Tools for Close Observation

ARC465H1
Instructor: Zachary Mollica
Meeting Section: L0102
Winter 2026

Designing for a lighter environmental impact demands a deeper knowledge of both site and material than is usual, and no single tool is able to supply this information on its own.

This hands‑on seminar is intended to cultivate careful observation using many measuring processes (from tape measures to photogrammetry) to enable a more resource‑aware and nimble approach to design.

Through lectures and project work, tools will be discussed, demonstrated and applied. By the end of the course, participants will be comfortable moving between analog and digital methods.

The final project will take place largely in the wood workshop. While prior shop experience is not assumed, completion of the workshop’s safety orientation will be required outside scheduled class time.

Sketch image at top: Natalia Chan, Kylie Nivins 
Images at bottom: Adrian Yu, Maria Chen Liang, Veronica Chankov, Roxanne Bustard, Sude Cogal