ARCH1121 Architectural History and Theory 1

Semester 2, 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Course Information
Course Staff
Course Overview
Course Details
Description
Topics Covered
Aims
Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes
Teaching Strategies and approach to learning
Expectation of Students
Weekly Lecture Readings
Student Feedback
Assessment
Written Assignments
Tests
Assessment Criteria
Lecture Topics and Schedule
Administrative Matters

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COURSE INFORMATION
Units of Credit: 6
Time
Wednesday; Lecture 9-11am; Tutorials 11-1pm (Students are allocated to either the first or second
hour tutorial class)
Location
Lecture: Chemical Sciences Building M 18 (Class 2074) (K-F10-M18)
Tutorials
W11A, Class 2075, Quad 1045
W11B, Class 2076, Quad 1046
W11C, Class 2077, Quad 1047
W11D, Class 2078, Quad 1048
W11E, Class 2079, Quad G025
W11F, Class 2080, Quad G026
W11G, Class 2081, Quad G031

COURSE STAFF
Course Convener: Dr. Peter Kohane
The Red Centre, Room 2011
E-mail: p.kohane@unsw.edu.au
Meetings by appointment (please email first)
Tutors:
Alix Verge
Katherine Guiness
Nathan Dunne
Prajakta Sane
Simon Soon
Ian Pearlman
Mark Stiles

COURSE DETAILS
Description
The course is concerned with the history of Western architecture, specifically its classical tradition.
Students will be introduced to classical design principles. While first outlined in antiquity, these
remained vital to architects working in subsequent historical epochs.
Lectures focus on particular architects and theorists, as well as key issues and transitional moments
in history. Such an approach contributes to a facet of the course, which is to critically engage with
current beliefs and work. For instance, our anxiety about the alienating character of modern
buildings and cities can prompt an inquiry into substantial past achievements. These offer
alternative strategies for design, including those founded on an assumed relationship between a
human being and a building. The course shows that principles formulated in the past can be
reinterpreted to stimulate new design schemes.

Topics Covered
We will look to history to reconsider topics in architecture that demand our attention now,
including:
ornament (also discussed as dressing)
analogy
proportion
the profile or contour of forms (which can be regarded as the diction of architecture)
eurythmy
the angle of view
empathy
decorum
memory (which can be understood as a dream of history)
the site
the critical function of architecture
All these topics are relevant to an inquiry into the reasons why a person may feel an affinity with
architectural forms and spaces. This can also be understood in terms of a relationship between the
constitutions of a human being and architecture.
The course will introduce the six principles outlined by the ancient Roman architect and theorist,
Vitruvius. While these have been given different names, and defined in various ways, we will view
them as: order, disposition, proportion (including analogia and eurythmy), symmetry, decorum and
economy. Particular emphasis is placed on disposition, proportion and decorum.
Students will learn about each of these in lectures. The course aims to show how Vitruviuss
principles can be applied to the design and judgment of buildings, past and present. This involves
considering:
An analogy between a human being (valued as a type of perfection) and the formal and
spatial qualities of a building.
The relationship of a building to its landscape or urban setting.
The relationship between the interior and exterior of a building.
The role of the orders, doors, windows and moldings in the design of an expressive building.
According to the classical tradition, a good building will:
Exhibit the quality of order.
Have a rhythmic measure (which stresses that architectural forms and spaces accord with
the actions of human beings).
Strike the beholder as a moral deed.

Aims
Instead of presenting a comprehensive survey of Western architectural styles, each lecture on an
historical period will show how classical principles inform selected buildings. The works of
architects and writers are analyzed. Where possible, the relevance of their achievements to our
current debates will be considered. The aim is to show how the classical tradition has survived
over a long period of time.
In specific terms, the course aims to:
Introduce renowned buildings and principles belonging to the classical tradition.
Identify the formal qualities of classical buildings and cities.
Develop an understanding of the principles underlying classical architecture.
Gain insight into the steps involved in the design of a classical building.
Recognize that a building can have an expressive character, which is appreciated by a
person in the city.
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Show how a classical architect strives to create elemental (or primordial) forms, which
accord with the constitution of the human being.
Consider the relevance of the classical tradition to twentieth century and current architecture.

Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of the course, a student will be able to:
1. identify the works of major classical architects and theorists.
2. invoke classical themes to clarify the nature of debates continuing into the present on
architectural theory and practice.
3. apply principles of design in the past to current practice. This involves a connection between
the course and the series of design studios in the Bachelor of Architectural Studies.

Graduate Attributes
Students will cultivate an array of skills, including: scholarly research; analytical and critical
thinking; engagement in independent and reflective learning; information literacy (locate, evaluate
and use relevant information); respect for ethical practice and social responsibility; and
communication.
UNSW Graduate Attribute

Activity/Assessment

scholarly research

All assignments

analytical and critical thinking

Tests, critical reflection, class

discussions

engagement in independent and reflective learning

Assignments, class discussions

information literacy (locate, evaluate and use relevant

information

Peer review, class discussions

respect for ethical practice and social responsibility

Peer review, class discussions

communication

Peer review, class discussions,

assignments

TEACHING STRATEGIES AND APPROACH TO LEARNING

Two hour lectures are accompanied by a one hour tutorial. The themes for the lecture and tutorial
are generally linked. The tutorial will be organized to facilitate discussion amongst students.
Before each lecture and tutorial, students must have read the relevant sections from David
Watkins book, A History of Western Architecture.
A Moodle site is set up for this course. It contains the course guide. However, this course has been
organized for you to engage with your tutor in class. As a consequence, information is shared in
classes. The Moodle site will not play a major role.

EXPECTATIONS OF STUDENTS
Attendance at lectures and tutorials is a requirement. An integral part of this course is engagement in
class activities. Consequently you will fail the course if you do not attend regularly, even if you
complete all assignments. You must actively participate in classes and complete all set work to a
satisfactory standard as discussed in class. Each week will involve preparation, which includes
background reading.
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WEEKLY LECTURE READINGS

There is a single book for the course:
David Watkin, A History of Western Architecture (5th ed.) London: Laurence King, 2011
Additional text recommendation:
John Summerson, The Classical Language of Architecture, London: Thames and Hudson, 1980
Watkins book will provide basic information. Historical periods and architectural styles are
presented in a clear manner. Students will read the sections of the book that are relevant to each
lecture. Assignments will also be informed by your knowledge of its text and images.
As a consequence, copies of Watkins book have been made available through the UNSW
bookshop. You are encouraged to purchase this, as it is central to our course, and should remain a
valuable guide for you in the future. (The library can place a small number of copies of the book in
its My Course section).
The course will not reiterate material in Watkins book. While the text is essential in setting out
knowledge about past achievements, we are not only concerned with significant historical buildings.
The primary aim of the course is to appreciate principles that will enrich your understanding of
architectural design. Thus, Watkins book serves as a background for an interpretation of ideas and
principles. These are explored in lectures and assignments.

STUDENT FEEDBACK
At the end of the session each student enrolled in the course will be invited to participate in the
universitys system of course and teaching evaluation, CATEI (Course and Teaching Evaluation
and Improvement). This is an opportunity for students to contribute to the development of the
course as this feedback is reviewed and integrated into future course planning. If desired,
students can also make an appointment with the course convener at the end of the session to
discuss the course and present their reflections.
ASSESSMENT
Assessment task

Weight

Due date

Written text assignments x 9

80%

weeks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

Test 1

10%

week 7 (held in lecture)

Test 2

10%

week 13 (held in lecture)

Written Assignments
There are 9 assignments. Each one will be submitted at the beginning of the tutorial, following the
2 hour lecture. The written texts for these must be fully documented; that is, they must have
footnotes and a bibliography. Your texts will often be accompanied by drawings. These should not
be photocopies but your own interpretative works. Such sketches will be included on A3 or A4
sheets of paper (see each assignment topic for details).
The kind of drawings and word limit for each assignment is noted in the Lecture Topics and
Schedule section starting on page 7.

Tests
In addition to these assignments, there will be tests in weeks 7 and 13. These are based on
Watkins book and the theoretical ideas presented in lectures. Questions will examine your
understanding of key issues developed in the course. Your presence in lectures is needed to pass
this test. Please note that little revision is needed for the tests, as they cover material that you
have studied during the session
Note

Tutorials are held in weeks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12.

There are no tutorials in weeks 1, 11 and 13

Week 9 is a non-teaching week.

Criteria for Assessment

See the Guidelines for Writing Brief Essays document available in Moodle. It covers Argument,
Rhetoric and Exegesis (3 elements of a good essay), structuring an essay and how to get good
marks.
You will gain marks according to the following criteria:
Use of evidence (using relevant references and quotations)
Exegesis (show a coherent understanding of the text)
Commentary (commentary on the text)
Argument (expression and development of your ideas)
Evidence of further reading (extra research)
You will lose marks for the following:
Poor Spelling
Poor Grammar
Length
Footnotes (plagiarism/incorrect footnotes)

LECTURE TOPICS AND SCHEDULE

Week 1 - Introductory Lecture
Part A: Brief overview of the course
The classical tradition: is it relevant to the present?
Key buildings and treatises.
Who was Vitruvius; what are his six principles; why have they been so important for later architects?
Part B. Ornament and civic responsibility: James Barnets public buildings in nineteenth century
Sydney
Barnet was the Colonial Architect of NSW in the late nineteenth century. He was therefore in charge
of a large office of designers. The lecture will focus on a small number of the many projects
produced under his supervision. The discussion of these will emphasize the role of buildings in
articulating an urban order. Barnet was able to oversee the construction of monumental buildings
that allow one to move from Circular Quay to the Post Office in an orderly manner.
The key examples are:
Garden Palace (Demolished, but considered in the lecture);
Customs House at Circular Quay (this includes work done in several stages by different
architects)
Lands Department on Bridge Street
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General Post Office in Martin Place

The lecture will consider these buildings in terms of:

siting
overall composition (including an emphasis on horizontal lines)
towers
colonnades or arcades
orders
sumptuous entrances
ornament and sculpture
Barnets buildings shape public space and engage the attention of citizens. For him,
architecture contributes to the making of a public realm.
Additional Buildings (not included in the lecture but worthy of consideration):
The Chief Secretarys Building on the corner of Bridge and Macquarie Streets; Paddington Post
Office; Goulburn Court House; and Bathurst Court House.
Additional Reading (not required):
C. Johnson, P. Kohane, P. Bingham-Hall, James Barnet, Sydney: Pesaro, 2000.
No Tutorial (No assignment)

Week 2 - Urban order and its critique: the development of Melbourne in the
nineteenth century
Buildings constructed in nineteenth-century Melbourne can be understood with reference to the
Vitruvian principle of decorum. The lecture considers the relationship between terrace houses,
small office buildings, post offices, banks, minor and major public buildings, and religious
structures. We will note how the formal massing and judicious ornamentation of a building are
critical to its civic role, which involves adding to an ideal of social order. Urban hierarchy will be
discussed: the Melbourne Club, for instance, defers in its ornament and location to the Treasury
Building which, in turn, defers to Parliament House. The demise of such decorum will be
examined through the analysis of certain Boom-period office buildings that, being tall and lavishly
adorned, assume the demeanor of a major public project. Assessed according to Vitruviuss
principles, these office buildings may be exciting and inventive, but are ultimately flawed because
ostentatious and indecorous. They speak out of turn.
Tutorial and Assignment
Reading: Watkin. Optional: begin reading chapters on the Renaissance, as well as eighteenth and
nineteenth century architecture. Make notes on classical buildings that are relevant to an
appreciation of Barnets Post Office in Sydney. (For instance, consider the relationship between
Sansovinos Library in Venice and Barnets building in Sydney).
The following drawing assignment is to be handed to your tutor in class for week 2.
Submit 3 A3 sheets. Each of these must include one or more sketches with accompanying written
comments. The writing on each sheet must not exceed 100 words. (ie. 300 words overall).
These sheets are to be devoted to the Post Office. (You may visit this building, as well as others in
Sydney to be analysed in later assignments. If you choose to study the scheme in the city, you must
find a safe place, away from traffic etc. See notes about safety on visits to buildings). The buildings
main, north front faces Martin Place. The two smaller fronts face George Street and Pitt Street. The
building no longer functions as a Post Office. It accommodates a hotel.
Your drawings can address some of the following:
(a) Analyse the composition of the north front, by focusing on one of its basic elements, namely
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the arcade at street level. How does this form mediate between the interior of the building
and the urban space outside?
(b) Analyse the composition of the north front, by considering the relationship between two key
elements, the horizontal arcade and the vertical tower.
(c) Study the overall composition from a distance, to note the general disposition of forms,
including the horizontal elements, such as the grand cornice. Then move closer to the
building, to see how the details and sculptures are now are visible.
(d) Study the sculptures in the spandrel of the arches on the Pitt Street front. These sculptures
are famous for their representations of everyday events. Can you identify some of the
illustrated activities? In the nineteenth century, such sculptures were valued as contributing a
voice to the building. This meant that the building acquired the ability to speak to the city
dweller.
Note: texts can be included on the sheets of A3 paper. As this is the first assignment, and you may
not have the Watkin book, footnotes and bibliography need not be included. Your written statements
can be based purely on your observation of the architecture.

Week 3 - Ancient Greece

Greek architecture is analysed by referring to three topics:
1. The analogy between the human being and built form. This involves the concept of the human
body as a type of perfection, its proportions and contours appreciated by Greek sculptors. One of
these artists was the celebrated Polykleitos, a person who created the canon, which manifested
itself as an actual sculpture and a text. The latter was copied by Vitruvius in his treatise on
architecture, and formed part of the account of analogia, a term referring to the connection between
the human being and architectural form. Sculptures of human figures and Gods are to be
considered in the lecture, and shown to have a role in the way architecture is designed and
perceived. The critical concern is the analogy between the human being and the classical orders.
Each of the three Greek orders (Doric, Ionic and Corinthian) has a distinctive human character. We
will pause to consider Vitruviuss vivid account of the invention of the Corinthian order.
2. The historical situation, in which the Greeks initially constructed a timber temple, to subsequently
imitate its forms in stone or marble. As a consequence of this superstitious regard for timber
origins, the ornaments of the monumental temple refer to an earlier work. Such a building is
therefore enriched by the memory of worthy first builders.
3. The extraordinary formal nature of a Greek temple, which has no straight lines. The often
nuanced convex curves include the entasis of the column shaft and the bowing of the stylobate. One
explanation is that such curves were conceived as optical refinements: they compensate for the
angle of view, allowing the beholder of a building to perceive an ideal order. The lecture may also
note that entasis, as well as the more general human and architectural attribute of profile, involves a
subtle swelling and roundness of form, which is appreciated as an embodiment of a persons wellbeing and health.
We will consider Greek architecture by referring to sculpture and built forms. Some key works are:
Sculpture
The canon (or Doryphoros): Polykleitoss theory and representation of the well-proportioned
male athlete.
The Parthenon: the Gods and human beings depicted in the frieze, metopes and pediment.
The Temple of Apollo Epicurius, Bassae: the battles depicted in the frieze.

Architecture
The Parthenon: the ritual of moving through the city, approaching the acropolis and passing
through the Propylaea, to behold the Parthenon.
The Erectheion: the Caryatids as supporting elements.
The Temple of Apollo Epicurius, Bassae: the site (a remote and magnificent setting); and the
interior of the cella (in which a rhythmic space is created, through the spur walls with the
Ionic order and frieze. We will note the interplay between the rhythm of the sculpted figures
in the frieze and the disposition of the architectural order. This analogy is distilled in the
sculpted figures and Ionic volutes).
In addition, we may address the ideas of scholars and architects who, in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries, analysed Greek sculpture and architecture. They claimed that the Greeks
created forms that had never been surpassed. (The key figure is Winckelmann).
Tutorial and Assignment
Reading: Watkins book: Chapter on Greece. This text will assist you in writing comments to
complement the sketches for your drawing assignment (see below).
Submit 3 A3 sheets. Each of these must include one or more sketches with accompanying written
comments. The writing on each sheet must not exceed 100 words (ie. 300 words overall).
2 or 3 sheets are to be devoted to the Art Gallery of NSW. The part of the building that we will be
studying is made of sandstone, and designed in the early 20th century by the architect Vernon. (The
later additions were constructed from the 1970s; and include the recently completed Asian Wing.)
You may walk around the interiors of the gallery, examining the different kinds of spaces. (The Art
Gallery is free to enter. It is open each day from 10 am to 5pm, later on Wednesdays). The Vernon
designed interiors include the entrance foyer and the series of galleries to the right. They contrast
with the modern and flowing spaces. The Asian wing can be visited.
Your drawings, however, will focus on the exterior. You may address some of the following issues:
(a) The overall composition of the old part of the building. Study the relationship of the main
west facing front (with the Ionic portico) to the side front, facing to the south. Note how the
classical orders are deployed on these two fronts.
(b) On the south front, consider the disposition of columns and their connection to the walls.
Also note the strong base of the building, and the manner in which its robust character
seems to belong to the earth. The refined columns rise from this base.
(c) When examining the main front, study the composition from various viewpoints. When
approaching the building along the footpath beside the street, note the shifting relationship
between the portico and the overall faade. Also stand back in the park to look straight to the
portico.
(d) Focus on the portico. It can be valued as a welcoming gesture, indeed, a gift to the city. One
does not have to enter the building to recognise this statement of civility. It tells people that
there is a place to pause in the shade.
(e) Study a single classical column of the portico. Make detailed sketches of the base, flutes,
capital and entablature. Label these, and additional parts of the order. (It is an Ionic order).
Watkins chapter on Greece includes an important diagram of the orders, where the different
parts are labelled. You need to relate this diagram to the actual portico on the Art Gallery. In
your sketches, also attempt to represent the play of daylight on the order.
You may choose to make two, rather than three, drawings of the Art Gallery, and devote the third
one to another classical structure nearby. This is a copy of a small building from Athens, known as
the Choragic Monument of Lysacrates. It is located in the Botanic Gardens, to the east of the lake.
This beautiful circular sandstone structure has a classical order, that you can study and sketch. (The
original building in Athens is illustrated in Watkins chapter. See fig. 47)
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Additional Reading (not essential)

J. Rykwert on the origins of the orders, in his book, The Dancing Column.

Week 4 - The shape of architectural space: Ancient Roman architecture and its
legacy
The Roman concept of a moulded and palpable space is examined by referring to innovations in
technology (including the mastery of concrete), ritual and symbolism. Key buildings include the
Pantheon in Rome and the Scenic Triclinium at Hadrians Villa. The influence of Roman interiors
is identified in later historical styles and current architecture.
We will consider the following themes:
The construction of massive and structurally sound walls that, while impressive in their own
right, support a decorative surface. This involves the application of layers of ornament,
including the classical orders.
The often undulating surfaces of walls, domes and vaults, which produce dynamic interiors.
This conception of space was novel. It provided opportunities for architects to mould space,
imparting to it human-like rhythms. The influence of Roman space on later architects is
addressed by referring to major twentieth century buildings, such as Louis Kahns Kimbell
Museum (Fort Worth, Texas, 1966-72). (Roman architecture can stimulate a reappraisal in
the present of space that does not extend infinitely, but is contained and shaped).
Roman building types: including Fora (examples of which include the Roman Forum and the Forum
of Nerva); Gateways to, and within, cities (including the Arch of Constantine); and Baths (such as
the Baths of Caracalla).
Detailing of forms. In the nineteenth century, Roman details could be seen to have a mechanical
shape, unlike the subtle, life-like profiles created by Greek architects.
Tutorial and Assignment
Two sheets of A3 paper are to be submitted. On these, make general and detailed sketches of the
Arch of Constantine in Rome. Analyze the relationship of the piers and arches to the attached
columns. Consider the interlocking of parts. A brief text is to be added to the drawings (300 words
maximum). Your comments should be based on reading Watkins chapters on both Greek and
Roman architecture. You will need to address the ways in which the Roman wall system (which can
include the articulation of piers and arches) accommodates the Greek conception of columnar
orders.

Week 5 - The Renaissance in Italy. Part 1. Brunelleschi, Alberti and Bramante

The Renaissance, as opposed to the middle-ages, was characterized by a conscious revival of
antiquity. Architecture was enriched by the discovery and translation of Vitruviuss treatise, as well
as the study of ancient Roman ruins.
This lecture is an introduction to the forms of Renaissance buildings, as well as underlying theories.
Reference is made to the early 15th century work of Brunelleschi, where forms generally have a
planar character. This will be compared with the approach of Bramante, whose interpretation of
Roman ruins contributed to the shaping of tactile forms and rhythmic spaces.
The ancient Vitruvian analogy between the human body and architecture was reconsidered in the
Renaissance by Alberti. His writings emphasise the role of the body as an ideal type, worthy of
representation in the visual arts. According to Alberti, beauty in architecture is innate, which means
that the beholder cannot help but respond in a positive way to a well-proportioned building. Alberti
even assumed that an army may enter a city with the intention of destroying it. If the buildings are
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beautiful, however, the warriors will lay down their weapons and act in a peaceful and civil manner.
This utopian theory provides insight into architectures extraordinary role of maintaining civic life. In
his theoretical text, Alberti assisted an architect by outlining the steps to be followed when designing
a building.
The influence of the Renaissance on modern architecture is considered by showing how the cloister
at Santa Maria della Pace, which was designed by Bramante, inspired Kahns reading area for his
Phillips Exeter Academy Library (Exeter, New Hampshire, 1965-72).
Key buildings (ones with an asterisk [*] will be considered in the lecture):
Brunelleschi:
*San Lorenzo, Florence, 1420
Pazzi Chapel, Florence, 1430
Santo Spirito, Florence, 1436
Alberti:
*Rucellai Palace, Florence, c. 1446, (The relationship of the order to the wall).
*Santa Maria Novella, Florence, 1458-70, (Memory; historical types).
*San Sebastiano, Mantua, 1460, (Memory; historical types).
*Tempio Malatestiano, Rimini, 1450, (Front and side elevations).
*San Andrea, Mantua, 1470, (The relationship of the interior to the exterior).
Bramante:
Choir of Santa Maria della Grazie, Milan, 1493
Tempietto, Rome, 1502
St Peters plan and elevation, Rome, 1506
Belvedere, Rome, 1505. (Treatment of wall: its complex rhythm)
Cloister of Santa Maria della Pace, Rome
Additional theorists and designers: Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Filarette, Leonardo, Colonna
(whose text is titled, The Hypnerotomachia Polifili).
Tutorial and Assignment
On two sheets of A3 paper, combine sketches and texts to analyse the exterior and interior of
Albertis San Andrea. With regard to the exterior, draw both the Arch of Constantine (which we
considered earlier) and the main front of the Alberti building. Explore similarities and differences
between the two structures. Also examine the relationship between the exterior and interior of San
Andrea.
(The word limit for the texts that accompany the drawings is 300 words)
Additional References (not essential)
R. Wittkower, Architectural Principles in the Age of Humanism, first published 1948.
J. Rykwert, N. Leach and R. Tavernor, On Alberti and the Art of Building, 1998.

Week 6 - The Renaissance in Italy. Part 2. The influence of Bramante: Michelangelo

and Palladio
Buildings and projects by Michelangelo and Palladio are analysed in terms of the innovative use
of the classical orders, windows and doors. The articulation of interiors is considered, as well as
the contribution of a buildings exterior to the making of a civic space.
Michelangelo is especially relevant to our course, as he can be seen to have added to the Greek
conception of architecture, which involved the analogy between a sculptors representation of the
human figure and an architects articulation of built forms. Classicists in the nineteenth century could
claim to inherit a tradition, which included Greek architects and Michelangelo. In this, a designer
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would draw the profile of a form, its outer line exhibiting a human vitality. Like a representation of a
living person, the design for a building is characterised by the quality of movement.
Following Alberti, Palladio outlined a concept of beauty in architecture, which was based on the
ideal proportions of the human being and the works of the ancients. A building would have a striking
impact on citizens. We will study Palladios churches in Venice and villas in their landscape settings.
Emphasis, however, is placed on Vicenza, a city whose character is enriched by Palladios theatre,
Basilica, and numerous palaces. In his designs, the columns, windows and balconies are elements
that engage the attention of a beholder. Palladios buildings show how the ancient forms can be
adapted for the modern context of Vicenzas streets.
(While the lecture emphasises Michelangelo and Palladio, students should consider additional
Renaissance architects, including Raphael, Vignola, Peruzzi, Sansovino, Sanmicheli and Romano.
Their buildings include formal themes that were subsequently incorporated within an ongoing
classical tradition.)
Key buildings, paintings and drawings
Michelangelo:
*Sistine ceiling (In the frescoed ceiling, we can identify a relationship between the figures
and depiction of architectural frames).
The Faade of San Lorenzo, Florence, 1515-20 (In this unbuilt project, note the frames for
sculpture).
*Drawings of the human figure (Consider the quality of contrapposto, ie. counterpoise)
*The Medici Chapel, Florence, 1520-34 (Note the articulation of elements like aedicules and
wall planes)
*The Library of San Lorenzo (Laurentian Library), Florence, 1523-59 (A radical rethinking of
the nature of a wall).
*Drawings for the Laurentian Library (Note the interplay between representations of the
human figure and built form).
*The Capitoline Hill (Palaces), Rome, 1538 (Interlaced orders).
The Basilica of St. Peter, Rome, 1546-64
The Porta Pia, Rome, 1561-65
Palladio
San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, 1565-75, 1580-85, 1599-1610
Redentore, Venice, 1577
*Villa Rotunda, 1566-69
*Villa Barbaro, at Maser, 1554 (Note the central pavilion, with its centrally located balcony,
arched opening and broken entablature. The life of the interior, celebrated in Veroneses
paintings, is invoked on the exterior).
Villa Foscari (La Malcontenta), 1558-1561
*Palazzo Chiericati, Vicenza, 1551-54 (Consider the loggias; angle of view; idea of a building
as a gateway to city; and the articulation of profiles. An ideal life within the building is
represented through the ornamented exterior. The life of the city is enhanced).
Basilica, Vicenza, 1549
Teatro Olympico, Vicenza, 1580-85 (The angle of view, perspective)
Palazzo Thiene, Vicenza, 1542, 1546-58
*Palazzo Valmarana, Vicenza, 1565 (The forms are appropriate for the angle of view: seen
from its narrow street, one is impressed by the layered wall).
Porto Breganze, 1571. (The interweaving of the balconies and order. The angle of view: the
large scale of the order is appropriate for the urban setting of a square not a street).
*Loggia del Capitaniato, Vicenza, 1571-74 (The powerful forms have an impact on us,
perhaps enticing us to stand up!).
Sangallo and Michelangelo
Palazzo Farnese, Rome, 1517. (In the absence of traditional columns or pilasters, the
windows serve as a fenestral order, to impart a human scale to the exterior).
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Sansovino
Library of S. Marco, Venice, 1536.
Tutorial and Assignment
Submit 2 sheets of A3 paper. By referring to Watkins book and additional sources, make a series of
sketches, with accompanying texts (word limit 300 words), to explore the ways in which architects
compose the exterior of buildings. In specific terms, you will focus on the rhythmic interplay of forms.
Analyze Michelangelos scheme for the Capitoline palaces, noting the relationship between the
larger and smaller orders. Does such interweaving enrich the exterior of a palace? Comparisons can
be made with other Renaissance buildings. These could avoid the interlacing of parts, as in Albertis
Rucellai Palace. On the other hand, the relevant examples could, like Michelangelo, employ a giant
order. Examples include Albertis San Andrea and Palladios Loggia del Capitaniato. Your drawings
and texts should consider the relationship between the orders. The distinctive nature of an order is
also significant. For instance, an order in a building can be a pilaster or a column, the latter either
attached to a wall or standing in front of it. Your analysis of the disposition of the parts across a
faade should refer to classical notions, such as the human bodys role as a type, which informs the
proportions of all aspects of a building, including the windows, doors and details.
Additional References
J. Ackerman, Michelangelos Theory of Architecture, ch. 1 of The Architecture of Michelangelo,
Harmondsworth, Middlesex, 1970.
B. Boucher, Andrea Palladio. The Architect in His Time, New York, London and Paris: Abbeville
Press, 1998
J. Ackerman, Palladio, Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1966

Week 7 - The class will comprise a test and lecture.

The test will follow the lecture and be held in the Lecture Theatre. The test will take 30 minutes)
Lecture. A crisis of representation: the debate between the ancients and moderns.
(Architecture and the Enlightenment)
In the late seventeenth century, the French theorists Francois Blondel and Claude Perrault engaged
in debate about the meaning of classical architecture.
Respecting the wisdom of the ancients, Blondel defended an already existing tradition, which had
evolved from the Renaissance. Theorists like Alberti assumed that, by regarding the ancients as an
authoritative guide, new buildings would have an intrinsic and innate beauty. The key element in
design was the orders, as they best encapsulate the proportions of the divine human form. With its
correctly proportioned and profiled columns, a building will inevitably make an impression of a
beholder. He or she appreciates a positive beauty.
Perrault was skeptical of this theory of architecture. Drawing on emerging modern ideas, he
challenged the notion that innate beauty resides in the orders. For him, this argument was founded
on a no longer supportable assumption, involving a person both seeing and hearing the perfect
proportions of a built form. Such a mode of perception could not be explained in the Enlightenments
terms of reason and modern science. Articulating the viewpoint of the moderns, Perrault introduced
a novel theory of architecture; one that was not encumbered by superstitious ideas about divinely
sanctioned proportions.
Perraults radical critique of the traditional classical theory could not be ignored by later designers.
Our lecture focuses on the eighteenth century, when Enlightenment architects and theorists reevaluated the nature of architecture, offering new design strategies, while invoking reason and
science to explain how forms delight a beholder. We will consider the works of Lodoli, Piranesi,
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Laugier, Soufflout and Boullee. Several novel concepts are examined, including nature, structural
rationalism, new aesthetic categories (which include beauty, the picturesque and the sublime), ruins,
and the poetry of light.
In the last part of the lecture, these varied topics are discussed in terms of their synthesis in designs
by Soane. This relationship between architectural theory and practice is explored in the scheme for
the Bank of England, as well as the Soane House and Museum.
Buildings and projects
*Le Vau, Lebrun and Perrault, Louvre, east front, Paris, 1667-70.
M. A. Laugier, Frontispiece of the 2nd edition of Essai sur larchitecture, 1755.
Joseph Wright of Derby, An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump, 1768, National Gallery, London.
F. Goya, The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, c 1797, Prado Museum, Madrid.
F. Goya, The Executions of the 3rd May 1808, 1814, Prado Museum, Madrid.
*G. B. Piranesi, etchings titled Carceri (Prisons), ca. 1744 (reissued ca. 1761).
*J. G. Soufflout, Church of Sainte Genevieve (Later, The Pantheon), Paris, 1759-90.
E-L. Boullee, Project for Newtons Cenotaph, 1784.
E-L. Boullee, Project for a Metropolitan Cathedral, 1781-82.
G. Dance, All Hallows Church London Wall, London, 1765-67.
*J. Soane, Bank of England, London, 1788-1808.
*J. Soane, Sir John Soanes Family Tomb, Old St. Pancras Churchyard, London, 1816.
*J. Soane, Soane House and Museum, London, 1792-1824.
Additional Readings (not essential)
S. Kostof, A History of Architecture, New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985, 253-67.
J. Rykwert, The first moderns: the architects of the eighteenth century, Cambridge, Mass.: MIT
Press, 1980, ch. 1, 1-22.
M.A. Laugier, Essay on architecture, tr. W. Herrmann, Los Angeles: Hennessy, 1977, (first pub. in
Paris, 1773)
E.L. Boulle, Treatise on art, in Boulle and visionary architecture, ed. H. Rosenau, London:
Academy, 1976, 81-116.
T. Knox, Sir John Soanes Museum, London: Merrell, 2009
S. Kostof, A History of Architecture, New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985.
Tutorial and Assignment
The relevant section in Watkins book (ch.8) provides an introduction to key works from the
eighteenth century. The assignment, however, is specific; and will involve you selecting images from
the web or books. On two sheets of A4 paper, include your own interpretive sketches of two
eighteenth century drawings. Choose these historical examples from Piranesis famous series of
etchings titled Carceri (Prisons), or E-L. Boullees projects, such as his monument to Newton; and
the interior of the National Library. Discuss these images, by referring to the inclusion of human
figures. How are these people related to their accompanying spaces or external forms? Is there a
critique of the classicisms regard for an analogy between the scales of the body and architecture?
Can the illustrated human figures in drawings by Piranesi and Boullee add to the evocation of vast,
sublime architectural forms?
The text has a 300 words maximum. (Please note that there are many books on Piranesis
drawings)

Week 8 - Architecture in the nineteenth century: the rise and dominance of a

rational technique and persistence of a classical ideal
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The following two themes will be addressed:

(a) J.N.L. Durands rational technique and its influence on the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Following the
doctrine of Durand, the Beaux-Arts education comprised the study of compositional principles that
ignored traditional speculation on the role of the human body in architecture. Students were taught
to work in a rational manner, when generating the plan, elevation and section, investing the design
with character, and fashioning a fluent marche. Our lecture will note the reductive nature of Durands
theory. This entailed a negation of references to the human being and historical forms, as well as
the traditional notion of the angle of view. Emphasis is placed on design solutions that are justified
through economy, understood in terms of the minimum cost involved in constructing the largest
amount of space.
(b) Reconsidering the classical representation of the human being: social ritual, adornment of the
body and empathy in Charles Garniers Paris Opera (1861-75). The transformation of Paris during
the nineteenth century involved Haussmanns construction of new boulevards, which led from or to
monumental buildings. Many of these had been constructed over the past two centuries. However,
the decision to build a new Opera House provided the opportunity to conclude a grand boulevard
with a splendid modern structure, designed by Garnier. A relationship was established between the
relatively subdued facades of buildings facing the street and the expressive front of the Opera
House.
Garnier enlivened the Beaux-Arts approach to design by reconsidering the ancient analogy between
architecture and the human body. For him, a person attending the Paris Opera would dress in an
appropriate manner. The stair hall in his building, like the people attending the opera, was
sumptuously attired to exhibit a vivid personality and wit. Garnier provided an impressive, stage-like
setting for his audience. In addition, when entering the building one passes figure sculptures, which
assist the architecture in creating a lively mood. (The relationship between sculpture and
architecture can be understood by recalling earlier analogies between the two arts. When
approaching a Greek Temple, for instance, people can proceed along a path that is enriched by the
presence of sculpted figures. In addition, one often enters a medieval cathedral through a porch,
which is enriched by sculptures of religious figures).
Tutorial and Assignment
Read the relevant section in Watkins book (ch.9), as well as one of the following:
D. Van Zanten, Designing Paris: the architecture of Duban, Labrouste, Duc and Vaudoyer,
Cambridge, Mass.: M.I.T. Press, 1987, 83-98; or
D. Van Zanten, 'Architectural composition at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts from Charles Percier to
Charles Garnier', in The architecture of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, ed. A. Drexler, Cambridge,
Mass.: M.I.T. Press, 1977, 254-88.
Write an essay of 300 words maximum. The topic is specific: Discuss Garniers belief that the vital
people attending the opera will empathise with the lively forms of his Paris Opera. The submission is
on 2 sheets of A4 paper. On these you can combine the text with illustrations of the Paris Opera. In
these sketches, you could reflect on the ways that citizens would dress. Try to convey the idea that
their presence was taken into consideration in the dressed surfaces of the exterior, as well as the
stair hall.
Additional readings
C.C. Mead, Charles Garniers Paris Opera, Cambridge, Mass. and London: M.I.T. Press, 1991.
J. Rykwert, 'The Ecole des Beaux Arts and the classical tradition', in The Beaux Arts and nineteenth
century architecture, ed. R. Middleton, London: Thames and Hudson, 1982, 8-17.
A. Perez-Gomez, Architecture and the crisis of modern science, Cambridge, Mass.: M.I.T. Press,
1983, introduction, 3-4; 297-326.

Week 9 - No classes are held this week

(The additional teaching is held in week 13)
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29 September 5 September October- Mid-session break

Week 10 - Classical principles in the nineteenth century: invoking the ancient

authority and wisdom of Vitruvius
Lecturing at the Royal Academy in London from 1841 to 1856, C.R. Cockerell defended the
Vitruvian analogy between architecture and the human body. His theory will be considered by
referring to the human-like disposition of columns, doors, windows, balconies and mouldings.
Cockerell also explored the nature of the creative process by invoking the idea of a dream of
history. The architects designs will be analysed with reference to the main door of the Liverpool
and London Insurance Office, the animated details of the Liverpool branch of the Bank of London,
and the balconies and windows of the Ashmolean Museum and Taylorian Institute (Oxford, 183940). The lecture also argues that his project for the Royal Exchange was conceived as a perfect
body, in which its ideal forms reveal, by contrast, the tragic dimension in everyday life.
In addition, the Ashmolean Museum and Taylorian Institute, as well as the Paris Opera, celebrate
the relationship between figure sculptures and architectural forms.
Key Buildings
Temple of Aphaia, Aegina, 5th century BC
*Temple of Apollo Epicurius, Bassae, 5th century BC
*Charles Robert Cockerell, London and Liverpool Insurance Office, Liverpool, 1855
Charles Robert Cockerell, Bank of England, Liverpool, 1845
Robert Adam, Kenwood House, London, 1764-73
Hawksmoor, St. Mary Woolnoth, Bank, London, 1716-24
Charles Robert Cockerell, The Professors Dream, 1848, Watercolour, Royal Academy, London
*Charles Robert Cockerell, Ashmolean Museum and Taylorian Institute, Oxford, 1839-45
*Charles Robert Cockerell, Unbuilt Project for the Royal Exchange. London, 1840, Lithograph
Tutorial and Assignment
The tutorial is devoted to a discussion of your assignment.
The assignment complements the one submitted in week 3 on James Barnets Post Office. You will
now consider his design for the Lands Department.
Background reading (not essential)
P. Kohane, Order and variety in the work of C. R. Cockerell, Fabrications, 10, 1999, 100-111
D. Watkin, C. R. Cockerell, London, 1974
Submit 3 A3 sheets. Each of these must include one or more sketches with accompanying written
comments. The writing on each sheet must not exceed 100 words. (ie. 300 words overall).
These sheets are to be devoted to Barnets Lands Department. The buildings main, north front
faces Bridge Street and Macquarie Place.
Your drawings can address some of the following issues:
(a) The manner in which the building relates to the surrounding four streets. Note how the
building has four distinct facades. Can you see how the tower responds to views from some
of the streets?
(b) The role of loggias in establishing a space between the interiors of the building and the
streets outside. Do these loggias enrich the life of the city?
(c) The composition of a single faade. Analyze the role of horizontal lines and the vertical ones
established by the orders.
(d) Consider aspects of a faade, such as the relationship between an arch and its surrounding
pilasters (NB A pilaster is a flat column. A column and pilaster are different forms but are
17

also considered as two ways of defining the order).

(e) Study the door on the Bridge Street front. This is very important to draw. Analyze the
sheltering triangular pediment and the additional classical elements that create the frame for
the opening. Examine the relationship of this door to the human body. Does it have a human
scale and shape? Does it make a valuable frame for ones passage from outside to the
interiors? (NB The building is generally closed to the public, so you will have to imagine
entering the interior).

Week 11 - Mechanical or organic life: John Ruskin's critique of classical principles

The challenge to the classical tradition, as well as the ideology of progress through
industrialization and divided labour, entered the actual process of construction through John
Ruskins influence on Benjamin Woodward, the designer of the Oxford Museum (1856). Ruskin's
notion of the grotesque is of importance today where architectural production strives to reduce
tolerances.
This lecture introduces Ruskins ideas about society, labour and the imagination. These were
particularly relevant to architecture. In specific terms, the ideology of progress through
industrialization and divided labour was questioned in his writings and contribution to the making
of buildings. The following aspects of Ruskins theory will be addressed:

an early esteem for Turners drawings and paintings, because they capture the inner
essence of nature;
the realization that a similar vitality resides within the richly layered forms of Byzantine,
Romanesque and Gothic buildings;
the belief that the skill and creative powers of builders and sculptors were expressed in
medieval buildings. (Ruskin's notion of grotesque ornament, for instance, is of importance
today, where architectural production strives to reduce tolerances);
the significance of the imagination in the making of the adornments of architecture,
especially as conveyed in his assessment of medieval and Renaissance sculptures on two
different sides of the Ducal Palace;
The challenge to mid-nineteenth century architecture, which entered the actual process of
construction through Ruskins influence on Benjamin Woodward, the designer of the
Natural History Museum in Oxford (Deane and Woodward, 1856).
Architectures ethical role of cultivating the imagination. This involves contrasting the
interiors of the Natural History Museum and the Crystal Palace (London, 1851). A person
within the Museum appreciates the Gothic-inspired metal structure because its curved
shape stimulates the mind to consider the beauty of natural forms. This mode of
perception was denied to the beholder of the rectilinear forms of the Crystal Palace.

Key images
John Millais, Portrait of John Ruskin, 1853-4, Oil on canvas, Ashmolean Museum
J.M.W. Turner, Rain, Steam and Speed- the Great Western Railway, 1844, Oil on canvas,
National Gallery, London
Ford Madox Brown, Work, Oil on canvas, 1852-65, 1881, Manchester Art Gallery
Deane and Woodward, Museum of Natural History, Oxford, 1856-60 (Photo from 1850s of the
Oshea brothers at work)
John Ruskin, Images from The Seven Lamps of Architecture, London, 1849
John Ruskin, Images from The Stones of Venice, 3 volumes, London, 1851-53
John Ruskin House, Brantwood, Coniston Water, (Now Ruskin Museum) Bedroom
Turner, Storm Clouds, Looking out to sea, 1845, Watercolour on paper, Tate Gallery. London
John Ruskin, Images from The Seven Lamps of Architecture, London, 1849
John Ruskin, Watercolour sketches prepared for The Stones of Venice, 3 volumes, London, 185153
Canalleto, Return of the Bucintoro to the Molo on Ascension Day, 1732, Oil on Canvas, Royal
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Collection, Windsor
St Marks Basilica, Venice, 11th-13th
St Marks Basilica, Venice, 11th-13th Two sculptures of Hope
Pisa Cathedral,1060-1350
John Ruskin, Series of sketches of towns and buildings, including two published in The Seven
Lamps of Architecture, London, 1849
Deane and Woodward, Museum of Natural History, Oxford, 1856-60 (Exterior and interior views,
sketch of a capital by the architects)
Joseph Paxton, Crystal Palace, London, 1851
Background reading (not essential)
J. Ruskin, 'The nature of Gothic', in C. Wilmer, ed., Unto this last and other writings by John Ruskin,
Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1985. (From Ruskins The Stones of Venice, vol. 2, London: Smith and
Elder, 1853). (Please note that there are many publications of Ruskins The Stones of Venice.
These will include the chapter titled The Nature of Gothic).
E. Blau, Ruskinian Gothic. The architecture of Deane and Woodward, 1845-1861, Princeton:
Princeton University Press, 1982, ch. 3, 48-81, conclusion, 138-40.
No Tutorial or Assignment

Week 12 - The survival of classical principles in the 20th century: the human being
and decorum in the work of Louis Kahn
The lecture discusses the post World War 2 architecture of Kahn. His ideal city comprised
institutions that speak to individuals about their place in the larger community. Kahn emphasised
the principle of agreement. This offers insight into his designs for the Exeter Library, Kimbell
Museum and Salk Institute. In each of these, built forms assume the traditional role of
encouraging people to converse in a decorous manner. Like a traditional classical architect, Kahn
believed that a building can have a positive impact on its occupants. Architecture assumes the
role of bringing people together.
Tutorial and Assignment
As background to the tutorial, you should read Watkins final chapters, noting suggestions of the
survival of classical principles. (However, Watkin does not emphasize or illustrate the works of
Kahn).
The assignment will focus on Kahns theory and practice. From a close reading of Kahns 1971
essay, The room, the street, and human agreement, analyse statements that you think derive from
traditional principles. You may choose to focus on Kahns account of the human being; as well as
this persons relevance to the shaping of an interior. Could the traditional classical order be
reconfigured as a well-proportioned room?
Submit your text on A4 paper. The word limit is 300. (Sketches are optional).
The text is: L. Kahn, in Louis I. Kahn. Writings, lectures, interviews, ed. A. Latour, New York, 1991,
263-9. (First published in 1971).

Week 13 - The class will comprise a test and lecture.

(The test will follow the lecture and be held in the Lecture Theatre. The test will take 30 minutes).
Lecture, Part 1, Sum-up of the course
Lecture, Part 2, Recent architecture in Australia: issues of place and ornament
The part of the lecture considers works by architects based in Melbourne and Sydney. The
19

buildings are selected on the grounds that they add to debates about a sense of place. Two firms
in Melbourne are discussed: Edmond and Corrigan and ARM (Ashton, Raggatt and McDougall).
Their designs are informed by ideas about dressing, ornament and colour. A building must
engage the attention of the beholder. The approaches of the chosen Sydney designers are
different. Emphasis will shift to architectural strategies endorsed by Jorn Utzon, Glenn Murcutt and
Richard Leplastrier. Their projects are enriched by a relationship between human activities and
spatial settings, the latter often defined by a platform and a structural frame. Relationships
between interiors and surrounding landscapes are carefully considered.
Buildings (and drawings)
Henri Labrouste, Drawing, Agrigento, 1828
Edmond and Corrigan, St. Josephs Church, Box Hill, Melbourne, 1976
Edmond and Corrigan, RMIT Building 8, Melbourne, 1994
ARM (Ashton Raggatt and McDougall), Storey Hall, RMIT, Melbourne, 1995
Jorn Utzon, Sydney Opera House, 1957-73
Glenn Murcutt, Murcutt Farmhouse, Kempsey, 1975
Richard Leplastrier, House at Bilgola, 1973-78
Richard Leplastrier, House at Bellingen for Peter Carey and Margot Hutcheson, 1981-84 and
1989-90
Richard Leplastrier, Tom Uren House, Balmain, Sydney 1988-92
Readings (Not required)
Jennifer Taylor, Australian Architecture since 1960, Canberra, Royal Institute of Architects, 1990
Leon Van Schaik (ed), Building 8: Edmond and Corrigan at RMIT (3 Volumes), Melbourne,
Schwartz Transition Monograph, 1996

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ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
The Built Environment and UNSW Academic Policies document supplements this course
outline providing detail on academic policies and other administrative matters. It is your duty as a
student to familiarise yourself with the policies and guidelines as not adhering to them will be
considered as academic misconduct. Ignorance of the rules is not an acceptable defence.
The document can be found in your Moodle course as well as:
http://www.be.unsw.edu.au/student-intranet/academic-policies
It covers:
Built Environment Student Attendance Requirements
Units of Credit (UOC) and Student Workload
Course and Teaching Evaluation and Improvement (CATEI)
Academic Honesty and Plagiarism
Late Submissions Penalties
Special Consideration - Illness & Misadventure
Extension of Deadlines
Learning Support Services
Occupational Health & Safety

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