Global Housing Design Course

Lesson 1 • Core Design Vocabulary and Metrics

Introduces standard spatial terminology, area metrics, and density measures used globally. Ensures consistent communication across international project teams.

Lesson 2 • Global Housing Typologies

Surveys dominant housing forms across continents, including single-family, multi-family, and communal types. Builds comparative literacy essential for cross-cultural design work.

Lesson 3 • Cultural Influences on Housing Form

Examines how religion, family structure, and social norms shape spatial organization. Connects cultural analysis to practical layout and program decisions.

Lesson 1 • Environmental Hazard Considerations

Addresses seismic, flood, wind, and wildfire risks as design constraints. Prepares students to integrate hazard mitigation into early design phases.

Lesson 2 • Natural Ventilation Principles

Covers wind-driven and buoyancy-driven airflow strategies for residential buildings. Reduces mechanical cooling loads and improves indoor air quality across climates.

Lesson 3 • Global Climate Zones and Housing

Maps major climate classifications and their direct implications for building envelope design. Establishes climate literacy as a prerequisite for all subsequent environmental decisions.

Lesson 4 • Site Analysis and Topography

Develops methods for reading slope, hydrology, vegetation, and microclimate on a site. Connects site data directly to building placement and landscape integration.

Lesson 1 • Outdoor and Semi-Outdoor Spaces

Addresses balconies, terraces, courtyards, and gardens as integral components of residential units. Connects private outdoor space to well-being, climate response, and cultural expectations.

Lesson 2 • Flexible and Adaptable Unit Layouts

Introduces design strategies that allow units to change over time with household needs. Supports longevity and reduces costly renovations across a building's lifespan.

Lesson 3 • Kitchen and Bathroom Design

Covers ergonomic layouts, fixture clearances, and plumbing zone strategies for kitchens and bathrooms. These spaces drive structural and service core decisions in any housing project.

Lesson 4 • Room Relationships and Adjacency

Teaches bubble diagramming and adjacency matrix methods for organizing domestic programs. Builds systematic thinking about spatial sequence and functional zoning.

Lesson 1 • Plumbing and Drainage Systems

Explains domestic water supply, drainage, and waste system layouts for residential buildings. Emphasizes service core coordination and vertical stacking efficiency.

Lesson 2 • Structural Systems Overview

Surveys load-bearing wall, frame, and hybrid structural systems used in residential construction. Enables designers to make informed structural choices early in the design process.

Lesson 3 • Mechanical and HVAC Systems

Introduces heating, cooling, and ventilation system types suited to residential applications. Connects system selection to climate zone, unit size, and energy targets.

Lesson 4 • Electrical and Lighting Systems

Covers residential electrical distribution, outlet placement, and lighting design principles. Integrates smart home readiness and energy metering into housing design.

Lesson 1 • Renewable Energy Integration

Covers photovoltaic, solar thermal, and small-scale wind systems for residential applications. Connects on-site generation to net-zero and energy-positive housing goals.

Lesson 2 • Water Efficiency and Landscape

Addresses low-flow fixtures, rainwater harvesting, and drought-tolerant landscaping as integrated water strategies. Reduces potable water demand across diverse climate contexts.

Lesson 3 • Sustainable Materials and Life Cycle

Evaluates building materials by embodied carbon, durability, and end-of-life recyclability. Connects material choices to whole-life environmental impact and circular economy principles.

Lesson 4 • Passive Solar and Thermal Mass

Teaches direct gain, indirect gain, and thermal mass strategies for solar heat collection and storage. Reduces heating loads without mechanical systems in appropriate climates.

Lesson 1 • Construction Cost Reduction Strategies

Covers repetitive structural grids, prefabrication, and simplified envelope systems that reduce build costs. Connects design decisions directly to construction budget outcomes.

Lesson 2 • Incremental and Self-Help Housing

Introduces core-and-shell, sites-and-services, and incremental growth models for low-income contexts. Empowers residents to expand and improve their homes over time.

Lesson 3 • Community and Shared Amenity Design

Designs shared laundry, play, garden, and social spaces that enhance community cohesion. Offsets small unit sizes with high-quality communal resources.

Lesson 4 • Efficient Unit Planning for Affordability

Applies compact planning principles to maximise livability within constrained floor areas. Demonstrates that spatial quality and cost efficiency are mutually achievable goals.

Lesson 1 • Open Space and Landscape Networks

Plans hierarchical open space networks from private gardens to neighbourhood parks. Connects green infrastructure to biodiversity, stormwater management, and resident well-being.

Lesson 2 • Mixed-Use and Transit-Oriented Housing

Integrates retail, workspace, and civic uses with housing near transit nodes. Reduces car dependency and supports vibrant, walkable neighbourhoods.

Lesson 3 • Density, Height, and Massing

Explores the relationship between density targets, building height, and massing strategies. Enables designers to achieve density goals while maintaining livability and urban character.

Lesson 4 • Streets, Edges, and Public Realm

Designs active ground-floor edges, pedestrian streets, and public frontages that animate housing neighbourhoods. Connects building design to the quality of surrounding public space.

Lesson 1 • Multi-Criteria Design Decision-Making

Applies weighted criteria matrices and trade-off analysis to resolve competing design priorities. Develops systematic judgment for complex, real-world housing briefs.

Lesson 2 • Design for Resilience and Adaptability

Embeds long-term resilience strategies for climate change, demographic shifts, and technological change. Ensures housing remains functional and relevant across decades.

Lesson 3 • Community Engagement in Design

Applies participatory design methods to incorporate resident input into housing proposals. Builds skills for co-design processes that improve social acceptance and project outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Integrated Housing Design Project

Synthesises all course competencies in a comprehensive housing design project from brief to developed design. Demonstrates mastery through a portfolio-ready, multi-scale design proposal.