Contemporary Architectural Theory

Undergraduate | 2026

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Mode icon
Mode
Mode
Your studies will be on-campus, and may include some online delivery
On campus
area/catalogue icon
Area/Catalogue
ARCH 2000
Course ID icon
Course ID
200805
Campus icon
Campus
Adelaide City Campus West
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course owner
Course owner
School of Arch and Built Env
Course coordinator
Course coordinator
Athanasios Lazarou
Course level icon
Course level
2
Work Integrated Learning course
Work Integrated Learning course
No
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Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
No
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
No
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
No

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.

Availability

Census date Icon
Census date
Fri 04/09/2026
Enrol by date
Enrol by date
Fri 21/08/2026
Last day to W
Last day to W
Fri 18/09/2026
Last day to WF
Last day to WF
Fri 16/10/2026

Class details

Adelaide City Campus West

Class number
Class number 54209
Section
Section FR01
Size
Size 160
Available
Available 159
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
6 Aug - 6 Aug Thursday 9:10am - 10am Adelaide City Campus West Barbara Hanrahan, BH5-09
6 Aug - 6 Aug Thursday 9:10am - 10am Adelaide City Campus West Barbara Hanrahan, BH5-10
27 Aug - 27 Aug Thursday 9:10am - 10am Adelaide City Campus West Barbara Hanrahan, BH5-09
27 Aug - 27 Aug Thursday 9:10am - 10am Adelaide City Campus West Barbara Hanrahan, BH5-10
17 Sep - 17 Sep Thursday 9:10am - 10am Adelaide City Campus West Barbara Hanrahan, BH5-09
17 Sep - 17 Sep Thursday 9:10am - 10am Adelaide City Campus West Barbara Hanrahan, BH5-10
Class number
Class number 54211
Section
Section TU01
Size
Size 80
Available
Available 79
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
6 Aug - 24 Sep Thursday 10:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus West Barbara Hanrahan, BH5-09
15 Oct - 22 Oct Thursday 10:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus West Barbara Hanrahan, BH5-09
Class number
Class number 54210
Section
Section TU02
Size
Size 80
Available
Available 80
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
6 Aug - 24 Sep Thursday 1:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus West Barbara Hanrahan, BH5-09
15 Oct - 22 Oct Thursday 1:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus West Barbara Hanrahan, BH5-09

Prerequisite(s)

  • must have completed ARCH1005 Architectural Design Cultures

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A

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Degree list
The following degrees include this course