Art of Building

Reading lessons in architecture.

In lieu a book, we “read” buildings. Iterative phases of design research identified basic architectural orders, and used processes of analysis, synthesis and abstraction. Click to see the larger image which shows four models (clockwise from upper left):

• Bagsvaerd Church (Jorn Utzon, 1974-76).
  Study by Gabe Curry-Cohen.
• Villa Chimanbhai (Le Corbusier, 1951).
  Study by Lauren Cavicchia.
• Saynatsalo Town Hall (Alvar Aalto, 1949-52).
  Study by Adair Honaker.
• First Unitarian Church and School (Louis I Kahn, 1959-60).
  

The Art of Building seminar runs in tandem with the spring second year design lab. Tuesday lectures are given by the 2nd year faculty and attended by the entire class. The class highlights practical, theoretical and historic underpinnings of the discipline of architecture through readings, class discussions, and writing. Individual lab sections provide a seminar that complements the series.

Related Links
More on abstraction in basic design…
Projects on reading architecture… sherlock and clouseau | snp