ARC3315H S
Instructor: Laura Miller
Meeting Section: L0101
Fridays, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

From AJ Downing’s cottage residences in the nineteenth century, to the Trend Series Houses in the twentieth century, to yes, Barbie, an icon who is perpetually at the cusp of adulthood, the notion of what we now call a ‘dreamhouse’ has been a pervasive concept, particularly in the North American architectural imaginary. But – what is the dream that underpins this idealized domestic construct? Why has the private house been the focus of such intense personal desire, speculation, and fantasy?

Every fantasy has its underbelly. What are the dark sides – and potential nightmares – living within the dreamhouse?

The dreamhouse has changed over time and circumstance; shaped by new ideas, technological innovation, economic pressures, political events, and changing social and cultural values. Class, gender and race have each affected how its spaces, form, and identity were shaped. At times, the idealized home has been deployed politically; it has also become a contemporary form of entertainment.

This seminar will investigate the subtexts, histories and various subjectivities of the dreamhouse: looking closely at the assumptions, agendas, prejudices, hopes, fears, and desires attached to it.

Course material will be drawn from a wide variety of sources, including: architectural history, gender, urban and cultural studies, works of fiction, popular magazines and media, trade publications, domestic treatises, advertising, and film.