READINGS LIST AND SCHEDULE BY WEEK
Updated: 6 January, 2012
Week 1, (Introduction), Monday 9 January: Setting the Stage for Contemporary Architectural Theories
Introductory short lecture: ‘What is theory?’ and introduction to the course.
Lecture by Jeffrey Chan
No separate group discussions.
(1) Speaks, M. (2005). After Theory. Architectural Record, June 2005, pp.72-75.
(2) Hight, C. (2009). Meeting the New Boss: After the Death of Theory. Architectural Design, Vol.79, No.1, pp.40-45.
Optional:
(1) Baird, G. (2009). Thoughts on the Current State of Criticism in Architecture. Journal of Architectural Education, Vol.62, No.3, pp.5.
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Week 2 (Theme: Impacts of Capitalism on Public Space 1), Monday 16 January: Global Capital and Spaces of Neoliberalism
Lecture by Jeffrey Chan
Discussion of Week 1 Readings
No separate group discussions.
(1) Harvey, D. (2010). The Enigma of Capitalism and the Crises of Capitalism. UK: Profile Books. {Excerpts: Chapter 4: Capital Goes to Market, and Chapter 6: The Geography of It All}
(2) van Schaik, L. (1992). Signature Cities. Journal of the Half Time Club, Vol.1, March 1992, pp.77-79.
Optional:
(1) Lefebvre, H. (2009). Space: Social Product and Use Value. In N. Brenner & S. EIden (eds), State, Space, World: Selected Essays. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, pp.185-195.
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Week 3, Monday 23 January: Chinese New Year Public Holiday *No Class*
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Week 4 (Theme: Impacts of Capitalism on Contemporary Practice 1), Monday 30 January: Star-Architecture and the Global Architect
Lecture by Jeffrey Chan
Discussion of Week 2 Readings
Group Discussion Report 1 Due in Class
(1) Fraser, M. (2007). Beyond Koolhaas. In J.Rendell, J.Hill, M.Fraser & M.Dorrian (eds.), Critical Architecture. UK: Routledge, pp.332-339.
(2) Lampugnani, V.M. (2011). Meaningless Gestures: About the Destruction of the City through Contemporary Architectural Sculptures. Neue Zurcher Zeitung, November 5, 2011. {original article, ‘Gesten ohne Sinngehalt’, translated by Professor Jean-Pierre Protzen, Professor of the Graduate School, University of California, Berkeley.}
(3) Baird, G. (2011). Architecture in the New Wide World: What Lies Ahead. In S.Frausto (ed), The Berlage Survey of the Culture, Education, and Practice of Architecture and Urbanism. Rotterdam: NAi Publishers, pp.479-485.
Optional:
(1) McNeill, D. (2008). The Global Architect: Firms, Fame and Urban Form. NY: Routledge. {Introduction and Chapter 4 on the Bilbao Effect}
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Week 5 (Theme: Capitalism in Architectural Theory), Monday 6 February: Late Capitalism and The Culture of Consumption
Lecture by A/P Bobby Wong
Discussion of Week 4 Readings
Group Discussion Report 2 Due in Class
(1) Jameson, F. (1985). Architecture and the Critique of Ideology. In J. Ockman (ed.), Architecture, Criticism, Ideology. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Architectural Press, pp.51-87.
Optional: Jameson, F. (1991). Demographies of the Anonymous. Anyone, May 1991.
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Week 6 (Theme: Impacts of Capitalism on Public Space 2), Monday 13 February: Habermas and the Transformation of the Public Sphere
Lecture by A/P Bobby Wong
Discussion of Week 5 Readings
Group Discussion Report 3 Due in Class
(1) Habermas, J. (1993). The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. {Excerpts: Chapter 1 and Chapter 2}
(2) Berg, N. (2011). The Occupy Movement and the New Public Space. The Atlantic, Nov 22, 2011. Link: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2011/11/occupy-and-new-public-space/554/
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RECESS WEEK 18 FEBRUARY - 26 FEBRUARY: NO CLASS
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Week 7 (Theme: Impacts of Capitalism on Contemporary Practice 2), Monday 27 February: Spatial Justice and Uneven Development
Lecture by Jeffrey Chan
Discussion of Week 6 Readings
Group Discussion Report 4 Due in Class
First Individual Reading Response Due in Class
(1) Harvey, D. (2009). Social Justice and the City, Revised Edition. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press. {Excerpt: The Right to the City, pp.315-332.}
(2) Lim, W.S.W. (2005). Asian Ethical Urbanism: A Radical Postmodern Perspective. Singapore: World Scientific. {Excerpt: pp.27-37 on spatial justice}
Optional:
(1) Harvey, D. (2006). Spaces of Global Capitalism. NY: Verso. {Chapter: Notes towards a theory of uneven geographical development, pp.69-116}
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Week 8 (Topical Issue I), Monday 5 March: Architecture of Fear and The Militarization of Everyday Spaces
Lecture by Jeffrey Chan
Discussion of Week 7 Readings
Group Discussion Report 5 Due in Class
(1) Bauman, Z. (2007). Liquid Times: Living in an Age of Uncertainty. UK: Polity. {Chapter 4: Out of Touch Together}
(2) Sorkin, M. (2008). Introduction: The Fear Factor. In M. Sorkin (ed), Indefensible Space: The Architecture of the National Insecurity State. NY: Routledge, pp.vii-xvii.
Optional:
(1) Coaffee, J. (2009). Terrorism, Risk and the Global City: Towards Urban Resilience. USA: Ashgate. {Chapter 1: Introduction: Terrorism, Risk and the Global City, pp.3-12}
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Week 9 (Topical Issue II), Monday 12 March: Biopolitics
Lecture by A/P Bobby Wong
Discussion of Week 8 Readings
Group Discussion Report 6 Due in Class
(1) Negri, A. (2008). The Porcelain Workshop: for a new grammar of politics. Los Angeles, CA: Semiotext(e). {Excerpts: Chapter 1, 2 and 3}
Optional: Lazzarato, M. From Biopower to Biopolitics [http://www.generation-online.org/c/fcbiopolitics.htm]
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Week 10 (Topical Issue III), Monday 19 March: (High Risk) Technology, Computation and Issues of Digital Fabrication
Lecture by Jeffrey Chan
Discussion of Week 9 Readings
Group Discussion Report 7 Due in Class
(1) Heidegger, M. (2004). Question Concerning Technology. In D.M.Kaplan (ed.), Readings in the Philosophy of Technology. UK: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., pp.35-51.
(2) Celento, D. (2010). Innovate or Perish: New Technologies and Architecture’s Future. In R. Corser (ed), Fabricating Architecture: Selected Readings In Digital Design and Manufacturing. NY: Princeton Architectural Press, pp.56-83.
Optional:
(1) Jonas, H. (1984). The Imperative of Responsibility: In Search of an Ethics for the Technological Age. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press. {Chapter 1: The Altered Nature of Human Action, pp.1-24}
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Week 11 (Topical Issue IV), Monday 26 March: Architectural Ethics
Lecture by Jeffrey Chan
Discussion of Week 10 Readings
Group Discussion Report 8 Due in Class
(1) Lagueux, M. (2004). Ethics versus Aesthetics in Architecture. The Philosophical Forum, Vol.XXXV, No.2, Summer 2004, pp.117-133.
(2) Till, J. (2009). Architecture Depends. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. {Excerpt: Chapter 10: Imperfect Ethics}
Optional:
(1) Varnelis, K. (2009). Ethics after the avant-garde: the critical, the post-critical, and beyond. In G. Owen (ed), Architecture, ethics and globalization. NY: Routledge, pp.148-157.
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Week 12 (Topical Issue V), Monday 2 April: Educating the Architect
Lecture by Jeffrey Chan
Discussion of Week 11 Readings
Group Discussion Report 9 Due in Class
Second Reading Response Due in Class
(1) Zaera-Polo, A. (2011). Architectural Education in a Global World. In S.Frausto (ed.), The Berlage Survey of the Culture, Education, and Practice of Architecture and Urbanism. Rotterdam: NAi Publishers, pp.177-183.
(2) Mallgrave, H.F. (2011). The Architect’s Brain: Neuroscience, Creativity and Architecture. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. {Excerpt: Epilogue, pp.207-220}.
Optional:
(1) Fisher, T.R. (2000). In the Scheme of Things: Alternative Thinking on the Practice of Architecture. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. {Chapter on Bridging Education and Practice}
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Week 13, (Course Conclusion) Monday 9 April: The Promise of Theory and its Variegated Trajectories
Short Lecture by Jeffrey Chan to be followed by joint discussion with A/P Bobby Wong
Discussion of Week 12 Readings
No separate group discussions.
(1) Awan, N., Schneider, T., & Till, J. (2011). Spatial Agency: Other Ways of Doing Architecture. NY, NY: Routledge. {Excerpts: Introduction and The Motivations of Spatial Agency}
(2) Gage, M.F. (2011). Aesthetic Theory: Essential Texts for Architecture and Design. NY, NY: W.W.Norton & Company. {Excerpt: Introduction, pp.15-25}
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READING WEEK 14 APRIL - 20 APRIL: NO CLASS
FINAL PAPER DUE 23 APRIL, MONDAY, BY 5PM in the Department’s Office. A box will be placed there for your papers.