Course overview
The course will equip learners with knowledge of modernity both as a cultural transformation extending back to 18th century ideas of progress, scientific rationality and historical consciousness and as an artistic/architectural discourse unfolding in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Modernity was a radical re-questioning of all traditional concepts of program, construction and aesthetics, parallel to an unprecedented social, urban and technological transformation. As such it is both a theory and a history course based upon the conviction that the two are tightly complementary. Proceeding along a thematic as well as chronological ordering of the material, learners will be introduced to significant architects, works and ideas, presented within the broader cultural, historical and political circumstances. Learners will analyse relevant criticism and scholarship, employ different research methods, and demonstrate critical evaluation in academic writing tasks. This course aligns with the program’s intent to critically engage learners with diverse historical, theoretical and cultural perspectives on design to prepare for global practice.
- Module 1
- Module 2
- Module 3
Course learning outcomes
- Identify key projects, designers, design theories, and movements in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design since the twentieth century, situating them within global and cultural contexts.
- Interpret design theories and forms within their historical, cultural, and environmental contexts, demonstrating their responses to societal and technological changes.
- Explore the contributions of architects, designers, and theorists to the development of architectural and design practices and assess their influence on contemporary interpretations and applications.
- Investigate the cultural and ideological practices embedded in architectural and design theories, reflecting on their implications for envisioning inclusive and sustainable futures.
- Evaluate diverse scholarly sources and synthesise insights to construct clear, analytical arguments supported by graphical and textual communication methods.
- Apply advanced academic writing skills to articulate informed critical positions, adhering to established scholarly conventions.