As part of the “Architecture and Urban Planning” Bachelor’s study programme, students of architecture and urban planning are taught ecological principles (Foundation Studies) and methods of ecosystem and landscape-oriented design (Main Studies). The Institute offers a range of courses for the Bachelor’s study programme including design projects, seminars and bachelor thesis topics.
As part of the “City and Landscape” Master’s study programme, the Institute offers integrated design projects and seminars in conjunction with the Institute of Urban Design. Students are able to acquire:
- A comprehensive understanding of the complex problems and potential approaches at the different scales of urban and landscape development – from large-scale strategic concepts to individual local projects
- Competencies for interdisciplinary and project-oriented approaches to current planning challenges – from dynamically expanding metropolitan areas to stagnating or shrinking cities
- Detailed knowledge of different analytical tools, design methods and planning and implementation instruments – from theoretical principles to concrete applications.
Design topics are developed jointly in collaboration with partners from the university, from municipalities and organisations, and connect current research topics with the everyday practice of urban design and landscape planning. The projects are designed to help students develop an integrative approach to thinking and designing and to develop their own personal, independent way of working that reflects their personal interests and capabilities.
In the Master Thesis, students develop an integrative planning concept for a concrete situation in which cultural, ecological, functional, and design aspects must be brought together in a coherent solution. This includes both structural, functional and land development proposals as well as strategies for putting the envisaged concept into practice. In most cases, the Master Thesis addresses the planning and design of urban spaces and landscapes. Students may also pursue an analytically oriented project with an empirical or theoretical focus.