IDENTIFYING DATA

2019_20

Subject (*)

THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE

Code

22204129

Study programme

Bachelor's Degree in Architecture (2010)

Cycle

1st

Descriptors

Credits

Type

Year

Period

Compulsory

Third

Language

Anglès

Department

Predepartment Architecture Unit

Coordinator

FERRE BOLTA, ANNA

E-mail

anna.ferreb@urv.cat

Lecturers

FERRE BOLTA, ANNA

Web

General description and relevant information

Introduction to the theoretical ideas that have accompanied and underpinned architecture -in particular- and cultural production -in general- during the 20th century.

Competences

Type A	Code	Competences Specific
	A51	Ability to take a critical view of architecture.
	A65	Adequate knowledge of the aesthetics, theory and history of the arts and the applied arts..
	A66	Adequate knowledge of the relation between cultural patterns and the social responsibilities of the architect.
Type B	Code	Competences Transversal
	B3	Critical, logical and creative thinking, and an ability to innovate
	B4	Autonomy, responsibility and initiative
	B6	Clear and effective communication of information, ideas, problems and solutions in public or a specific technical field
Type C	Code	Competences Nuclear
	C1	Have an intermediate mastery of a foreign language, preferably English
	C2	Be advanced users of the information and communication technologies
	C3	Be able to manage information and knowledge
	C4	Be able to express themselves correctly both orally and in writing in one of the two official languages of the URV

Learning outcomes

Type A	Code	Learning outcomes
	A51	Knowledge of the theory, aesthetics and critical analysis of modern and contemporary architecture.
	A65	Knowledge of the theory, aesthetics and critical analysis of modern and contemporary architecture.
	A66	Knowledge of the theory, aesthetics and critical analysis of modern and contemporary architecture.
Type B	Code	Learning outcomes
	B3	Reflect on the causes and the purposes of innovation.
	B4	Present results before the stipulated deadlines.
	B6	Plan their communications: generate ideas, search for information, select and order the information, make schemes, determine the type of audience and the objectives of the communication, etc.
Type C	Code	Learning outcomes
	C1	Understand the general meaning of texts that have non-routine information in a familiar subject area.
	C2	Use software for off-line communication: word processors, spreadsheets and digital presentations.
	C3	Critically evaluate information and its sources, and add it to their own knowledge base and system of values.
	C4	Produce well-structured, clear and rich written texts

Contents

Topic	Sub-topic
0.- Introduction	01_ Teory as a mediation for practice.
A.- The End of the Modern Project	02_ Reification, commodification and alienation in the contemporary Metropolis 03_ Mass culture . Ctitical theory. Introduction to Marxist thought. 04_ The criticism to Modernity. 05_ Modernity's end: Manfredo Tafuri
B.- The linguistic turn	06_ Structuralism and Post-structuralism 07_ Zero degree in Architecture. The autonomy of artworks. Linguistics and grammar. Algorithms. 08_ "La Tendenza". The Architecture of resistance. 09_ Neo-historicism. Pop Architecture.
C.- Postmodernism	10_ Postmodernism. Corporate architecture. 11_ Architecture and deconstruction. 12_ Architecture and complexity. 13_ The Architecture of globalization. 14_ Weak Architecture.

Planning

Methodologies :: Tests

Competences

(*) Class hours

Hours outside the classroom

(**) Total hours

Introductory activities

Lecture

Seminars

Assignments

Personal attention

(*) On e-learning, hours of virtual attendance of the teacher.
(**) The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies

Methodologies

	Description
Introductory activities	Introduction to the contents of the course, objectives, exercises and evaluation procedures, etc. Brief introduction to the lectures in the course reader.
Lecture	Lecture in which the professor will develop and explain one or several topics of the course program. Eventually, some concepts will be introduced to make the reading more accessible.
Seminars	Reading assignments to accompany complement the contents of the lecture sessions. Small group discussion of the content of the readings. Writing of a short summary of the lectures/readings/discussion in preparation of the final course project.
Assignments	Writing of four architectural and/or cultural criticism essays (or fragments), in an incremental way. These essays must be integrated in a group project. The topics will be given in class, or must be chosen with the approval of the course instructor. Minimum length: 12.000chars. All four essays and especially the final assignment must be turned in in order to be evaluated.
Personal attention	Individual and personal advice on the potential problems with the subjet matter of the course, and on the final project.

Personalized attention

Description

Individual and personal advice on the potential problems with the subjet matter of the course, and on the final project. Hours: Wed, 15-16h (by appointment) or during seminar sessions.

Assessment

Methodologies

Competences

Description

Weight

Seminars

A51

A65

A66

1. PREPARATION (outside the classroom): Reading one or two weekly texts to accompany / complement the contents of the lectures. Visualization and / or reading of other teaching materials.

2. SEMINAR: Discussion in small groups of the contents of the readings. Brief written and / or oral tests (by surprise) can be done both in the classroom and through Moodle.

3. DELIVERY: Drafting of a brief summary of the lectures / readings / discussion in preparation for the final project of the course.

Due to the participatory and group nature of the seminar, the class assistance will be controlled.

Assignments

A51

A65

A66

Writing of four architectural and/or cultural criticism essays (or fragments), in an incremental way. These essays must be integrated in a group project. The topics will be given in class, or must be chosen with the approval of the course instructor. Minimum length: 12.000chars.

All four essays and especially the final assignment must be turned in in order to be evaluated.

Others

Active participation in classroom discussion, and during the seminar sessions. Positive attitude towards group work (leadership, initiative); etc.

Other comments and second exam session

To be considered for continuous evaluation, all essays and summaries of seminars-debates are mandatory (in particular, the fourth). The first one will count 10%, the second one 15% the third one 25% and the last one 50%. Due to the participatory nature and in group of the seminar, the attendance is obligatory and will be controlled. The group of works taken from the seminars will count 80% of the mark, and the remaining 20% will depend on the small written and / or oral tests that are done during the course. It is necessary to obtain a minimum score of 4/10 in each of the parts to be able to pass the course.

The second evaluation consists of (1) developing a written work of criticism (12,000 characters), similar to that of continuous assessment, prior agreement with the teacher; and (2) an oral proof (20min.) on the entire course syllabus.

Sources of information

Basic
	Reificació, commodificació ialienació a la Metrópoli contemporànea. Georg Simmel:"La Metrópolis y vida mental", en Bifurcaciones [online]. núm. 4,primavera 2005. URL: http://www.bifurcaciones.cl/004/reserva.htm [fecha deconsulta: 30 de julio de 2007] . La cultura de masses. La teoríacrítica. Introducció al pensament marxista. Theodor W.Adorno: “Sobre el carácter fetichista en la música y la regresión del oído”. Disonancias,cap. 1. Madrid: Rialp (1966) La critica de la Modernitat. Jürgen Habermas:“La Modernidad, un proyecto incompleto”. En Hal Foster (ed.): LaPosmodernidad. Barcelona: Kairós (1998). El punt final de la Modernitat: Manfredo Tafuri Manfredo Tafuri:“Para una crítica de la Ideología arquitectónica”. En Tafuri et al.: De laVanguardia a la Metrópoli: Crítica radical a la Arquitectura. Barcelona:Gustavo Gili (1972). Estructuralisme i Post-estructuralisme Roland Barthes: “Elmito, hoy”. Mitologías. Madrid: Siglo XXI de España. (2000) Charles Jencks,George Baird (eds.): El significadoen arquitectura . Madrid: Blume (1976). El grau zero de l’Arquitectura.L’autonomia de l’obra d’art. Linguística i gramática. Algorítmica. Peter Eisenman:“El fin del clásico: el fin del comienzo, el fin del fin “, Arquitecturas Bis 48, 3/1984 La Tendenza. L’Arquitectura de resistència Aldo Rossi: Laarquitectura de la ciudad. GG: Barcelona (1971) Neo-historicisme. Arquitectura Pop Robert Venturi, Steven Izenour, Denise Scott Brown: "Algunasdefiniciones según el método comparativo". Aprendiendo de lasVegas. Gustavo Gili: Barcelona (1982). Denise ScottBrown: “Aprendiendo del Pop”. Colección GGmínima. GG: Barcelona (2006) Postmodernisme. Arquitecturacorporativa. Frederic Jameson:Posmodernismo, o la lógica cultural del capitalismo avanzado. Barcelona:Paidós (1991). Arquitectura i deconstrucció Philip Johnson, Mark Wigley: Arquitectura deconstructivista. Barcelona : Gustavo Gili (1988) Arquitectura i complexitat. Edgar Morin: “Elparadigma de la complejidad”. En I ntroducción alpensamiento complejo . Gedisa: Barcelona (1995) L’arquitectura de la globalització Marc Augé: “Delos lugares a los no-lugares”, Capítulo 3 de: Los no-lugares: Espacios delanonimato. Gedisa: Barcelona (2000). Arquitectura débil Ignasi Solà-Morales: “Arquitectura débil”. En I. Solà-Morales: Diferencias. GG:Barcelona (2003)
Complementary
	Introducció. Resum del curs. Lateoria com a pràctica de mediació. Neil Leach (ed.):Rethinking Architecture: a reader in cultural theory . Routledge (1997). Michael K. Hays,(ed.), Architectural Theory since 1968. Cambridge, MA,MIT Press (1998). Introducció. Terry E agelton:The significance of Theory. Oxford:Blacwell (1990) Reificació, commodificació ialienació a la Metrópoli contemporànea. Walter Benjamin:“ Sobre algunos motivos enBaudelaire”. Iluminaciones 1. Imaginación y sociedad. Madrid: Taurus(1998). Massimo Cacciari:“Dialéctica de lo negativo en la época de la Metópoli”. De la Vanguardia a la Metrópoli: Críticaradical a la Arquitectura . Barcelona: Gustavo Gili (1972). La cultura de masses. La teoríacrítica. Introducció al pensament marxista. Walter Benjamin:“La obra de arte en la era de la reproductibilidad técnica”. Discursosinterrumpidos I. Taurus (1973). György Lukács:“La cosificación y la conciencia del proletariado”, sección 1. En Historia yconsciencia de clase. Obras Completas, vol III, Ed. Grijalbo (1985). La critica de la Modernitat. Max Horkheimer yTheodor W. Adorno: Dialéctica de la Ilustración. Barcelona : Círculo deLectores (1999). El punt final de la Modernitat: Manfredo Tafuri M. Tafuri: Architectureand Utopia: design and capitalisty development. Cambridge: MIT Press(1976). Tomàs Llorens: “ManfredoTafuri: Neovanguardia e historia”. Llorens, Tomás: ManfredoTafuri : neovanguardia e historia. Monografía 1.1. Cátedra de Composición. Valencia: Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, 1983. IgnasiSolà-Morales: “Más allá de la crítica radical. Manfredo Tafuri y laarquitectura contemporánea. ” en Inscripciones. Cap 15. Cacciari,Massimo: “Dialéctica de lo negativo en la era de la metrópoli”. En Tafuri et al.: De la Vanguardia a laMetrópoli: Crítica radical a la Arquitectura. Barcelona: Gustavo Gili(1972). Ignasi Solà-Morales(ed.). “Being Manfredo Tafuri: Wickedness, Anxiety, Disenchantment ». ANY , no. 25-26 (febrruary 2000). Número especial de Casabella , no. 619-620(jan.-feb. 1995). Estructuralisme i Post-estructuralisme Ferdinand deSaussure: Curso de lingüística general. Barcelona: Planeta-Agostini (1985). Umberto Eco. Laestructura ausente. El grau zero de l’Arquitectura.L’autonomia de l’obra d’art. Linguística i gramática. Algorítmica. Peter Eisenman : " Post-funcionalismo ",Arquitecturas Bis, nº 22, pp. 6-12, Barcelona, mayo, 1978. Gandelsonas, Mario. "Neo-Functionalismo: After ModernArchitecture." Arquitecturas/Bis 22 (1978): 3-6. Roland Barthes:Le degré zero de l’écriture La Tendenza. L’Arquitectura de resistència IgnasiSolà-Morales: “Tendenza: Neoracionalismo Y Figuración” en Inscripciones.Gustavo Gili (2003). Kenneth Frampton:“Hacia un regionalismo crítico: seis puntos para una arquitectura deresistencia”. En Hal Foster (ed.):La Posmodernidad. Barcelona: Kairós (1998). Neo-historicisme. Arquitectura Pop Charles Jencks : Post-Modernism:the new classicism in art and architecture. Academy Editions, 1987 Charles Jencks : El Lenguaje de la arquitectura posmoderna. GG,1984 Charles Jencks : Whatis Post-modernism? Academy Editions, 1987 Postmodernisme. Arquitecturacorporativa. François Lyotard:La condición Posmoderna. Mádrid: Cátedra (1987). Arquitectura i deconstrucció Mark Wigley: The Architecture of Deconstruction:Derrida's Haunt . The MIT Press (1995). Arquitectura i complexitat. George P. Landow:Hypertext 2.0. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press (1997) Gilles Deleuze“Rizomatic”. Introducción a Mil mesetas : capitalismo y esquizofrenia. Pre-textos:Valencia (1997). L’arquitectura de la globalització Saskia Sasse: "the global city" Henri Lefevre Theproduction of space Edward Soja: "The production of space" Arquitectura débil Gianni Vattimo:“El pensamiento débil”. En El pensamiento débil. Cátedra: Madrid (1988)

Recommendations

(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.