban Design and Place-making

Autumn 2024

Assessment 2: Site Design Posters

Overview of the Assignment

The aim of this assignment is to provide you with an opportunity to apply context-based information and theoretical concepts in the analysis and design of a small urban site. Students will work on an assigned site (selected from within your Character Area from Assessment 1). Using your baseline analysis from Assessment 1, you are required to now focus your urban design analysis on the assigned site to critically analyse, understand and appraise the form and function of the space/context. The outcomes of the analysis will be used to formulate Design Considerations, spatialised Design Concept/s, and a final technical Design Option (drawn to scale). An evaluation of the final design will form the conclusion of the posters - considering the overall effectiveness of the design response.

 The assessment is worth 75% of the module mark.

Portfolio Format

· Two A1 size posters, either portrait or landscape layout

· Word limit: 1,000 words, with 10% leeway, excluding references. As a graphical/visual submission the emphasis is a ratio of 70/30 or 60/40 graphics to text. A recommended word split is provided, see ‘Suggested Poster Contents Below’.

· Submit it online via Blackboard as a PDF file. No paper copy is required.

· The title of your submitted file: TRP210 Site Design Posters – 2xxxx (Your registration number).

Suggested Poster Contents

Poster 1

Header/Footer: Including the title of the assessment, your student registration number, the date of submission, and a final word count.

Site Analysis / Design Considerations:

1) The location and historical character of the study area may include, for example: the Strategic Location, Policy Context, Historical Analysis/Listed Buildings of the site area. Please refer to Weeks 1-4 for details. These materials should be presented visually via maps/plans/images. (100 words – bullet points recommended)

2) An urban design analysis of the study area may include, for example: a Figure Ground Analysis, Land Use Analysis, Active Frontages, Route/Mobility Hierarchy, and/or Legibility Analysis. Please refer to Weeks 1–4 for details. These materials should be presented visually via maps/plans/images. (200 words – bullet points recommended)

3) Design Considerations: which illustrate your assessment of the opportunities and constraints of the site area (helping to inform your design brief) (please refer to Week 4). (100 words – bullet points recommended)

Poster 2

Design Development / Final Design

1) Design Brief using the opportunities and constraints from your Design Considerations formulate a Design Brief to suggest how the site might be enhanced or improved. The brief forms the recommendations that guide your design (please refer to Week 7). (150 words – bullet points recommended)

2) A Design Concept which illustrates your response to your Design Brief/testing of your ideas. *Design concepts are graphically flexible and illustrate your thinking more generally via ‘blobs and arrows’. You can use either computer software or a hand-drawn approach to illustrate your design concept (no penalisation or prioritisation exists between hand-drawn and software versions) (please refer to Week 7/8). (150 words – bullet points recommended)

3) A final technical Design Option (drawn to scale) illustrating your overall vision as well as an evaluation of the design in achieving your design objectives. *Design options are technical drawings which show your thinking to scale. You can use either computer software or a hand-drawn approach to illustrate your design option (no penalisation or prioritisation exists between hand-drawn and software versions) (please refer to Week 8/9). (100 words – bullet points recommended)

4) Critical Reflections You must also include a short reflective section (between 150-200 words) that identifies how you used the feedback to improve your work.  This may include the changes you have made to your original submission, but more importantly, it must reflect on what you have learned about the application of urban design theory and analysis from the original feedback and how this has changed your approach for this subsequent assignment.

Reference list using Harvard style.

You are required to make extensive use of visual material. The use of text is mainly for explanation and annotation – a ratio of 70/30 or 60/40 graphic to text are recommended. Make use of base-plans, diagrams and aerial photographs, annotated photographs, cross sections and sketches (if relevant) to communicate your analysis and design. The analysis should be accessible and easy to read e.g. no small font sizes or overly small diagrams. It is a good idea to have a consistent approach to page layouts e.g. background colour, font, title placement and division of the page into sections (please refer to Week 4: Skills Session).

Criteria for Assessment

The assignment will be marked on the basis of:

1. Use of urban design theory and the ability to critically reflect on appropriate urban design concepts.

2. Depth and breadth of the urban design analysis.

3. Ability to creatively solve issues identified through the analysis and propose design solutions through the process of design development.

4. Ability to present the analysis, design development and, final design in an appropriate and accessible format combining visual and written material.

Sheffield Graduate Attributes

This assessment will contribute to the development of the following SGAs: Applying Knowledge; Research and Critical Thinking; Digital Capability; Working with Others; and Enterprising.

How you will receive feedback on your work

You will receive feedback on your assessment via Blackboard. You will receive your provisional grade and feedback usually within 3 weeks of the submission deadline for each assessment. If, due to unforeseen circumstances (such as illness), it is not possible to return work within this timescale, all students will be notified.

Use of Generative AI

Please make sure you are aware of and follow the School of Geography and Planning guidelines on the use of Generative AI that are set out in your student handbook. This requires you to declare any use of GenerativeAI tools in assessed work (e.g. use of Adobe Generative AI).

Extensions/Extenuating Circumstances

Note: Any required extensions must be requested using the online Extension Request/Extenuating Circumstances form. The links to these forms are available via your Blackboard Hubs. Extensions should be requested at least 48 hours prior to the submission deadline, wherever possible.  

Important Literature

§ BLACK, P, MARTIN, M, PHILLIPS, R and SONBLI, T (2025), ‘Applied Urban Design: A Contextually Responsive Approach’, New York, Routledge.

- Excellent coverage of range of urban design analysis techniques/graphics and sequential stages of the design process - consider Chapters 5-8.

§ BLACK, P, and SONBLI, T (2019), ‘The Urban Design Process’, London, Lund Humphries.

- Excellent coverage of range of urban design analysis techniques/graphics - consider pages 48-77.

§ DETR (2000), ’By Design: Urban design in the planning system: towards better practice’, London, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR).

- Pages 15 and 16 are an excellent 'Urban Design Analysis - Cheat Sheet' providing you with a range of key urban design concepts and their definitions. For more detail on each, look through Section 2.

§ MADANIPOUR, A, MICIUKIEWICZ, K AND VIGAR, G (2018), ‘Master plans and urban change: the case of Sheffield city centre’, Journal of Urban Design, 23, 465-481.

- Provides an excellent overview of the broader regeneration of Sheffield since the early 2000s. Helpful for context on how the city has changed from an urban design lens.

§ MINISTRY OF HOUSING, COMMUNITIES & LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ‘National Model Design Code: Part 1 The Coding Process’, London, MHCLG.

- The NMDC is the current national design policy in England – it includes the ten characteristics of good design, definitions and helpful visuals see pages 18–34.

§ SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL (2022), 'Sheffield City Centre Strategic Vision', Sheffield, Sheffield City Council.

- Very helpful policy overview of key priorities/vision for Sheffield, split across specific neighbourhoods, see pages 50-56.

Important Resource

The module is supported by a dedicated digital education resource to bolster professional design software skills development: Urban Design Toolkit