ARCH416 Issues in Contemporary Architecture and Urban Design Practice
ARCH416 Issues in Contemporary Architecture and Urban Design Practice
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Oct 10, 2025
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Architecture
Nerma Omićević
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course would review the emerging paradigms and design approaches to contemporary Architecture and Urban Design practice in response to the current dynamic forces shaping the urban environment
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Bullivant, L. (2012). Masterplanning futures. London: Routledge.
Additional Literature
Burry, J., & Burry, M. (2010). The new mathematics of architecture. London: Thames & Hudson.Teaching Methods
Face-to-face lectures
Collaborative learning
Project-based learning
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syllabus overview. Socio-spatial and Cultural Needs of Users of the Urban Environment | |
| 2 | New Currents in Urban Design; Existing and emerging trends in the environment | |
| 3 | Emerging Sustainable Urban Forms | |
| 4 | Creative Urban Design to Address Social and Environmental Concerns: 1 | |
| 5 | Creative urban design to address Social and Environmental Concerns: 2 | |
| 6 | Architectural Design to Address Multidimensional Requirements of Urban Societies 1 | |
| 7 | Architectural Design to Address Multidimensional Requirements of Urban Societies 2 | |
| 8 | Midterm exam | |
| 9 | Regional Transformation in the 21st century | |
| 10 | Regionalism and Global Eco-culture in Architecture | |
| 11 | Culture-driven Alternative Approaches to Asian Architecture and Urban Design | |
| 12 | Globalization and Regionalism: Case Studies from recent professional practice | |
| 13 | Digital Modeling in Architectural and Urban Design Practice | |
| 14 | Project presentation and discussion | |
| 15 | Final review |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 6
Midterm exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 6
Design project
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 4 5
Individual exercise
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 4 5
Team exercise
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 4 ECTS credit course corresponds to 100 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lectures
13 hours ⏳ (13 week × 1 h)
Tutorials
13 hours ⏳ (13 week × 1 h)
Oral presentation
2 hours ⏳ (1 week × 2 h)
Midterm exam
2 hours ⏳ (1 week × 2 h)
Final exam
2 hours ⏳ (1 week × 2 h)
Home study
52 hours ⏳ (13 week × 4 h)
Final exam study
16 hours ⏳ (4 week × 4 h)
100 Total Workload Hours
4 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [ARCH416] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Oct 10, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| ARCH416 | Issues in Contemporary Architecture and Urban Design Practice | 1 | 1 | 4 | TBA | |||||
| Prerequisite | Senior Standing | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Nerma Omićević | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Wednesday: 9:30-12:00 Thursday: 9:30-12:00 |
|||||||
| nomicevic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | TBA | Assistant E-mail | ||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course would review the emerging paradigms and design approaches to contemporary Architecture and Urban Design practice in response to the current dynamic forces shaping the urban environment | |||||||||
| Textbook | Bullivant, L. (2012). Masterplanning futures. London: Routledge. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Face-to-face lectures, collaborative learning, project-based learning | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Syllabus overview. Socio-spatial and Cultural Needs of Users of the Urban Environment | |||||||||
| Week 2 | New Currents in Urban Design; Existing and emerging trends in the environment | |||||||||
| Week 3 | Emerging Sustainable Urban Forms | |||||||||
| Week 4 | Creative Urban Design to Address Social and Environmental Concerns: 1 | |||||||||
| Week 5 | Creative urban design to address Social and Environmental Concerns: 2 | |||||||||
| Week 6 | Architectural Design to Address Multidimensional Requirements of Urban Societies 1 | |||||||||
| Week 7 | Architectural Design to Address Multidimensional Requirements of Urban Societies 2 | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm exam | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Regional Transformation in the 21st century | |||||||||
| Week 10 | Regionalism and Global Eco-culture in Architecture | |||||||||
| Week 11 | Culture-driven Alternative Approaches to Asian Architecture and Urban Design | |||||||||
| Week 12 | Globalization and Regionalism: Case Studies from recent professional practice | |||||||||
| Week 13 | Digital Modeling in Architectural and Urban Design Practice | |||||||||
| Week 14 | Project presentation and discussion | |||||||||
| Week 15 | Final review | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,6 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm exam | 1 | 20 | 1,2,3,6 | Not Allowed | |
| Design project | 1 | 20 | 4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Individual exercise | 3 | 15 | 4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Team exercise | 1 | 5 | 4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lectures | 1 | 13 | 13 | Tutorials | 1 | 13 | 13 | |||
| Oral presentation | 2 | 1 | 2 | Midterm exam | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Final exam | 2 | 1 | 2 | Home study | 4 | 13 | 52 | |||
| Final exam study | 4 | 4 | 16 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 100 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 4 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 23/10/2025 | |||||||||