Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
History of Art and Architecture
Other languages of instruction: Spanish
Teaching staff
By appointment
Introduction
The study of history of architecture is both fundamental and very useful for architects; our contemporary urban and cultural landscapes are composed of historic layers and traces of architecture from all times. We will encourage the students to study the history of art and architecture in order to think their contemporary work and design proposals. We will transmit the evolution of architectural thinking and building from early high cultures and Greece to the Illustration, the industrial revolution and the early modern age in one semester, in a not complete but solid overview: we will focus on some key moments and buildings that we consider representative of an age and crucial for understanding the evolution of the traditions of building and of the arts. And we will build connections already to contemporary architecture and current debates on the role of architecture.
Pre-course requirements
English, because the subject is taught exclusively in this language
Objectives
We want our students:
- to understand the evolution and history of architecture, art and urban structures and culture from a contemporary point of view
- to relate with architecture and urban development through the understanding of their historic development and meaning in our contemporary cultures and living environments
- to be able to recognize the different periods of the history of art and architecture in the particular city of Barcelona
- to acquire contemporary tools to analyse works of art and architecture
- to analyse the works of art and architecture both by drawing and writing
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 48 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the general theories of form, composition and architectural typologies
- 49 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the history of architecture.
- 54 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the aesthetics, theory and history of Fine Arts and Applied Arts.
- 66 - Ability to internalise architectural form.
- 69 - Ability to discover the critical-cultural dimension of the role of the architect
Learning outcomes of the subject
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Recognize the more relevant styles of architecture, sculpture and painting studied during the course
- Distinguish their most important characteristics
- Have the capacity of comparative interrelation among the distinct styles and historic languages and know how to situate them in time and in the geographic context of influence
- Have the capacity to enlarge his or her knowledge beyond occident and to identify cultural diversity
and cultural expressions in cities and global contexts
- Describe and explain a building, a sculpture and a painting correctly using an appropriate terminology
- Identify the most important artists and architects of the movements and periods studied
- Distinguish master and key works of each movement, knowing the artist who created it and the century of its creation
- Be able to reflect on the course of history and its impact on the present
Syllabus
Week 1
Course presentation; Students’ brief presentation; Explanation of the course contents, methodology, research subject, distribution of groups and assignments
Lecture I_Introduction 1: On what is and what is not architecture
Lecture II_Introduction 2: Architecture as an autonomous process
Week 2
Lecture III_Early high cultures and Greek architecture and urban forms
Exercise I: brief explanation of each student’s favourite historic building along with one self-made image
Research delivery I: group formation and research topic selection
Week 3
Lecture IV_Asian architecture I: Ancient China and Japan – a comparison
Field Visit I
MUHBA, to the Augustus temple remains, Roman streets and remains of the city wall
Exercise II: Sketching in the museum // Graphic report of the visit
Week 4
Lecture V_Pre-Columbian High Cultures in the Americas
Research delivery II: general first information about selected group project topic // Feedback
Week 5
Field Visit II
Romanesque architecture and artistic expressions: Visit of the monastery Sant Pau del Camp
Exercise III: Photographic and drawing report of the building, glossary exercise
Week 6
Lecture VI_From Romanesque to Gothic Architecture
Research delivery III: graphic analysis of location, space relation, form and function // Selection of three relevant books
Week 7
Feedback on your research deliveries of the group project
Lecture VII_ Late Medieval architectural expressions and city formations
Week 8
Lecture VIII_Asian architecture II: India, the Mogul Empire, Indochina, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam
Week 9 (Midterm Evaluation)
Research delivery IV (online): textual part of the group work
Field Visit II
Visit of the gothic quarter and Santa María del Mar church, El Born CCM and a gothic private house, lunch break, Hospital de la Santa Creu de Barcelona complex
Exercise IV: Sketching // Graphic report of the visit
Week 10
Lecture IX_The European colonization of the world – urban palimpsests
Lecture X_Michelangelo vs. Sinan
Week 11
Lecture XI_The Renaissance: Alberti, Palladio and the ideal cities
Final review of the graphic documentation
Week 12
Lecture XII_Baroque architecture in Europe and the Americas
Presentations I: Groups 1-6
Week 13
Lecture XIII_Illustration, industrial revolution and the early modern age
Presentations II: Groups 7-12
Presentations III: Groups 13-18
Week 14
Delivery of the group project and indications for the sketch book delivery and final exam
Week 15
Final written exam of three hours
Teaching and learning activities
In person
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | COMPETENCES | ECTS CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| Class exhibition | 48 49 54 | 1,5 |
| Class participation | 48 49 54 | 0,2 |
| Clase practice | 48 49 54 | 1,1 |
| Tutorials | 48 49 54 | 0,2 |
| Individual or group study | 48 49 54 | 3 |
Bibliography and resources
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- Argan, G.C., Brunelleschi. Mondadori, Milan, 1955
- Argan, G.C., Renacimiento y Barroco, Akal, Torrejón de Ardoz 1987 (COAC: S-7034 (45) ARG-2 V.2)
- Argan, G.C., Michelangelo architect. Electa, Milan, 2004 (COAC: 72 MIQUEL ÀNGEL)
- Bacon, E., Design of the Cities, London: Thames & Hudson, 1982
- Benevolo, L., El diseño de la Ciudad, Barcelona: Gustavo Gili, 1977
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