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ARCHITECTURAL THEORY & CRITICISM · Assignment 1 / Individual Essay Select ONE of the Architectural...
Transcript of ARCHITECTURAL THEORY & CRITICISM · Assignment 1 / Individual Essay Select ONE of the Architectural...
ARCHITECTURAL THEORY & CRITICISMThe Chinese University of Hong Kong
School of Architecture201314 1st Term ARCH 5321Time: Wednesday 9:30 to 12:15
Location: TBD
Instructor: Patrick [email protected]
Office Hour: Wednesday 1:30 to 5:30AIT Room: 203
Critic Sees, Jasper Johns 1964
DESCRIPTIONThe aim of this course is to understand contemporary architectural theory and criticism through the analysis of seminal buildings and writings. The instructor will deliver ten thematic lectures, each addressing a specific theoretical concept or position since the 1950s . Instead of creating a survey in the history of architectural theories, each lecture will be framed around a specific subject, movement, idea, or theoretical position of its time. The subject in discussion will be juxtaposed with art, culture and politics of its time to sketch an illuminating contextual background. The lectures are organized to provide a framework for understanding the emphasized theoretical trajectories and debates covered by the course, while allowing ideas occurring on the periphery (outside of the course) to be further investigated independently by individuals.
Students are expected to read the specific assigned readings prior to the weekly lectures in order to better understand and question the theoreticalconcepts. Through reading of the seminal essays, students shall first become familiar with the topic of study and offer their critical point of view inresponse to the ideas and concepts behind. Another critical intention for the course is to generate a dialogue and understanding between theory anddesign practice, allowing students to further consider their instrumental relationships and how it might inform the development of their own architecturalthesis.
OBJECTIVE● To incite and sustain individual's curiosity in architecture theory and criticism.● To complement design studio by analyzing critical ideas and their useful applications in the design process● To analyze critical writing and built work, and to draw out the ideas behind them● To provide an intellectual bridge across the suspended space between theory and practice● To allow individuals to develop their own lens for which to interpret and make sense of architecture theory and criticism
COURSE FORMATThe structure of the course is based around lectures, discussions and workshops. Students will exercise the writing of essays, generating of visualrepresentations and give group visual presentations.
SCHEDULE OF THEMATIC TOPICS
Week Date Topic1 04.09 Introduction/ Course Framework & Schedule
2 11.09 Lecture 1/ Metropolis & Modernity
Reading:Walter Benjamin, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," IlluminationsSiegfried Kracauer, "The Mass Ornament," New German Critique 5
3 18.09 Lecture 2/ Simplicity: Autonomy and Rationality
Reading:Theodor Adorno, "Functionalism Today," Oppositions, no. 17Le Corbusier, "Eyes Which Do Not See, III Automobiles," Towards A New Architecture
4 25.09 Due: Assignment 1 Individual Essay25.09 Lecture 3/ The Avant Garde: Dada, Team X and Metabolist
Reading:Peter Bürger, “Theory of the AvantGarde and Critical Literary Science,” Theory of the AvantGardeRem Koolhaas and Hans Ulrich Obrist, "Kisho Kurokawa," Project Japan
Presentation 1: Metropolis and ModernityG1 Walter Benjamin, "Paris, Capital of the Nineteenth Century," Reflections Criticism by: G3G2 Georg Simmel,"The Metropolis and Mental Life," On Individuality and Social Forms Criticism by: G4
5 02.10 Lecture 4/ Complexity: Communication and Deconstruction
Reading:Robert Venturi, "Introduction, Chapter 14," Complexity and Contradiction in ArchitectureMark Wigley, "The Translation of Architecture, the Production of Babel," Assemblage 8
Presentation 2: Avant GardeG3 Gordon Matta Clark, Art, Architecture and Attack on Modernism Criticism by: G5G4 Koolhaas + Obrist, Project Japan Criticism by: G6
6 09.10 Lecture 5/ Contextualism and Nostalgia
Reading:Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter, "Collage City"Andres Duany, "Coding America," ANY 1, Seaside and the Real World, July/ August 1993
Presentation 3: ComplexityG5 Venturi, Brown, Izenour, Learning from Las Vegas Criticism by: G7G6 Robert Mugerauer, "Derrida and Beyond," Architecture and Urbanism no. 216 Criticism by: G8
7 16.10 Lecture 6/ Phenomenon: Place and Material
Reading:Martin Heidegger, "Building, Dwelling, Thinking," Poetry, Language, ThoughtKenneth Frampton, "Prospects for a Critical Regionalism", Perspecta: The Yale Architectural Journal 20
Presentation 4: ContextualismG7 Thomas L. Schumacher, Contextualism: Urban Ideals + Deformations Criticism by: G9G8 A. Duany, E. PlaterZyberk, and J. Speck, Suburban Nation Criticism by: G10
8 23.10 Lecture 7/ Performance: Event and Space
Reading:Bernard Tschumi, "Spaces and Events," Questions of SpaceRem Koolhaas, "The Downtown Athletic Club," Delirious New York
Presentation 5: PhenomenonG9 Peter Zumthor, Atmospheres Criticism by: G11G10 Christian NorbergSchulz, Genius Loci Criticism by: G12
9 30.10 Lecture 8/ Representation: Drawing to Scripting
Reading:Robin Evans, "In Front of Lines That Leave Nothing Behind," AA Files 6Stan Allen, "The Digital Complex," Log Volume 5, Spring/ Summer, 2005
Presentation 6: PerformanceG11 Bernard Tschumi, Questions of Space Criticism by: G13G12 Guy Debord, Toward a Situationist International Criticism by: G14
10 06.11 Lecture 9/ Surface and Datagram
Reading:Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, "1440: The Smooth and the Striated," A Thousand PlateausGreg Lynn, "The Folded, the Pliant and the Supple," Bodies & Blobs Collected Essays
Presentation 7: RepresentationG13 Robin Evans, Translations from Drawing to Building Criticism by: G15G14 Stan Allen, Practice: Architecture, Technique and Representation Criticism by: G16
11 13.11 Lecture 10/ Postcritical and Contemporary
Reading:Robert Somol and Sarah Whiting, “Notes around the Doppler Effect and Other Moods of Modernism,” Log Volume 5,
Spring/ Summer 2005Reinhold Martin, “Moment of Truth,” Log Volume 7, Winter/ Spring 2006
Presentation 8: Surface and DatagramG15 Stan Allen, Points and Lines: Diagrams and Projects for the City Criticism by: G1G16 Reiser and Umemoto, Atlas of Novel Tectonics Criticism by: G2
12 20.11 Due: Assignment 3/ Group Thematic Posters
13 27.11 NO CLASS Review Week
14 11.12 Due: Assignment 4/ Individual Take Home Exam Paper
PROPOSED SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGEList of books required for group presentation has been placed on university library reserves
ASSIGNMENTSThe assignments are designed for you to be more critical about what you see and read, as well as more aware of your own opinions aboutarchitecture. It is meant to enable you to clarify or challenge the author’s (architect or theorist) own point of view by making interpretations of your own.
Assignment 1 / Individual EssaySelect ONE of the Architectural drawings from the course server and write a 4500 words essay to offer your critique and analysis.In this first essay, you will not need to look up information about the given drawing. Instead you are encouraged to analyze based on what you cansee through your critical eyes. Speculate on the intentions of the architect, think of the meaning beneath and in front of the drawing. Consider thespatial dimensions and translate them into scalable terms. Examine the medium used for making the drawing and seek out the reasoning behind.Possible questions to ask:1. In thinking about the materialities of the lines, is it representational or does it depict itself?2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this mode of representation?3. What evidence of rules, traditions, styles, conventions can you trace to situate its genre?4. What evidence of innovation, reform, change or improvement?5. What is emphasized and what is left out of the place (or the picture frame)?6. What seem to be programmatic and symbolic intentions?
● Use layout format provided on the course server.● Essay shall include title and your name. Design the essay to incorporate the analyzed drawing within the layout format.● Before handing the essay it has to be revised and signed by one classmate of free choice.
Due: September 25
Assignment 2/ Group Slide PresentationSlideshow presentation to convey the critical points behind a thematic topic or theory.Slideshow to be in landscape format with total of 40 slides, no more no less. Verbal presentation shall be limited to 20 minutes per group. Each groupwill composed of three to four students. Presentation will be interrupted after 20 minutes to allow enough time for discussions.Questions to be addressed in the presentation may include the following:
● Who are the authors?● In which theoretical discourse can they be located?● What are the main arguments?● How do they analyze architecture?● What can we learn from their approach to architecture?● Which are the main references and why were they selected?● What influence if any does it have on the architectural practice?● What influence if any does it have on the practices and built environment of Hong Kong or PRD?
Student presentation shall not repeat information communicated by the instructor, but instead generate deeper focus or provide alternate points ofviews.Due: Rolling Due Date
Assignment 3 / Group Thematic Propaganda PosterCommunicate the concepts behind a thematic topic on a sheet of A1 poster in portrait orientation.Create a poster to communicate, in a propaganda style/ manner the concepts behind a thematic topic. The poster shall be visually stunning whileinformative in conveying the key points of the thematic topic. The poster shall be:
● Informative in capturing the essence and concepts behind the theory● Visually beautiful● Provoke and stimulate reaction and responses● Graphically reflect the nature of the thematic theory. I.e. A classical subject shall not be represented by a modernist graphic
Due: November 20, 2013
Assignment 4 / Individual Take Home ExamFrom a given list of questions to be distributed towards the end of term, student will select one question and write a 23000 words research paper responding to the question.
● The paper should have a length of 2 3000 words with illustrating images as required.● All images have to be labeled with captions (name of project, place, architect(s), year of planning and completion, image source).● Cite research references to avoid plagiarism. Any content written or generated by someone else, shall be given the proper citations.● Use the same layout format provided for prior assignments.● Before handing the paper it has to be revised and signed by one classmate of free choice.
Due: December 11, 2013
Participation/ QuizPop quiz will be given occasionally to refresh the thematic topics discussed during the prior classes.
Participation/ attendance and participationAttendance and participation are mandatory due to the ways in which the lectures are organized.Students must notify the instructor before class begins (via email) if absence or tardiness is necessary. Absences will be permitted due to medical orfamily emergencies, and should be made up to the extent possible. Each unexcused absence will drop semester grade one letter grade. Any studentswith more than three unexcused absences will be grounds for failure or withdrawal at the discretion of the instructor.
ASSESSMENTPaper and group presentation will be evaluated based on depth of research, quality of writing, verbal presentation and analytical strength andargumentation. A good or excellent grade (B or above) can only be achieved if the paper is based on a solid research on the specific topic and aprofessional presentation. Texts which fail to name all sources of their information (incl. image sources) properly will not be considered for grades inthe B range or above. Creativity is highly encouraged for the thematic poster. Participation is also important in enhancing student learning, whichaccounts for large portion of the final grade. Paper is to include footnotes and a bibliography. All used images have to be labeled. Plagiarism will notbe tolerated and shall be subject of the review by disciplinary committee which may lead to failure of the course or expulsion from the university.
Individual Assignment: 40%1. Essay2. Take Home Exam
Group Assignment: 40%1. Thematic Propaganda Poster2. Thematic Presentation
Participation: 20%1. Attendance2. Class participation3. Quiz
IMPORTANT NOTE TO STUDENTS:Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable tobreaches of such policy and regulations. Details may be found at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/ . With each assignment, studentswill be required to submit a statement that they are aware of these policies, regulations, guidelines and procedures.
GUIDELINE FOR NOTES AND REFERENCESUse following guideline for academic papers (Harvard system) for your notes and references:
The authors' names (no initials) and dates are given in the body of the text for example (Biddle and Hill, 1971) and the references are listedalphabetically at the end of the paper, under the heading'References', in the following form:
Biddle, M. and Hill, D. (1971) 'Late Saxon planned towns', Antiquaries Journal 51, 7085.Conzen, M.R.G. (1968) 'The use of town plans in the study of urban history', in Dyos, H.J. (ed.) The study of urban history (Edward Arnold, London)11330.Hillier, B. (1996) Space is the machine (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).
1. A system in which numbers are inserted in the text for example 3,4 and references to these are given in numerical order at the end ofthe paper, under the heading 'Notes', in the following form:
3. Thomas, D. (1963) 'London's Green Belt', Geographical Journal 129, 1424.4. Thompson, F.M.L. (ed.) (1982) The rise of suburbia (Leicester University Press, Leicester).
BIBLIOGRAPHY (Presentation Reference Reading)
Metropolis and Modernity: Simmel, Kracuer and BenjaminSiegfried Kracauer, The Hotel LobbyNeil Leach, Rethinking Architecture, A Reader in Cultural TheoryAnthony Vidler, Warped Space, Art, Architecture and Anxiety in Modern Culture
Simplicity: Autonomy and RationalityWalter Gropius, The New Architecture and the BauhausPhilip Johnson, The Seven Crutches of Modern ArchitectureColin Rowe, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa, 1947Max Risselada, Raumplan versus Plan Libre
Avant Garde: Dada, Team X and MetabolistPeter Cook, ArchigramMichael K. Hays, Architecture's Desire, Reading the Late AvantGardeRem Koolhaas & Hans Ulrich Obrist, Project Japan, 2011Eric Mumford, The CIAM Discourse on Urbanism 19281960, 2000R.E. Somol editor, Autonomy and Ideology Positioning an AvantGarde in America, 1997
Complexity: Communication and DeconstructionJacques Derrida, "Point de Folie Maintenant L'architecture," Rethinking Architecture, A Reader in Cultural Theory, 1997Andreas Huyssen, "Introduction," After the Great Divide, 1986Venturi, Brown, Izenour: "Ugly and Ordinary Architecture, or the Decorated Shed," Learning from Las Vegas
Contextualism and NostalgiaChristopher Alexander, A City is Not A TreeCongress for the New Urbanism, "Charter of the New Urbanism," 1996
Phenomenon: Place and MaterialGaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space, The Classic Look at How We Experience Intimate Places, 1958Henri Lefebvre, The Production of Space, 1991Christian NorbergSchulz, "Heidegger’s Thinking on Architecture," Perspecta: The Yale Architectural Journal 20, 1983Peter Zumthor, Thinking Architecture, 1996
Performance: Event and SpaceM. Risselada, Raumplan versus Plan LibreAlex Wall, "Programming the Urban Surface," Recovering Landscape, ed. James Corner
Representation: Drawing to ScriptingStan Allen, Practice: "Constructing with lines on project," Architecture, Technique and RepresentationWalter Benjamin, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,"from Illuminations (New York, 1966)Robin Evans, Translations from Drawing to Building
Surface and DatagramStan Allen, "Field Conditions," Points and Lines: Diagrams and Projects for the City, 1999Gilles Deleuze, The Fold, Leibniz and the Baroque, 1993Greg Lynn, Bodies & Blobs Collected Essays, 1998
Postcritical and ContemporaryMichael Speaks, "Intelligence After Theory," Perspecta: The Yale Architectural Journal 38, 2006Reiser + Umemoto, Atlas of Novel Tectonics, 2003