Course coordinator
Zoe Ridgway
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Architecture, Design and Planning School
This course develops skills in site planning, structural and environmental building systems, construction technologies, building services and consultant coordination, along with a detailed understanding of local authority planning requirements and relevant building codes and standards. Students develop, integrated and advanced structural, environmental and construction solutions for a studio project through tutorials and assignments that also develop skills in investigation and innovation suited to design practice and global challenges. this course develops students' skills in BIM modelling, assessment and documentation of three-dimensional building form.
BLDG7021 is the core technology course offered in the Master of Architecture that provides students with an opportunity to creatively apply contemporary advances in structural, environmental and construction knowledge to the design process. Understanding of advanced construction systems, materials and processes will be developed through core knowledge delivered in class and online. Knowledge is integrated through design problems that provide opportunities for the development of new skills and research into emerging building technologies.
BLDG7021 considers innovative structural design and structural systems, and develops skills in the application of contemporary advances in environmental design and construction technology.ﾠThis includes energy use and evaluation, natural and artificial lighting, passive and active heating, cooling and other building services, materials and manufacturing technology, sustainable construction strategies and integrated design. BLDG7021 also develops skills in detail resolution and the assessment of building performance.
Course requirements
Assumed background
A Bachelor of Architectural Design or equivalent with either a GPA of 4.5 or above, or 6 months postgraduate professional experience to the satisfaction of the Executive Dean.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
ARCH7011, ARCH7021
Restrictions
Admission to the Master of Architecture. Study abroad students must seek Head of School's permission to enrol.
Course contact
Course coordinator
Course staff
Lecturer
Zoe Ridgway
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Revit tutorial time is not compulsory but will be essential for novice Revit users and is recommended for all students. This is planned for weeks 2 - 11 of semester and a time will be confirmed during week 1.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to develop students’ ability to work with planning codes and to analyse, synthesise and incorporate structural andﾠenvironmental buildingﾠsystems, construction technologies andﾠbuilding services, within the constraints of building codes andﾠrelevant standards
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product/ Design |
Assignment 1: Building frame (group submission)
|
30% Group |
25/08/2025 1:00 pm
Submission: Via Blackboard |
| Product/ Design | Assignment 2: Developed documentation - Work in Progress | 20% Individual |
13/10/2025 1:00 pm
Submission: Via Blackboard |
| Product/ Design |
Assignment 3: Developed documentation
|
50% IVAH |
10/11/2025 4:00 pm
Submission: Via Blackboard |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Assignment 1: Building frame (group submission)
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Product/ Design
- Weight
- 30% Group
- Due date
25/08/2025 1:00 pm
Submission: Via Blackboard
- Other conditions
- Peer assessment factor.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Assessment Rationale:
This group assignment will include advanced resolution of the base of the building and preliminary structural grid application to the tower.
Students will be required to submit a copy of their Revit model, that will be used for identity verification purposes.
If, for whatever reason, you find that your group is not functioning effectively, please contact your Course Coordinator for support, prior to submission.
Peer Evaluation: This assessment task involves groupwork and will include a peer evaluation submission.
Assessment task to be completed without use of AI or MT: This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
The School of Architecture, Design and Planning uses Blackboard and Turnitin for assessment submission. Turnitin is accessed through the course Blackboard site. Turnitin also checks for plagiarism or instances where the original work of others is not appropriately acknowledged.
Students are advised to commence assignment uploads with sufficient amount of time (consider possible technical problems with computers, internet speed, etc). After successfully submitting an assignment through Turnitin, a ‘Submission Complete!’ screen will be displayed. It is the student’s responsibility to check assignment preview and confirm successful submission. If the ‘Submission Complete!’ screen isn’t displayed, the student should regard the submission as unsuccessful. Students should download a copy of the digital receipt as proof they have submitted the assignment. Students who are experiencing upload issues must advise the Course Coordinator immediately by email and should include screenshots and a copy of the assessment for submission.
To meet professional accreditation, public engagement and quality assurance obligations, digital copies of all course assessment items must be submitted in addition to any hard copy submission requirements specified in individual Course / Studio Outlines. Any physical models should be photographed and a minimum of two photographs describing the complete and full model must be included in the digital submission.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
If a student wishes to apply for an extension, they must apply online on or before the assignment due date. When possible, it is suggested that requests are submitted 2 business days prior to the submission due date for the assignment to allow processing time. Students with outstanding applications for extensions are advised to submit their assessment by the original due date, irrespective of whether the work is complete, so that what has been done can be graded.
Group requests must fill out the group member acknowledgement form: https://my.uq.edu.au/files/35533/extension-to-group-assessment.pdf. - with agreement from at least 50% of the members of the group, and recognition of potential impacts on the other group members. If 50% of group members do not agree, the extension will not be approved.
Late submission
Standard 10% (or 1 grade) per day for 7 days
Assignment 2: Developed documentation - Work in Progress
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Product/ Design
- Weight
- 20% Individual
- Due date
13/10/2025 1:00 pm
Submission: Via Blackboard
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Assessment Rationale:
This individual assignment is a work in progress submission of the final assignment, assignment 3. It will include advanced detail drawings demonstrating a thorough understanding of the building construction, detailing and performance.
Note: Students will also be required to submit a copy of their Revit model, that will be used for identity verification purposes.
Assessment task to be completed without use of AI or MT: This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
The School of Architecture, Design and Planning uses Blackboard and Turnitin for assessment submission. Turnitin is accessed through the course Blackboard site. Turnitin also checks for plagiarism or instances where the original work of others is not appropriately acknowledged.
Students are advised to commence assignment uploads with sufficient amount of time (consider possible technical problems with computers, internet speed, etc). After successfully submitting an assignment through Turnitin, a ‘Submission Complete!’ screen will be displayed. It is the student’s responsibility to check assignment preview and confirm successful submission. If the ‘Submission Complete!’ screen isn’t displayed, the student should regard the submission as unsuccessful. Students should download a copy of the digital receipt as proof they have submitted the assignment. Students who are experiencing upload issues must advise the Course Coordinator immediately by email and should include screenshots and a copy of the assessment for submission.
To meet professional accreditation, public engagement and quality assurance obligations, digital copies of all course assessment items must be submitted in addition to any hard copy submission requirements specified in individual Course / Studio Outlines. Any physical models should be photographed and a minimum of two photographs describing the complete and full model must be included in the digital submission.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
If a student wishes to apply for an extension, they must apply online on or before the assignment due date. When possible, it is suggested that requests are submitted 2 business days prior to the submission due date for the assignment to allow processing time. Students with outstanding applications for extensions are advised to submit their assessment by the original due date, irrespective of whether the work is complete, so that what has been done can be graded.
Late submission
Standard 10% (or 1 grade) per day for 7 days
Assignment 3: Developed documentation
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Product/ Design
- Weight
- 50% IVAH
- Due date
10/11/2025 4:00 pm
Submission: Via Blackboard
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Assessment Rationale:
This individual assignment will include advanced detail drawings demonstrating a thorough understanding of the building construction, detailing and performance.
Note: Students will also be required to submit a copy of their Revit model, that will be used for identity verification purposes.
Assessment task to be completed without use of AI or MT: This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied to receive a specific grade in the course. 'Assignment 3' is designated as a Hurdle in this course. This means a minimum achievement of 50% (a grade of 4) is required for this assessment item in order to pass the course. Meeting the hurdle requirement for a course does not guarantee a passing grade for the course and in order to pass this course, students also need to achieve a minimum grade of 4 overall.Submission guidelines
The School of Architecture, Design and Planning uses Blackboard and Turnitin for assessment submission. Turnitin is accessed through the course Blackboard site. Turnitin also checks for plagiarism or instances where the original work of others is not appropriately acknowledged.
Students are advised to commence assignment uploads with sufficient amount of time (consider possible technical problems with computers, internet speed, etc). After successfully submitting an assignment through Turnitin, a ‘Submission Complete!’ screen will be displayed. It is the student’s responsibility to check assignment preview and confirm successful submission. If the ‘Submission Complete!’ screen isn’t displayed, the student should regard the submission as unsuccessful. Students should download a copy of the digital receipt as proof they have submitted the assignment. Students who are experiencing upload issues must advise the Course Coordinator immediately by email and should include screenshots and a copy of the assessment for submission.
To meet professional accreditation, public engagement and quality assurance obligations, digital copies of all course assessment items must be submitted in addition to any hard copy submission requirements specified in individual Course / Studio Outlines. Any physical models should be photographed and a minimum of two photographs describing the complete and full model must be included in the digital submission.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
If a student wishes to apply for an extension, they must apply online on or before the assignment due date. When possible, it is suggested that requests are submitted 2 business days prior to the submission due date for the assignment to allow processing time. Students with outstanding applications for extensions are advised to submit their assessment by the original due date, irrespective of whether the work is complete, so that what has been done can be graded.
Late submission
Standard 10% (or 1 grade) per day for 7 days
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Identity verified assessment with a hurdle (IVAH)
To meet assessment validity and integrity obligations, this course includes at least one piece of individual Identity Verified Assessment with a Hurdle (IVAH) that is unambiguously completed by that student, and in which a minimum level of achievement is reached. IVAH assessment item(s) contribute at least 30% towards the final grade. Examples of IVAH items include any activity in which a student’s individual performance is directly monitored, such as performances, fieldwork, oral assessment (including design critiques), design studio project work and invigilated exams. In order to pass this course students must achieve a minimum grade for the IVAH designated assessment item(s) as stated in the Assessment Task Description in the ECP.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Participants will require personal computing devices and internet access for digital design development, presentation and access to on-line content delivered through Blackboard.ﾠ
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Lecture Week 1 - Course Introduction, BIM introduction, Structural Design, beam and slab depths and column sizes, floor to floor heights Week 2 - Core design , Mechanical, Hydraulic, and Electrical Design, Plant room locations and sizes, duct and ceiling space allocations Week 3 - Façade energy efficiency analysis and BCA Section J Week 4 - BCA Sections C, D, E, F Week 5 - Site visit Week 6 - Façade design - sun shading Week 7 - Glazing configurations and technologies Week 8 - Façade Modelling Week 9 - No Lecture - Studio Tutorials only Mid semester break Week 10 - Public Holiday Week 11 - No Lecture - Studio Tutorials only Week 12 - No Lecture - Studio Tutorials only Week 13 - Design week - no classes Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Studio |
Studio Week 1 - Course Introduction Lectures - No Studio Tutorials Week 2 - No Studio Tutorials Week 3 - Studio Tutorials Week 4 - Studio Tutorials Week 5 -Studio Tutorials Week 6 -Studio Tutorials Week 7 - Studio Tutorials Week 8 - Studio Tutorials Week 9 - Studio Tutorials Mid semester break Week 10 - Public Holiday Week 11 - Studio Tutorials Week 12 - Studio Tutorials Week 13 - Design week - no classes Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.