Course guide of Introduction to Construction (2091119)

Students are recommended to have completed the graphic expression subjects of the first semester of the Degree in Architecture.

It is also advisable that students have:

• Basic graphic skills related to architectural language and representation systems.
• Fundamental knowledge of graphic expression, technical drawing and descriptive geometry.
• Familiarity with specific construction terminology and the ability to identify building elements, their components and functions.
• The ability to recognise and interpret building construction systems, assessing their technical, functional and contextual coherence.

This subject introduces the student to the concept of construction as a material, technological, and environmental dimension inherent to architecture. It addresses the fundamentals that explain the physical materialization of architecture, analyzing the relationship between technique, materials, construction systems, structural behavior, environmental comfort, and the conditioning factors of the physical environment.

Its role within the curriculum is to provide the conceptual groundwork necessary for understanding the building as a constructed system, establishing the foundations that will be progressively developed in subsequent courses in the Architectural Construction area.

The course content can be summarized as follows:

• Materials, technique and architecture: approach to the construction system.
• Introduction to structural types.
• Bases for the design and project of construction systems in architecture and urbanism.
• Technical bases of comfort and well-being parameters.
• Influence of the environment on architecture and urbanism.
• Bases for the design and project of architectural and urban conditioning and facilities.

• Identify and apply graphic procedures for the representation and analysis of spaces and objects.
• Analyse the principles of formal analysis and design development as the basis for architectural design processes, and apply the fundamentals of construction systems and building services.
• Analyse the general theories of form, composition, architectural typologies, and the theory and history of urban planning.
• Identify and correctly apply specific construction terminology, recognising building elements, their components and functions.
• Recognise and interpret the constructive characteristics of the built environment, assessing their technical, functional and contextual coherence.

The subject belongs to the second semester teaching unit. Under the general heading entitled "REALITY AND REPRESENTATION", the Verified Report of the Degree in Architecture Studies addresses the following contents:

Representation systems. The drawing, maps, plans. Topography. proportion and scale. Geography, climate and sunshine. Knowledge and expression of the environment. Data collection. The flows. The temporality. The permanent and the ephemeral. The inductive procedure and intuitions. representation with models.

The program of specific theoretical contents of the subject Introduction to Construction includes the following topics:

Topic 1. Introduction. Learning to build architecture

• General concepts and definitions.
• The architectural project. The urbanization project.
• The construction process.
• Regulations in the construction of architecture.

Topic 2. Analysis of the building. Construction materials.

• Architectural configuration of the building.
• Basic concepts of resistance of materials.
• Construction materials.
• Basic construction techniques.
• General analysis of the building.

Topic 3. The terrain and the foundation.

• Foundation concept.
• The foundation ground.
• Preparation of land for construction. Earth movements.
• Classification of foundations.
• Retaining walls.

Topic 4. The supporting structure. load-bearing walls.

• The load-bearing wall. Resistance of brick frabrics.
• The rigged wall.
• The armed fabric.
• The block fabric.

Topic 5. The supporting structure. Flat porticos.

• Flat portico structure.
• Construction materials and systems.
• Portal elements.

Topic 6. The supporting structure: slabs.

• General concepts.
• Forged functions.
• Characteristics of the slabs. Guys.
• The materials used in the slabs.

Topic 7. The supporting structure. Stairs.

• General concepts.
• Graphic representation and proportion of the stairs.
• Calculation and layout of straight stairs.
• Stair construction.

Topic 8. The envelope of the building. Deck.

• General concepts.
• Classification of the covers.
• Geometric resolution and layout.
• Construction systems and materials used in the execution of a roof.

Topic 9. The envelope of the building. Facade closure.

• Facade enclosures: definition and requirements that are required of them.
• Construction systems for the execution of facades.
• The holes in the walls. Purpose and execution.
• Carpentry. Classification, enforceable requirements and construction systems.

Topic 10. Interior divisions and coverings.

• Interior divisions: definition and requirements that are demanded of them.
• Construction systems for the execution of interior divisions.
• Coatings: definition and requirements that are demanded of them.
• Types of coatings.

Classroom Workshops: The workshops in the classroom are carried out according to the objectives of the subject. They are conducted individually or in groups It can be complemented with the making of models. They are organized into three blocks of work:

• Lifting of the building: Survey of the planimetry of a building for its constructive development.
• Foundation and Supporting Structure: Design of the foundation and structure of a building; representation of the same at the execution project level.
• Building envelope. Construction of the city: Design of the building envelope; representation of the same at the execution project level and in relation to the environment in which it is located.

Seminars in the classroom: Seminars may be held in the classroom according to the objectives of the subject.

Individual exercises: Individual practical exercises will be conducted to help students acquire and consolidate specific skills related to the course’s various thematic blocks, enabling them to independently apply the theoretical knowledge developed in class.

Field practices: Given that due to the number of students and the minimum safety conditions required in the works, it is not always possible to visit construction sites, the visualization and analysis of the construction process in the classroom is considered as an alternative. from photographs and videos of works in progress.

• TITLE: Las construcciones de la arquitectura. AUTHORS: Consuelo del Moral Ávila y Luis Delgado Méndez. EDITOR: Editorial Técnica AVICAM, Fleming. Granada, 2021
• TITLE: Razón y ser de los tipos estructurales. AUTHOR: E. Torroja Miret. EDITOR: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Madrid, 1996.
• TITLE: Vidas construidas. AUTHORS: Anatxu Zabalbeascoa y Javier Rodríguez Marcos. EDITOR: Gustavo Gili. Segunda edición revisada: Barcelona, 2015.
• TITLE: Diccionario de arquitectura y construcción. AUTHORS: Mª Soledad Camino Olea et al. EDITOR: Munilla-Leira. Madrid, 2001.
• Agenda 2030 para el desarrollo sostenible (ONU). Objetivo 11: Lograr que las ciudades sean más inclusivas, seguras, resilientes y sostenibles https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/cities/
• TITLE: Cómo funciona un edificio. AUTHOR: E. Allen. EDITOR: Editorial Gustavo Gili. Barcelona, 2008 (17ª tirada).
• TITLE: Diccionario Visual de la Arquitectura. AUTHOR: Francis D. K. Ching. EDITOR: Gustavo Gili, 2020.
• TITLE: Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods. AUTHORS: Edward Allen y Joseph Iano. EDITOR: Wiley, 2024.

Building regulations (Spain):

• Ley 38/1999, de 5 de noviembre, de Ordenación de la Edificación. Y su desarrollo reglamentario a través del Código Técnico de la Edificación.
• Real Decreto 470/2021, de 29 de junio, por el que se aprueba el Código Estructural. https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2021/06/29/470
• Norma de construcción sismorresistente. Parte general y de edificación (NCSE-02): Real Decreto 997/2002 de 27 de septiembre. www.transportes.gob.es/recursos_mfom/0820200.pdf

Regulations on Accessibility and Universal Design:

• Ley 4/2017, de 25 de septiembre, de los Derechos y la Atención a las Personas con Discapacidad en Andalucía
• Decreto 293/2009, de 7 de julio, por el que se aprueba el Reglamento que regula las normas para la accesibilidad en las infraestructuras, el urbanismo, la edificación y el transporte en Andalucía.
• Real Decreto 505/2007, de 20 de abril, por el que se aprueban las condiciones básicas de accesibilidad y no discriminación de las personas con discapacidad para el acceso y utilización de los espacios públicos urbanizados y edificaciones.
• Orden TMA/851/2021, de 23 de julio, por la que se desarrolla el documento técnico de condiciones básicas de accesibilidad y no discriminación para el acceso y la utilización de los espacios públicos urbanizados.
• Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2013, de 29 de noviembre, por el que se aprueba el Texto Refundido de la Ley General de derechos de las personas con discapacidad y de su inclusión social.

Documentos técnicos de referencia para soluciones constructivas y criterios de ejecución: Catálogos técnicos Documentación técnica de instituciones científicas de reconocido prestigio. Normas Tecnológicas de la Edificación (NTE).

Below is the web address of the Technical Building Code of Spain, where you can get fully updated:

• The legal texts of its approval and modifications.
• The basic documents (with comments and modifications).
• The recognized documents, including the Catalog of Constructive Elements of the CTE.

https://www.codigotecnico.org/

• MD01. Lección magistral/expositiva 
• MD02. Sesiones de discusión y debate 
• MD03. Resolución de problemas y estudio de casos prácticos 
• MD06. Prácticas en sala de informática 
• MD07. Seminarios 
• MD09. Análisis de fuentes y documentos 
• MD10. Realización de trabajos en grupo 
• MD11. Realización de trabajos individuales 

Evaluation criteria

EV-C1.- Verification of mastery of the contents, theoretical and practical, and critical elaboration of them.
EV-C2.- Assessment of the work carried out, individually or in a team, taking into account the presentation, writing and clarity of ideas, graphics, structure and scientific level, creativity, justification of what is argued, capacity and richness of the criticism that is ago, and updating of the consulted bibliography.
EV-C3.- Degree of involvement and attitude of the students manifested in their participation in the consultations, exhibitions and debates, as well as in the preparation of the work, individually or in teams, and in the sharing sessions.
EV-C4.- Class attendance, seminars, conferences, tutorials, group sessions.

Evaluation coefficients​

Each professor of the subject will be able to specify their evaluation system within the minimum and maximum weighting margins established in the previous table.

The extraordinary evaluation is aimed at all students, regardless of whether or not they have followed a continuous evaluation process, in accordance with the Article 19 of the Evaluation Regulations of the UGR. This call guarantees, in any case, the possibility of obtaining 100% of the final grade of the subject.

The evaluation will be carried out by means of one or several individual tests, designed to assess the degree of acquisition of the competences and learning outcomes established in this teaching guide. These tests may include theoretical and practical content.

Regardless of what is established in the previous sections for the ordinary and extraordinary calls in its continuous evaluation modality, the students will be able to take advantage of the single evaluation modality.

The single evaluation requires express request and authorization, in accordance with the provisions of article 8 of the Regulations for Evaluation and Qualification of Students of the University of Granada, approved by the Governing Council.

To certify in a single academic act that they have acquired all the competencies described in this teaching guide, they must pass the test or set of tests that are proposed to them, resolving the theoretical and practical questions of the subject that arise in them.

The evaluation criteria and instruments included in this section comply with what is regulated in the Consolidated Text of the Regulations approved by Agreement of the Governing Council in session of May 20, 2013, BOUGR no. 71, of May 27, 2013 and modified by the Agreements of the Governing Council in sessions of February 3, 2014, BOUGR no. 83, of June 25, 2014 and October 26, 2016, BOUGR no. 112, of November 9, 2016.

Following the recommendations of the CRUE and the Secretariat of Inclusion and Diversity of the UGR, the systems of acquisition and evaluation of competences included in this teaching guide will be applied in accordance with the principle of design for all people, facilitating learning and demonstration of knowledge according to the needs and functional diversity of the students.

In accordance with the regulations of the Universidad de Granada, students with disabilities and/or Specific Educational Support Needs (NEAE) may request the necessary adaptations and support measures to ensure equal access to teaching and assessment activities, following the procedures established by the University. Useful information regarding available support services can be found at: https://ve.ugr.es/servicios/atencionsocial/estudiantes-con-discapacidad.

In accordance with the Guidelines for Strengthening Academic Integrity in In-Person Exams, issued by the General Secretariat of the University of Granada, in conjunction with the Vice-Rectors’ Offices for Digital Transformation and for Academic Affairs and Faculty in 2026—or the version in effect at the time of the exam—the following points are highlighted:

• The use of any unauthorized material during the exam will be considered a serious offense in accordance with current assessment regulations.
• Faculty members may confiscate unauthorized material and document the incident.
• The use of generative artificial intelligence or other technological tools not expressly authorized is prohibited.
• Failure to comply with these rules, as indicated in Article 13.7 of the Assessment and Grading Regulations, will result in the following: “Any violation of these rules, even if detected during the exam evaluation process and verified by the faculty, will result in a numerical grade of zero, which shall not be considered a disciplinary sanction, regardless of any disciplinary actions that may apply.” Therefore, a numerical grade of zero (0) will be assigned for the corresponding exam.

The use of artificial intelligence tools may be permitted as an auxiliary aid for learning, searching for and verifying information, organizing material, improving writing, or presenting assignments, provided that it does not replace the student’s personal work or the effective acquisition of the course’s competencies. In assignments, analyses, reports, graphic documents, or other deliverables related to the course, any significant use of artificial intelligence must be explicitly disclosed, indicating the tool used and the purpose of its use. Students are responsible for the technical, regulatory, and bibliographic accuracy of the content submitted, as well as for the proper citation of sources used and the reasoned defense of the work produced.
Assignments generated entirely or substantially by artificial intelligence—without the student’s own critical analysis, technical review of the content, or ability to defend the work—will not be accepted. Faculty may require an explanation of the work process, an oral defense, or reasonable evidence of authorship, understanding, and traceability. Under no circumstances should personal data, sensitive information, protected documentation, third-party images, unauthorized technical documentation, or materials subject to confidentiality be entered into artificial intelligence tools.

The institutional PRADO virtual learning platform will be used as a teaching support tool, providing access to learning materials, facilitating communication with students, enabling the monitoring of activities, and managing relevant information related to the development of the course.

Información de interés para estudiantado con discapacidad y/o Necesidades Específicas de Apoyo Educativo (NEAE): Gestión de servicios y apoyos (https://ve.ugr.es/servicios/atencion-social/estudiantes-con-discapacidad).

Activities that require computing resources will be planned so that they can be carried out using free software, programs licensed by the University of Granada, or applications that are free for students to use, thereby ensuring the availability of and access to the necessary tools.