SUSTAINABLE LIVING (ARC61704)
This module explores sustainability within the urban built environment, focusing on how cities can respond to environmental, social, and economic challenges. It introduces key theories, frameworks, and case studies related to urban resilience, sustainable systems, and SDG 11. Through collaborative research and individual exploration, students examine existing sustainable city models and develop future-oriented ideas that address issues such as climate change, energy, water, waste, and community well-being. The module emphasises a people-centred approach, encouraging critical thinking and responsible design strategies for more livable and resilient cities.
Group Project 1: Sustainable System in a City
Project 1 is a group-based research project that examines sustainable systems within an existing city through the study of local and international precedents. Students evaluate how urban environments respond to challenges related to climate resilience, environmental quality, social well-being, and economic sustainability, using established sustainable living theories and frameworks. Particular attention is given to urban resilience strategies, including blue and green infrastructure and nature-based solutions, and their impact on both the city and its communities.
The project outcomes are presented through well-structured presentation slides and a recorded video submission, allowing students to clearly communicate their analysis, comparisons, and critical reflections. Through this process, the project develops skills in collaborative research, critical evaluation, and visual communication, while strengthening the understanding of how sustainable systems can contribute to more resilient and people-centred cities.
PROJECT 2 - Sustainable Future City Ideas: Resilient Future Cities (Focusing on Natural Disaster Mitigation) and Reflective Writing
Project 2 is a large-scale collaborative assignment carried out in conjunction with three other groups, forming a collective effort to explore strategies for a future sustainable and disaster-resilient city. The project focuses on natural disaster mitigation, particularly flood resilience, and addresses sustainability through environmental, social, and economic perspectives, aligned with SDG 11.
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Each group is responsible for a specific task within the overall framework, contributing to a comprehensive and integrated proposal. The work presented here focuses on Task 1, which forms the foundational stage of the project. This task involves establishing the core framework and key strategies that guide the overall proposal, including research, analysis, and concept development related to urban resilience and preparedness.
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By working collaboratively across multiple groups, the project emphasises interdisciplinary thinking, coordination, and shared responsibility, while allowing each group to contribute specialised insights. The combined outcomes are communicated through illustrated presentation slides and visual materials, demonstrating how individual tasks collectively shape a coherent vision for a resilient and people-centred future city.
REFLECTION
"The Sustainable Living module significantly reshaped the understanding of sustainability within the urban built environment. Prior to engaging with this module, sustainability was often perceived as being limited to material selection and energy efficiency at the building scale. Through lectures, case studies, tutorials, and discussions, the module revealed sustainability as a holistic system that integrates environmental responsibility, social well-being, economic resilience, and cultural context. Concepts such as net-zero living, renewable energy systems, urban farming, sustainable building typologies, and waste repurposing highlighted how sustainable living extends beyond environmental protection to improving everyday life and shaping resilient cities for the future.
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The exploration of local and international case studies demonstrated that sustainable strategies cannot be universally applied, as each city operates within distinct climatic, social, cultural, and governance conditions. This reinforced the importance of context-driven design, where urban solutions must respond specifically to local needs rather than replicating precedents. The learning experience also emphasised that sustainability is not achieved through architecture alone, but through collaboration between designers, policymakers, experts, and communities. Continuous feedback from tutors and peers further strengthened critical thinking and encouraged reflection on existing assumptions about sustainable design.
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The assignments played a crucial role in connecting theoretical knowledge with real-world applications. The study of grey infrastructure in Mumbai and Kolkata revealed how large cities manage flood control, drainage, and transportation systems, while also exposing the limitations of overdependence on engineered solutions. This analysis highlighted how infrastructure performance is influenced by planning strategies, governance efficiency, and social conditions, shifting the focus from individual buildings to city-wide systems. The subsequent exploration of flood preparedness and expert-led strategies demonstrated that disaster resilience depends not only on physical infrastructure, but also on education, training, coordination, and public awareness. Together, these experiences illustrated the strong relationship between technical systems and human behaviour in shaping resilient urban environments.
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The module also introduced the interconnected roles of green, blue, grey, and red infrastructure, revealing how architectural decisions are closely linked to broader issues such as risk management, environmental resilience, and community safety. This understanding has direct relevance to future professional practice, particularly as architectural design increasingly requires a multidisciplinary and research-driven approach. The emphasis on Sustainable Development Goal 11 reinforced the responsibility of architects to contribute to inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities. As preparation for the final year of architectural studies, the module encouraged a more critical and responsible design mindset, where sustainability is embedded as a core principle rather than an added feature. Overall, the module contributed to both academic development and a deeper awareness of the architect’s role in shaping cities that balance environmental care, social needs, and long-term resilience."