ARCH2321 Syllabus – Fall 2018

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ARCH2321

Department of Architectural Technology
ARCH 2321 HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE: 1900 TO THE PRESENT (W)
3 classroom hours, 3 credits
Course Description: A comprehensive study of architects, buildings and architectural movements from the turn of the last century until the present day. The architecture is explored in relationship to the concurrent artistic, philosophical, historical and technological contexts.
Course context: This is one of three writing-intensive courses in the department. All familiarize the student with architectural precedents.
Prerequisites: ENG 1101 and one of the following: ARTH 1101, ARTH 1102, ARTH 1103, ARTH 1104, or ARCH 1121.
Required Texts:
Colquhoun, Alan. 2002. Modern Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Course Reader (to be available from Zip Publishing).
The English Department Handbook, NYCCT
Recommended Texts:
Curtis, William. 1996. Modern Architecture Since 1900. 3rd Ed.: New York: Phaidon Press.
Jencks, Charles. 1987. Modern Movements in Architecture. 2nd Ed. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Moneo, Rafael. 2005. Theoretical Anxiety and Design Strategies in the Work of Eight Contemporary Architects Cambridge: MIT Press.
Strunk, William and E.B. White.2008. The Elements of Style.50th Anniv. Edition. New York: Longman Press.
Sykes, A. Krista and Michael Hayes. 2010. Constructing a New Agenda: Architectural Theory 1993-2009. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
Tietz, Jurgen.2000. The Story of Architecture in the 20th Century. New York: Konemann Press.
Attendance Policy: No more than 10% absences are permitted during the semester. For the purposes of record, two lateness are considered as one absence. Exceeding this limit will expose the student to failing at the discretion of the instructor.
Course Structure: This course combines lectures and seminars with instruction in the mechanics of expository writing which includes critical essays and research papers.
Grading:
Writing Assignments 25%
Class discussion 10%
Term paper 25%
2 quizzes 20%
Final exam 20%
Academic Integrity: Students and all others who work with information, ideas, texts, images, music, inventions and other intellectual property owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting and citation of sources. As a community of intellectual and professional workers, the college recognizes its responsibility for providing instruction in information literacy and academic integrity, offering models of good practice, and responding vigilantly and appropriately to infractions of academic integrity. Accordingly, academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension and expulsion.
Learning Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
1. Understand architecture in the context of its geopolitical, economical, social, cultural and
technological trends. (Knowledge)
2. Apply the vocabulary of architectural criticism to contemporary buildings. (Gen Ed)
3. Analyze (compare and contrast) contemporary buildings. (Gen Ed)
4. Communicate ideas and information both verbally and through writing. (Gen Ed)
5. Research and distinguish information necessary for thesis-driven papers. (Gen Ed and
Skill)
Assessment:
To evaluate the studentsā€™ achievement of the learning objectives, the professor will do the following:
1. Test the studentsā€™ ability to recall and recite the key terms and material of the readings and
lectures through quizzes, midterm and a final exam. (Los:1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
2. Determine studentsā€™ understanding of the development of contemporary architecture in their written
assignments and oral presentations. (Los: 1, 2, 3, 4)
3. Assess the studentsā€™ use of professional vocabulary in the written work and during class discussions
and oral presentations.(Lo:3)
Course Outline:
Week 1: Introduction/ Roots of Modern Architecture: Industrialization, Rational Engineering, New
Formsā€”bridges, railway stations, skyscrapers [Darby, Burton & Turner, Paxton, Eiffel, Perret, Burnham &
Root, Sullivan]
Reading: [Course Reader] Benevolo, Leonardo. 1977. Preface. The History of Modern Architecture.
Cambridge: MIT Press.
Writing Assignment: Discuss the importance of World Fairs on disseminating new technologies: Are they
really open to the entire world? (3 paragraph minimum)
Week 2: The Secession/Art Nouveau/Arts & Crafts Movement/the Werkbund [Olbrich, Guimard, Horta,
Gaudi, Mackintosh, Greene & Greene, Morris, Behrens, Hoffmann]
Reading: Colquhoun, Alan. 2002. Modern Architecture. Oxford; Oxford University Press, Chapters 1 and 3.
Writing Assignment: Discuss the influence of Asian cultural objects on these movements. (3 paragraph
minimum)
Week 3: Expressionism/Bauhaus [Poelzig, Mendelssohn, Gropius, Meyer, Mies Van der Rohe, Taut]
Reading: Colquhoun, Alan. 2002. Modern Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 87-99 and
Chapter 8.
Writing Assignment: Discuss the influence of the minor arts (e.g. textitles) on these movements. (3
paragraph minimum) This topic may be expanded into a Term Paper.
Week 4: The Aesthetic Avant garde: Futurism/de Stijl/Cubism [St. Elia, Marinetti, Reitveld, Le Corbusier]
Reading: Colquhoun, Alan. 2002. Modern Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 99-107, 109-
120.
Writing Assignment: Discuss the influence of different modes of transportation on these movements and
discuss their global applicability at the time. (6 paragraph minimum)
Week 5: The International Style and Machine Aesthetics [LeCorbusier, Mies van der Rohe, Oud]
Reading: Colquhoun, Alan. 2002. Modern Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 7.
[Course Reader] Hitchcock, H.R., and Phillip Johnson. The International Style. 1932. New York:
Norton Press, pp. 17-34.
Writing Assignment: Discuss how the International Style was disseminated globally and how it still persists
today. (6 paragraph minimum) This topic may be expanded into a Term Paper.; Study for Quiz #1
Week 6: Le Corbusier/Frank Lloyd Wright
Reading: Colquhoun, Alan. 2002. Modern Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 7.
[Course Reader] Le Corbusier, 1985. Towards a New Architecture. New York: Dover Press.
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[Course Reader] Vincent Scully Jr., 2002. Modern Architecture. New York: George Braziller, pp.
28-32.
Curtis, William. 2005. Modern Architecture. New York: Phaidon Publishers, Chapter 18.
Writing Assignment: Compare and contrast how Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright were influenced by
different world cultures over the course of their careers. (8 paragraph minimum) This topic may be
expanded into a Term Paper.
Week 7: Other Modernisms in the Interwar and Immediate Post-World War II Years [Scharoun,
Saarinen, Sterling, Neutra, Kiesler]
Reading: Colquhoun, Alan. 2002. Modern Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 12.
[Course Reader] Moneo, Raphael. 2005. Theoretical Anxiety and Design Strategies in the Work of
Eight Contemporary Architects. Cambridge: MIT Press, Chapter 1.
Writing Assignment: Choose a Research Paper topic and begin preparing outline.
The following is the suggested outline for the paper of 6-8 pages:
Introduce your paper and state the thesis or idea at the root of your paper. Ā½ – 1 page
Describe the building in its total context. 1-2 pages
Compare and contrast styles, techniques and materials used to those typical of the early twenty-first
century. 2 pages
Analyze whether or not the building will merit landmarking in 30 years.
Support your opinion with a series of arguments. 1-2 pages
Summarize the research and thought process. Ā½- 1 pages
Bibliography: A minimum of 5 references are required. These may include books (give specific pages),
magazine articles, newspaper clippings, or official records. Selected internet sources may be used. We will
discuss in class what makes a source a valued reference. Use MLA format. If you Google MLA, you will find
a lot of information and help on how to use this style. The Perdue Owl website is particularly helpful. Note
that the MLA format is to be used for the bibliography, not the entire paper.
Week 8: Critical Regionalism [Aalto, Neimeyer, Legoretto, Sert] and Monumental Architecture [Kahn, Le
Corbusier]
Reading: Curtis, William. 2005. Modern Architecture. New York: Phaidon Publishers, Chapter 18 and pp.
464-469, 483-484, & 517-543.
Writing Assignment: Continue to work on Research Paper: Hand in Draft Outline.
Week 9: The New York Five/ Brutalism/ Tectonics I/ Early Environmentalism [Meier, Eisenman,
Hejduk, Gwathmey, Graves, Rudolph, the Smithsons, Kallmann, Safdie, Rogers, Piano, Foster, Barnes,
Jersey Devil]
Reading: Curtis, William. 2005. Modern Architecture. New York: Phaidon Publishers, Chapter 22
Writing Assignment: Continue to work on Research Paper. Study for Quiz #2.
Week 10: Post-Modernism/ Architecture and Pop Culture [Venturi, Moore, Graves, Archigram, the
Metabolists, Friedman]
Reading: Curtis, William. 2005. Modern Architecture. New York: Phaidon Publishers, Chapters 29 and 30.
[Course Reader] Nesbitt, Kate, ed. 1996. Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture Theory. New
York: Princeton Architectural Press, pp. 72-76.
Writing Assignment: Continue to work on Research Paper: Hand in first draft.
Week 11: Deconstructivism [Eisenman, Derrida,Tschumi, Libeskind, Hadid, Coop Himmelblau, Koolhaus]
Reading: [Course Reader] Johnson, Phillip & Mark Wigley. 1988. Introduction. Deconstructivist
Architecture. New York: Little Brown & Co.
Writing Assignment: Continue to work on Research Paper
Week 12: Contemporary Themes: Tectonics II [Zumthor, Ando, Herzog & de Meuron, Siza, Holl]
Reading: [Course Reader] Zumthor, Peter. 1998. Thinking Architecture. Lars Mueller Publishers, pp. 27-34.
Writing Assignment: Continue to work on Research Paper.
Week 13: Contemporary Themes: Sustainable Architecture/ Technological Architecture /Architecture
as Branding [Piano, Ambasz, Foster, Ban, Vinoly, SHoP Architects, Ito].
Reading: [Course Reader] Mau, Bruce. 2000. Introduction. Massive Change, p. 18.
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Writing Assignment: Continue to work on Research Paper. Hand in second draft.
Week 14: Contemporary Themes: Digital Architecture [Calatrava, Morphosis, UN Studio, Lynn]
Reading: [Course Reader] Wrigley, Mark. 2002. Out of Site: Fictional Architectural Spaces, New York: New
Museum of Contemporary Art, New York: NY, p. 7
[Course Reader] Speaks, Michael. 2006. ā€œIntelligence After Theory,ā€ Perspecta, 38: 103-107.
Writing Assignment: Continue to work on Research Paper and study for Final Exam.
Week 15: Final Exam and Research Paper Due.
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