EAST ST LOUIS ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT

LA338 Spring 1998


Course Outline

Strategic design -  Master planning for enhanced quality of life in East St. Louis: Multi-scale land resource analysis and design

   
 

Part One:

 Background research, project definition program development 
Two weeks, 10% of final grade

Part Two:

 Analysis phase. 
Four weeks, 25% of final grade 

Part Three:

 Concept development phase. 
Three weeks, 25% of final grade

Part Four:

 Charette: Laws of the Indies 
Two and a half weeks, 20% of final grade 

Part Five

 Design development and presentation 
Two Weeks, 20% of final grade 

Course Attendance

We will be working in a consultative capacity with studios in Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning who have quite different schedules than ours.  Architecture 372/374 meets MWF 1:00 to 4:00pm, Urban and Regional Planning 378 meets Friday only, but all day.  You are asked to make special efforts to make our collaboration work.  You will be expected to attend every scheduled class period, Monday through Friday, so that I can keep in touch with your progress.  I expect you, in addition, to meet with your team partners out of class time and to make arrangements to meet me at non-class times as you feel necessary.  Even within class times I must take time out to meet with the parallel Lewis and Clark studio and sometimes attend meetings elsewhere on campus.  I will arange make-up times as required.

I will keep a record of attendance/non-attendance which will influence your final grades in the following manner:

  1. If a student collects four unexcused absences during the course of the semester, the students final grade will be reduced one full grade;
  2. An unexcused late arrival (after 2:30) will be counted as one-half of an absence.  Therefore eight late arrivals, or a combination of late arrivals and unexcused absences totaling four unexcused absences, will result in a full grade reduction;
  3. Excused absences will be granted for medical reasons, or if some work needs to be done in a different location, and can only be done during the class period (this should be discussed ahead of time).  If you need to be away from your work area during class time, leave a note clearly visible on top of your table.

Grades

Plus (+) will be applied to the student’s grade when the work exceeds the evaluation criteria of a grade level, but is still deficient in the criteria expected for the next highest grade level

Minus (-) will be applied to the student’s grade when the work comes close to, but still hasn’t reached, the evaluation criteria of a grade level.

The instructor will be available for appointments to discuss grades or other issues throughout the semester.  Grade sheets will be distributed after each review.

Group working

I expect most of the work in this class to be conducted by groups of students working together.  However, it is important that I try to differentiate between individuals' input in order to assign grades.  For this reason every piece of work from your group should indicate who took the major role.  If I am left in any doubt I will assume you each contributed equally.

Preliminary dates:

Week 1. 
Jan 20-Jan 23

 Wed Jan 21: Course Introduction: 
Background research, project definition program development. 
One and a half weeks, 10% of final grade.
Fri Jan 23: ESL database orientation: 
417 Noble Hall, 2:00pm. 
Abhijeet Chavan, 244-6076 
Deanna Koenigs, 333-2939

Week 2. 
Jan 26-Jan 30

 Mon Jan 26:  3:00pm 
Project definition and program
Fri Jan 30:  Site Visit: 
Depart Temple Buell Hall, 7:00am, return 7:00pm. 
Various sites in East St. Louis.

Week 3. 
Feb 2-Feb 6

 Mon Feb 2: Project definitions and timelines due. 
Introduction to Analysis phase. 
Four weeks, 25% of final grade.

Week 4. 
Feb 9-Feb 13

Week 5. 
Feb 16-Feb 20

Week 6. 
Feb 23-Feb 27

 Fri Feb 27:  Project Analysis phase due.

Week 7. 
Mar 2-Mar 6

 Mon Mar 2:  Introduction: 
Concept development phase. 
Three weeks, 25% of final grade.

Week 8. 
Mar 9-Mar 13

Week 9. 
Mar 16-Mar 20

 Wed Mar 18:  Concept development phase due. 
Exact dates depend on mid-semester review schedule. 

Mar 23-Mar 27 Spring Break

Week 10. 
Mar 30-Apr 3

 Mon Mar 30:  Charette -- Law of the Indies: 
Led by Christina Felsenhardt, President, Chilean Institute of Landscape Architects 
(Two Weeks, 20% of final grade)

Week 11. 
Apr 6-Apr 10

Week 12. 
Apr 13-Apr 17

 Wed Apr 15:  Charette problem due.

Week 12. 
Apr 13-Apr 17

 Fri Apr 17:  Introduction to design development and presentation phase 
(Two Weeks, 20% of final grade)

Week 13. 
Apr 20-Apr 24

Week 14. 
Apr 27-May 1

 Date not fixed: Final Review

Week 15. 
May 4-May 6

 Wed May 6: Instruction Ends

Week 16. 
May 11-May 15

 Final Examinations.

Background:

Background research, project definition, program development.

One and a half weeks, 10% of final grade.

The semester's work has been described as a nested set of projects at different scales.  However, the scope and focus of the individual projects has not been defined.  The object of this first phase is to conduct background research, write project definition statements, and develop a timeline/program for the semester work. I recommend you to consider dividing the responsibilities for this phase of the project.
 

ASSIGNMENT #1: Background Research

The East St. Louis Action Research Project and the EGRETS map database are excellent tools for helping you start to define your project.  There are numerous other sources of information from Agencies such as the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (US HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (US and IL EPA.)  Each semester we commence a project the information landscape has changed dramatically.  Using Internet and Library resources conduct an extensive survey of information germane to your topic.  All the information you gather must be available to the whole class in electronic format.  References to books, articles etc. must be complete and in Chicago Manual of Style format.  Internet references must be provided with accurate URL addresses.  We will discuss format in class but my expectation is that the database you create will go on-line as part of this web site.

ASSIGNMENT #2: Project Definition statement

The proposal that was distributed in class could be a good model or starting point for your project definition.  The goal is to define what you are intending to do and how you intend to achieve that.

To help you develop this statement, answer the following questions:

This project statement will become part of the semester project but you wil be free to change the details later as you find new opportunities or have to abandon some of your initial ideas.

ASSIGNMENT #3: Timeline/Program

Projects such as these are complex and to easily can get out of hand.  Develop a timeline in the form of a calendar of internal due dates for your group or a chart showing the expected time-span of various project components.

I am going to regard this as a contract between us.  It can be changed at a later date by mutual consent but you must avoid non-performance or late completion of agreed tasks.
 

SITE VISIT: Fri Jan 30

You will visit East St. Louis and a variety of sites together with UP 378 and Arch 372/374 students. You should attempt to mix with those to be engaged on either the Emerson Park or City-wide housing projects.
 

PRESENTATION: Due at 2pm Monday February 2.