Subject Semester HS20 in the Field of History and Theory of Architecture (gta Prof. Ursprung)

Abstract

"Who Cares?" Architecture and Care: A collective ManifestoWhat is care? Therapy, prevention, maintenance, affection, empathy, monitoring, paying attention?Who takes care? Nurses, doctors, family members, scientists, shamans, architects?What is cared for? Children, melting glaciers, birds, decaying houses?Students are invited to give answers to these questions.

Objective

Our aim is to increase the knowledge and sensitivity of architecture students toward the issue of care, to make their voices heard and to develop a new teaching form for the history and theory of architecture. Students will be familiar with theories and practices of care, they will learn to take position in a field, they will practice argumentation and increase their writing skills.

Content

"Who Cares?" Architecture and Care: A collective Manifesto What is care? Therapy of disease, prevention of illness, maintenance of health, affection, empathy, monitoring ecological processes, paying attention to the built environment? Who takes care? Nurses, doctors, family members, scientists, shamans, architects? What is cared for? Children, melting glaciers, birds, decaying houses? Students are invited to give answers to these questions. Starting with three concrete sites - a grotto with esoteric healing qualities, a former santorium, and a monitoring site for climate change - students will develop during the semester an illustrated essay as part of a collective manifesto. Independent student work. Weekly meetings. Within the frame of the semester topic, the choice of topic is free. Students interested in participating please come to the first meeting, Thursday Sept 17th, 10am, HIL D-ArchENA (=gta exhibition space). For further information, please see: https://ursprung.arch.ethz.ch/courses/who-cares/information

Resources