Semester 2: Reflective Journal
Background
Compared with the blog writing in the first semester, my blog in the second semester was completed in a shorter time. I still remember the first time I wrote this kind of article. Although it was only 800 words long, writing the whole article took me a whole night. But now, from the time I start selecting a topic and looking for literature until I finish writing, the speed has doubled. This change makes me happy!
Theoretical Study
The theoretical study of urban design covers a wide range of content, from basic urban planning history to modern urban design theory. Each part provides essential background knowledge for understanding the complexity of urban space. I chose the urban design major because I am strongly interested in urban public spaces. In the process of writing the blog, I will also add more professional knowledge to the article and give relevant explanations.
Site Analysis
Although theoretical study is very important, going to the site for research in the early design stage can better test and improve my design ability. During my graduate studies, I was fortunate enough to participate in several site surveys. For example, in the housing alternative course in the second semester, I inspected the site with the teachers and learned about the shortcomings in this area.
However, when searching for cases on the blog, I found that these cases were far away from me. However, I was still able to see how the data could be investigated more fully from a designer’s perspective, as well as some analytical plots. At the same time, I can also learn some novel design techniques from other people’s successful cases.
In the process of writing blogs, I feel that my logic is gradually increasing. During the writing process of each article, I learned to increase readers’ interest in reading by adding subtitles.
Tools
In the process of writing this blog, I am still looking for cases on some design websites, such as Archdaily. I began to find the information I needed in more ways. In my daily life, I also began to pay attention to successful cases in the city and take photos to record them. Hand-drawn sketching is one of the most basic skills, and it allows one to express design concepts and ideas quickly. However, as the design progresses, the advantages of digital tools begin to emerge. The application of GIS technology enables me to process and analyze large amounts of spatial data, thereby conducting urban planning more scientifically.
Figure 1: Geographic Information Systems ( photo from Pinterest)
Society
Because a blog is shorter than a paper, readers can more easily obtain valuable information from it. Generally speaking, most readers are not in this major. Therefore, in the process of revising the article, I used easy-to-understand words to explain and also reduced the use of passive voice.
Conclusion
Because a blog is shorter than a paper, readers can more easily obtain valuable information from it. Generally speaking, most readers are not in this major. Therefore, while revising the article, I tried to use some easy-to-understand words to explain and reduced the use of passive voice. At the same time, through studying urban design, I have mastered rich theoretical knowledge and practical skills. In my opinion, urban design is not only a technical job but also a cause related to social well-being and environmental sustainable development. In the future, I hope to continue to delve into this field and contribute to creating a better and livable city through innovation and practice.
