FOR THE MID TERM:
Ancient Egypt
Mycenae and Knossos
Greek Doric and the Parthenon
The Ionic Order and the Periclean Acropolis
The Corinthian Order and Secular building types
Etruscan and Republican Roman architecture
Forum Romanum
Imperial Forums
The Pantheon and Hadrianic architecture
Roman Typologies: Baths, Circuses, etc.
Pompeii and Town planning
Early Christian Architecture

Introductory bibliographies: Egypt; Greece; Rome

COURSE SYLLABUS

Catalog Description:
Focus: History of Architecture and Urban Design
Topics: Religious and secular monuments and their settings, domestic architecture and infrastructure, regional constructional and compositional traditions, from antiquity to the middle of the seventeenth century
Format: Lectures. Graduate students will also be required to attend and participate in the separate seminar section.
Prerequisite: HIS 131 and 132 or permission of instructor

General Description:
The survey will be divided broadly into three sections covering the history of Western architecture from Ancient Egypt to the Early Baroque. Comparative material from other cultures will be introduced as appropriate.

The first portion will introduce the sacred monuments of  Ancient Egypt and the Bronze Age sites of Crete and Mycenae.  The development of Greek architecture will be traced from Archaic temples, through the Classical period of the Athenian polis, culminating in the spread of a richly inventive Hellenistic architecture and townplanning following the death of Alexander the Great.

The second portion will focus on the emergence of Rome, beginning with Etruscan religious buildings and their impact on early Republican architecture, before moving through the Imperial period, where particular attention will be paid to new building types and approaches to urbanism. The Early Christian culture of Rome and the Near East will be covered from Constantinople and Ravenna to the Carolingian renaissance of central Europe.

The third portion will begin with the Romanesque monuments, both sacred and secular, of the Ottonian empire, and consider the short-lived success of the Gothic experiment in Northern Europe, before moving on to the rediscovery of ancient architecture in Italy in the fifteenth century. The achievements of a number of key figures of the Renaissance and early Baroque, including Brunelleschi, Alberti, Bramante, Palladio and Michelangelo, will be closely examined.

Educational Objectives
To develop an awareness of the tools and methods of historical inquiry and analysis with regard to the built environment. To familiarize students with the economic, political and philosophical influences on the development of architectural and urban form. To cultivate a specific cognitive ability relating to visual memory. To foster an understanding of historical principles of design and approaches to problem-solving with a view to enhancing students’ abilities in the studio both in design development and verbal communication.

Instructional Method
The class will meet twice a week for an illustrated lecture. Students will be expected to complete any required readings in advance of the lectures and use the course web sites (http://intranet.arc.miami.edu/rjohn and www.courses.miami.edu) to review the visual material presented.

Term Projects:
All students will be required to complete two written assignments: a mid term paper and a final paper. Each graduate student will make a presentation of the material for their papers in the graduate section seminars. You are strongly encouraged to make use of the Writing Center to help you with your prose style and grammar if necessary, especially if English is not your first language, as these will contribute to your grade.

Both papers have the similar requirements in terms of length, format, and content; the only difference is that for the mid term paper you should choose a building from the period covered in the first half of the semester (Western Architecture before 1100 AD), and for the final paper you should choose a building from the second half, ie. 1100-1650AD). In each case, you may find it helpful to choose a building you know at first hand. You should not feel restricted to choose a building that I have discussed in class, but you must obtain my approval for your choice by e-mail (rjohn@miami.edu) before you start your research. You will also be required to submit an annotated bibliography and an outline of your paper before the final paper is due.

For each paper you are required to undertake a brief historical description and a detailed formal analysis of a building or site.  You might find the following topics headings useful as guides: Form; Relation to site; Function; Materials; Construction techniques; Building typology; Expression/symbolism; Style; Historical context; Relation to architectural theory.

Mid-term paper due on Thursday, 9 October 2007, hard copy (with references, revised bibliography and labeled with the name of your TA) to be handed in at the beginning of the lecture.

Choice of building confirmed by email with RJ by 16 September.
Annotated Bibliography (by email to your TA) due Tuesday 23 September.
Outline of paper (by email to your TA) due Tuesday 30 September.

Final paper due on Tuesday, 25 November 2007, hard copy (with references, revised bibliography and labeled with the name of your TA)  at the beginning of the lecture.

Choice of building confirmed by email with RJ before 28 October.
Annotated Bibliography (by email to your TA) due Thursday 4 November.
Outline of paper due (by email to your TA) Thursday 13 November.

Length for each paper: 2000 words. Percent of final for Annotated Bibliography and Outline: 5%
Percent of Final Grade for each paper: 20%

Text/References     
REQUIRED: David Watkin, A History of Western Architecture, Watson-Guptill Publications; 4th edition (September 1, 2005) (Chapters 1-7 required)

RECOMMENDED: Spiro Kostof, A History of Architecture, 2nd edition, Oxford 1995 (Chapters 1-21)  Additional subject bibliographies are available on the course website.

Examinations           
There will be two exams. The first, the midterm, will take place on Thursday, 16th October at 2.00 pm in our regular venue.
The second, the final, will take place at the allocated time for Section R during the Final Exam period, ie. 2-4.30pm Wednesday, 17 December 2007. THIS DATE IS FIXED BY THE UNIVERSITY. Please note the University’s Final Examination Policy:

“Final Examinations may not be given during a regularly-scheduled class period.”
“No examination shall be permitted during the reading period.”
“Final Examinations may be rescheduled only with the permission of the dean.”

 These exams will be based on material presented in the lectures and the required readings for each half of the term (NB. the final will not be cumulative). They will each have the same format and consist of two sections: The first section will require you to identify 25 images (photographs of buildings, both exteriors and interiors, plans, sections, and drawings) where the name and location of the building will be needed for one mark, as well as some additional information (eg. Name of architect or patron, date) for a second mark. The second section will consist of two essay questions, each of which will allow some choice of subject (generally either a building or an architect).

Grading Policy                 
The final grade will be achieved cumulatively using the following weightings:
Midterm paper Bibliography and Outline 5%
Midterm paper 20%
Midterm exam 25%
Final paper Bibliography and Outline 5%
Final paper 20%
Final exam 25%