On Contemporary Architecture

Please note this course has an irregular schedule. This lecture course will follow the latest episodes in contemporary architecture. The development of a critical perspective is, in my view, one of the ways of understanding the architect\’s initial goals, their immediate references, the particular cultural challenges, and the specific issues to be resolved. Our consideration of these conditions will allow us to establish a criticism from within the discipline of architecture.We will focus on specific buildings with a clear objective: to analyze how these buildings have been designed. In addition to the consideration of theoretical and cultural questions, I would like to revisit the architect\’s intentions and the architectural design process. While it is very difficult to make general considerations about methodology, I do believe it is feasible with specific buildings and so we will focus on buildings that I have visited and that allow me to talk of both the results and the intentions. We will judge how the architects\’ resolved their stated objectives and the tools they employed. Once more we will base our research on individuals, and even moreso on specific buildings, instead of analyzing a style or a school.ScheduleWed. Jan. 39thThurs. Jan. 31stTues. Feb. 26thWed. Feb. 27thThurs. Feb. 28thTues. Apr. 1stWed. Apr. 2ndThurs. Apr. 3rdTues. Apr. 29thWed. Apr. 30thThurs. May 1stMay 3-14 — Reading PeriodMay 15-23 — Examinations