New York City College of Technology – City University of New York
300 Jay Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201
Department of Architectural Technology
ARCH 3522 A HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY ARCHITECTURE (Writing Intensive)
3 lecture hours, 3 credits
The class will be conducted in person, in room V319 as scheduled Wednesdays from 11:30-2 PM. See schedule and assignment handouts.
Should there be an emergency or COVID shutdown: Class will then be heald on Zoom.. You will receive an email with the link to inform students should this happen.
Architectural Technology Links:
The department is dedicated to helping you complete (and enjoy!) your education during this trying time. Here are some links to resources
https://www.citytech.cuny.edu/virtual/learn-anywhere.aspx
https://www.citytech.cuny.edu/architectural/
If you need help, email me or our front desk (the link is above this sentence) or call at 718 260 5262, and your question will be forwarded to the best person.
Wednesdays and Thursdays 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Meet me on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83414015915?pwd=NHNrbkZSWVBlQzVzZTJncGJ4VU9sZz09
Or, by appointment. I am available at other times and days throughout the week.
Visit the Department of Architectural Technology’s advisement schedule on their web page. Or click this link.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iV3G1RRTLYoaum3AjCkrQc7JxKXPR8ak-xOFKBGiVaE/edit#gid=0
rzagaroli@citytech.cuny.edu is my email.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
“A historical analysis of the city’s infrastructure, real estate development, municipal planning and key buildings. This course will trace the course of American history from a village to a city, which is the commercial and cultural hub of the nation. Dynamic socio determinants emerging as a result of improvements and growth in technology, transportation, infrastructure, real estate, commerce, housing and recreation.”
In our built-up urban environment, appreciation and knowledge of historic building is essential for the architect. Recognizing period styles and forms allows the architect to design new buildings within their context. More importantly, understanding past construction technologies and materials enables the architect to adapt and reuse existing buildings for current programs. Rehabilitation of the old saves today’s resources and promotes sustainability.
Prerequisites: ENG 1101; and one of the following: ARCH 1121 or ARTH 1101 or ARTH 1102 or ARTH 1103 or ARTH 1104
Required Reading: Readings are from the internet and listed under each topic. All course materials – syllabus, assignments, lectures in Powerpoint and study guides are in Blackboard. Questions with the week’s readings will focus on the content you are required to understand and know.
Each week I have recommended other readings from the suggested texts; these are optional, but would increase your understanding.
Class Participation Policy:
No more than 10% absences are permitted during the semester. For the purposes of record, two late arrivals are considered as one absence. Exceeding this limit will expose the student to failing at the discretion of the instructor due to lack of class participation and mastery of class material.
Course Requirements: There will be several quizzes and written assignments throughout the semester, as well as a final research paper and a final comprehensive exam. There will also be an informal presentation and discussion with the class on your chosen building and neighborhood.
I would like to discuss the possibility of 2 field trips. One local walking tour of Downtown Brooklyn and one in Downtown Manhattan.
Grading: 50% Written assignments and presentation
20% Quizzes (4 scheduled)
20% Research paper (or field study)
10% Sketches and Tour Assignment
The mid term grade will be based on the work required by that time. There is no mid term exam.
Additional credit can be earned for participation in classroom discussions and in outside of class walking tours. Your participation mark will be added to your final grade.
Writing Intensive
This is the second of two writing intensive courses required in the Department of Architectural Technology and one of the four writing intensive courses required for the bachelor’s degree. The other two writing intensive courses are part of the flexible core or college option of additional liberal arts.
There will be frequent writing assignments in and outside of class. Some will be “low-stakes” short graded essays based on readings or your experiences. Others will not be graded; both types will count towards your grade.
Finally there will be a research paper which will count as 20% of your grade (high stakes). We will be working on this, in parts, over the semester. Separate requirements and a schedule will be given later. The informal Powerpoint presentation will be one element of your grade.
Why such an emphasis on writing? In architecture and the building industry, clear communication is necessary to communicate effectively with clients, consultants and contractors. Examples of writing in the office includes:
- Initiating and replying to emails from clients, consultants, contractors, government agencies
- Responding to requests for proposals
- Making competition drawings that include explanatory text
- Making specification documents describing materials and equipment
- Writing articles and competition texts that describe completed projects (marketing).
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.
The college requires that every instance of cheating be reported regardless of the penalties imposed by the instructor. A record is maintained for each student.
Learning Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to:
- Explain the progression of key elements of New York City architectural developments from early European settlements to contemporary times.
- Define the major differences between the technology of early New York and later architectural developments of the 17th, 18th and 19th century design and the modern movement.
- Explain and analyze the impact of the past on Architecture of the city, and the neighborhood.
- Develop an appreciation and awareness of architecture.
- Use clear, concise language to describe architecture and procedures.
- Write a research paper formulating a thesis statement and organizing supporting arguments based on bibliographic sources and field observation.
Assessment:
Students will be given quizzes and writing assignments that test their ability to:
- Explain the progression of key elements of New York City architectural developments from early European settlements to contemporary times.
- Analyze the major differences between the technology of early New York and later architectural developments of the 17th, 18th and 19th century design and the modern movement.
- Explain and analyze the impact of the past on architecture of the city, and the neighborhood.
- Assess the role of architecture in the context of a neighborhood or setting.
- Develop a writing style consistent with the requirements of the profession.
Suggested Texts and Videos (Individual citations and books on specific topics are included in the syllabus)
Roth, Leland M., A Concise History of American Architecture, New York: Westview Press, latest edition.
Topic headings are from this source.
Homberger, Eric, The Historical Atlas of New York City, New York: Henry Holt and Company, latest edition.
Lankevich, George J., New York City: A Short History, New York: New York University Press, 2002.
Burns, Ric “New York: A Documentary Film” 8 episodes, PBS Home Video DVD, 2004. I will do further research to see if this excellent series is easily available. You are welcome to borrow my copies.
Recommended Supplemental Texts
White, Norval & Elliot Willensky with Fran Leadon, AIA Guide to New York City, 5th edition, New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. ($ 35.00??)
Reynolds, Donald Martin, The Architecture of New York City, New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., revised edition, 1994. ISBN 0-471-01439-7 ($ 39.95). This was the original text for the course. It is now out of print, but can be found on the Internet.
Dolkart, Andrew S. and Matthew A. Postal, Guide to New York City Landmarks, New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 4th edition, 2009. ($24.95)
Roth, Leland M., American Architecture: A History, Cambridge, MA: Westview Press, 2001. ($ 65.00)
Conduit, Carl W., American Building: Materials and Techniques from the Beginning of the Colonial Settlements to the Present, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1968. And subsequent editions.
Class 1 January 25 2023
Course requirements and overview
“The Land and its Inhabitants”
Homework assignment
Write 1-2 pages on the New York City environment in 1662 and today. There are 2 parts:
- A. What made the area we know as New York City favorable to settlement by the Dutch in 1624. Be specific.
- B. Do these same characteristics play a role in NYC today? Select and describe a current environmental problem facing New York City.
Reading assignment
The Welikia Project. Wildlife Conservation Society, 2008-2017, https://welikia.org/ Accessed 15 January 2019.
Explore site. Read the discussion under the science tab.
Under the download tab – publications, you will find this article to read. You can also click on the pdf.
Sanderson, E.W. (2005). “Urban legend: discovering Manhattan’s wetlands.” National Wetlands Newsletter 27(1): 1; 15-18. Accessed 15 January 2019. pdf
Than, Ker. “Manhattan 1609 vs. 2009: Natural Wonder to Urban Jungle” National Geographic, 22 April 2009, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2009/04/manhattan-island-before-new-york-city-culture/ Accessed 15 January 2019.
“The Island That Time Forgot”, New York Magazine, 12 April 2009.
http://nymag.com/news/features/56012/. Accessed 15 January 2019.
For current ecological issues the following articles may help.
A Stronger, More Resilient New York NYC Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency. Office of the NYC Mayor. June 11, 2013. https://www1.nyc.gov/site/sirr/report/report.page
Accessed 15 January 2019 445 pages! Read letter from mayor, preface and introduction.
Davidson, Justin, “What Is a City Street? And What Will It Become? New Yorker Magazine,
18 January 2018, http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/01/what-is-a-city-street-and-what-will-it-become.html
Accessed 15 January 2019.
Mims, Christopher, “The Three Stumbling Blocks to a Solar Powered Nation” Wall Street Journal,
14 Jan. 2018. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-three-stumbling-blocks-to-a-solar-powered-nation-1515931200
Accessed 15 January 2019. Requires a subscription which is free for CUNY students.
Leonard, Devin, “The Most Awful Transit Center in America Could Get Unimaginably Worse” Bloomberg Business
Week, 10 January 2018. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-01-10/the-most-awful-transit-center-in-america-could-get-unimaginably-worse?utm_campaign=news&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews
Accessed 15 January 2019
Name your file “Your last name_ settlement” Due day of class Monday February 1 by 9 am via e-mail or you my hand in paper copy in class.
Suggested additional videos and reading
Video “Dutch New York” http://www.thirteen.org/dutchny/video/video-dutch-new-york/
Video “British Takeover” http://www.thirteen.org/dutchny/video/video-british-takeover/
Introduction Lankevich pp. vii-xii
Roth pp.1-4 end of first paragraph, p. 8
Sanderson, Eric, Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York, New York: Abrams, 2009.
Class 2 February 1, 2023 WRITTEN PAPER #1 DUE
Writing about architecture – glossary of terms
“1600-1785: Transplantations in the New World” (Dutch and English)
“1785-1820: Building a New Nation” (Federal)
Technology: wood timber framing
Homework assignment
See schedule and assignment sheet
Suggested additional reading
Dutch Lankevich pp. 1-7, pp. 13 (first full paragraph) – 17 (complete sentence), pp 20-21.
1625-1664 Roth p. 22 (first paragraph), p 27 (summary)
English Lankevich pp. 22-25 (end of first full paragraph), pp 37 (first paragraph)- 48
1664-1784 Roth pp. 28- 30 (first paragraph), pp.32 – 35 (first paragraph), pp 42 -43 (finish sentence)
Federal Lankevich pp. 49-54, pp 57-58 (water supply), pp 59 (last paragraph) – 65
1784-1820 Roth pp. 53- 55 (first paragraph), pp 64-66, p 72 (second paragraph), pp 82-83 (finish paragraph), p 84 (summary).
Readings on the grid
Gray, Christopher, “Are Manhattan’s Right Angles Wrong” New York Times, March 23, 2005.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/23/realestate/23scap.html Accessed 21 January 2019.
Kimmelman, Michael, “The Grid at 200: Lines That Shaped Manhattan”, New York Times, January 2, 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/arts/design/manhattan-street-grid-at-museum-of-city-of-new-york.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hpw Accessed 21 January 2019
Dolkart, Andrew. “The Public Realm” The Architecture and Development of New York City, Columbia University Digital Knowledge Ventures nd http://nycarchitecture.columbia.edu/0244_3/0244_3_s1.html Accessed 21 January 2019. Read pp 1-4 about NYC Hall. .
Class 3 February 8, 2023 WRITTEN PAPER #2 DUE
Introduction of the requirements for the final paper
See handout on the final paper for specific assignments and due dates
Introduction to classicism
“1820-1865: Lure of the Past, the Promise of the Future” (Revival styles)
Suggested additional reading
1820-1865 Lankevich pp. 66-78 (end of first full paragraph), pp 80 (last line) – 90
Roth pp. 85-86 (first paragraph), pp 87 (first paragraph) – 89 (finish sentence)
pp 95 (first paragraph) – 98, pp 100 (second paragraph) – 101 (finish paragraph)
pp 110 (second paragraph) – 116,
Dolkart, Andrew. “The Public Realm” The Architecture and Development of New York City, Columbia University Digital Knowledge Ventures nd http://nycarchitecture.columbia.edu/0244_3/0244_3_s2.html accessed 1/26/13
Watch “Early Private Buildings” Snug Harbor and Cooper Union
Homework assignment
See schedule and assignment sheet
Class 4 February 15, 2023
“1820-1865: Lure of the Past, the Promise of the Future” (Revival styles) continued
Homework Assignment
Prepare for quiz
Class 5 February 22, 2023 QUIZ 1 1600-1865 Issued: Feb 22, 2023 Due: March 8, 2023 via Email, hand, or blackboard
- “1865-1885: Age of Enterprise” – The Victorians (focus on Romanesque style)
- Building technology: iron and its alloys
- Class will move today only, to room V834A at 12:30PM to use the computer access to Black board
- Student present their choice of building for part 1 of Contextualism Research Paper
Suggested additional reading
- *Lankevich pp. 91-92 (end of first full paragraph), pp 93 (last paragraph) – 94 (end of first paragraph), pp 112-113 (end of first paragraph), pp 116 (second paragraph) – 117 (end of first paragraph), pp 119 (first paragraph) – 121 (first paragraph)
Roth pp. 118 (second paragraph) – 127, p 135 (two paragraphs), pp 140 (last paragraph)- 146 (finish paragraph), pp 160 – 164 (finish paragraph)
*Dolkart, Andrew. “Living Together” The Architecture and Development of New York City, Columbia University Digital Knowledge Ventures nd http://nycarchitecture.columbia.edu/index.html accessed 1/26/13
Class 6 March 1, 2023
“1865-1885: Age of Enterprise” (continued) Presentations group 1
- “1885-1915: Urbanism and the Search for Order” – The Gilded Age (Beaux-Arts and neo-Classicism)
- Further discussion of classicism
- Everyone is asked to Schedule an appointment with me to discuss Research Paper. Submit additional or revised writing as needed.
Homework Assignment
See schedule
Class 7 March 8, 2023
- Presentations Group 1
- Six students will present their Research Paper building selection to the class. Use your paper, digital or analog documents to fully describe your choice and explain why. (I will ask for volunteers and six students who present today will be referred to as “Presentation Group 1”.
- Be brief, about 5 minutes of time, followed by questions and answers from the class and professor. Choices will be logged by the Professor.
- In-Class Writing Exercise: You Write the Quiz:
- Using last week’s lecture: “1885-1915: Urbanism and the Search for Order” – The Gilded Age (Beaux-Arts and neo-Classicism) create a question for the next quiz. Each group presents their question, and all work will be collected. One of today’s questions will be on the next quiz.
- I’ll split the Groups into subgroups 1a, 2a, 3a, 1b, 2b, 3b, 1c, etc
- Review of work submitted to date for each student. Time for questions, and requests for revisions.
- Everyone is asked to Schedule an appointment with me to discuss Research Paper. Submit additional or revised writing as needed.
- Everyone is asked to Schedule an appointment with me to discuss Research Paper. Submit additional or revised writing as needed.
Suggested additional reading
1885-1915 *Lankevich pp. 122 (second paragraph) – 129 (remainder of paragraph), pp 132 (first paragraph) – 137, pp 146 – 147 (end of first paragraph), pp 149 – 151 (finish paragraph)
Roth pp. 172 – 178 (finish paragraph), pp 187 -189 (first paragraph), pp 191 (last paragraph) – 197 (finish paragraph), pp 213 – 216 (first paragraph), p 220 (one paragraph), pp 225-227.
*Dolkart, Andrew. “The Birth of the Skyscraper” The Architecture and Development of New York City, Columbia University Digital Knowledge Ventures nd http://nycarchitecture.columbia.edu/0242_2/index_text.html
accessed 1/26/13
Class 8 March 15 Presentations group 3
Urbanism and the search for Order (continued)
Group 3 Schedule appointment with me to discuss paper Submit additional or revised writing as needed
Homework Assignment
Prepare for quiz
Class 9 March 22 QUIZ 1865-1885 and 1885- 1915
Presentations as needed
As necessary, schedule appointment with me to discuss paper Submit additional or revised writing as needed
“1915-1940: Dichotomy: Tradition and Avant Garde” (Art Deco)
Building technology: terra cotta
Homework Assignment
Draft of final paper due: see handout
Email me by Sunday April 18 6 pm. Name your file “Your last name_draft”
Suggested additional reading
1915-1940 Lankevich pp. 156 (last paragraph) – 158 (remainder of paragraph), p 161 (paragraph), pp 146 – 147 (end of first paragraph), pp 149 – 151 (finish paragraph)
Roth pp. 172 – 178 (finish paragraph), pp 187 -189 (first paragraph), pp 191 (last paragraph) – 197 (finish paragraph), pp 213 – 216 (first paragraph), p 220 (one paragraph), pp 225-227.
*Dolkart, Andrew. “The Skyscraper City” The Architecture and Development of New York City, Columbia University Digital Knowledge Ventures nd http://nycarchitecture.columbia.edu/0242_3/0242_3_s1.html
accessed 1/26/13
Class 10 March 29, 2023
DRAFT OF RESEARCH PAPER DUE due today via email
“1915-1940: Dichotomy: Tradition and Avant Garde” (continued)
NO CLASS April 5 or April 12. Spring break is Tuesday April 5 to Thursday April 13.
Class 11 April 19
“1940-1970: Pure Function, Pure Form” The International Style
Building technology: curtain wall
Final paper due by Sunday May 2 by 6 pm via email. File name”Your last name_final_name of building”
Suggested additional reading
1940-1970 Lankevich pp. 188 (second paragraph)- 189 (second paragraph), pp 191 (second paragraph)- 193 (finish paragraph), pp 196 (first paragraph) – 198, pp 200 (first paragraph) – 201 (finish paragraph), p 204 (last paragraph), pp 207 – 212 (finish paragraph).
Roth pp. 275 (first paragraph) – 288 (9 lines of first paragraph), pp 291 (last paragraph) – 297 (last paragraph), p 306 (first 17 lines), pp 322 (first paragraph) – 324 (16 lines), p 332 (last paragraph).
Class 12 April 26 WRITTEN RESEARCH PAPER DUE
1940-1970 continued
Class 13 May 3 QUIZ 1915-1940 and 1940-1970
1970- 2010: New New York
Epilogue *Lankevich pp 230 – 233 (second paragraph), p 256 (last paragraph) – 257
Roth pp 333 – 343 (first 10 lines)
Class 14 May 10
Course Review
Class 15 May 17
FINAL EXAM due by 6 pm via email rzagaroli@citytech.cuny.edu
Name your file Your last name_final
Enjoy the break!
BSM rev 042218 for WAC submission; 180826; 190121; 190823, 200831, 20210130 Revised by RZagaroli for SPring 2023 2/14/23
