Advanced Topics in History and Theory of Architecture: Things of Architecture

Abstract

Some say that there are two ways to write about architecture: to look at ‘discourses full of objects’ or, conversely, at ‘objects full of discourses’. This doctoral seminar course radically explores the second approach by focussing on the ordinary ‘things’ that buildings are made of (e.g. toilets, elevators, but also bricks, or carpets) and extrapolating general concepts from them.

Objective

Students completing the course will be able to read buildings from an object-oriented perspective.

Content

The course will be structured in two phases. In phase one, students will read and discuss texts on the epistemological, social and technological politics of ‘things’. In phase two, students will apply the ideas contained in these texts to their own research project—or a part thereof—in order to rethink it through one specific ‘thing’. Readings will include canonical texts in the philosophy of science, structuralism, poststructuralism, actor-network theory, postmodern theory and new materialism. This corpus of texts can be extended or even replaced by suggestions from the students participating to the seminar.

Resources