History and Theory in Architecture IX: 1990s Theories that Inspired Architecture

Abstract

This course explores how theoretical frameworks from other disciplines – addressing issues of race, feminism, cyberspace, and public fear – entered architectural discourse in the 1990s and challenged architects to critically reassess the foundations, premises, and character of architecture.

Objective

Upon completion of the course, the students will have: (1) Recognised the multidisciplinary character of architectural discourse and the potential for architectural design thinking to interrogate theories from other disciplines. (2) Acquired in-depth knowledge – through textual analysis – of four core theoretical frameworks from disciplines that are central to contemporary architectural discourses. (3) Cultivated an understanding of how theories are subject to interpretation and reinterpretation over time, varying across different historical, cultural, and disciplinary contexts. (4) Developed the ability to critically analyse how architects and theorists have engaged with, adapted, or contested theoretical frameworks within architectural discourse, and how architects have contributed to theoretical debates beyond the field of architecture. (5) Learned to map and amplify a broader range of voices and interpretations around the key theoretical frameworks introduced in class, thereby positioning themselves vis-à-vis a diversity of perspectives beyond architecture.

Content

This course invites students on an intellectual journey back to the 1990s – a decade marked by the early expansion of the Internet, the spread of neoliberalism, the rise of identity politics, and the cultural pulse of rap, grunge, and MTV shaping Western youth culture. In this climate of social and intellectual transformation, architecture – like many disciplines – was compelled to question its foundations and future. One key initiative to reinvigorate theoretical discourse was the founding of the Anyone Corporation by architects Peter Eisenman, Arata Isozaki, Ignasi de Solà-Morales, and editor Cynthia Davidson in 1990. The goal of this New York-based think tank was to stimulate new theoretical debate in the post-modernist and post-structuralist era and set a new agenda for architecture at the turn of the millennium. To do so, it invited not only architects but also gender theorists, literary critics, political scientists, philosophers, and other intellectuals to enliven architectural debate and expand its boundaries. The course takes as its starting point ANY: Architecture New York, the experimental tabloid magazine produced by the Anyone Corporation from 1993 to 2000. As a platform for exploring theoretical frameworks such as critical race theory, feminist theories, theories of cyberspace, and cultures of fear, ANY pushed architectural discourse beyond its traditional disciplinary boundaries. In this course, these themes serve not only as historical artifacts but also as lenses through which we will examine contemporary architectural thought. Each week, we will focus on one of four core theoretical frameworks – race, feminism, cyberspace, and public fear – and analyse how they entered architectural discourse in the 1990s and continue to shape the field today. Students will engage with foundational texts from architecture and other disciplines, study their impact, and collaboratively map shifting perspectives using a collaborative whiteboard. Sessions are structured into two components: one hour of theoretical exploration through lectures, readings, and media excerpts, followed by one hour of interactive activities, including mapping exercises. These in-class assignments are designed to build critical thinking skills and will cumulatively contribute to the final assignment and evaluation. By revisiting and reinterpreting key theoretical conversations from the 1990s, this course enables students to situate themselves within the evolving landscape of architectural thought. We will explore how engagement with theoretical perspectives can enrich our understanding of architecture and encourage reflection on the social, political, and cultural forces that shape the built environment.

Resources