ALD4104HS
Instructors: Jason Nguyen
Meeting Section: L0101
Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Architecture has typically been understood as something that must resist the forces of nature, whether they be dirt, rain, wind, and fire or the intrusion of plants, animals, and other non-human life. Yet, the threats of climate change as well as discourses on “resilience” are prompting most people to discard the longstanding nature-culture divide. This course considers how architecture has mediated and mobilized the elements and ecologies of the natural world. The aim is to conceive architecture—and design more broadly—not as a fixed composition but instead as an adaptable infrastructure that unites artistic and material forces to support different kinds of life and society. How might we theorize architecture as a form of environmental media, and what are the ethical and political consequences of this orientation?

The seminar covers a range of designed things from across diverse geographies and historical periods. We begin by studying philosophies of nature and materiality  as they concern the conception and construction of architecture. We then examine instances in which architecture has engaged elements and forces in the natural world: earth, water, air, and fire as well as plants, animals, and other forms of biotic life. We conclude by ruminating on the ethics and politics of architecture and design in the age of the Anthropocene. Readings, discussions, and writing exercises will lead to a final project of each student’s choosing.

Diller Scofidio, Blur Building (2002), Swiss Expo, Verdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. Image Credit.