Course Name: Settlement Planning and Design in Hilly Terrain

OCW type: PDP

Higher Education Institution: School of Planning and Architecture (SPAV), Vijayawada

Description of course

Aim: Planning and designing of buildings in a hilly terrain are tedious and difficult task due to complicated terrain, steep gradient, adverse climatic conditions, rich flora and proneness to natural hazards. In response to these harsh development situations, numerous vernacular practices and styles have evolved with local materials and indigenous techniques to fulfil the needs of people, which cause minimal damage to environment and are sustainable. But, in spite of numerous benefits of these vernacular practices, these are often not used for new development due to increased demand for more built spaces due to rapid growth, availability of new construction materials and techniques and reluctance of residents to adopt vernacular practices. This course is looking forward to sensitize the professionals with an importance of Vernacular practices in modern Architecture practices for designing in Hilly terrain and process can be integrated to strengthen the planning of settlement.

Course Objectives:  

This course shall pave the way to explore the sustainability settlement concepts and best practices which can be applied in contemporary world with respect to adaptation to disasters and climate change with a focus on built environment. To impart the important of sustainable settlement planning in hilly terrain.

Learning outcomes:

Participants shall learn the traditional concepts and techniques from various cases studies across the country for understanding the traditional concepts for coping up with sustainability issues pertaining to settlement planning and design in hilly region.

Course Structure

Course Duration: Six-Day programs, with two sessions per day

Course Frequency: Yearly and as per the demand

Course Format: Course format includes Lectures, Workshops, Lab and Short-term Project

Course Content

Prerequisites for participation: Architects, Urban Planners, Civil Engineers, Historians are eligible. 

Course Syllabus:

1. Sustainable planning principles in hilly region

2. Spatial planning tools and techniques.

3. Environmental issues and hilly terrain

4. Traditional wisdom and sustainable concepts for planning and design.

Course Assignments: Reading published resources on traditional knowledge and indigenous practices.

Expected time spent on course:

Time spent in hours: Minimum of 40 hours

Time spent in ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System): No Credit

Course Evaluation

Evaluation Procedure & Criteria: Predesigned feedback forms from the participants shall be evaluated.

Faculty Evaluation: Interaction during the presentation by the mentors.

Student Evaluation: Predesigned feedback forms from the participants shall be evaluated.