Handbook

The course is concerned with the history of Western architecture, specifically its classical tradition. Students will be introduced to classical design principles. While first outlined in antiquity, these remained vital to architects working in later historical epochs.

Lectures focus on architects and theorists, as well as key issues and transitional moments in history. This approach contributes to a facet of the course, which is to critically engage with current beliefs and work. For instance, our anxiety about the alienating character of modern buildings and cities can prompt an inquiry into substantial past achievements. These offer alternative strategies for design, including those founded on an assumed relationship between a human being and a building. The course shows that principles formulated in the past can be reinterpreted to stimulate new design schemes.