University of Miami School of Architecture: Fall 2009

Glasgow Hall, Section R & R2, Tuesdays and Thursdays 2.00-3.15 p.m.

Dr Richard John (rjohn@miami.edu)

THIS WEBSITE IS INTENDED FOR THE EDUCATIONAL USE OF UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI STUDENTS ONLY

Teaching Assistants Groups

Link to U.C. Berkeley's excellent site: DESIGNING A RESEARCH STRATEGY

The YouTube channel associated with this class: http://www.youtube.com/user/UMarchitecture

Introductory bibliographies: Egypt; Greece; Rome

Selected images from lectures, arranged by topic, for revision for the SECOND TEST on 27 October (no more pages will now be added before the test - NB broken link now fixed)
Etruscans and Early Rome
Forum Romanum
Bread and the Circus
Imperial Forums
Hadrianic Architectures
Early Christian
Byzantine
Carolingian
Romanesque

Selected images from lectures for revision for the FIRST TEST 29 September (no more pages will now be added before the test):
Egypt
Mycenae and Knossos
Greek Doric and the Parthenon
The Ionic Order and the Periclean Acropolis
The Corinthian Order and Secular Building Types

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.

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, particularly those of the Middle East, 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 including Constantinople and Ravenna.

The third portion will begin with Carolingian renaissance of central Europe and the Romanesque monuments, both sacred and secular, of the Ottonian empire.The short-lived success of the Gothic experiment in Northern Europe will be considered, 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 knowledge of the tools and methods of historical inquiry and critical analysis with regard to the built environment. To familiarize students with the economic, social, political and philosophical influences on the development of architectural and urban form. To cultivate a specific cognitive abilities 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. Attendance is  mandatory and will be assessed  at every class, periodically throughout the class by using the iClicker system to pose questions. Notes should not consist of  verbatim  transcriptions of the lecture, but rather should focus on quick analytical sketches of the buildings shown with only the briefest verbal annotations – therefore laptop computers will not be permitted to be used in class time. All cellphones and messaging devices should be switched off at the beginning of class. The topmost row of seats in the auditorium is reserved for the course TAs.

Term Projects:
All students will be required to complete two written assignments: a mid term paper and a final paper. Each undergraduate should work with their assigned TA on the development of their 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, grammar and spelling 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 two buildings of similar building type or function from the period covered in the first half of the semester (Western Architecture before 1100 AD), and for the final paper you should choose two buildings of similar building type or function from the second half, ie. 1100-1650AD). In each case, you may find it helpful to choose buildings that you know at first hand. You should not feel restricted to choose buildings that I have discussed in class, or included in the lists of suggested topics, 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 compare and contrast the two buildings under consideration. You might find the following topic headings useful as guides: Relation to site; Form; Function; Fitness to purpose; Materials; Construction techniques; Building typology; Expression/symbolism; Style; Historical and Theoretical context. Length for each paper: 2000 words.

Mid-term paper due on Thursday, 8 October 2009, 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 buildings confirmed by email with RJ by Tuesday 15 September.
Annotated Bibliography (by email to your TA) due Tuesday 22 September.
Outline of paper (by email to your TA) due Tuesday 29 September.

Final paper due on Tuesday, 24 November 2009, 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 Thursday 29 October.
Annotated Bibliography (by email to your TA) due Thursday 5 November.
Outline of paper due (by email to your TA) Thursday 12 November.

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 and Tests          

There will be two tests and a final exam. The first test will take place on Tuesday 29 September; The  second will take place on Tuesday 27 October.

The final exam will take place at the allocated time for Section R during the Final Exam period, ie. 2-4.30pm Tuesday 15 December 2009. 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.”

 The tests and exam will be based on material presented in the lectures and the required readings for the preceding third of the term, as according to the schedule below (NB. the final will not be cumulative).

The two tests will each have the same format. For undergraduates in ARC267 RG section the test will consist of 25 slide identifications using the  multiple choice method. For students in ARC 267 R2 section (Honors students) and for graduate students in addition to the 25 slide identifications there will be an essay question which will allow some slight choice of subject (generally either a building or an architect). The final exam will be the same for all students: a series of slide identifications and an essay question.

Grading Policy                 

The final grade will be achieved cumulatively using the following weightings:
Midterm paper 20%
Final paper 20%
First Test 15%
Second Test 15%
Final exam 20%
iClicker participation (ie. attendance) 10%