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Syllabus 2012-2013-1
Syllabus 2012-2013-1
DI MILANO (CAMPUS PIACENZA) ‐ SCUOLA DI ARCHITETTURA E SOCIETÀ ‐ LAUREA MAGISTRALE IN ARCHITETTURA
MONOGRAPHIC COURSE:
“HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE IN THE CONTEMPORARY AGE”
2012‐2013 SYLLABUS
Prof. Carlos García Vázquez
1.‐ COURSE DESCRIPTION.
In order to be inserted in the phenomenon of large scale (main argument of the Laurea Magistrale in
Architecture), this course uses the big city as the natural playground where the contemporary
architecture was born and developed. The students will face a History of the Contemporary City which
is, at the same time, a History of the Contemporary Architecture and a History of the Contemporary
Urban Planning.
The historical period of contemporaneity is divided in three phases related to changes of paradigm in
economy and philosophy: 1886‐1939 (monopolist capitalism and scientifism); 1939‐1979 (welfare state
and existencialism); and 1979‐2007 (late capitalism and relativism). Each period gave birth to a new kind
of big city: Metropolis, Anthropopolis and Metapolis.
The course makes a parallel approach to this topic: practical and theoretical. The first one will be
accomplished analyzing six cases of study corresponding to cities that were emblematic in each period:
Berlin and New York in the metropolitan one, London and Los Angeles in the anthropopolitan one, and
Bogotá and Shanghai in the metapolitan one.
As for the theoretical approach, the course guarantees an interdisciplinary view. It will be based in the
study of the evolution of the three main disciplines that have been dealing with the urban question
during the contemporary age: Urban History, Urban Sociology (extended to Urban Geography and Urban
Anthropology) and Urban Theory (extended to City Planning and Urban Design).
2.‐OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES.
Objectives.
‐ Use the big city as the node that connects contemporary architecture and large scale.
‐ Convey a complex vision of history, avoiding simplifications and lineal readings.
‐ Insert the contemporary architecture in its social, political, cultural and productive context.
‐ Develop a special sensitiveness towards the social and cultural factors that condition
architectural and urban projects (positively assessing the contemporary diversity).
Outcomes.
‐ Ability for architectural critic.
‐ Ability to work in groups as well as with personal autonomy.
‐ Ability in research techniques.
‐ Ability to cope with public debates.
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3.‐ TOPICS.
A.‐ Metropolis, 1886‐1939.
A1.‐Introduction to the Metropolis. From the laissez‐faire times to the monopolist capitalism.
The birth of city planning. Theories and models: iluminism vs. romanticism.
A2.‐New York. The expansion further Manhattan: trains and parkways. The Regional Plan for
New York and Surroundings. Architecture: birth and evolution of skyscrapers.
A3.‐Berlin. 1871‐1918: housing and planning crisis. 1918‐1933: the housing Siedlungen and the
rationalization of the urban center. 1933‐1945: the destruction of Berlin
B.‐ Anthropopolis, 1939‐1979.
B1.‐ Introduction to the Anthropopolis. Anthropopolitan peripheries: working class new towns
versus middle class suburbs. War and urban renewal: the destruction of the heart of
Anthropopolis. 1960s criticism.
B2.‐London. Suburban London: the New Towns of the Greater London Plan. Central London:
the failure of the Slum Clearance Programs. Architecture: from Brutalism to utopia
B3.‐ Los Angeles. 1900‐1945: the roots of the suburban model. The post‐war period: the
construction of “the first American city”.
C.‐ Metapolis, 1979‐2007.
C1.‐ Introduction to the Metapolis. Economic and physical features of the Metapolis. The
postmodern urban society. Metapolitan theories and models.
C2.‐ Bogotá. Violence and poverty: the urban crisis of 1985‐1995. Contemporary urban
renaissance: the Latin American way.
C3.‐ Shanghai. From semi‐colonialism to communism. Territorial and urban change in post Mao
China. Shanghai as a global Metapolis.
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4.‐ READINGS.
A.‐Theorizing the Metropolis
• AH.‐Urban History.
AH1.‐SPENGLER, Oswald, “Cities and people: the soul of the city” (from Der Untergang des
Abendlandes, 1917‐1922).
AH2.‐ MUMFORD, Lewis, “Rise and fall of megalopolis” (from The culture of cities, 1938).
• AS.‐Urban Sociology.
AS1.‐BURGESS, Ernest, “The growth of the city: an introduction to a research project”, (from
Robert Park, Ernest Burgess and Roderick McKenzie, The city, 1925).
AS2.‐SIMMEL, Georg, “The metropolis and mental life” (originally Die Großstädte und das
Geistesleben, 1903).
• AT.‐Urban Theory.
AT1.‐ SITTE, Camillo, “Authors introduction”, “The relationship between buildings, monuments
and public squares” and “The enclosed character of the public square” (from Der Städtebau
nach seinen künstlerichen Grundsätzen, 1889).
AT2.‐HILBERSEIMER, Ludwig, “Elements of city planning” (from The new city. Principles of
planning, 1944).
B.‐Theorizing the Anthropopolis.
• BH.‐Urban History.
BH1.‐ MUMFORD, Lewis, “Suburbia and beyond” (from The city in history, 1961).
BH2.‐ BANHAM, Reyner, “An ecology for architecture” (from Los Angeles. The architecture of
four ecologies, 1971).
• BS.‐Urban Sociology.
BS1.‐JACOBS, Jane, ”The uses of sidewalks: safety” (form The death and life of great American
cities, 1961).
BS2.‐ LEFEBVRE, Henri, “The urban revolution” (from The urban revolution, 1968).
• BT.‐Urban Theory.
BT1.‐ ARCHIGRAM, “Instant City” (from Archigram, N. 8, 1968).
BT2.‐ LYNCH, Kevin, “The city image and its elements” (from The image of the city, 1960).
C.‐Theorizing the Metapolis
• CH.‐Urban History.
CH1.‐ ASHIHARA, Yoshinobu, “The hidden order” (from The hidden order. Tokyo through the
twentieth century, 1989).
CH2.‐ HALL, Peter, “The state as permanent innovator. Tokyo‐Kanagawa 1890‐1990” (from
Cities in civilization: culture, innovation and urban order, 1998).
• CS.‐Urban Sociology.
CS1.‐DAVIS, Mike, “Fortress L. A.” (from City of quartz, 1992).
CS2.‐ HAYDEN, Dolores, “What would a non‐sexist city be like? Speculations on housing, urban
design, and human work” (from Catharine Stimpson et al. Women and the American city, 1981).
• CT.‐Urban Theory.
CT1.‐ KOOLHAAS, Rem, “The generic city” (from S, M, L, XL, 1995).
CT2.‐ POPE, Albert, “Inundation of space” (from Ladders, 1996).
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5.‐ INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS.
There are three class formats: lectures, seminars and work in the classroom. Lectures related to the
cases of study will be given by the teacher. The four scheduled occasional lectures will be proposed and
given by the students, after consulting with the teacher.
The seminars will be devoted to the theoretical approach to the city in the three considered periods,
and will be developed through debates associated to readings. Groups of students will be in charge of
each one of the nine scheduled seminars, what includes making a presentation and leading the
following debate.
Finally, there is the personal or group work in the classroom, where the teacher will be attending
tutorial tasks. During this time the students will be working on their final paper and their intervention on
the debates.
6.‐ REQUIREMENTS.
‐ Attendance to classes.
‐ Prepare the selected readings.
‐ Contribution to discussions.
‐ Research paper.
7.‐ EVALUATION.
Grades.
The final grade will result of the proportional addition of three partial grades:
‐ 33% corresponding to a final paper. It will be evaluated by the teacher.
‐ 33% corresponding to the group presentation. It will be evaluated by the rest of the
students.
‐ 33% corresponding to the contribution to the seminar debates. It will be evaluated by the
teacher.
In order to pass the course, the three partial grades have to have been evaluated.
The students will get additional points to their grades when organizing occasional lectures.
Paper.
The paper will be a personal work about a topic selected by the students after consulting with the
teacher. The intention of it is introducing the students in the research techniques. Therefore, it should
include:
‐ Identification of a process
‐ Definition of objectives
‐ Selection of a methodology
‐ Data search
‐ Evaluation and diagnosis.
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8.‐SCHEDULE.
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