ARCHGEN 712 : Special Topic: Building the Case

Creative Arts and Industries

2020 Semester One (1203) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Examines architectural argument, including the ways in which architects defend their position in an environment court, review a building in an architectural journal or debate the merits of heritage conservation in the mainstream media.

Course Overview

The course seminars will explore various techniques used in constructing effective argument and critical assessment. Students will interrogate, unpick and analyse forms of architectural argument through close  readings and analysis of one building and one architectural text. The course aims to practise and sharpen critical  writing skills - skills vital to thesis writing, but also to architecture itself, especially in an age of post-truth.

Course Requirements

Restriction: ARCHGEN 710, 711, 713-715

Semester Availability

Semester 1, 2020: Wednesday, 12:00PM-2:00PM, Rm 619, School of Architecture.

Course Co-ordinator

Chris Barton, Room 534, Building 421, christopher.barton@auckland.ac.nz

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Locate and evaluate techniques of academic architectural argument (Capability 2.1 and 4.1)
  2. Apply the techniques of academic architectural argument in the critique of architectural texts and buildings. (Capability 1.3, 2.2, 4.2 and 5.1)
  3. Understand how architectural writing and criticism impact on architectural outcomes (Capability 2.3 and 5.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 100% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3
Assignments
  1. Seminar and Feedback (total: 25% of final grade) . 
  2. Building Review Essay (35% of final grade). 
  3. Text Critique Essay (40% of final grade) .

Pass Requirements

1. Seminar and Feedback (total: 25% of final grade). Each student will give two Pecha Kucha (i.e. 20 slides shown for 20 seconds each: six minutes and 40 seconds in total) multimedia presentations - one for their selected text and the other for their selected building. These will be informal presentations and discussions of the issues to be formally covered in their essays : 15% of the final grade will be given for the presentations: and 10% of the final grade will be given for peer feedback and discussion of other student presentations. 
2. Building Review Essay (35% of final grade). A 1000-1500-word review including up to 10 relevant, captioned and referenced images 
3. Text Critique Essay (40% of final grade). A 1500-2000-word critical essay including a maximum of 10 selected, captioned and referenced images. 
Where a student has been unable to attend to their studies for a period of time in the semester they may apply for an Extension of Time. Late submissions will be considered on medical and special grounds when supported by a health or other professional, and when the application is made according to the procedure below. Any coursework not received by the due date, and for which no extension of time has been approved, will receive the grade ‘DNC’ (Did Not Complete). Requests for extensions of time must be submitted and approved before the due date unless there are exceptional circumstances. Students applying for an extension of time must obtain an Extension of Time Form for Coursework Submission from the School of Architecture and Planning Office (6th Floor of the Architecture Building, Building 421, 26 Symonds Street) and complete the required details. Late submission forms must be accompanied with the appropriate sign by faculty staff. - under workload expectations: 40hrs hours essay writing, amend to 40 hours of essay writing 

Teaching & Learning Methods

The course begins with a series of four lecture/seminars, which outline the scope of critical argument that the course covers. During each lecture/seminar group discussion is encouraged. The introductory lectures are followed by  student seminar presentations (two per student) over the remaining weeks. 
Each student will give a six-minute, 20 slide, Pecha Kucha-style slide presentation of their chosen building to review and their chosen text to critique. Students are encouraged to give peer feedback and discussion of the presentations. 
Buildings should ideally be places students can visit, or have visited, but if this is not possible, students must show they have engaged with the building through drawings – ie demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the  building’s dimensions, spatial qualities, materiality and structure. 
Texts may be selected from reviews in journals, journalism in mainstream print media, environment court judgements, architect’s manifestos and other architectural discourse. This course allows a wide definition of  “architectural texts” to include other media such as architectural interviews, films, TV programmes and online media  – as long as it can be shown that the text has significant architectural content. 
Using the feedback they receive, students then develop their presentations into an illustrated 1000-1500-word essay of the building the building they have reviewed; and an illustrated 1500-2000-word critical essay analysing the text  they have critiqued.

Learning Resources

Required Reading
Rattenbury, Kester, ed. This is Not Architecture: Media Constructions, London: Routledge, 2002 (particularly Kester Rattenbury,   “Naturally Biased: Architecture in the UK National Press,” p 154.) 
Forty, Adrian. Words and Buildings: A Vocabulary of Modern Architecture. London: Thames and Hudson, 2000.
The Routledge companion to criticality in art, architecture, and design, Edited by Chris Brisbin, Myra Thiessen, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge ,2019 
Sellars, Simon. “If You Want Blood, You’ve Got It: or, What’s the Point of Architecture Criticism?” Accessed Feb 21,217. http://www.simonsellars.com/if-you-want-blood-you've-got-it ; Originally published Australian Design Review, (25 July 2012). 
Mendelsohn, Daniel, “A Critic’s Manifesto,” The New Yorker. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/acritics- manifesto 
Parnell, Stephen. “Post-truth architecture,” The Architectural Review, 1437, CCXL (December 2016/January 2017). Retrieved from https://www.architectural-review.com/rethink/post-truth-architecture/10015758.article 
Critical Mass: Why Architectural Criticism Matters, The Architectural Review. Retrieved from http://www.architecturalreview. com/essays/critical-mass-why-architectural-criticism-matters/8663075.article 
Does politics have any place in architecture? The Architectural Review. Retrieved from http://www.architecturalreview. com/view/does-politics-have-any-place-in-architecture/8688945.article 
Architecture brought to book: the monograph, The Architectural Review. Retrieved from https://www.architecturalreview.
com/essays/architecture-brought-to-book-the-monograph/10038701.article
Recommended or Supplementary Reading
Colomina, Beatriz Privacy and publicity: modern architecture as mass media. MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass c1994. Colomina,
Beatriz, guest ed and Ockman Joan ed, Architecture production. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, c1988.
Banham, Reyner. Guide to Modern Architecture. London: The Architectural Press, 1962.
Poole, Matthew and Shvartzerg, Manuel, eds. The politics of parametricism: digital technologies in architecture, London; New York: Bloomsbury Academic. 2015. 
Stead, Naomi, ed. Semi-detached: writing, representation and criticism in architecture, Melbourne: Uro Media, 2012 Zhu, Jianfei.
Architecture of modern China: a historical critique. London; New York: Routledge, 2009.
Jencks, Charles and Kropf Karl, eds. Theories and manifestoes of contemporary architecture. 2nd ed..Chichester: Wiley- Academy, 2006, 
Baird, George. "Criticality and its Discontents.” The new architectural pragmatis: a Harvard design magazine reader, William S. Saunders, editor, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, c2007 
Reviews
Reyner Banham reviews ‘From Bauhaus to Our House’ by Tom Wolfe · LRB 15 April 1982. Retrieved from http://www.lrb.co.uk/v04/n07/reyner-banham/the-scandalous-story-of-architecture-in-america 
Hal Foster reviews ‘Reyner Banham’ by Nigel Whiteley · LRB 9 May 2002. Retrieved
from http://www.lrb.co.uk/v24/n09/hal-foster/expendabilia
Peter Campbell reviews ‘A Vision of Britain’ by HRH The Prince of Wales and ‘The Prince of Wales’ by Maxwell Hutchinson, LRB 28 September 1989. Retrieved from http://www.lrb.co.uk/v11/n18/peter-campbell/royal-pain 
Strange, Angry Objects - Owen Hatherley reviews ‘A3’ by Peter Ahrends, ‘Raw Concrete’ by Barnabas Calder, ‘Space, Hope and
Brutalism’ by Elain Harwood, ‘Concrete Concept’ by Christopher Beanland, ‘This Brutal World’ by Peter Chadwick, ‘Modern Forms’ by Nicolas Grospierre, ‘Modernist Estates’ by Stefi Orazi and ‘Architecture an Inspiration’ by Ivor Smith · LRB 17 November 2016. 
Retrieved from https://www.lrb.co.uk/v38/n22/owen- hatherley/strange-angry-objects
Terry Eagleton reviews ‘The Limits of Critique’ by Rita Felski · LRB 5 January 2017. Retrieved from http://www.lrb.co.uk/v39/n01/terry-eagleton/not-just-anybody

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 24 hours of contact time for lectures, and seminars, 20 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 40 hours of work on seminar preparation (20 hours each seminar) and 40hrs hours essay writing (20 hours each essay) assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

In the event of unexpected disruption

We undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions, the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. In the event of a disruption, the University and your course coordinators will make every effort to provide you with up to date information via Canvas and the University website.

Copyright Warning Notice

This material is protected by copyright and has been copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license. You may not sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of this course pack/material to any other person. Where provided to you in electronic format, you may only print from it for your own private study and research. Failure to comply with the terms of this warning may expose you to legal action for copyright infringement and/or disciplinary action by the University.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 17/12/2019 07:26 a.m.