Syllabus Information

5.1. Methodological overview

This programme offers an analytical overview of the historical development of architecture, presented as an instrument of learning and point of departure for the architect’s work, in the belief that an awareness and appreciation of the past will instruct the students in a better understanding of the present and the future.

This course doesn’t simply aim at increasing the student’s store of knowledge but to engage in a series of activities (study trips, guest lectures and the discussion of critical texts) that will foster their ability to formulate questions and provide them with the necessary tools for tackling high level research. It is our belief that the close study of the theories and practice of architects whose work is universally regarded as having won a place in the halcyon of the history of architecture is an essential component of an architect’s training, providing as it does a cultural background against which to gain a perspective of their own work. We believe that being versed in a wide spectrum of references as well as scale, volume, form and materials, equips students with the indispensable skills for critical reflection on matters such as typology, urban solutions, levels of language, semantics and project methodologies, among others.

The purpose of the programme is to equip students with a solid practical and theoretical knowledge that will enhance their interpretative and critical capabilities and prove invaluable in their future development as architects.

5.2. Learning tasks

Lectures on theory are taught in lecture rooms, whereas seminars, workshops and “crits” take place in smaller groups in seminar rooms through tutorials and individual teaching. Visiting scholars, lecturers and study trips complete the programme of study.

1. LECTURES. Attendance to lectures is strongly recommended  

2. SEMINARS. Attendance to lectures is strongly recommended. Seminars are two hours per week. The class is divided in groups of no more than 25 students each. Each section of the course is supported by a seminar to discuss the main works and theoretical writings of the period. 3. OFFICE HOURS. The teachers will have six hours per week of office hours in order to solve the doubts that the students could have. In any case office hours could be used as a substitute for the lectures or the seminars.

4. EXCURSIONS AND TRIPS. An excursion to visit building related with the program could be scheduled during the semester.

5. VOLUNTARY ESSAYS. The students have the possibility to write short essays (should be 1.000 words long) to increase their grade.

6. MID-TERM EXAM will cover the topics explained in the first part of the course and the required readings.

7. FINAL EXAM will cover the topics explained in the second part of the course and the required readings. 

MOODLE will be use to update the readings recommended during the course as well as to post grades and further readings. Student should check MOODLE every week.

5.3. Syllabus

 Contents:

• Introduction: The birth of the modern concept of social housing. Hof versus Siedlung
• Late Modernity [I] - Scandinavia: Alvar Aalto’s work after Villa Mairea. Between naturalism and populism: Scandinavian New empiricism
• Late Modernity [II]: Italy: Rationalism in Milan versus Neo-Realism in Rome. Contextualism and organic architecture
• Late Modernity [III]: EEUU after the WW II. Case study houses. Mies and the new typologies of office buildings
• Crisis of Modern Movement [I]: Continuity, review and crisis of the Modern Movement. Le Corbusier after the II World War. Team X
• Crisis of Modern Movement [II]: James Stirling: between Brutalism and Posmodernity
• Postmodernism [I]: The recovery of the significance of form in Architecture. Aldo Rossi and Robert Venturi
• Postmodernism [II]: Peter Eisenman and the New York Five. Deconstruction (I)
• Contemporanity [I]: Frank Gehry: From materials experimentation to Guggenheim. Deconstruction (II)
• Contemporanity [II]: Álvaro Siza: Fenomenology of architecture
• Contemporanity [III]: Rafael Moneo: Designing from knowledge
• Contemporanity [IV]: Rem Koolhaas and the mass culture
• Contemporanity [V]: Form and enclosure. Herzog and De Meuron and the depth of skin

5.4. Course planning and calendar

Indicative Schedule:

Week 1: Course presentation

Week 2: Introduction: The birth of the modern concept of social housing. Hof versus Siedlung

Week 3: Late Modernity [I] - Scandinavia: Alvar Aalto’s work after Villa Mairea. Between naturalism and populism: Scandinavian New empiricism

Week 4: Late Modernity [II]: Italy: Rationalism in Milan versus Neo-Realism in Rome. Contextualism and organic architecture

Week 5: Late Modernity [III]: EEUU after the WW II. Case study houses. Mies and the new typologies of office buildings

Week 6: Crisis of Modern Movement [I]: Continuity, review and crisis of the Modern Movement. Le Corbusier after the II World War. Team X Week 7: Crisis of Modern Movement [II]: James Stirling: between Brutalism and Posmodernity

Week 8: Postmodernism [I]: The recovery of the significance of form in Architecture. Aldo Rossi and Robert Venturi

Week 9: Postmodernism [II]: Peter Eisenman and the New York Five. Deconstruction (I)

Week 10: Contemporanity [I]: Frank Gehry: From materials experimentation to Guggenheim. Deconstruction (II)

Week 11: Contemporanity [II]: Álvaro Siza: Fenomenology of architecture

Week 12: Contemporanity [III]: Rafael Moneo: Designing from knowledge

Week 13: Contemporanity [IV]: Rem Koolhaas and the mass culture

Week 14: Contemporanity [V]: Form and enclosure. Herzog and De Meuron and the depth of skin

5.5. Bibliography and recommended resources

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY AND THEORY ‐ SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY

BASIC TEXTS

I. DICTIONARIES:

CALZADA ECHEVARRIA, A.: Diccionario clásico de Arquitectura y Bellas Artes. Ediciones del Serbal, Barcelona, 2003

FORTY, A.: Words and Buildings. A Vocabulary of Modern Architecture. Londres: Thames & Hudson, 2000

MIDANT, J.P. (Dir.): Diccionario Akal de la arquitectura del siglo XX. Ediciones Akal, Madrid, 2004

PEVSNER, N.: A Dictionary of Architecture. Overlook Press, New York, 1966

II. HISTORIES OF ARCHITECTURE:

BENEVOLO, L.: Historia de la arquitectura moderna. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 1985

COLQUHOUN, A.: La arquitectura moderna: una historia desapasionada. G. G., Barcelona, 2005

CONRADS, U.: Programas y manifiestos de la arquitectura del siglo XX. Lumen, Barcelona, 1973

CURTIS, W.: La arquitectura moderna desde 1900. Hermann Blume, Barcelona, 1986

DAL CO, F. Y TARUFI, M.: Historia de la arquitectura contemporánea. Madrid, Aguilar, 1989

DE FUSCO, R.: Historia de la arquitectura contemporánea. Celeste Ediciones, Madrid, 1992

FRAMPTON, K.: Historia crítica de la arquitetura moderna. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 1981

GRAVAGNUOLO, B.: Historia del urbanismo en Europa, 1750‐1960. Madrid, Akal, 1991

HITCHCOCK, H.R.: Arquitectura de los siglos XIX y XX. Manuales de arte Cátedra, Madrid, 1981

ZEVI, B.: Historia de la arquitectura moderna, Poseidón, Barcelona, 1980

III. ESSAYS ON ARCHITECTURE:

ÁBALOS, I.: La buena vida: visita guiada a las casas de la modernidad. G. Gili, Barcelona, 2000

BANHAM, P.R.: Teoría y diseño en la primera era de la máquina. Paidós Estética, Barcelona, 1985

COLLINS, P.: Los ideales de la arquitectura moderna, su evolución. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 1998

CORTÉS, J. A.: Nueva consistencia: estrategias formales y materiales en la arquitectura de la última década del siglo XX. Universidad de Valladolid, 2003

EISENMAN, P. Written into the void : selected writings, 1990-2004, with an introduction by Jeffrey Kipnis. New Haven : Yale University, cop. 2007

EISENMAN, P. Eisenman inside out : selected writings, 1963-1988, New Haven : Yale University, cop. 2004

GIEDION, S.: Espacio, tiempo y arquitectura. Dossat, Madrid, 1979 JENCKS, Ch. The story of post-modernism: five decades of the ironic and critical in architecture, Chichester: Wiley, 2011

KOOLHAAS, R.: Delirious New York: a retroactive manifesto for Manhattan. New York: Oxford University Press, New York, 1978. Edición en castellano: Delirio de nueva York. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 2004.

MONEO, R.: Inquietud teórica y estrategia proyectual en la obra de ocho arquitectos contemporáneos. Actar, Barcelona, 2004 MONEO, R.: Apuntes sobre 21 obras. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 2010

MONTANER, J. M.: Después del Movimiento Moderno: arquitectura de la segunda mitad del siglo XX. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 1999

MONTANER, JM., La modernidad superada: ensayos sobre arquitectura contemporánea, Gustavo Gili, cop. 2011

RILSEBERO, B.: La arquitectura y el diseño modernos: Una Historia alternativa. Hermann Blume, Barcelona, 1995

ROSSI, A.: La arquitectura de la ciudad. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 1981

ROWE, C.: Manierismo y arquitectura moderna y otros ensayos. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 1999 VENTURI, R.: Complejidad y Contradicción en la arquitectura. Barcelona, Gustavo Gili, 1992

ZEVI, B.: Saber ver la arquitectura: ensayo sobre la interpretación espacial de la arquitectura. 2ª ed. Poseidón, Barcelona, 1978

IV. READINGS:

HAYS, M., Architecture Theory Since 1968, Mit Press, reprint 2000

V. MONOGRAPHS:

In general, monographs on architects mentioned in the lectures

VV.AA.: Colección Paperback. Ed. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona

VV.AA.: Colección Back to Visual Basics. Ed. Taschen

VV.AA.: El Croquis. El Croquis Editorial, Madrid