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Modern Architecture and its canons of belief towards building design first emerged in mid-19th century and diversified in the 20th century. One of the most significant characteristics of Modern Architecture lies in its essentiality - the conscious engagement with modernity and its compassing of unprecedented transformation in technology, culture and demography.
Resisting against the uncritical adoption of classical norms, architects in Europe, America and Asia attempted to establish alternative values by designing through their own circumstantial experiences. The various architectural movements and trends of thought include Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, Deutsche Werkbund, Esprit Nouveau, Chicago Frame, Prairie House, Expressionism, Italian Futurism, Russian Constructivism, De Stiji, Neue Sacharichkeit, CIAM, Japanese Metabolism, Team X and so forth. Each was unique, but interesting interrelations could be traced among them.
This course offers students an introduction to the diverse design ideas in Modern Architecture. The 13 lectures will focus on these architectural movements and trends of thought - their germination, emergence, beliefs, and most importantly, how they relate to one another. By using appropriate visual materials and texts, the lectures will explain individual architects who were proponents of the respective movements, and how these architects translate their ideas into architectural form. The course aims to develop the students' ability to read, interpret, write and discuss about the relationship between historical context and the architects' conception of their design thinking.
There is no prerequisite for this course as it is categorized as a General Module. Lectures and tutorial sessions are delivered with a succinct clarity so that students from any faculty can enjoy them and freely participate.