AHT 257T Architecture: History, Theory, Ecology, Design
The course investigates the history of the built environment as technical, social, and cultural expressions from antiquity to the contemporary age. It studies building materials and expressions in terms of their chronology, context and stylistic developments, as well as themes, theories, and innovative practices in architecture and urban design. Among other focus topics, students are encouraged to consider architecture as a cultural expression, study its semiotic potential, ascertain its role within political aesthetics, and investigate its relationship to best practices in sustainable building. The course also considers architecture’s impact on humankind, how it shapes both human habitat and the natural environment, and how it has the potential to change human minds. The course addresses all aspects and approaches of the Art Histories, Ecologies, Industries major.