Descriptions of the Elective Courses Provided by Department of City and Regional Planning

 

2023-2024/ Spring Modules of Elective Courses

  

CRP323 Housing, Reinvestment and Household Behaviour 3(3-0)

Reinvestment in existing housing stock and urban environments is a necessity to maintain housing and neighbourhood quality and to ensure resource efficiency. Understanding reinvestment processes and households' reinvestment decisions is a crucial issue for urban decision makers and planners. In this context, the main objective of this course is to discuss why reinvestment processes and policies in existing housing stock and neighbourhoods are essential. The course also aims to provide students with an understanding of macro implications of households' reinvestment behaviour and existing policy approaches to reinvestment processes.

 

CRP325 Visualization in Spatial Planning and Design 3(2-2)

This course aims to achieve the following:

• Having knowledge of cartography, mapping, infographics, digital storytelling, and other visual representation types and tools.
• Developing skills in certain software, open-access databases, and tools.
• Exploring creative data representation tools and methods.

 

CRP333 Introduction to Urban Design 3(3-0)

Urban design has become increasingly important in cities and in the field of city planning. It is important for students of city planning to be aware of urban design literature, current discussions in the field of urban design and the major policies, strategies and guidelines of urban design. This course carries out this task by introducing students the nature, concepts, concerns and dimensions of urban design and by making them familiarized with the literature of urban design. It aims to help students to gain a rapid overview of the large span of urban design issues and to offer them a guide to urban design that is comprehensive, accessible and practical. The objectives of the course are therefore:

• To introduce the origins, challenges and purposes of urban design and bring the more detailed discussions which urban design contains into the class,
• To introduce basic notions and dimensions of urban design, such as morphological, perceptual, social, visual and functional dimensions,
• To provide students with an introduction to the basic themes and topics that are fundamental to an understanding of the urban design process.

 

CRP336 Urban Sketching 3(1-4)

Representing ideas visually can be a powerful tool in helping urban planners and designers explain complex policies and proposals, and take control of the planning and design process. This course is designed for undergraduate students who are interested in improving their graphic communication skills. Through a series of lectures and drawing exercises, the course examines conventions for depicting space, form, and information as used by urban planners and designers. This elective course aims to delve into the graphic presentations skills that are taught to students in their first year planning and design education. Therefore, a basic knowledge of drafting techniques is required to be successful in this course.

 

CRP355 Collective Housing Planning and Design 3(1-4)

The course is for third and fourth year undergraduate students in City and Regional Planning ('urban design' module) aand those from the Department of Architecture. The course, in this context, aims to provide the planning students with the basic knowledge on architectural typologies (especially for a better understanding of designing urban form) while providing the architectural students with the fundamental principles of residential planning and design. The course invites students reconsider the existing trends in ecological perspectives to the quality standards of life in the residential areas within a renewed comprehension of the idea of 'neighborhood'. In this regard, the course also aims to support students to specialize on the design dimension of urbanism from a multi-disciplinary perspective.

 

CRP404 Contemporary Issues in City and Regional Planning 3(3-0)

The objective of this course is to get students acquainted with the contemporary issues in urban and regional planning discipline. The discipline covers a wide range of issues that follows a continuous path of change. The course aims to cover the evolution of economic, social and spatial issues at the global scale with an emphasis on the ways in which these issues relate to current changes that are taking place in Turkey.

 

CRP405 Nature Based Solutions for Cities 3(2-2)

This course offers an in-depth exploration of Nature Based Solutions (NbS) for cities. It covers essential topics including biodiversity conservation, green infrastructure planning, water management, disaster prevention and resilience, policy and governance, and emerging trends in the field. The course aims to equip students with the knowledge and skilis needed to design and implement NBS projects in urban areas, enhancing City sustainability and resilience against climate change. By the end of the course, students will work in groups and develop project proposals to be presented to a funding institution. The projects will be on NbS to an urban challenge including issues such as biodiversity conservation, land degradation neutrality, disaster prevention and disaster risk reduction, water management, public health improvement and resource efficiency.

 

CRP407 Principles and Approaches of Ecology in Planning 3(3-0)

To work at any spatial scale, planners need to have some basic knowledge on the principles and approaches of ecology. The debates such as environmental conservation, ecological planning, renewable energy, protected area management, sustainable waste and water management, climate change relate to a wide interdisciplinary area of city and regional planners, architects, biologists, engineers, economists, administrative scientists, sociologists. Ecology as a science of nature is a crucial element of planning for sustainable development, healthy environments and conservation. Urban sustainability approach became a widespread approach in planning and design of urban areas all around the world. Planners are increasingly discussing how to integrate the ecological thinking in planning and policy making processes; reserve a room for the wildlife in urban areas protecting rare and endemic species; apply renewable energy use in urban areas; and raise public awareness and involvement in environmental conservation.

The course is designed to provide students with the knowledge on basic ecological principles and approaches that should be paid attention in planning practices; dimensions of sustainable urban development, climate change, energy efficiency in urban areas.

 

CRP414 Urban Project Management 3(3-0)

This course basically aims to enable the student to scrutinize a problem, organize its solutions, budgetize and program its implementation within a project through introducing concepts and terms relevant implementation of Urban Project Management. The context of the projects differ according to the interest area and working subjects of students which varies from urban gentrification to transport planning, from regional development to gender equity projects.

 

CRP433 Economics of Development and the Economy of Turkey 3(3-0)

This course aims at introducing students with different theories of social and economic development with a special emphasis on the developing countries experiences. This theoretical background is used in evaluating the social, economic history of Turkey with a special focus on the spatial development of the urban areas beginning from the foundation of the Republic up today.

 

CRP439 Introduction to Regional Planning 3(3-0)

This course is one of the few courses in City and Regional Planning explicitly oriented to the role of theory in planning, research and practice. It is a must course for Urban and Regional Economic Development Module. It aims to introduce the a history of ideas, theories as well practice about space, territory and regions.

• The course provides a critical-historical analysis of the development of regional planning from its nineteenth century roots to the New-Regionalism of today. In the course, we will be concerned with three inter-related levels of analysis and discussion:
• The evolution of regional planning theory and practice, an intellectual and professional history of regional planning.
• The associated development of spatial theory and analysis, a history of ideas about space, territory, regions and the role of spatial organization as they affect regional planning.
• The development of regional planning thought in real world political and economic conditions.

 

CRP440 Regional Planning Workshop 3(1-4)

This course aims to equip students with appropriate methods of data collection and analysis in a regional planning study, for the purposes of developing a regional planning strategy.

Each year small group field work will be introduced for applying principles and techniques of economic development planning and policy analysis to specific problems in selected regions, or sub-regions. It may focus on different planning issues and problems that combine several of the topics.

 

CRP445 Artificial Intelligence in Urban Planning and Design 3(2-2)

The course presents a thorough examination of the intersection between Artificial Intelligence (Al) and urban planning principles and practices. It is aimed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how Al techniques can be applied to address challenges and opportunities in urban planning and design. Participants will learn the evolution of Al and its core elements, with a particular focus on its integration with Geographical Information Systems (GIS), urban growth modelling and visual representation tools. By practical applications, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary capabilites and limitations of Al tools in analyzing and decision-making processes in urban development as well as urban design visualizations. Overall, the course aims to equip students with the basic knowledge, skills, and critical thinking about Al tools and techniques in the context of urban planning and design. By the end of the course, students should be able to analyze urban datasets and growth simulation models, apply basic visualization skills of Al through theoretical lectures and discussions, realworld case studies, hands-on exercises and assignments. In addition, students will gain ability to critically evaluate the ethical and societal im lications of Al-driven approaches.

 

CRP446 Climate Responsive Urban Design 3(2-2)

At the end of this course, the students will

• understand the fundamental principles of climate-responsive urban design
• apply sustainable design strategies to enhance urban resilience to climate change
• explore innovative technologies and green infrastructure for climate-responsive urban development
• analyze case studies of successful climate-responsive urban design projects
• develop practical skills through hands-on design workshops and projects.

 

CRP447 Critical Discussionson Planning and Development 3(3-0)

The course is divided into four parts. The first one aims to bring together the theory and approaches that contribute to the growth and development of contemporary cities. A historical outline of the transition from modern to postmodem city will be provided by focusing on changing economic, social and cultural aspects of urban daily life. In the second part, the focus will be directed to the planning and development issues. Reading materials will be provided to discuss the paradigm shift within planning and development facing with previously mentioned economic, social and cultural changes. After establishing the background with the first and second parts, the course will focus on some contemporary issues in the third part. Urban policies and planning implementations, some producing negative outcomes others carrying potential to overcome experienced problems will be the subject matter of this part. The fourth and the final part of the course will consist of student presentations that are related to the analysis of national and international policies contributing to the development and planning of contemporary cities. Case studies from Turkey and international contexts will be guestioned with the help of framework provided at the beginning of the course.

 

CRP448 Urban and Rural Foodscapes through Time 3(3-0)

Food is our fuel for existence and the symbolic center of our lives. Food is not only a bare necessity, it is also the medium through which knowledge, tradition and even history are transmitted, known and shared by all. The concept of ?foodscapes? emerged in the 1990s within the context of studies of social and spatial inequalities in public health and food systems. Since then, it has incorporated the study of the entire chain of food from its production to consumption especially in the context of changing notions of landscape and space. This course intends to introduce the term 'foodscape' as a part of urban studies. The term and its connotations will be explored through various aspects of urban and rural life; it is not just a material space, but includes socio-political processes. The course aims to investigate how food shapes and is shaped by the spatial characteristics of urban and rural environments, considering the historical, cultural, and socio-economic factors that contribute to the diversity of food experiences in places. Different approaches, such as analytical, systematical, or phenomenological, will be explored to develop a holistic spatial approach to urban and rural foodscapes. Each week, examples from around the world will be presented around specific themes to enrich the understanding of general concepts. Throughout the course, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the spatial intricacies that define a city's culinary identity. The course encourages a critical examination of the role of food in shaping the urban experience whereby the students will critically analyze the spatial dimensions of urban foodscapes, gaining insights into the interconnectedness of feasting, market spaces, and broader spatial dynamics that shape the culinary landscapes of cities.

 

CRP453 Participatory Design and Planning 3(3-0)

By the end of the course students will be able to;

• Become change agents and Take a catalyzing role in changing the society to a better state. To do that, students will actively take part in the facilitation of a real-life change process. This will be a common task, thus, it will be decided with everyone's participation in the class. Participation and action are two fundamental components of democracy. The notion of participation cannot be grasped without being actively involved; and change does not occur without action. Students will be given the opportunity to experience both, and this experience will hopefully contribute to both students' self-realization and community learning in general. Additionally, we will be working on the planning of Samsun if it was planned with a participatory approach. This will be integrated to the conduct of the class as well as to the one of the studio. Thereby, it is hoped that students will benefit from the knowledge to be generated in the class and use that in their studio work.
• Acquire an insight into the historical and theoretical evolution of participation and democratization of societies in general as well as methodological tools to enhance that.
• Focus both theoretically and practically on some challenging issues that emerge in such processes including democratic participation, empowerment, politics of power, democratic dialogue and building common ground, and experiential learning.
• Demonstrate proficiency in critical and constructive thought as well as in communicating complex ideas through writing and presentations, and reflexive thinking for their own experience. Furthermore, students will gain basic facilitation skills in a process of social change towards democratization and skills to apply appropriate methods and techniques.

 

CRP454 Urban Transport Systems: Planning and Design 3(3-0)

At the end of this course, the students will have technical knowledge and design skills regarding urban transport systems. Its main objective is to improve urban planning and design skills through reinforcing students' knowledge of form, capacity, magnitude, and design of transport systems, modes, stations, and other mobility related urban elements. The course also aims to support and integrate into teaching projects in Planning Studio classes of the Department of City and Regional Planning.

  

CRP455 Aesthetics and Human Experience in Urban Design 3(3-0)

By the end of the course students will be able to;

• Become researchers who will take an active role in conducting an inquiry on aesthetics issues in urban design. This intends to train students in how research can be done as part of a design process. Thereby, students will gain basic managerial skills in a process of conducting a scientific inquiry and to apply appropriate methods and techniques. Research will be integrated with the conduct of the class.
• Acquire an insight into the historical and theoretical evolution of environmental aesthetics issues in urban design in general as well as methodological tools to enhance that.
• Focus practically on the assessing the aesthetics issues in the selected residential areas in Ankara under the guidance of "Ankara Apartmanları."
• Demonstrate proficiency in critical and constructive thought as well as in communicating complex ideas through creative presentations, and reflexive thinking for their own experience.

 

CRP478 Urban Residential Transformation in Türkiye 3(3-0)

This is an elective course for third and fourth year (Urban Design and Urban Policy modules) undergraduate students in city and regional planning. The course aims to provide urban planning students with knowledge regarding urban residential patterns. Its main objective is to improve the students' qualifications in issues of urban residential structure and transformation. The course also aims to support the specialization of students on issues related to housing and residential structure with a special emphasis on Turkish examples.

 

CRP479 Implementational Aspects of Urban Planning 3(3-0)

At the end of the course the student will learn

• current issues and debates on the planning legislation and zoning procedure,
• implementational issues,
• zoning tools,
• urban regeneration,
• urban design,
• conservation areas, rural areas,
• public (urban) services,
• and similar subjects all of which are closely attached to the implementation of plans and the practice of planners involved in professional life.

 

CRP486 Urban Regeneration: Strategies, Policies, Organization and Design 3(3-0)

This course aims to help students gain a rapid overview of the enormous span of urban regeneration issues and activities and to offer them a guide to urban regeneration that is comprehensive, accessible and practical. The objectives of the course are therefore:

• to introduce the origins, challenges and purposes of urban regeneration, and bring the more detailed discussions that urban regeneration contains into the class,
• to introduce basic notions and dimensions of urban regeneration, such as partnership, strategy and the lessons that may be gained from the case studies,
• to provide students with an introduction to the basic themes and topics that are fundamental to an understanding of the urban regeneration process,
• to introduce students to the issues that govern the ways in which urban regeneration proceeds and how it is organized,
• to offer the experience of urban regeneration in the world and Turkey,
• to distil the significant lessons from the past and present experience of urban regeneration to identify the future role of and prospects for urban regeneration in Turkish cities.

   

CRP488 Institutional Aspects of Urban and Regional Planning 3(3-0)

The objective of this course is to enable students to develop an understanding of the main concepts and an analytical framework for analysis with respect to the institutional aspects of city and regional planning. A twofold developmental framework, one regarding to urban development issues the other one regarding economic development issues constitute the theoretical background of the course. Taking this background as the basis of analysis, students are expected to get acquainted with the evolution of institutional aspects embedded in urban and economic development processes.

 

CRP495 Urban Political Analysis 3(3-0)

The terms "urban" and "politics" went hand in hand throughout the history. As Lefebvre puts: "There is politics of space because space is political". Urban life embraced power and politics from the very emergence of the human settlements. The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the basic concepts and theories of political power, state, local state and their analysis in urban context. The course is organized into three parts. The first part is devoted to the methodological problems which is indispensable for the scientific analysis of social and political issues. Such an introduction is a must, to comprehend, evaluate and debate the material presented in the latter sections of the course properly. Part two examines in a summary manner the theories developed about the state (i.e. the ultimate organization of political power) in general and the capitalist state in particular. Part three deals with the local state, the role played by and functions fulfilled by the state in urban context. The course will be conducted in a lecturedemonstration mode. Readings are to be regarded as reference material, "suggested" rather than "required". Because of the length of the overall list, students will be expected to read selectively- choosing some areas for intensive reading and others for skimming according to particular interests. 

 

CRP499 Seminar in Selected Urban Political Issues 3(3-0)

Seminar course around the contemporary topics in urban political context. The aim of the course is to concentrate students' previous theoretical knowledge on different urban issues; to reexamine and evaluate the current urban problems of our cities by using the frameworks developed by those theories; to test the relevance and the validity of different paradigms in this context. Major areas of concern are politics of urban spatial structuration, urban service provision, land ownership, social movements and the politics of urban planning issues.