UPD4001 Planning project 1: Compact city
Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture
UPD4001 Planning project 1: Compact city is a level 4, 12-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Caulfield. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 12
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Caulfield
- Assessment
- No exam
- 2 tasks
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before UPD4001
Corequisites
Pass these before, or take them in the same semester.
After UPD4001
No unit lists UPD4001 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
You must be enrolled in the Master of Urban Planning and Design (F6004) or Master of Architecture (F6001).
Overview
This project unit explores the complexities and implications of the intensification of cities across multiple scales and how to actively engage in their transformation. Through real world, place-based projects, this foundational studio helps you to develop research foundations, analytical and spatial methods in strategic planning and design.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Caulfield | On campus |
Assessment
- Project 1Project40%
- Project 2Project60%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Demonstrate foundational knowledge of the fundamental principles and components of the strategic planning process for the intensification of cities, through an understanding of how a combination of factors like Indigenous ways of knowing, diversity, density, amenity and accessibility, can create inclusive, climate resilient and quality places;
- 2
Apply strategic and design thinking to address complex issues related to various scales of planning, demonstrating the ability to formulate place-based, equitable and sustainable processes into real-world scenarios;
- 3
Integrate and synthesise data for strategic planning purposes, demonstrating the capacity to analyse, interpret, spatialise and incorporate diverse sources of information into strategies and scenarios;
- 4
Engage in meaningful and empathetic interactions with team members and stakeholders, while conveying planning ideas through written, spatial, visual, design, graphic and verbal communication;
- 5
Develop an awareness of the ethical and local/global dimensions of the governance of cities such as how decision making impacts communities, stakeholders and ecologies;
- 6
Adapt to evolving urban challenges in the field of strategic planning by seeking new knowledge and approaches.
Workload and teaching
- Studio activities72 hours
24 hours per week including 6 contact hours plus 18 hours of independent study, or equivalent.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Ms Katherine Sundermann
- Chief Examiners
- Ms Katherine Sundermann
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for UPD4001?
None, but you must take OHS1000 before or alongside it.
When is UPD4001 offered?
In 2026, UPD4001 runs in Semester 1 at Caulfield.
Does UPD4001 have an exam?
No. UPD4001 has 2 assessment tasks and no exam.