IDENTIFYING DATA 2023_24
Subject (*) THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE Code 22204129
Study programme
Bachelor's Degree in Architecture (2010)
Cycle 1st
Descriptors Credits Type Year Period
4 Compulsory Third 1Q
Language
Català
Department Predepartment Architecture Unit
Coordinator
FERRE BOLTA, ANNA
E-mail anna.ferreb@urv.cat
Lecturers
FERRE BOLTA, ANNA
Web
General description and relevant information <div>The course is scheduled to be taught in person and this presence will be maintained if the regulations that may be issued by the health authorities and other competent bodies do not say otherwise, and the capacity requirements allow it. If there are changes they will be reported to the Moodle space of the subject.</div><div><br /></div><p> Introduction to the theoretical ideas that have accompanied and underpinned architecture -in particular- and cultural production -in general- during the 20th century. </p>

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
 CT5-G Communicate information clearly and precisely to a variety of audiences
Type C Code Competences Nuclear

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
 CT5-G Produce quality texts that have no grammatical or spelling errors, are properly structured and make appropriate and consistent use of formal and bibliographic conventions
Draw up texts that are structured, clear, cohesive, rich and of the appropriate length
Draw up texts that are appropriate to the communicative situation, consistent and persuasive
Use the techniques of non-verbal communication and the expressive resources of the voice to make a good oral presentation
Construct a discourse that is structured, clear, cohesive, rich and of the appropriate length
Produce a discourse that is appropriate to the communicative situation, consistent and persuasive, and interact effectively with the audience
Type C Code Learning outcomes

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
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.
15_ Architecture and politics (biopower)

Planning
Methodologies  ::  Tests
  Competences (*) Class hours
Hours outside the classroom
(**) Total hours
Introductory activities
2 0 2
Lecture
A51
A65
A66
14 0 14
Seminars
A51
A65
A66
CT5-G
20 25 45
Assignments
A51
A65
A66
2 25 27
Personal attention
A51
A65
A66
5 0 5
 
Oral tests
A51
CT5-G
2 5 7
 
(*) 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. Also through Teams app, appointment by mail: anna.ferreb@urv.cat


Assessment
Methodologies Competences Description Weight        
Seminars
A51
A65
A66
CT5-G
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.
30
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.
70
Oral tests
A51
CT5-G

There will be an individual 10-minute oral test per student on a topic related to the course and the work done. If necessary, it will be done online.
Others  

If the presentiality of the classes and seminars is suppressed of force majeure, the evaluation will be adapted after agreement with the students.

 
Other comments and second exam session

Sources of information

Basic Theodor W.Adorno, Disonancias, Madrid: Rialp (1966),
Hal Foster, La Posmodernidad, Barcelona: Kairós (1998),
Manfredo Tafuri, De la Vanguardia a la Metrópoli: Crítica radical a la Arquitectura, Barcelona:Gustavo Gili (1972),
Roland Barthes, Mitologías, Madrid: Siglo XXI de España. (2000),
Charles Jencks, l significado en arquitectura, Madrid: Blume (1976),
Aldo Rossi, La arquitectura de la ciudad, GG: Barcelona (1971),
Robert Venturi, Steven Izenour, Denise Scott Brown, Aprendiendo de las Vegas, Gustavo Gili: Barcelona (1982),
Frederic Jameson, Posmodernismo, o la lógica cultural del capitalismo avanzado, Barcelona:Paidós (1991),
Philip Johnson, Mark Wigley, Arquitectura deconstructivista, Gustavo Gili (1988),
Marc Augé, Los no-lugares: Espacios dela nonimato, Gedisa: Barcelona (2000),
Rem Koolhas, Espacio Basura, Barcelona: Gustavo Gili. (2007),
Michel Foucault, Vigilar y Castigar. Nacimiento de la Prisión, Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI. (2002),
Michel Foucault, Nacimiento de la biopolítica. Curso en el Collège de France (1978-1979), Buenos Aires: Fondo de Cultura Económica (2006),
Judith Butler i Atherna Athanasiou, Desposesión: lo performativo en lo político, Buenos Aires: Eterna Cadencia. (2017),
Edgar Morin, Introducción alp ensamiento complejo, Gedisa: Barcelona (1995),
Michael Sorkin (ed.), Variaciones sobre un parque temático, Gustavo Gili (2004),
Carlos García Vázquez, Teorías e historia de la ciudad contemporánea, Gustavo Gili (2016),

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).

Rem Koolhas. Espacio Basura. Colección GGmínima. Barcelona: Gustavo Gili.  (2007)

Arquitectura débil

Ignasi Solà-Morales: “Arquitectura débil”. En I. Solà-Morales: Diferencias. GG:Barcelona (2003)

Arquitectura i Política

Michel Foucault. Vigilar y Castigar. Nacimiento de la Prisión. Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI. (2002)

Michel Foucault. Nacimiento de la biopolítica. Curso en el Collège de France (1978-1979). Buenos Aires: Fondo de Cultura Económica (2006)

Judith Butler i Atherna Athanasiou. Desposesión: lo performativo en lo político. Buenos Aires: Eterna Cadencia. (2017)

Judith Butler. Notes toward a performative theory of assembly. Hardvard University Press. (2018)

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"

Rem Koolhas. Espacio Basura. Colección GGmínima. Barcelona: Gustavo Gili.  (2007)

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.