Department of Architecture - University of Thessaly

CONTEMPORARY THEORIES AND CRITICISM IN ARCHITECTURE

ΘΚ0609, THEORY AND CRITICISM,
Obligatory, Semester 7, ECTS: 4

This course focuses on theoretical analyses of architecture and their interrelationships with the architectural projects and the respective spatial-social, cultural, environmental and geopolitical dynamics, from the post-war period until today.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course’s central objective is the consolidation of knowledge and the honing of critical thinking through interactive methods, seeking the greatest possible engagement of students in its activities. In this direction, traditional presentation tools with audiovisual material and the use of internet resources and search tools are utilized, while a culture of dialogue is cultivated through critical commentary on texts, short interventions by invited speakers and through group work and presentations.

The course encourages the formation of a rigorous, open, and critical attitude towards the multiplicity, challenges and responsibilities of architectural theory and practice in response to the multiple social and environmental crises of the contemporary era. Contributing to the Department's goals of cultivating technically skilled architects equipped with social and cultural sensitivity, the broad historical and theoretical framework of the course aims to familiarize students with contemporary understandings of architecture/design of space as a,

critical practice and expanded field of interventions at multiple scales from body to planet
vehicle of power and imposition of social control of bodies, behaviors, identities in the public/private sphere and the built environment, the city and space as well as a field of conflict, contestation and subversion of dominant discourses
a pluralistic endeavor which involves multiple actors beyond the human.
an interdisciplinary field of research with increased responsibilities towards social, technological and ecological demands in an interconnected and polarized world

The course relies on student participation in thematic lectures and interactive activities that include oral presentations of audiovisual material and written assignments of critical analysis of texts in dialogue and with invited speakers. Upon completion of the course, students, have:

Been introduced to contemporary debates in the field of architectural theory and other related fields of research in design and the study of space at multiple scales.
Recognised the importance of historical knowledge and theoretical understanding in the broader education of the architect.
Developed skills in critical analysis of architecture drawing on theoretical reflections and tools.
Have understood the importance of an interdisciplinary approach for the formation of a sound critical discourse on architectural theory and practice.
Have developed critical thinking and formulate individual opinions through oral and written expression
Have been exposed to the research process in the field of architecture (question formulation, research methodologies, analytical thinking, and argumentation)
Have been trained in writing text of academic standards and in the management of different sources (bibliography, electronic resources, visual archives, etc.) and familiarity with reference systems.

SUBJECT

The course is organized around three thematic modules, attempting to familiarize students with the major interpretive approaches attempted by theories of architecture as developed in the last decades of the 20th century as well asrecent debates in diverse theoretical fields beyond architectural theory, research, and practice. The first theme focuses on critical analyses of modernity drawing on theoretical approaches developed within postmodern theory(such as poststructuralism, feminist and postcolonial studies, etc.) as well as more recent analyses in architectural historiography, environmental history, and science and technology studies. The second theme draws on additional perspectives from fields such as urban studies, human geography, anthropology and cultural studies to examine the broader transformations in the context of 'globalisation' and the rapid changes in the production of space, local/global relations, and new priorities in architecture and urban planning. The third module of the course takes a critical approach to the concept of the Anthropocene - the term used to describe a new geological epoch as a result of anthropogenic activity. Drawing on emerging interdisciplinary debates about the Anthropocene and contemporary theoretical approaches—such as post-humanism, ecofeminism, decolonization—the third module lends itself to formulating questions about the past, present, and future of architecture, towards and beyond the human.

This course does not aim at an exhaustive overview or a linear chronological narrative of the debates in the field of architectural theory. It proposes a selective and critical mapping of interdisciplinary theoretical approaches attempting to connect them to contemporary social and political dilemmas as a way of articulating current and crucial questions in architectural thought. Weekly lectures and supplementary readings, together with an extensive bibliography to be studied and presented by student groups during the semester, form a coherent set of references and theoretical directions across diverse research fields. Focusing on architectural projects and spatial designs at different scales and geographical contexts highlights further the importance of transnational and global perspectives, as well as, local, situated, gendered and embodied experiences of space and the built environment.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment is based on the active participation of students in the course activities and is based on the following:

Mandatory written assignment (in groups of 3-4 students) 50%
Analysis of theoretical texts related to the topics of the course
(*More instructions will be posted in eclass)

Α. Presentation of audiovisual essay 5%
Β. Interim submission of draft written assignment 10%
Γ. Dialogues 5%
Δ. Final submission of written assignment 30%

Mandatory individual written examination 50%
Intermediate examination (optional) 15%
Final written examination (compulsory) (15%+) 35%
Active participation in the course (Extra credit) 5%
Participation in the lectures and discussions of the course during the semester

INDICATIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY

The following is an indicative bibliography organized in general themes with a note on the books available through ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ.

CRITICAL THEORETICAL AND HISTORICAL APPROACHES TO ARCHITECTURE

Aggregate (Group), 2012. Governing by Design: Architecture, Economy, and Politics in the Twentieth Century, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: University of Pittsburgh Press.

Cohen J.-L., 2019. Η Αρχιτεκτονική Μετά το 1889. Με το Βλέμμα στο Μέλλον, Επιμ. Κολώνας Β., Τουρνικιώτης Π., Μτφρ, Μαρτινίδης Π., Αθήνα: University Studio Press. [ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ 86196631 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Colomina, B., Brennan A., and Kim J. (eds.) 2004. Cold War Hothouses: Inventing Postwar Culture, from Cockpit to Playboy, New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Crysler, C. G., Cairns S., and Heynen H. (eds.) 2012. The SAGE Handbook of Αrchitectural Theory, Los Angeles: Sage.

Cupers, K. (ed.) 2013. Use Matters: An Alternative History of Architecture. London: Routledge.

Cupers, K., Gabrielsson, C. and Mattsson H. (eds.) 2020. Neoliberalism on the Ground: Architecture and Transformation from the 1960s to the Present. University of Pittsburgh Press.

Fitz, A., Elke K., and Architekturzentrum W. (eds.) 2019. Critical Care: Architecture and Urbanism for a Broken Planet,Cambridge: MIT Press.

Goldhagen, S. W., and Réjean Legault (eds.) 2000. Anxious Modernisms: Experimentation in Postwar Architectural Culture. Montréal: Canadian Centre for Architecture.

Haddad, Elie. (ed.) 2023. The Contested Territory of Architectural Theory, London and New York: Routledge

Haddad, E., and Rifkind, D. (eds.) 2014. A Critical History of Contemporary Architecture: 1960-2010, London: Ashgate.

Hale, J., 2000. Building Ideas: An Introduction to Architectural Theory, Chichester: Wiley

Harrison, A.l. (ed.) 2013. Architectural Theories of the Environment: Posthuman Territory. New York: Routledge.

Hays M. (ed.) 2000. Architecture Theory since 1968, Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press

Jencks Ch., Kropf K. (eds.) 1997. Theories and Manifestoes of Contemporary Architecture, Chichester: Academy Editions

Karim, F., (ed.) 2018. The Routledge Companion to Architecture and Social Engagement. Routledge.

King, A. D., 2004. Spaces of Global Cultures: Architecture Urbanism Identity, London: Routledge.

Κοτιώνης Ζ., Τζιρτζιλάκης Γ., Μαυροματάκη Μ. (επιμ.) 2015. Συμβιώσεις: Η Aρχιτεκτονική στην Eποχή των Φυσικοπολιτισμών και της Τεχνητής Φύσης. Αθήνα: Καστανιώτης [Εύδοξος: 59397422 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Loosen, S., Heynickx, R., & Heynen, H. 2020. The Figure of Knowledge: Conditioning Architectural Theory, 1960s - 1990s. Leuven: Leuven University Press (ανοιχτής πρόσβασης): doi:10.1353/book.78083

Nesbitt, K. 1996. Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture:: An Anthology of Architectural Theory 1965-1995. Princeton: Princeton Architectural Press.

Mallgrave, H. F., & Goodman, D. J. 2011. An introduction to Αrchitectural Τheory: 1968 to the Present. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Montaner M. J, 2013. Ιστορία της Σύγχρονης Αρχιτεκτονικής: Η Αρχιτεκτονική στο Δεύτερο Μισό του 20ού αιώνα. Κινήματα, Ιδέες και Δημιουργοί, Αθήνα: Νεφέλη.

Scott, J. C., 1998. Seeing Like a State Ηow Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition have Failed, New Haven: Yale University Press.

Sykes, K. 2010. Constructing a New Agenda: Architectural Theory 1993-2009. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Spencer, D. 2016. The Architecture of Neoliberalism: How Contemporary Architecture Became an Instrument of Control and Compliance. New York: Bloomsbury Academic.

Τερζόγλου, Ν. – Ί. 2009. Ιδέες του Χώρου στον Εικοστό Αιώνα, Αθήνα: Νήσος.

Τουρνικιώτης, Π., 2006. Η Αρχιτεκτονική στη Σύγχρονη Εποχή. Ζητήματα Θεωρίας και Κριτικής των Τελευταίων Πενήντα Χρόνων στο Ευρύτερο Πολιτισμικό Πλαίσιο της Σύγχρονης Κοινωνίας, Αθήνα: Futura. [ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ 21338 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Turpin, Etienne. 2013. Architecture in the Anthropocene, Open Humanities Press.

Φωκαΐδης, Π. και Χρονάκη Α. (επιμ.) 2016. Θέσεις της Μνήμης. Αθήνα: Νήσος. [Εύδοξος 59395661 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Χατζησάββα. Δ. 2023. Σύγχρονες Αρχιτεκτονικές Θεωρήσεις: Σχέσεις Φιλοσοφίας και Αρχιτεκτονικής, Αθήνα: University Studio Press. [ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ 122077951 – Λεπτομέρειες]

NEOLIBERALISM AND GLOBALISATION: SOCIAL, POLITICAL, CULTURAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL APPROACHES

Appadurai, A., 2014. Νεωτερικότητα Χωρίς Σύνορα: Πολιτισμικές Διαστάσεις της Παγκοσμιοποίησης (μτφρ. Κ. Αθανασίου), Αθήνα: Αλεξάνδρεια. [Εύδοξος 22769314 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Αποστολοπούλου Έ., 2021. Κοινωνικοί Αγώνες για το Χώρο, τη Φύση και τα Κοινά την Εποχή της Κρίσης, [ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ: 102073770 - Λεπτομέρειες

Bauman, Z. 2009. Ρευστοί Καιροί: Η Ζωή την Εποχή της Αβεβαιότητας, Αθήνα: Μεταίχμιο. [Εύδοξος 24257 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Βαΐου, Ντ. και Χατζημιχάλης Κ., 2012. Ο Χώρος στην Αριστερή Σκέψη, Αθήνα : Νήσος, Ινστιτούτο Νίκος Πουλαντζάς. [ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ 22767245 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Βαΐου, Ντ. 2021. Η Αθέατη Εργασία των Γυναικών στη Συγκρότηση της Πόλης, Αθήνα: Αλεξάνδρεια[ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ 102075962 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Brown, W. 2017. Η Καταστροφή του Δήμου: Η Λαθραία Επανάσταση του Νεοφιλελευθερισμού Αθήνα: Πατάκη. [Εύδοξος 68404493 – Λεπτομέρειες]

Μαντουβάλου, Μ., Μαυρίδου, Μ., Βαΐου, Ντ., Μάρθα, Λ., Μπάλλα, Ε., 2023. Η Παραγωγή του Αστικού Χώρου ως Κοινωνικό και Πολιτικό Διακύβευμα: Αφηγήσεις από την Ελλάδα της Μεταπολεμικής Ανάπτυξης.Αθήνα: Angelus Novus. [ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ 122092429 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Harvey, D., 2017. Δρόμοι και Τρόποι του Κόσμου: Καπιταλισμός - Χώρος – Τόποι, Αθήνα: Angelus Novus. [Εύδοξος: 68402122 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Harvey, D., 2007. Νεοφιλελευθερισμός: Ιστορία και παρόν, Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Καστανιώτη.

Harvey, D., 2021. Χώροι του Νεοφιλελευθερισμού: Μια Θεωρία της Άνισης Γεωγραφικής Ανάπτυξης, Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις ΕΑΠ. [Εύδοξος 102072643 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Knox, P., και Pinch, S., 2008. Κοινωνική Γεωγραφία των Πόλεων, Αθήνα: Σαββάλας [Εύδοξος: 8409,Λεπτομέρειες]

Κουρουτσίδου Μ. και Γκασούκα Μ. 2021. Όψεις Φύλου και Διακρίσεων, Εκδόσεις Γκόνη [Εύδοξος 102073770 - Λεπτομέρειες.]

Μπραϊντότι, Ρ., 2014. Νομαδικά Υποκείμενα: Ενσωματότητα και Έμφυλη Διαφορά στη Σύγχρονη Φεμινιστική Θεωρία. Αθήνα: Νήσος. [Εύδοξος – 50662560, Λεπτομέρειες]

Μοδινός Μ., 1996. Η Αρχαιολογία της Ανάπτυξης. Ηράκλειο: ΙΤΕ-Πανεπιστημιακές Εκδόσεις Κρήτης

Μπαλαμπανίδης, Δ., Παπατζανή Ε., Πέττας Δ., 2021. Το Airbnb στην Πόλη: Ευκαιρία ή Απειλή. Αθήνα: Πόλις.

Παντελίδου, Χ., 2019. Θυρόκλειστες Κοινότητες και Χωροκοινωνικός Αποκλεισμός: Μετασχηματισμοί Μορφής και Νοήματος στον Σύγχρονο Αστικό Χώρο, [Εύδοξος 86196901, Λεπτομέρειες]

Σταυρίδης, Σ., 2018. Κοινός Χώρος: Η Πόλη ως Τόπος των Κοινών [Εύδοξος 86196448 Λεπτομέρειες]

Τριάντης, Λ., 2020. Χωρικός Σχεδιασμός, Θεσμικές Μεταρρυθμίσεις και Παγκοσμιοποίηση: Πολιτικές Διεθνούς Ανάπτυξης κατά τη Μετασοσιαλιστική Μετάβαση στην Αλβανία. Αθήνα: Νήσος. [Εύδοξος 102070807 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Χατζημιχάλης, Κ. 2014. Κρίση Χρέους και Υφαρπαγή Γης, Αθήνα: ΚΨΜ [Εύδοξος 50661059 - Λεπτομέρειες]

THEORETICAL REFLECTIONS FOR THE 21st CENTURY

Escobar, A., 2018. Designs for the Pluriverse: Radical Interdependence, Autonomy, and the Making of Worlds,Durham and London: Duke University Press.

Καλλής Γ. 2022. Η Ελευθερία των Ορίων: Από την Αρχαία Ελλάδα στην Εποχή της Κλιματικής Αλλαγής,Κρήτη: ΙΤΕ-Πανεπιστημιακές Εκδόσεις Κρήτης [ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ 112690521 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Νταρτό Π. Λαβάλ, Κ. 2020. ΚΟΙΝΟ: Δοκίμιο για την Επανάσταση στον 21ο Αιώνα. Αθήνα: Εκκρεμές. [ΕΥΔΟΞΟΣ 94700953 - Λεπτομέρειες]

Open access online resources (Indicative)

E-flux Architecture https://www.e-flux.com/architecture/

https://www.e-flux.com/architecture/curriculum/

Architectural Histories https://journal.eahn.org

ABE Journal https://journals.openedition.org/abe/

The Avery Review https://averyreview.com/

Places Journal https://placesjournal.org

KoozArch https://www.koozarch.com

Aggregate http://we-aggregate.org

The Funambulist https://thefunambulist.net

Women Writing Architecture https://womenwritingarchitecture.org