Art 3210 Architecture & Design NOW – Comprehensive Notes

Overview of Art 3210 Architecture & Design NOW

  • Fall 2025 course designed to introduce aspects of contemporary architecture and design through a series of invited speakers from across Canada and beyond (practising architects and designers, critics/historians, photographers, and other design professionals).
  • Focus on architecture and urbanism with design at all scales: urban/regional planning, landscape architecture, cities, buildings, interiors, and objects – capturing Ernesto Rogers’ scope: “from the spoon to the city.”
  • Presentations reveal design thinking, processes of design and making, and the ideas/forces behind landscapes, public spaces, urban development, buildings, consumer culture products, craft production, and design objects.
  • Emphasis on collaborative nature of architectural production; access to practitioners and their projects; variety of building types; insight into building intentions.
  • Environmental and social sustainability discussed from multiple perspectives; sustainable design practices and technologies related to cities, planning, design, construction, production, and contemporary consumption, in the context of the climate crisis.
  • Coverage of public realm issues: access, social equity, social justice, diversity, inclusivity, decolonization, gender, cultural/individual identities, and community; Indigenous architectural/design perspectives represented.
  • Attention to public realm, public spaces, and urban infrastructure; opportunities to reflect on experiences of the built environment and the objects around us.
  • Presentations are accompanied by readings and other media, providing critical approaches and resources for assignments.
  • Architecture & Design NOW aims to build critical skills to recognize, understand, interpret, and articulate aspects of architecture, cities, and objects produced under diverse cultural conditions.
  • You will be able to:
    • 3 foundational understanding of the historical development of recent and contemporary architecture, urbanism, and design, to anchor architectural and design experience
    • Through a broad range of practices and projects discussed in speaker presentations, build an extensive and informed context for architectural and design experience and consideration of design on various scales
    • Be responsive to your surroundings with an informed and critical awareness of the effects of the built environment and designed objects you encounter in daily life
    • Reflect meaningfully on experiences of the city, buildings, objects, lifestyles, and consumer choices
    • Enhance visual and spatial literacy across contexts
    • Broaden cultural awareness by viewing architectural production and artifacts in diverse cultural, regional, national, and global contexts (including Indigenous contexts and reconciliation initiatives)
    • Situate architecture within wider historic, social, and cultural contexts
    • Apprehend historic, social, cultural, environmental, economic, and geopolitical forces impacting architecture, cities, and design
    • Interpret architecture, cities, and objects within specific cultural and regional contexts
    • Approach architecture and design as cultural expressions
    • See social, historical, and technological contexts of design development
    • Recognize how buildings, cities, and objects embody, represent, inform, reproduce, and reinforce cultural hierarchies and values
    • Visually recognize and describe architectural features, stylistic tendencies, structural systems, materials, and construction techniques
    • Discover established and new building technologies
    • Define and articulate design trends
    • Critically critique and analyze buildings, cities, and objects
    • Identify factors informing design decisions
    • Develop vocabulary to describe architecture, planning, urban conditions, and design
    • Articulate informed responses, critiques, assessments, and arguments
    • Draw on research, evidence, and experience to construct arguments on issues in architecture, urbanism, heritage, preservation, landscape, and related areas
    • Develop users’ perspectives and evaluations of buildings and spaces
    • Apply users’ perspectives to buildings and objects encountered in daily life
    • Gain understanding of design thinking across various design disciplines represented in the semester’s series (architecture, interior design, planning, landscape, product design, etc.)
    • See and evaluate design intentions in architecture, urban spaces, infrastructure, and objects
    • Follow and gain insights into the design process, including reading plans, sections, elevations, drawings, renderings, with some understanding of CAD, parametric design, and other digital tools
    • Comprehend and critically evaluate architecture and design criticism, journalism, and public discourse; analyze texts from diverse viewpoints and relate them to speakers
    • Develop and articulate your own informed critical position and viewpoints
    • Consider the role of architecture and design media in production and reception
    • Assess environmental impacts of buildings, landscapes, and planning outcomes
    • Define contributions of design to urban experience
  • The semester blends in-person and virtual presentations. In-person talks are held in L1060; virtual talks are accessible online in real time. All presentations are synchronous; recordings are generally not available after the event, so attendance in L1060 and viewing during class time are essential. Talks are often followed by a brief Q&A.
  • Dates for in-person and virtual presentations appear on Moodle Calendar. Details of individual speakers and talks are on the schedule of upcoming Art NOW events on the University of Lethbridge Notice Board at www.uleth.ca/notice. Use the Moodle filters: under ‘View by filter,’ select ‘CATEGORY’ and click on ‘Art NOW.’ To view past notices, search by date under ‘View by timeline.’ Information on upcoming speakers is also on the Faculty of Fine Arts Events page: https://www.ulethbridge.ca/fine-arts/event-season. Schedules are updated throughout the semester; a master document listing dates will be posted at the start. Check Moodle Calendar, Notices, and the Faculty of Fine Arts Events page regularly for updates.
  • A Moodle-hosted document will list confirmed dates at the start; stay informed about additions and revisions throughout the semester.
  • The Moodle Calendar also shows assignment due dates and other important dates.

Series Logistics and Environment

  • This semester blends in-person and online presentations; in-person sessions are in L1060, online talks are real-time and synchronous. Recordings are generally not posted after the fact.
  • Attendance and engagement during Q&A are encouraged and considered important to the learning experience.
  • Scheduling and speaker details are dynamic; check Moodle Calendar, Moodle Announcements, the Notice Board, and the Faculty of Fine Arts Events page for the most current information.
  • Announcements and emails generated by Moodle will provide updates; you are responsible for monitoring these communications.

Attendance, Participation, and Engagement

  • Attendance at presentations and participation in class discussions are essential for success.
  • Students should engage with both synchronous and asynchronous contextual materials.
  • Active participation includes asking questions, contributing to discussions, and reflecting on presentations in relation to your own architectural/urban/design experiences.

Coursework and Evaluation (Overview)

  • Coursework comprises 3 written assignments based on context-specific prompts tied to current presentations and any related experiential activities.
  • Each assignment is approximately 4-5 pages, double-spaced; page length specified on each assignment.
  • Assignments are posted on Moodle roughly two weeks before their due dates.
  • Due dates occur at intervals of roughly 1 month across the semester, with the final assignment due on the last day of classes.
  • Prompts focus on the most recent interval’s presentations, sometimes recalling earlier content to enable connections.
  • Assignments should demonstrate comprehensive grasp and direct engagement with content, including evidence from speakers and related activities.
  • Discussion should be grounded in presented content and first-hand architectural/urban/design experience where relevant; criticality is encouraged.
  • Aim to develop informed critical observations, independent commentary, and to extend thinking beyond simply restating content.
  • When relating to presentations and activities, draw on related resources and contextual material; acknowledge sources with full citations and provide a bibliography.
  • Responses should be structured, clear, and concise, with concrete descriptions to substantiate points.
  • Consider different positions and perspectives from speakers and critics; acknowledge your own positionality.
  • Use the assignments to develop, articulate, and present your knowledge and informed critical viewpoints in response to specific prompts.
  • Where relevant, draw on experiences of architecture, buildings, spaces, and the city, and engagement with designed objects.
  • The assignment prompts are designed to connect directly to the content of presentations and activities, including questions posed by speakers.
  • Additional content from class and discussions can extend thinking; incorporate related resources to support your arguments.
  • In addition to due dates on the Calendar, a master document listing all due dates will be posted on the course website for reference.

Assignment Details and Requirements

  • Written assignments require: a clear response to prompts, use of multiple sources, consistent citation (APA, Chicago, MLA), and a bibliography.
  • You are encouraged to incorporate your own experiences of architecture, buildings, spaces, and the city, while grounding arguments in presented content.
  • In all assignments, cite fully all sources (presentations, online and textual sources). Plagiarism is a serious offence; failure to reference ideas and information not your own can result in mark loss.
  • Use MLA/APA/Chicago or other standard citation styles; if unsure, consult the university library’s guidelines.
  • A document listing all due dates will be posted on the course website; check regularly.

Citations, Integrity, and Academic Offences

  • See the new Student Code of Conduct Policy (2025) 4.2: Academic Offences include plagiarism and related practices; examples include:
    • 4.2.1.1: Using all or part of someone else’s work in an evaluated activity without proper acknowledgment.
    • 4.2.1.2: Submitting material obtained from another person, website, service, or source which the student is required to complete independently.
  • The policy covers both unattributed and AI-generated content, with explicit guidance to attribute sources and acknowledge AI usage.
  • 5.2. Students’ Responsibilities: 5.2.1.1: Students must understand and conduct themselves in accordance with academic integrity; are responsible for all work submitted under their name.
  • For citation of information from lectures, you may use phrases like: “Perry Stein, in his Architecture & Design NOW lecture, said…” or, depending on the style, a parenthetical citation (e.g., “Susan Jefferson, Architecture & Design NOW, Nov. 3, 2025”).
  • A summary of the new policy and related notes: familiarity with the updated policy is encouraged; it replaces previous policies.
  • Assistance with citation and writing is available at the university library’s Academic Writing Centre: https://www.ulethbridge.ca/artsci/academic-writing/writing-centre

AI (Generative AI) Usage Policy

  • Acceptable and Unacceptable Use of AI: AI tools are an important topic; use of generative AI in assignments is permitted but not required.
  • Be transparent and reflexive about AI usage; this aligns with critical thinking.
  • Permitted uses (examples):
    • refining your ideas
    • fine tuning your research questions
    • finding information on your topic
    • drafting an outline to organize your thoughts
  • Prohibited uses (examples):
    • writing a draft of a writing assignment
    • writing entire sentences, paragraphs, or full papers to complete assignments
  • You are responsible for information generated by AI; ensure compliance with intellectual property laws and check for misinformation or unethical content.
  • If AI is used, you must document and cite AI usage in your assignment to align with university policies on academic offences.
  • CITATION GUIDELINES: Cite AI-generated content using the appropriate style (APA, MLA, Chicago) per library guidance:
    • APA: https://library.ulethbridge.ca/c.php?g=712713&p=5290474
    • MLA: https://library.ulethbridge.ca/c.php?g=726252&p=5290483
    • Chicago: https://library.ulethbridge.ca/c.php?g=256463&p=5290495
  • Citations of AI should be consistent with the citation style used for the text.

Submissions, Format, and Late Policy

  • Submissions will be through Moodle; use the Drop Box to submit Word (.docx) or PDF (.pdf) files.
  • Text should be double-spaced.
  • The document you initially submit is the one that will be marked; late replacement submissions are not allowed.
  • Label and submit the document you intend to be marked; do not submit notes or outlines by mistake.
  • Late submissions incur a deduction of 2% per day.

Submissions, Late Policy, and Grading Weights

  • Marks for assignments: Assignment 1 35\%, Assignment 2 35\%, Assignment 3 30\%.
  • Grading scale (percent to letter):
    • A+: 92.00-100.00
    • A: 88.00-91.99
    • A-: 84.00-87.99
    • B+: 80.00-83.99
    • B: 76.00-79.99
    • B-: 72.00-75.99
    • C+: 68.00-71.99
    • C: 64.00-67.99
    • C-: 60.00-63.99
    • D+: 55.0-59.00
    • D: 50.00-54.99
    • F: 0.00-49.99
  • Note: Art 3210 is offered every fall; Art 4210: Architecture & Design NOW II offered in spring with a different speaker lineup. Art 3210 is not a prerequisite for Art 4210.

Important Administrative Details and Resources

  • Moodle and course website will host a calendar of due dates and announcements; check regularly.
  • A document listing all due dates will be posted for reference; in addition to calendar dates, assignments will have explicit due dates.
  • If you need guidance on citation formats, consult the university library’s citation resources.
  • Office hours are by appointment, with options for in-person meetings in office W818 (Centre for the Arts) or Zoom meetings; use your U of L account to log into Zoom.

Calendar, Notices, and Access

  • Calendar on Moodle shows due dates and other important dates.
  • Notices and announcements on Moodle provide schedule updates and speaker information.
  • Websites for notices and events:
    • University of Lethbridge Notice Board: www.uleth.ca/notice
    • Faculty of Fine Arts Events: https://www.ulethbridge.ca/fine-arts/event-season
  • For past presentations, use the Notice Board to search by date; to view current and upcoming presentations, click on the notice for the speaker/topic.
  • Archive videos of past Architecture & Design NOW talks may be posted for asynchronous viewing; availability is announced via Moodle.

Indigenous Contexts, Public Realm, and Social Relevance

  • Content emphasizes Indigenous contexts and reconciliation initiatives within architectural production and design discourse.
  • The program addresses access, social equity, inclusivity, gender, and community in relation to public spaces and urban design.
  • Students are encouraged to reflect on the social and cultural roles of design in diverse contexts and to consider how design mediates cultural hierarchies.

Reflection, Criticality, and Personal Positioning

  • Students should develop their own critical positions and articulate informed, independent viewpoints.
  • Engagement with speakers, critics, and other commentators should be open to challenge and synthesis with personal observations.
  • Assignments are designed to help you connect course content with your own experiences of architecture, cities, and designed objects.

Accessibility and Support

  • If you need assistance with writing, citation, or understanding academic integrity policies, the university library and Academic Writing Centre are available for support (links provided above).
  • Regularly check Moodle Announcements and notices for updates, and attend scheduled presentations and Q&A sessions.

Notes on Language and Style in Assessments

  • In textual references to sources, you may frame citations in-text as in the example above; ensure clear attribution of ideas and avoid misattribution.
  • When citing AI usage, ensure it is clearly indicated and properly cited in the assignment using the chosen citation style.

Quick Reference: Key Policies at a Glance

  • Academic integrity is mandatory; plagiarism includes unattributed use of words or ideas and the misuse of AI content without proper acknowledgment.
  • AI usage is allowed for certain supportive tasks, must be disclosed, and must not substitute for original student work.
  • All sources, including speaker presentations and online resources, must be cited with a bibliography.
  • Submissions are always through Moodle; late submissions incur a penalty.
  • The grading scheme is fixed per assignment with a final overall grade derived from the three components.

URLs to Bookmark

  • Moodle Calendar (course dates and due dates) – accessible via the course page on Moodle
  • University of Lethbridge Notice Board – www.uleth.ca/notice
  • Faculty of Fine Arts Events – https://www.ulethbridge.ca/fine-arts/event-season
  • Library citation guidelines – https://library.ulethbridge.ca/cite?hs=a
  • Academic Writing Centre – https://www.ulethbridge.ca/artsci/academic-writing/writing-centre

Closing note

  • Stay engaged with the presented material, reflect on your experiences in architecture and design, and use the assignments to develop an informed, critical voice about architecture, cities, and designed objects.