Thinking About Architecture: In History and at Present
Course facts
- Payment: Free, no certificate
- Credits: Non Credit
- Learning style: Self-paced, start anytime
- Resources: Lecture Notes; Presentation Assignments; Written Assignments
MIT OpenCourseWare details
- As taught in: Fall 2009
- Department: Architecture
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A lecture-discussion on architectural theory: modernity, the avant-garde, Husserl and Heidegger, with short research papers and class debates.
What separates art from architecture, and how do older ideas still shape practice? This lecture-discussion class studies theory as an active history, addressing modernity, metaphysics, the social contract, the avant-garde, psychology, Husserl and Heidegger. It also asks how the architect has been defined and how the profession came to teach and practice as it does. Three in-class debates demonstrate differences of opinion and their historical consequences, and short papers demand careful research with footnotes.
What You Will Achieve
- Explain how theoretical debates shaped architecture
- Argue a position in a structured debate
- Write a short, footnoted research paper
- Relate philosophical ideas to the role of the architect
Program Overview
Modernity and Metaphysics
The first sessions set up the debate.
- Modernity
- Metaphysics and anti-metaphysics
- Social contract
The Architect
The next sessions look at the profession.
- Defining the architect
- Avant-garde
Psychology and Philosophy
The last sessions turn to philosophy.
- Psychology
- Husserl
- Heidegger
Course Completion
Job Outlook
This grounding helps architects, historians and critics who want to engage seriously with the ideas behind practice.
Good for: Architecture students comfortable with philosophy who want to argue about theory, not memorize it.
Keep in mind: Notes exist for only selected lectures, and the readings are not listed. The debates and comments on your papers need a group or teacher, so you would have to find these yourself.
Bottom line: A framework for arguing about architectural theory, with specific paper guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do the debates work?
Teams give five-minute openings, rebuttals and closings with an open discussion in between, select a reading for classmates and rehearse with a teaching assistant.
What is the first paper?
A paper of 1 to 1.5 pages maximum on the difference between art and architecture, using whatever material you want.
What is unusual about Paper 2?
It is 1-2 pages of research with footnotes, including one starting with for further reading and one on what struck you during research.
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