The subjects of this course are organized in four sections:
INTRODUCTION
A general introduction to the subject areas of the course along with an initial theoretical approach to the concept of gender and its implications in designed space. Familiarization with and understanding of the various stereotypes, biases, and prejudices which dwell in everybody's attitudes to space and to which the architect gives material form through his/her design practice.
GENDER AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Based on feminist theories a series of topics are discussed and analyzed, such as architectural design process and production, the concept of "otherness" in modern and postmodern architecture, gender-based divisions of the house-unit in preindustrial societies, the construction of female identity both in private and in public in ancient Greece.
GENDER AND THE CITY
This group of topics includes various feminist approaches to urban space, social identities in the city-centre and the periphery, the geographies of sexuality, and some approaches to the lesbian/gay and queer contexts of discourse.
GENDERED BODY AND SPACE
The topics of this section give emphasis to the body as a socio-cultural construct and the materiality of the body in reference to the built environment; they also raise questions concerning the body's role in the contemporary world of "new technologies" through the concept of cyborg.
The course relies heavily on the active participation of the students in class through both discussion and development of special research projects. The course engages the students in its subject-matter through a systematic reading of the proposed bibliography, field-work, and the application of the course principles in their design practice.
