Architectural Technology with Foundation BSc Honours

Critical thinking is fundamental to our ability to progress in an increasingly complex and changing world. It is an essential skill across a range of academic and practice-based disciplines.

This module helps you understand the importance and function of critical thinking both at university and beyond. By working in partnership with academic staff and peers, you will explore how critical thinking aligns with disciplinary practices, shapes scholarly knowledge, and addresses inequalities. Through problem-posing education and anti-racist practices, you will engage with real-world problems, fostering the ability to create a more just and sustainable world.

This module introduces you to the key academic, professional, and personal skills essential for success at university. It encourages good practices in writing, presentation, and time management, while also fostering reflection to help you build confidence as you transition to higher education. Open to all students enrolled in courses delivered through Westminster Foundation Pathways, the module provides a creative and supportive environment where you can reflect on and develop their academic and professional journey. You'll work with specialist facilitators who play a crucial role in guiding your academic and professional development.

With a focus on managing academic choices in a higher education setting, the module emphasises the importance of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using methodologies that prioritise equality, diversity, and inclusion. Through these lenses, you'll explore topics that prepare you to address real-world challenges as highlighted in the SDGs in a socially conscious, inclusive, and responsible manner.

This studio-based module is the culmination of the Foundation, drawing on the practical and creative skills learned through the year. The focus is a creative enquiry-based project exploring and developing propositional responses to a brief informed by relevant interests from the field of urban, spatial or technical design. Sketchbook study visits to buildings and exhibitions provide contextual ideas and knowledge for the project work. An end-of-year exhibition showcases the range of project work achieved.

This studio and fabrication lab-based module introduces basic practical and creative skills of making, fabrication and architectural drawing. These are taught in the context of a project exploring and developing creative responses to a material or technical challenge. Sketchbook study walks and exhibition visits introduce you to the range of technologies, materials and construction methods in the built environment.

This studio-based module introduces basic architectural drawing and model-making. These are taught in the context of a creative enquiry-based project exploring and developing critical responses to an architectural space. There are sketchbook study visits to a range of building interiors and exhibitions.

This studio-based module introduces basic creative skills of observational drawing, photography, collage and montage. These are taught in the context of a creative enquiry-based project exploring and developing critical responses to urban places and their inhabitation. Sketchbook study walks and exhibition visits will introduce you to the design and cultural life of the city.

This module covers the following topics: origins of construction materials; properties and testing of structural materials, structure-property relationships; common construction materials and loading systems and load transfer elements of building structures.

The module uses domestic building construction as the context to examine basic construction methods, principles and performances required of its fabric. Elements to be examined include: foundations, walls, roofs finishes and services etc. Sustainable sources of construction will be explored through the implementation of Modern Method of Construction.

The aim of the module is to provide an introduction to the key skills for the Architectural Technologist in professional practice. These key skills are the ability to explore digital advances, technologies and processes that are, and will, change the way the construction industry operates, including the recognised stages of taking architectural design from conception to completion. Identification and examination of wellbeing throughout the learning journey and into professional design practice are core principles of the module.

This module offers an introduction to the principles and skills of design, in particular and encourages you to explore humanity and sustainability design issues in architecture. You will be introduced to the architectural movement, development, and locality through historical chronological lines. You'll explore, practice and demonstrate a level of capacity for traditional craft skills, such as hand drawing and model making, from small to large scale. Essential CAD (Computer Aided Design), measured surveying, and presentation skills will also be taught. You will respond to a studio project scenario and develop the project brief informed by critical and experimental investigation of the subject and site to produce a design and architectural proposition.

The aim of the module is to introduce you to basic theoretical passive design principles and climatic considerations in Architectural Technology, and to encourage practical application of the theories to their own design development, with physical experimentation and evaluation, providing clear synthesis with other design-based modules.

This module focuses on broadening your understanding of construction technology, with emphasis on medium to large-scale projects. You'll learn the construction principles and practices associated with multi-storey and long-span buildings while applying the building regulations throughout. The module particularly emphasises earthwork and frame support, substructure, superstructure, types of cladding, and how to maintain, refurbish and retrofit these types of structure to extend their useful lives.

You'll respond to a 'live' studio project brief of medium scale, develop a proposal informed by your critical and experimental responses to client needs, precedent research and analysis of the site, and design an architectural response; initially at Planning Application stage, leading to a more technical set of working drawing proposals.

This module involves the study of the different methods of the procurement, administration, tendering and evaluation of a Construction Project during its pre contract stage. Contract and tender documentation, administration and formulation are evaluated and applied to a chosen project. Detailed Management Principles of the Organisation are also explored. The Law of Contract, Property Law and the Law of Tort are explained and principles are applied to cases. You'll also progress your individual self-development by assessing and developing your personal and student attributes.

The necessary concepts, theories and definitions for structural forms and components, their role in load bearing and load transfer. Standards and regulations related to structural design and analysis, including British Standards and Eurocodes. Loading for structures, both static and dynamic. Theoretical background necessary for the design and analysis of simple components such as beam, column, truss, and portal frame with complex loading. Use of structural component design for environmentally sustainable materials.

The aim of the module is to develop your understanding and application of passive design principles and climatic considerations in Architectural Technology, and to enhance practical application of the theories to their own design development. Further to the basic knowledge already attained in the Level 4 Technologies of Architecture 1 module, you'll explore more complex principles of an industrial or commercial scale, through physical making, testing and analysis to demonstrate a critical analysis of environmental design, in addition to providing clear synthesis with other design modules.

In this module, you'll study the physical performance of building materials and components over time, along with diagnosis and remediation of building defects and failures.

This module focuses on current construction issues and the application of innovative industry technologies. You'll critically review materials and methods of special construction within the context of a given project.

Your learning will be assessed through formal presentations and portfolios that document your work from inception to completion. You'll be encouraged to use a variety of illustrative methods and innovative approaches to support your design solutions. Assessment will consider both your individual contributions and your work as part of a group.

In this module, you'll undertake a detailed design and technical study of the principal elements leading to the materialisation of a scheme from the development of a design concept. You'll explore a range of representation techniques including hand drawing, physical modelling and the use of 2D and 3D CAD for drafting, modelling and visualisations. The module will also address issues pertinent to regulation and will follow the RIBA plan of work for building design and the construction process.

This module introduces you to the industry requirements for graduate Architectural Technologists and builds on your previous learning to place Architectural Technology within the wider architectural profession. You'll explore current and emerging economic, social, political, technological, and environmental influences, alongside the role of professional bodies, professional ethics, and codes of conduct. The module also supports you in developing your career planning and professional identity.

In this module, you'll choose an area of interest related to sustainable design and/or technology, linked to your final year design project, and conduct research drawn from a variety of sources, offering a balanced line of argument and up to date relevant references from industry.