Theories and Critics

Teacher(s)

Fontaine Christine;

Language

English

Content

This course unit is the place to acquire a solid knowledge base relating to the built but also written production of the discipline and/or aimed at the discipline.
Based on bibliographic and iconographic material from available collections (archives and libraries), students are invited to study manifest buildings whose typological and morphological transformations bear witness to political, economic, societal, demographic and health upheavals, etc. 
Breaking down these edifices into constituent elements arranged according to specific architectural logic allows us to understand the positions taken by the authors of the projects, who were aware of the way in which architecture can truly act in response to the political, economic, societal, demographic and health context in which it is set.
This collective (graphic and written) production will go hand in hand with a scientific article in the field of contemporary critical theory of architecture by an author who will collaborate in the EU as an Erasmus expert guest from our research network.

Teaching methods

The teaching unit consists of:
THEORETICAL COURSES
Presentations of significant positions with regard to the history and theory of architecture: from procedures to attitude issues, through graphic, written, and constructed works.
WORKSHOP-SEMINAR
Development of a questioning around the cultural value of elements situated in a context that distinguishes them, in pairs or trios of students. Use of available resources: library and online resources from recognized universities and research centers, cultural events that put the fundamentals of the discipline to the test of current events (conferences, seminars, exhibitions and biennials, etc.)
AUTONOMOUS SPECULATIVE RESEARCH
The use of bibliographic and iconographic resources conducted by the student (or group) will be enriched by the ex cathedra presentations and will inform the seminar sessions.
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The teaching unit is a place of work and exchange where the student's presence is required. Face-to-face teaching is therefore preferred. Students develop an active ability to explore and analyze references, compare ideas, and integrate knowledge. Students construct a reasoned argument on a question relating to the foundations of the architectural discipline.

Evaluation methods

Learning outcomes are assessed through a final submission, weighted by continuous assessment.
The evaluation of successive assignments results in a single grade.
The assessment is based on:
The student's attendance and contribution throughout lectures, workshops, seminars, and field trips (4/20)
The production of explorations and interpretations presented through graphic and written documents (6/20)
The final assessment during the examination period (10/20).
The overall assessment will be communicated as a single grade. The teaching team reserves the right to invite external members to participate in the course and for the final assessment. These members are authorized to evaluate students on the portion of the work presented to them.
The assignments submitted by the student must reflect their personal engagement and allow for an assessment of the knowledge and skills genuinely acquired. The use of artificial intelligence can never be used to deceive the evaluator regarding the level of mastery of the learning outcomes of the course.

Faculty or entity

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