Cursos / 1º Ciclo / Faculty of Architecture and Arts :: Architecture ( Integrated Master)

SISTEMAS CONSTRUTIVOS - 2025/2026

3º curricular year
Semestralidade: 2nd semester
ECTS: 3.5

Teachers

Leading Teacher: Prof. Doutor Jorge Amaral

Class type and School hours

Teórico-prática : 4 Horas

Teaching Language

Portuguese

Main Aims/Objectives

The Building Systems course aims to deepen the knowledge acquired in previous years, particularly the study of detailing, to encourage mastery of detail scales, with relevance to preparing communication for the construction site. It also seeks to relate the Building Systems course to the practice of Integrated Project, cross-referencing information from other Curricular Units from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Specific Aims/Objectives

To encourage and stimulate research at the level of execution detail, thereby valuing means of communication for the construction site, thus integrating knowledge acquired in project practice. In this course, special emphasis is placed on common systems (with which students will have more contact in professional practice), without neglecting the investigation of systems considered more experimental.

Skills to be acquired

Acquired Competencies
Critically define materials, their application, and all cladding and/or enclosure materials for the surfaces defining interior and exterior spaces.
Master drawing, particularly in detailing and fine detail at various graphic scales, as required for a construction site communication project.

Teaching Procedures

Coursework unfolds through the articulation of theoretical and practical moments. In theoretical classes, exercises will be presented, themes and necessary information for the progress of the work will be introduced, and periodic presentations and discussions of results will be held. During practical classes, proposed exercises will be implemented and executed, then presented, analyzed, critiqued, and discussed, either in groups or individually.

Programme

Constructive detail and its elaboration at different scales.
The semester exercise proposed for the Building Systems Curricular Unit will be carried out by groups of two students, who will be responsible for choosing a project developed in the Project I Curricular Unit [it may also be a project from another design course the student is currently attending]. Based on this chosen project, the study of constructive detail and its elaboration at integrated graphic scales should proceed.
The programmatic content of the Building Systems course is divided into two phases:
1. Planar Sections - A2
Based on the selected work, proceed with the representation of the plan and planar section, thereby defining all the cladding and/or enclosure materials for the surfaces defining the interior spaces.
Representation, at 1:20 scale, of a plan and a vertical section [e.g., a simple or double housing module, kitchen, stairs/atrium, etc.], identifying the various layers that incorporate the walls, ceilings, suspended ceilings, and floors of the designed spaces.
Representation of interior elevations with the identification of the main cladding materials, their stereotomy, and their implication in the expression and characterization of the spaces;
Representation of the finishes schedule, with the following indications: "material used", "unit dimensioning", "constructive function", and total and partial areas to be adopted for each space, namely, walls, floors, ceilings and/or suspended ceilings.
2. Openings - A2
In this second phase of the semester exercise, the work groups are responsible for choosing one exterior and one interior opening to detail. This encourages mastery of detail scales, with relevance to the study of compositional and spatial metrics, which are important for the architectural grounding and expression of the studied building.
Representation of two openings at 1:50 scale, [two elevations and two sections for each opening] with partial sections to scale, 1:2, of the interior and exterior openings, with particular importance given to carpentry and/or metalwork detail.
Representation of a schedule for each opening, identifying: 1-Designation and location; 2-Functionality; 3-Hardware; 4-Glass; 5-Finishing material; 6-Sill; 7-Rough opening dimension; 8-Leaf dimension.

Evaluation Type

Attendance, class participation, continuity of work, and responsiveness to problems and challenges posed will be taken into account. Continuous assessment will also include two individual written tests (50%) and the submission of group assignments (50%), according to the academic calendar. The fundamental institutional assessment moments will also be fulfilled: the Midterm Exam and the Final Exam (75%) and the (re)submission of the group work (25%).

Teaching Resources

To achieve the required objectives and competencies, the following didactic resources will be used:
Computers;
Specialized bibliography available in the Lusíada University media library and library;
Indication of fundamental texts for learning and developing research work;
Multimedia material (documentaries, videos, images, etc.);
Laboratory classes that encourage research on construction systems and materials.

Sustainability Objectives

To make cities and communities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The three pillars of sustainability in building design and construction: economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Territory, orientation, and materials; analysis of the life cycle of materials and buildings, recycling of materials and buildings; prefabrication and traditional construction. Reduce the adverse environmental impact of cities, paying special attention to waste management and energy consumption.

Keywords

Research
Planar section
Openings/Frames
Detail

Main Bibliography

Complementary Bibliography