Lecture 1: The way of seeing architecture

The lesson examines the close connection between architecture and art, emphasizing how architecture not only serves as a physical structure but also as a visual representation of history and culture. It explores how early architectural historians approached architecture through an art historical lens, highlighting the significance of the "primitive hat." The lecture contrasts historiography with history, reflecting on how our understanding of architecture evolves.

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Themes:

- The evolution of architectural language

- The materiality of architecture

- Balance between tectonic structure and poetic expression

- How architecture bridges the physical world and conceptual thought.

Antoine Picon

Gottfried Semper

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Lecture 2: Modeling and Perception

The lesson delves into the intricate relationship between physical and virtual representations. It examines how both history and the present are portrayed through architectural models, exploring the concept of home and the connection between historic and contemporary buildings. The lesson illustrates how memory and abstraction are materialized in built form, highlighting how models, massing and proportions shape architectural experiences.

Themes:

- Memory: Addition to historic buildings

- Rachel Whiteread - house

- OMA modeling

- Robert Venturi House: Ghost Structures of Franklin Court

 

Deleuze, Gilles. "The Fold: Leibniz and the Baroque." – Introduces the concept of the fold in architecture, exploring the fluidity between the virtual and real.Bachelard, Gaston. "The Poetics of Space." – Delve into Bachelard’s phenomenological approach to the house as a lived space.

Vidler, Anthony. “Diagrams of Diagrams: Architectural Abstraction and Modern Representation,” Representations, 72 (Autumn, 2000).
Hays, K. Michael, Critical Architecture: Between Culture and Form, Perspecta, Vol. 21 (1984), pp. 14-29 (16 pages)

Mark Wigley, Prosthetic Theory: The Disciplining of Architecture, Assemblage, August 1991, No. 15, pp. 6-29: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/3171122.pdf

Jonathan Letzter, Additions to historic buildings: between parasite and prosthetic architecture, Journal of Architectural Conservation, Volume 29, 2023 - Issue 1, pp. 63-83:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13556207.2022.2095803

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Lecture 3: Time and Memory in Architectural Representation

This lecture explores the themes of time and memory in architectural representation. It examines how the passage of time is expressed through the relationship between historic buildings and modern additions. Key questions include: How can architecture evoke memory and nostalgia? What roles do decay, preservation and ruin play in architectural thinking? Through these inquiries, the lecture will uncover how architecture serves as a medium for engaging with history and collective memory.

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Themes:

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Peter Thumtor projects 

The High Line, New York (2009)

Cedric Price’s Fun Palace (1961)

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Lecture 4: Literature and Architecture
This lecture explores the intricate relationship between literature and architecture, focusing on how architectural spaces are depicted in texts. It examines the ways in which space, volume and scenery are described in literature to create vivid settings that enhance mood, symbolize deeper themes, and influence character development and plot dynamics. 

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Themes:

- Describing architecture:
How architecture, space, volumes, scenery is being depicted in books and literature?
What is the importance of knowing how to describe architecture?
 

- From text to physical and back - hermeneutic and Paul Ricœur

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Follett, Ken. The Pillars of the Earth (New York: Penguin Publishing Group, 2010).

Kafka, Franz. The Castle (Berlin: S. Fischer Verlag, 1982).

Niffenegger, Audrey. The Time Traveler's Wife (New York: Scribner, 2003).

Oz, Amos. A Tale of Love and Darkness (the University of Virginia: Harcourt, 2004).

Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead (Boston: Penguin Putnam, 1996).

Ruiz Zafón. Carlos. The Shadow of the Wind (Boston: Penguin Books, 2001).

George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four (London: Harvill Secker, 1949).

Victor Hugo. Notre-Dame de Paris

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Carpo, Mario. Architecture in the Age of Printing (Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 2017).

Vitruvius, The Ten Books of Architecture, edited by Ingrid D. Rowland (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999).

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Lecture 5: Photography and Architecture

Photography and architecture have a symbiotic relationship, each enhancing the appreciation of the other. Architectural photography is a specialized field that focuses on capturing buildings and other structures in a way that is aesthetically pleasing and informative. This lesson will cover the basics of architectural photography, including techniques, equipment, and the interplay between light and structure.

Themes:

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Shulman, Julius. Architecture and Its Photography (Cologne: Taschen, 1998).

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Lecture 6: Cinema and Architecture

This lecture delves into the deep connection between architecture and cinema, exploring how both disciplines shape human experiences through the design of environments. It examines the role of architecture in film as more than just a backdrop, but as a crucial element in establishing mood, symbolizing themes, and enhancing narrative. The lecture discusses how cinema inspires architectural practice, from design innovation to the use of cinematic techniques in architectural visualization and concludes with an exploration of future trends, including virtual reality and the ethical implications of architectural representation in film.

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Themes:

Mon Uncle

The girl from Situan

Herzog and demoroun Amos Gitai

Belly of an architect

A minute ago

Mon Oncle, Jacques Tati, 1958

A Clockwork Orange, Stanley Kubrick, 1971

Roma, 1972

Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin), 1987

Snowpiercer, Bong Joon-ho, 2014

The Truman Show, Peter Weir, 1998

The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014

Italian - fashion show movie,

Gomorrah, 2008

https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roma_(film_1972)

 

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Lecture 7: Mess media and commercial architecture

The lesson delves into understanding how mass media influences architecture, emphasizing critical thinking about media's impact on design and consumer behavior. It explores how media trends shape public expectations and drive space design. The lesson highlights how buildings can serve as brand advertisements and discusses the effects of media-driven design on consumer behavior, as well as the integration of media trends into architectural designs.

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Themes:

-The right to the city

- Bonaventure hotel

- The Medium is the message

- Architectural journals and magazines

- Times Square, New York

- Apple Stores

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Lefebvre Henri and Harvey, David. The Production of Space (New York: Wiley, 1991).

 

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Lecture 8: Music and architecture

This lecture explores the philosophical connections between architecture and music, two art forms that shape human experience through harmony, rhythm, and space. It examines how both disciplines balance order and chaos, create spatial and temporal experiences, and intersect in sacred spaces and concert halls. Through case studies like the Sydney Opera House, the lecture highlights the interplay between architecture and music, inviting students to see them as unified expressions of cultural and aesthetic values.

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Themes:

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Lecture 9: Exhibition and Architecture

This lecture explores the essential role of architectural exhibitions in conveying complex ideas and themes related to the built environment. It highlights the importance of effective curation in shaping public discourse, providing insights into how curators craft narratives that engage diverse audiences. Notable examples, such as the International Style Exhibition and the Venice Architecture Biennale, illustrate the impact of these exhibitions on architectural trends and public perception. Additionally, the lecture discusses how architectural exhibitions differ from other exhibitions by focusing on spatial representation and the intersection of aesthetics and social context. Through this exploration, students will gain a deeper understanding of the power of architectural exhibitions to inspire dialogue and appreciation for architecture.

 

Themes:

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Lecture 10: Representation of Gender in Architecture

This lecture explores the representation of gender in architecture, examining how built environments have historically reinforced gender roles and how contemporary design is evolving to be more inclusive. We will discuss the gendered nature of spaces, the challenges women and other marginalized groups face within the profession, and the importance of intersectionality in design. The lecture also considers future directions, such as flexible and participatory design, and the role of technology in creating more equitable spaces. Through this, we aim to understand how architecture can contribute to a more just and inclusive society.

Themes:

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