UBD368 Urban Design

If there's an occupation that I'd enjoy doing that would be an Urban Designer. I love the idea of visualising environments and putting it down in written form.

At the beginning of the year, there was a lot of group work, which really tests a lot of people. But, you have to realise that the end result is that everybody has a vested interest in completing the assignment.

I heard a lot of stories about how this subject has been run in the past, but my attitude was that i have had a great appreciation to the development of spaces and places. Both in a private commercial realm but also for the creation of public spaces.

As we moved into the middle of first semester, things felt like that the time spent was very effortless, until crunch time with assignments. Best rule: If you know what's coming up, be prepared.

The final assessment was the best as it was a solo project. It was a breeze as I knew what I was going to work on.

DEB200 - Introducing Sustainability

I'd have to say that this subject was equally complex as Stewardship of Land. I found it odd that the lecturer couldn't handle the fact that they where teaching 1,400 students, and that the university saw it fit not to customise the subject. Now, with two weeks before my big exam, I'm in the process of swallowing a horses pill.

INTRODUCING SUSTAINABILITY DEB200

Sustainability these days seems to be a key phrase that is bantered around as much as Nuclear was around in the 1980's. This current hot button is better thought of and used than the older term, environmentalism. Unfortunatly this term has conitations of the "Tree Hugging Hippy" and of extremist views and actions. Although I don't believe this to be true, in terms of marketing sustainability has made it's mark in defining environmentalism has ever been dreamed of.

In introducing sustainability, it is another subject that appears to be easy, but deep down is quite complicated and litigious. It's themes of observation in the first assignment (essay) where to say, quite open ended but the main focus was to establish the idea of being awake in your environment.

Perceptions of the environment are hard to observe, and these concept and points of view are even harder to understand fully without appreciating a historical use and habits. Just like a goat track is formed in a field because of the topography, peoples movements and uses through the environment have impacts that are unforeseen and unaccounted.

Can these be be analysed by using semiotics within the landscape? Does the impact of using the same road for 500 years imply sustainability or is it just a sociocultural belief in this is what has been done so we don't need to change. Is sustainability about change?