Teaching Plan Information

1. General information

Course Objective

The objective of this course is to equip students with the essential graphical and non-graphical methodologies and tools required for the physical or virtual execution of architectural projects. Graphical form serves as a communication code to convey architectural concepts to various stakeholders, including clients, peers, administrative bodies, and the students themselves, who can visualize their own ideas and creations across different media.

The course Analysis of Architectural Forms (Análisis de Formas Arquitectónicas) is positioned within the context of the first year of the Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture Studies.

2. Learning results

To be capable of producing a well-proportioned, hand-drawn sketch on physical media, incorporating all the necessary technical information of a building or architectural element.

To apply distinct criteria of organization, rigor, synthesis, and aesthetics in the presentation of graphical documents, regardless of the medium utilized.

To possess the ability to analyze architectural forms and to generate precise CAD-drafted plans of architectural solutions.

To be capable of conducting a comprehensive architectural analysis of a building.

To be capable of interpreting and analyzing a building in three dimensions by constructing either a physical architectural model or a virtual perspective.

3. Syllabus

01.- Representation Techniques: Materials, Freehand Sketching, and Dimensioning.

02.- Representation Techniques: Axonometric Projection and Sketching.

03.- Analysis: Contextual Analysis.

04.- Formal Analysis.

05.- Spatial Analysis.

06.- Functional Analysis.

07.- Technical Analysis.

08.- Technical Drawings I.

09.- Portfolio.

10.- Architectural Models.

11.- Architectural Culture.

4. Academic activities

Course Approach

The course is fundamentally practical in nature. The activities proposed for both theoretical sessions and workshops consist of practical exercises directly related to the analysis of architectural forms, as well as the ability to present and represent objects or spaces.

Instructional Format

Lectures (Clases magistrales): 1 hour per week. Theoretical-practical sessions dedicated to explaining the course content and the methodology for utilizing the required tools.

Workshop Practice (Prácticas de taller): 3 hours per week. Execution of guided practical assignments conducted on an individual basis.

Fieldwork / External Practice (Prácticas externas): 3 hours per week, alternating with workshop practice sessions.

5. Assessment system

Evaluation Modality

The course will be assessed exclusively through the Global Evaluation modality (evaluación global), based on the following activities:

1. Practical Assignments 

• Continuous Exercises: Execution of practical exercises proposed during the workshop sessions, which may be completed either during class hours or independently. Each assignment corresponding to the course chapters will be graded as Pass/Fail . The absolute deadline for submission is the official examination date established by the faculty.

• Final Practical Exam: A practical assignment to be completed on the day officially scheduled for the course examination.

• Note: Completion and approval of all these practical assignments is an indispensable prerequisite to submit the Course Project. These assignments do not carry a numerical grade.

2. Course Project 

The project is divided into two parts and consists of the analysis of a designated building. The grading breakdown for each of the two parts is as follows:

• CAD Drafting : 30%

• Analysis : 30%

• Physical Model : 20%

• Virtual Model and Photorealistic Renderings : 20%

Evaluation Criteria

• Adequacy of content in relation to the proposed topics.

• Graphical and visual quality.

• Conceptual accuracy and precision.

Requirements to Pass the Course

To successfully pass the course, students must meet the following criteria within the Global Evaluation framework:

1. Submit and achieve a "Pass" grade in all proposed practical assignments (including the Final Practical Exam).

2. Obtain a grade higher than 5.0 out of 10 in each of the individual components of the Course Project.

5.1. Academic fraud prevention

The use of unauthorised electronic materials or devices during the assessment may result in immediate exclusion from the examination and a fail mark (a numerical mark of ‘0’ for the assessment).

Furthermore, the lecturer in charge may complete the grade report and submit it to the General Inspectorate of Services, so that it may, where appropriate, consider initiating disciplinary proceedings against the student for academic fraud.

In the case of a continuous assessment exam [continuous assessment cannot continue, unless otherwise specified in the academic guide.]

In the case of a regular or extraordinary exam session, the initiation of disciplinary proceedings will result in the grade ‘pending resolution’ until the proceedings are concluded.

6. Sustainable Development Goals

4 - Quality Education
11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
13 - Climate Action

7. Bibliography

MANUAL DE DIBUJO ARQUITECTONICO / F CHING                           

ARQUITECTURA FORMA ESPACIO Y ORDEN / F CHING                    

LE CORBUSIER ANALISIS DE LA FORMA   / G. H. BAKER   

THE ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING COURSE / ZELL MO

MAQUETAS. LA REPRERSENTACION DEL ESPACIO EN EL PROYECTO ARQUITECTONICO / L. CONSALEZ