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AR30531: History, theory and practice 3

[Page last updated: 09 August 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering
Credits: 10 [equivalent to 20 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 200
Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: CWES 75%, CWSI 25%
Assessment Detail:
  • History, Theory and Practice 3 essay (CWES 75%)
  • History, Theory and Practice 3 multiple-choice quiz (CWSI 25%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the Unit, you will be able to:
1. analyse a historic building or project in order to distinguish and evaluate key concepts relating to mathematical, aesthetic and ideological principles
2. explain how these concepts have affected modern approaches to design, and locate them against changing patterns of cultural and intellectual history
3. explain the impact of planning policy + development control on design
4. articulate the professional relationships of individuals and organisations involved in procuring and delivering architectural projects


Synopsis: You will examine a range of theoretical positions associated with the formal design of buildings. The unit provides a grounding in the history of western architecture via an exposition of textual sources, proportion analyses and recent research, from Classical thinking to the foundation of modern design theory.
General themes include the origin of form, abstract and aesthetic issues, formal composition, geometry, functionalism, and rationalism.
The Unit examines contemporary practice and management issues of the construction industry, preparing you for your second placement experience.

Content: This unit is a survey of the history and theory of Western architecture with an emphasis on theoretical ideas from the past that have informed its development and remained influential in modern and contemporary architecture, from Vitruvius to Viollet-le-Duc and beyond. The unit may also consider how key analytical ideas in contemporary cultural theory, which may include, for example, ideas about colonialism, gender or power, can be used to inform an understanding of the history and theory of Western architecture. Students analyse one case study building in depth with respect to a relevant theoretical approach, and develop more advanced skills in academic research and writing with a sustained argument.
The Practice component of this Unit is designed to develop the student's knowledge of:
1. the laws governing employment
2. the economics of the construction industry
3. the context of the architect and the construction industry
There will be briefings on the second placement unit in Semester 2.

Course availability:

AR30531 is a Designated Essential Unit on the following courses:

Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering
  • UEAR-ANB14 : BSc(Hons) Architecture with Thin sandwich placement(s) (Year 3)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.