DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
1|welcome.
Welcome to the Department of Architecture at Tshwane University of Technology.
We wish you a pleasant and productive time preparing yourself for your chosen career in architecture. In this Department, both students and staff, are a very close knit family, who enjoy and support each other in this exciting teaching and learning process.
Studying architecture is one of the most rewarding and creative processes which you are likely to ever experience and we are sure that in years to come you will think fondly back to your time spent here. That is of course, if you put in a responsible effort and take your studies seriously.
2|terminology.
There will be hundreds of new architectural terminology and concepts which you will learn during the next few years. Below are a few to start off.
Crit [formative assessment]
A critical evaluation of your work done by either your lecturer or your peers [ your fellow students, usually your equals] in order to assess your work and ensure that you are on the right track.
Studio. Communal workspace where practical assignments are done.
Vertical studio A studio which accommodates 1st to final year students.
Horizontal Studio A studio which accommodates students from a single year group.
Studio Master Your lecturer offering practical subjects which are offered in the studio, namely Architectural Design and Contract Documentation.
Work station Your own personal workplace in the studio.
3|accreditation.
The Department offers courses in architecture that have been approved and accredited or registered by the :
CHE [Council for Higher Education]
SAQA [South African Quality Authority]
SACAP [ South African Council for the Architectural Profession]
CAA [ Commonwealth Association for Architects]
The fact that the SACAP has accredited the courses implies that once you have completed either your Bachelors or Masters qualification, you are allowed to register automatically as either a candidate Senior Technologist or a candidate Architect with the SACAP.
This Council is the statutory body regulating the profession in South Africa. According to the Architectural Professions Act only registered persons may practice the profession.
Presently TUT is the only University of Technology with a full exemption of the Part 2 qualification (professional architect) The other Universities in SA that have full accreditation are UP, UCT, UOFS, UKZN, NMMU and WITS University.
4|academic programme.
The Department of Architecture offers two courses in architecture, namely:
Architecture : Professional course code BTPS09
Architectural Technology Management course code BTAQ95
The first three years of both courses are identical. Thereafter students follow a different curriculum.
- After the first three years, students who follow the professional route require one year to complete the first degree (and register as senior technologist) and two years (Masers course) after that to qualify as a candidate architect.
- Students who follow the management route require one further year to qualify as a candidate senior technologist and a further additional year to qualify with a Masters degree. This Masters degree qualification, will not allow you to practice as a professional architect, but it will prepare you for a multitude of exciting careers in the built environment depending on your research topic.
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5|didactic model.
[teaching techniques]
All subjects in the programme are compulsory. There are no elective subjects.All subjects are taught by means of formal lectures, workshops and assignments. Students learn by self study, research, and executing assignments. The crit [discussion / evaluation] sessions, especially in subjects like design and contract documentation, constitute the main interaction between studio master [ lecturer ] and student.Occasionally selected modules are presented by students or student groups. In these instances the research and lecture that is presented is evaluated as an assignment and the material is sometimes used as teaching material after the necessary editing by the staff member.
6|teaching learning materials.
Learner guides [study guides]
You MUST receive a learner guide for each subject at the start of the academic year. This document will stipulate all you need to know about the subject. For instance who the lecturer for the subject is, time slots for lectures, the curriculum outline, how are tests written and assessed, how you gain promotion to the next level of study. Included will be all the learning modules and year programme as well as many other facts. This is not a text book or learning material though, it is a map to guide you through the learning material, and most importantly, IT SPELLS OUT THE RULES APPLICABLE TO THE SUBJECT.
This study guide is provided to you in electronic format on myTUTor, as well as being available offline at the Department [see LABSPACE chapter 19] but those of you who do not have access to electronic display devices i.e. a computer may use the computers in the CADLAB. Hard copy is available in the library in the Study Guide files. There is one for each year. The copies in there may not be removed and is only for reference.
Text books
The Department hands out limited notes or internally printed study material. The only study material to be used in your studies are prescribed text books. Architecture books are used as reference material for the rest of your professional career and should therefore be regarded as an investment.
Second hand books, which are obviously the best and cheapest option, are often available from students who have cancelled their studies. The offers are pinned up on the general notice board. With the fluctuating foreign exchange you might find that these books are not always that much discounted, but should definitely be less than a new book. We only prescribe books that are available, i.e. in print, and should therefore be obtainable at most academic book stores. Unfortunately not all book dealers are willing to keep enough architecture books on their shelves for fear of surplus stock.
The company Art and Architecture Books stocks sufficient books as they specialize in the fields of art and architecture.(Hence the name!) The owner operates from private premises in Johannesburg, and you have to make an appointment by phone to purchase books.
Contact Rosemary Wooley at 011 8835915
The cost of books for the first year of study is indicated on your list of prescribed and recommended books. Keep in mind that if necessary you will be able to sell them again at more or less the same price. As mentioned though, you will use most of these books as reference material for the rest of your professional career.
This is a service we have arranged with Art & Architecture Books for your convenience, and you are under no obligation to purchase books from this supplier. We have found that their prices are very competitive and often the cheapest option. It is sometimes possible to purchase books at a better price somewhere else depending on the exchange rate at the time they were imported. Do shop around but please make sure that you have a text book in hand when the classes start as you will not be able to cope without the prescribed text books.
Models and drawings
You need to buy all material required for drawing and model building yourself. We do provide a model building room where you can make use of the machinery and hand tools. As from 2009 we have been the proud owners of a laser cutter. This makes model building much easier once you have mastered the CAD or graphic software. You have to provide the material you need for cutting. We will attempt to find material at bulk or cost price which makes it cheaper for you to buy. There is a fee for laser cutting, but the rates that we charge are substantially lower than what is offered commercially as we subsidize this from the laboratory fees.
Plots and prints
We have very good A0 plotters for all your plotting requirements. Plotters are very expensive equipment to run and have to be serviced regularly, The plotting rates are lower than what is charged commercially as we subsidize this from the laboratory fees.
The same applies for the A3 colour copier in the reception area and for that you need to purchase a ‘Copycard’ from the Technical assistants.
The material cost other than text books should be in the region R7000 for the year and it is therefore important that you budget for these expenses
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7|bursaries, achievement awards & the dean’s list.
Bursaries and financial support are available. Consult the General Rules document of the university.
First year bursaries which are subsidized by the Department’s School fund are available, the better your results at school the higher the financial assistance.
The SACAP awards very lucrative bursaries to students in need, who have excelled academically at school. You will be informed by the first year guidance lecturer when to apply for these bursaries, usually in late February.
Students who pass all the subjects of a year within the minimum period with an average of 70% are placed on the Deans list.
A monetary reward will be transferred to the students account. The value of this award will depend on the funds available in the school fund.
The university also awards performance bursaries for which you have to apply. Consult the General rules and information pamphlet in this regard.
Full time Master students are awarded substantial bursaries, but with certain conditions. There are also very lucrative scarce skills bursaries available from the NRF.
8|exclusion policy.
Of the University & the Department
The university has an academic exclusion policy to prevent students from studying in a programme which is beyond their immediate capabilities.
Below is an excerpt from the University’s exclusion policy which is applied very strictly.
3. RULES
3.1 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
3.1.1 A student* will not be permitted to register more than twice for the minimum duration of a program. A student* who has failed to complete his or her studies in the maximum period permitted, may appeal to the dean of the faculty concerned submitting full reasons for this rule to be relaxed. [*day class, evening class, distance education, block and telematic registrations]
3.1.2 A day-class student (evening class, postgraduate, block and telematic registrations excluded) who has not obtained the following credit weights by means of subjects and/or modules passed, may only continue his or her studies after the permission of a committee consisting of the dean, head of department, a senior lecturer from another academic department, the Head Student Administrator (Faculty Officer), and a student representative, has been obtained: At least one half (0,40) credit weight at the end of his or her first academic year. At least one (1,00) credit weight at the end of his or her second academic year. At least two (2,00) credit weights at the end of his or her fourth academic year, which include at least all the year or semester subjects prescribed for the first year.
Note: These restrictions also apply to students who change from one programme to another.
3.1.3 A student may be excluded based on evidence (proof) of poor class and or tutorial attendance (refer TUT Policy on Class Attendance – as published in the student diary and Prospectus)
A single exclusion model shall be applied by all academic faculties of TUT.
Because of the specific abilities required to cope with the subject Architectural Design as the core of the architectural programme, the Department has an additional exclusion policy with regard to the subjects Architectural Design and Contract Documentation.
Design specifically is a subject which requires an innate [inborn] ability and to be successful in architectural studies it is imperative that a student must do well in Design.
Failure to cope with the demands of Architectural Design I and Presentation Techniques I is a clear indication that a career in architecture might not be the best choice for you, and they will find it extremely difficult to cope with the architecture programme in subsequent years regardless whether they did well in the theoretical support subjects. Design is the major subject in the course and all other subjects are offered in support of design. It is our experience that students who fail Design I also need two years and more to complete Design II as well as Design III which leads to a study period extending beyond the required minimum time allowed. Statistics taken over the past five years indicate that 74% of students that fail Design III also failed Design I.
This results in extreme frustration and in a loss of confidence and self-esteem which is a very destructive process on the individual. Rather than running the risk of being excluded from tertiary study in two or three years’ time we strongly recommend that you consider all the other options. There are quite a few careers in the building and construction industry which do not require an innate creative ability.
Students often feel that they should be allowed a second chance in design, however experience indicates that this is not a good option as design is an innate quality which can be compared to an ability to run fast, sing well or simply just being tall, no matter how hard you try you will find that it is difficult to improve even a little bit on these qualities if you do not have them.
Although TUT and the Department are doing everything in our power to select candidates who have indicated through the potential indicator testing that there is a good probability that they will make a success of architectural study, there is a 75% success rate of accuracy. The potential assessment test places emphasis on three dimensional perception abilities, creativity and drawing aptitude as well as an ability to think laterally, but the only truly reliable test to determine whether you are suited to architectural study, is your ability to do well in the major subject, Architectural Design I, during your first year of study.
The exclusion policy of the Department therefore refers specifically to the core subjects of the programme.
A student who has failed two or all of the following three subjects will be advised not to continue with the first year of study.
Architectural Design I
Presentation Techniques I
Contract Documentation I
9|communication channel.
How to deal with complaints & unhappiness.
Tertiary students are mature individuals who determine their own progress and development and should therefore be very critical about the learning and teaching environment in which they find themselves.
It is then only natural that any problem which might arise should be resolved by means of interactive communication.
A hierarchy of communication has been set up to resolve the issues that might occur. Problems in the class room can only really be resolved by the students and the lecturer because they are both at the core of the problem and know what the issues are. Each year group has a student representative to speak and act on behalf of the group and has representation on the Architectural student body and represents the group at the Departmental meetings.
If a problem can not be amicably resolved with the lecturer then the mentoring [counsellor] lecturer for the year group must be approached. Thereafter the protocol to follow is the Head of Department [Siegfriedt Schmidt], The Dean of the Faculty [Prof Ben van Wyk], the Deputy Vice-Chancellor [Prof Lourens van Staden] and finally the Ombudsman for academic matters.
10|library.
Main library
The main library is on the campus building 21, directly east to the Admin building 31. Refer to your campus plan in the general TUT information pamphlet
This houses a collection of Architectural books, all the architectural periodicals, as well as a good collection of audio-visual material.
There are facilities available for photocopying and internet access at a nominal cost.
This library also houses two collections of architectural technical information namely SPECIFILE and KLASSIDEX.
Our faculty has a dedicated librarian, Ms Martie van der Merwe , 012 3824602 fax 012 3825817 e-mail vandermerweml@tut.ac.za, who has specialist knowledge, and who will assist you with all your library requirements. The Theory of Design I lecturer will arrange that you meet her during the library tour.
Arts campus library.
On the arts campus in town is a library specifically for the arts. So if you are looking for material more allied to the arts you will most probably find a must much more relevant collection of material in this library. The campus is also in many ways a more vibrant environment for somebody interested in the arts as you will be exposed to all the stimulating art activities exhibited there. At least there will be people with purple hair! A passion for beauty is discernable all over the campus. J
The Corobrik Architectural reference library
The Department has an in house reference library, the Corobrik Architectural Reference library. This is a reference library only, and books cannot be taken out on loan or removed from the room.
This library is specifically to support the design process and studio activities. The volumes on the shelves are mainly books which contain copious illustrations, books illustrating the work of prominent architects as well as technical books and brochures illustrating construction and materials technology. The design process relies heavily on a clear frame of reference based on mental images [something we refer to as your architectural vocabulary]. A mental image collection is similar to a language vocabulary. Just as an understanding of a word or term will allow you to communicate properly when writing, a thorough understanding of visual imagery will allow a student to design more effectively. This, of course, can only be acquired by visiting buildings and places and assessing them in an analytical manner. But with modern technology it is possible to be taken through a building or place by means of images, whether still or moving.
Visual stimulation is so important in the design process and you must use this facility to your advantage.
The library is supported with a locally adapted database, Cumulus, which should assist you in the search process. A brief instruction will be given to you to enable you to use this facility.
Please make sure that you are aware of the library’s regulations. The removal of any book without permission will lead to expulsion from the Department of Architecture, and probably also from the University.
The facility is available most of the time, as indicated by the published timetable on the door. It is regrettably not available after 4 in the afternoon but in exceptional circumstances special arrangements can be made.
11|cad lab.
General
The CADlab has been established primarily for the offering of short courses and teaching of subjects involving computers. It is also to aid students without computers to gain access to CAD programs and the Internet as we use myTUTor in our courses.
It is also for general research using the various programs at our disposal and the Internet. It can also be used for typing projects and general computer operations.
This facility uses a considerable part of our Departmental budget and takes a lot of time to maintain. It has come to our notice that this facility is being abused. Numerous computers had illegal software loaded on them. This is a direct contravention of TUT policy. If you need special software then you must ask for permission for this to be loaded and prove ownership thereof.
Virus protection
If you wish to connect to the TUT network in the studios, then you must be aware of TUT policy and you MUST have an updated virus protection program. This applies to both the hardwired and the wireless LAN. Virus protection software is available to all registered students in our department. It is available from ICT services on campus. You are referred to Mr. Sachin Sewpersad for this. If you don’t like the TUT virus protection software on your computer you cannot connect to the TUT network. This is not negotiable. If you do not wish to link to our LAN but still swop our files with friends then have a virus protection program on your computer. Many, such as AVAST or AVG are available free or some like Bit-defender are relatively inexpensive.
Viruses are being spread by memory sticks. Make sure yours is free from viruses.
Rules
No eating or drinking in lab
No smoking
No surfing pornography sites nor surfing to Facebook, chat sites, Limewire, music sites, Bit-torrent etc.
Keep it clean at all times
No games. This facility is for work!!
No loading of your own (and most probably illegal) software
No copying of music CD’s (this is illegal and breaking copyright law)
No copying of movie DVD’s (this is illegal and breaking copyright law)
No downloading of movies or anything that is not related to architecture
No fiddling with the computer settings
Action will be taken against anybody contravening the rules or not acting in the best interests of the facilities.
12|access control & security.
Because we are living in an unfortunate crime ridden society and the resultant loss that we have had of property in the Department, we operate strictly behind security gates. This is an attempt to safeguard your property, as well as the University’s. The University can not take any responsibility for loss of student equipment. It is therefore imperative to you be very security conscious at all times and report any suspicious behavior immediately.
Access to the secure environment is by means of your student card. This records all movement of individuals in the Department and is supplement by security cameras that record activity in strategic positions. So please do not let in anybody without an activated security card. The technical assistants responsible will activate your student card. We operate on a principle of trust and go to great lengths to ensure that all our students act in a considerate and civilized manner expected from someone in the architectural profession.
In spite of all these measures, please do not leave any valuables unsecured.
13|academic records.
The Department keeps a physical file record of each student. On file are your personal data, selection data, your academic records, your sick certificates or any other communication between the Department and you. Therefore, any relevant material, especially letters and sick certificates which might have an affect on your academic activities must be handed to the Departmental administrator Ms Labuschagne who will make a copy for you and place the original on your file.
Obviously this file is available for perusal if requested. These records are kept for two years after you have completed or cancelled your studies.
14|notice board.
Obviously the first level of notices are those given to you verbally or in written form in class. The notice board in the corridor opposite the lecturers offices is the second level of official notices.
All information regarding academic and organizational matters will be pinned up regularly. It is therefore imperative that you consult the notice board every time you pass it. If you can not be at the notice board then it would be advisable to make arrangements with your class mates to inform you of any important happening.
Opposite the notice board are trays, each for every class group. Here all your test papers and assignments will be deposited if you did not collect it in class.
Apart from these forms of communication we also notify students by means of bulk SMS’s and myTUTor. So do make sure that the Department has your correct cellular phone number.
15|the studio.
A central part of architectural education is the design studio, in which you learn by doing, i.e. through experience by executing the design of projects. This kind of learning is demanding and you are expected to be committed and work independently and responsibly toward self set goals.
The studio provides a space where each student has a place. Unfortunately the space must be equipped by you. The Department provides seating and a work table. In our new facilities, when completed, you will be able to connect to wireless internet connection. As registered student, you will also be able to connect at various hotspots on the Campus. This service is currently being rolled out, and not always fully operational yet, so please be patient in the interim.
The studio is a social meeting point as well as a forum for the exchange of ideas and exposure to the work of other students as well as an opportunity to see the studio master regularly.
Vertical studios are encouraged. It is therefore advisable that a good mix of undergraduate and graduate students sit in the same studio. Senior students are often consulted to help with basic design problems. Just the mere fact that work other than your own is on display contributes immensely towards the improvement of standards.
Architectural design has so much to do with precedent and learning from other designers who are grappling with the same problems, that an entire culture of openness and interaction is required. You are therefore encouraged to share all your research and solutions with your peers and request their input and critical evaluation. Group dynamic rather than individual excellence always produces more individual stars. So, do not hide your work, splash and expose it.
Learning is a remarkably social process . In truth, it occurs not
as a response to teaching, but rather as a result of a social
framework that fosters learning.
John Seely Brown. Independent Co-chair of the Deloitte Center for Edge Innovation.
16|executive student body (esb).
The Department prides itself in the democratic structure present in the Department. Participation of the students in the management of the Department is one of the most important aspects for the success of this Department
Each class group elects a class representative and assistant class representative. The class representative is the link with the class and the lecturer with regard to all issues. If you have a complaint, it must first of all be discussed with the class representative who will convey it to the lecturer. If the lecturer has special arrangement with regard to organization aspects like tests, excursions, extra classes or cancellation of classes, he will do it via the class representative. A list of class representatives for each group is published on the notice board. This is a duty which has no remuneration but is extremely appreciated by the Department as well as the student group.
The Department has an active student body, the Architecture Student Body, and each student belongs to this body by default. All the students of the Department are represented by a democratically elected Executive Student Committee [referred to as the ESB]. This Committee represents the students at the Departmental meetings. A democratically elected representative of each year group serves on the ESB as well as other portfolio holders elected by means of a secret ballot. A separate document is available on the constitution of the ASB and ESB.
In broad terms the ESB participates actively in the academic activities of the Department by attending all Departmental meetings. ALL meetings have representation of student representatives and academic quality control is relies heavily on student input, enquiries and alerts. As the ‘main consumer’ of the academic programme and didactic model it only makes sense that the students in class be the first level of academic quality control. As an adult student it is therefore your responsibility to actively take part in this process and support the ASB and ESB wherever possible. The ESB also arranges academic excursions in the form of visiting exhibitions and site visits and occasionally invites guest speakers for Departmental lectures, as well as what can possibly be viewed as the most important academic activity of the year:- the annual Architectural Student Congress [ASC] This is a congress for all tertiary architecture Departments in the country. This year it will be hosted by the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. The ESB also arranges and organizes all social events including the year end function.
R100 per enrolled student from the Studio laboratory fee levied on the subjects is transferred to the ASB funds to sponsor academic excursions.
17|laboratory fees.
The majority of subjects offered by the Department carry a levy for laboratory fees administered by the University.
These fees are used to support all students and maintain the standards set by the Department that has earned us full accreditation, Part 1 and Part 2, from SACAP, CAA and RIBA, allowing for automatic registration with SACAP.
The bulk of these fees are used to purchase and upkeep the state of the art equipment provided by the Department and includes the cad laboratory, the plotting room, the model building room and most important of all, the reference library.
The laboratory fees for architectural subjects are spread over all the subjects as all students benefit from each subjects’ levy.
With the exception of the levy for the training at Attridgeville college, which is directly related to the subject Construction Methods I, all other subjects’ levies are used to cross-subsidize the expenses incurred .
An example or two will explain the concept more clearly.
To study architecture each student should have his or her own personal computer with the necessary software like Architectural Desktop, Archicad, Sketchup, Corel and MS Office. Not all students can afford the approximate R20000 required for the computer and necessary software and regular upgrades. Therefore students are allowed to occupy a desktop station in the Cadlab for extended periods to do the necessary drawings and plot at the subsidized rate. But not all students make use of this facility and therefore cross subsidization takes place. Another example would be for instance, each student is required to purchase reference material as recommended books for the Design subjects. Two decent books would cost a student in the region of R 2000 per year. We purchase about R 80 000 worth of reference books annually and make them available in the reference library. You might be plotting much more than someone else who might be using the internet more but in the end it all equals out.
How are the laboratory fees spent ?
Items of which the full cost is carried by the levies.
Trades skills training course.
All reference books in the Architectural reference library.
All joint transport by bus or minibus to sites, factories socials etc.
Upkeep of hardware in the CAD lab i.e. computers and, plotters and scanners.
Wireless Internet access.
Digital cameras
Software licenses. [Software licenses and upgrades run over anything from one to three years and amounted to R 106 000 for the 2007 academic year.]
Transport to student congress if not in Pretoria
Items of which partial cost is subsidized by the levies.
Student Body for academic and social functions [ R100 per student transferred to the ESB account]
Security system.
Subsidized plotting.
Subsidized photocopying.
18|academic diligence & class attendance.
Tertiary students must be self-motivated and will determine, by means of their own initiative, their specific learning progress and pace. They therefore take full responsibility for their own academic well being.
The staff will assist you in this learning process by providing good lectures and learning material and the necessary guidance but will not “baby sit” you. Few staff members check class attendance by means of roll call [although there are a small number that do so] and most determine your attendance by means of assignment hand-ins and test marks. Whenever we do become aware that a student is neglecting class attendance you will be contacted by the guidance lecturer to see if we can assist you with any problems.
Please note that according to the TUT exclusion policy, you could be excluded from the University if you do not comply to the expected norms for attendance of classes and tutorial sessions [studio attendance]
19|lab space.
Because a significant body of lecturing material is available in electronic format [MS Word, Excel or Power Point files] the Department has made an electronic library available to the students. This directory where the files are stored is known as LABSPACE and it is available on the network of the CAD laboratory. This is a read only directory. This document would for instance be available there as who what and where-jan 2012-ep-ss
20|myTUTor.
Certain subjects are enriched through the use of myTUTor, an internet based interactive software which can be accessed wherever internet is available. The staff members who are using this will give you more details in class.
21|location.
The Department is located in the southern part of Building 2 in offices and studios that have been converted from laboratory space. A sketch of the floor plan and where the staff are seated will put you in the picture. Since 2010 we have also occupied the ground floor space of Building 3. This is mainly for postgraduate students. Prof Gerald Steyn is stationed there as well.
The good news is that we have started construction on a new architecture building in 2011 which will hopefully be completed in April/May 2012.
22|admin queries.
Sorting out admin problems. The admin offices where the secretaries and technical staff are located is where you should attempt to resolve all your issues and hopefully get answers to most of your questions.
The Head of Department is Siegfriedt Schmidt and he is in room 2-G15A. Because Mr Schmidt teaches Architectural Design [Design II and Design VI] he is usually involved in design consultation, and in HOD admin duties and Faculty meetings as determined by the Dean. For administrative and other personal issues you must first attempt to sort out your queries and problems with the Departmental Administrator, Ms Lemaria Labuschagne, or the staff member on duty. An arrangement has been made that on every day a specific academic staff member will be on duty to assist with queries. This list is posted on the notice board opposite the door of the reference library.
The staff member responsible for the undergraduate programme is Ms Marinda Bolt, who is Head of the undergraduate department.
The Head of the postgraduate department is Professor Gerald Steyn
23|permanent staff.
Lemaria Labuschagne |
Departmental Administrator |
2-201 |
012 3825252 |
Head of Department:- Coordinator Architectural Design |
2-203D |
012 3825253 |
|
Lecturer:- |
2-203A |
083 2854321 |
|
Research professor:- |
3-G15C |
012 3825719 |
|
Senior lecturer:- Coordinator Contract documentation |
2-204A |
012 3825254 |
|
Senior lecturer |
2-203B |
073 1501138 |
|
Senior lecturer:- Coordinator Theory of Design |
2-215 |
082 2942574 |
|
Lecturer:- Coordinator Computer related subjects |
2-204C |
072 2627584 |
|
Lecturer:- Assistant to HoD |
2-204C |
083 6519933 |
|
Lecturer:- Coordinator Experiential Training |
2-203B |
072 1443973 |
|
Senior lecturer:- Coordinator Materials & Methods |
2-203C |
012 3825739 |
24|specialist lecturers.
One of the reasons for the excellent students the Department consistently delivers is largely due to the experienced, specialist staff component who are appointed for their expertise and knowledge in specific fields. They are all practicing professionals and/or academics that were selected to teach on invitation by the Department. They are therefore not as readily available to the students and should you need to consult them, you should make appointments to see them just before or after their contact periods.
Due to the fact that sharing and imparting their knowledge and skills with the students and lecturers in our Department is something they do in addition to a normal daytime workload and responsibilities, their availability for individual consultation is limited, and therefore difficult at times.
We will endeavor in assisting them to make increasing use of the opportunities offered through by myTUTor.
This can help communication and create a presence and source of information even when they (or you!) are not physically on campus.
Peet Wolmarans |
2-203A |
0834422858 |
Gerry Joubert |
Part Time |
0731891088 |
Ian Alexander |
2-203A |
083 306456 |
Phillip Crafford |
Part Time |
083 2681183 |
Errol Pieters |
Part Time |
|
Prof ‘Ora Joubert |
Part Time |
|
Mel Stander |
2-204B |
084 7167985 |
Sonia Leithgob |
Part Time |
0824953841 |
Arno Pieters |
Part Time |
084 2838109 |
Christo van der Westhuizen |
Part Time |
0834440408 |
Frans van Wyk |
Part Time |
0832685854 |
Carla Cilliers |
Part Time |
0824109421 |
Dirk Lustig |
2-203A |
0828258807 |
Heleen Floor |
Part Time |
0722459706 |
Margo Kruger |
Part Time |
0824550666 |
Johan Wheeler |
Part Time |
0829287002 |
Raymond Smith |
Part Time |
0729729047 |
Shaun Kennard |
Part Time |
0832651151 |
Belinda Connel |
2-203A |
0712634139 |
Pieter Jonkers |
2-203A |
0713259894 |
Vicky Ferraris |
2-203A |
|
Dr Steven |
Dept Civil Engineering |
|
Gerda Brink |
Dept of Languages |
|
25|mentoring staff. (counselors)
Each year group has a staff member assigned as a mentor [counselor]. This person will be available for personal counseling and specific problems you may have, be they academic or personal. So if you need assistance and help, check the consultation times of your relevant mentor lecturer to make an appointment either personally or via the Departmental administrator, Ms Lemaria Labuschagne. The mentoring lecturers will also monitor your academic performance and progress from time to time, and approach perceived potential risk students.
Guidance staff member |
Year group |
Cellular number |
Daan Steynberg |
1st year |
082 8817241 |
Sieg Schmidt |
2nd year |
012 3825253 |
Marinda Bolt |
3rd year |
073 1501138 |
Pieter Greyvensteyn |
4th year |
012 3825253 |
Jan van Bergen |
5th year |
012 3825719 |
Gerald Steyn |
6th year |
082 2942574 |
26|technical assistants.
The Department appoints technical assistants to assist the administrative and lecturing staff with certain duties. The staff member responsible for the administration and appointment of technical staff is Mr Moses Odebiyi. The rosters and duty times of the technical assistants are pinned up on the notice boards. Only diplomated and graduated students are eligible to be appointed as technical assistants. Advertisements are posted during October and interested students must apply in writing.
Name |
Portfolio |
|
Maxine Swanepoel |
Reception and general |
0713343356 |
Ulrike Praeg |
Library |
0849167771 |
Pieter Groenewald |
Laser cutter |
0827731499 |
Stephen Lourens |
Lecturers’ assistants |
0726466675 |
Matthew Purdon |
Equipment |
0846289841 |
Joe da Silva |
Printing and plotting |
0827871183 |
27|copying & learning.
Copyright must be observed at all times. It is expected that students submitting work for evaluation are familiar with TUT’s general rules and regulations in this regard.
Unless otherwise stated all projects and work handed in for evaluation must be individual and original work. Where work or parts of work, from other sources is included in the project, acknowledgement and detail of the sources (REFERENCING) must be provided in the format prescribed in the TUT publication “Citation and Bibliographic Reference Guide”. Failure to do so can be viewed as plagiarism, for which, if found guilty, you can be expelled from all tertiary study in South Africa. This is especially relevant to projects done by electronic means. Where group projects are handed in for evaluation, the project must include a breakdown of the contribution ratio of the group. A consensual process must determine this ratio.
Design assignments are somewhat different.
Although all reference to precedent must be properly acknowledged, students are encouraged to learn from their peers and precedent. It is therefore advisable to specifically refer to your sources of inspiration, as this will be a good indication of your ability to use precedent to inform your design This is a vitally important aspect of the deign process and students are requested and encouraged not to work on their own but rather to share all work with their peers as this process of criticism and learning from inputs received from all sources is the mark of a healthy design process. Unlike other assignments we therefore encourage you to copy, learn and borrow from all sources. A group dynamic, where quite a few of the assignment are similar, is a sign of a very healthy design process environment, or often called studio culture. It goes without saying that this must be a very analytical and acute, critical process. Students may NOT use electronic files of another student for subjects like Contract Documentation. This is regarded as fraudulent and dishonest behaviour and students found guilty of this will be severely disciplined, often with serious repercussions.
28|academic calendar.
The dates stipulated on the calendar of TUT apply only to semester courses and to other Departments that offer theoretical courses. Architectural training relies heavily on the acquiring and developing of skills, and not only on the acquisition of theoretical knowledge. To achieve a required level of proficiency in the realm of architecture, the single most important factor is productive time spent on the work. The degree courses in Architecture rely on programmes that mostly run for the full year, and not on a semester basis as most other courses in The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. This is the reason why we do not stop lectures for the winter recess with the rest of the University, who are then involved in writing exams. Lectures continue until all academic activities of the Department cease for the mid-year recess. Although we try to schedule most projects for handing in before the recess commences, you are usually given an opportunity to hand in these projects during the first week of the next semester. In exceptional cases it might be expected of you to do projects during the recess period.
29|publication of marks.
All marks of assignments, tests, orals assessments and portfolio evaluations are published on the notice board. This means that the performance of each student will be publicly visible. This is to verify the accuracy of the mark allocation, and a cross reference to collate class lists and student marks. It assists students and lecturers to identify any mistakes or oversights from the lecturers’ side. Lecturer loads are intense, sometimes causing inadvertent errors. It is the responsibility of the student to draw attention to mistakes and discrepancies. Some students, (often the weaker ones), might resent this and feel that they are put at a disadvantage in public. Architecture is the most public of all arts. The public will not only be gazing at your designs, but they will physically be using and experiencing them; the good as well as the bad. It is therefore important that the student in architecture become used to the fact that whatever you do will be in the public eye and that we must work towards a situation where we will not be shamed by what we do.
This should, on the other hand, hopefully encourage students to improve their academic performance
30|saving electronic files.
Staff often receive electronic files of drawings, essays, spreadsheets etc which are named doc 1 or just simply task. That of course is meaningless.
All electronic files submitted as assignments, must have properly structured names done to the requirements of the Department.
Firstly a succinct description eg:
essay rural architecture or plans and sections church marabastad
then the date the file was last saved e.g.:
april 2000-rev nov 2008
and lastly the author e.g. : isaac lerumo
We use only initials but it would be advisable for you the provide your name and surname. All three these elements must be separated with a dash and also note that no capitals should be used.
Here are two examples :
plans and section church marabastad-april 2010-john trengove
or
theory 3 essay rural arch-may 2010-rev june 2010-tsepo lemeke
31|staff portfolios.
All staff members are responsible for other duties apart from teaching and pure academic activities. Some aspects of these portfolios assigned to them might affect you at some time or other and then it is good to know who to approach in that regard.
32|studio rules.
No smoking whatsoever is allowed in the studios, or elsewhere in the building. You have to go outside to smoke.
Because students spend very long hours in the studios and often till late at night we have provided beds for resting in the studios. These beds should not be used as your regular sleeping place and is there for all to rest and recharge their batteries. It must therefore be kept clean and free of any objects. It is not a storage place.
Although working late hours and often through the night seem to be a tradition in architecture schools all over the world, we would encourage you to plan your work programme in such a way that you never need to work till late into the night. It is possible to finish all your required work between 7 and 5 in the day and some of our very best students have managed to limit their after hours working stints with a disciplined work ethic to the absolute minimum. Use the evenings to relax and party and work during the day.
Preparing meals in the kitchen is allowed on condition that you keep the place clean and hygienic. Be considerate towards your fellow students and wash up all your utensils. This is a privilege which the University Department will withdraw if cleanliness and hygiene is not maintained.
NO PREPARATION IS ALLOWED IN THE STUDIOS:- this contravenes the Health and Safety Act of South Africa, and is prohibited by the authorities.
In order not to jeopardize the privilege we have been granted to be on campus after hours, we need to enforce this rule.
THIS SECTION IS UNDER REVIEW PENDING COMPLETION OF THE NEW FACILITIES
33|departemental lectures.
Departmental lectures takes place on Tuesdays at 13:00-14h00, as allocated on your time tables.
This is the only opportunity we have where the whole school can meet on a regular (informal) basis to share both social and academic issues of interest, a place where we can share and learn.
During these timeslots we have weekly announcements and the ESB uses this opportunity to communicate with all the students in the Department, 1st years up to 6th years.
Specially prepared lectures / talks / discussions or sometimes videos on relevant topics, but usually focused on design are presented, often by guest lecturers, celebrities and specialists on invitation. These generally are by far the most polished lectures you will attend during your academic year. The content of the lectures is part of the curriculum and forms part of the Theory of Design and / or Construction Methods / Materials year programmes. The lecturers have the authority to include any of these modules in the curriculum of any subject. It is therefore imperative that you attend these lectures.
It might happen that some weeks there will not be a Departmental lecture. Therefore you must consult the notice board. We usually advertise these lectures with special notices like the one illustrated below.
ATTENDING DEPARTMENTAL LECTURES ARE COMPULSORY FOR ALL STUDENTS
34|block courses/programs.
All block courses/programs of all year groups as well as those of the lecturers were pinned up opposite the door of the Corobrik Architectural Reference Library in the entrance to the Department.
As from 2012 we planned the systematic introduction of a modular approach to organizing each group’s programme. This was aimed at alleviating overlapping workloads in an attempt to create an environment for efficient learning and teaching: one that would enable you to learn new skills and gain new knowledge without the stress associated by having to do more than what is possible to do at one time.
PLEASE NOTE:
With the completion of the new facilities, you are expected to be at the Department, working in the studio, during the core hours of 8h00 to 16h00.
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