Subject Objectives

The objective of this subject is to provide students with experience in synthesizing real estate development projects. The course will address the interaction among physical, financial, market and public policy factors, through the medium of design. As participants in the urban development process, prospective developers, architects, and planners need to understand what makes good design for the private sector, how a development team functions, how design relates to financial and political considerations, and how physical form is produced from ideas.

The course is based on the philosophy that real estate development is a creative process. Students are encouraged to explore new design and development concepts as they synthesize all aspects of a project.

The course is not intended to teach students to be designers. Rather, by engaging in a design process from the points of view of the developer and the architect, students should become more sophisticated and critical participants in the act of development.