History and Theory of Architecture: New Brutalism

Abstract

The course offers an advanced introduction into the practices and debates of architectural history and theory.

Objective

Basic knowledge of the history and theory of the architecture.

Content

Maarten Delbeke, Rococo This lecture series explores and interprets the rococo church architecture of what is now Southern Germany, by examining its religious and political context, by proposing a close reading of a number of case-studies, and by offering a thematic analysis of some of its key features. The course is intended at once as a thorough introduction and an open-ended process of discovery, where preliminary observations will be weighed and discussed collectively. Laurent Stalder: What is new about New Brutalism? LIVESTREAM/RECORDINGS: https://www.video.ethz.ch/lectures/d-arch/2022/spring/063-0802-22L Taking the English avant-garde as an example, the lecture examines the deep transformations in architecture during the postwar period. The focus lies on the question of performance in architecture, from constructive questions (e.g., prefabrication), structural challenges (e.g., theory of plasticity), physical properties (e.g., isolation), infrastructural changes (e.g., pipes and machines), to spatial challenges and their aesthetic consequences for people, architecture, and the environment. The goal of the lecture is to use the recent architectural history to shed light on different concepts still relevant for contemporary architecture.

Resources