Ah, Watson, you see, but you do not observe. - Sherlock Holmes (date unknown)

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1 College of Architecture and Planning - University of Colorado at Denver Page 1 Architecture 1110 Conversations - Syllabus Spring 2013 Laurence Keith Loftin III Office 3rd Floor UCD Bldg., Corner of 14th & Larimer Hours m/w: 11:00-12:00 and by appointment Tele / laurence.loftin@ucdenver.edu Ah, Watson, you see, but you do not observe. - Sherlock Holmes (date unknown) While I may talk about a school, a cemetery, a theater, it is more correct to say that I talk about life, death, imagination. - Aldo Rossi (1981) INTRODUCTION What Aldo Rossi is really saying, in the quote above, is that he is concerned about more than the just pragmatic solutions. He is concerned about discussing the great and lasting themes in life. For Rossi these discussions are part of long established conversations that architects have had among themselves since the beginning. Such conversations are not only verbal, but are carried out in the works of architecture themselves. It can be argued that it is these conversations that distinguish Architecture from mere building. INTENT This course has two intents. The first intent is to introduce you to the fundamental architectural Conversations which have developed through the history of Architecture until the Modern period. These conversations were dramatically altered by the advent of Modernism. In this regard Modernism can be seen to have made a breach in the history of Architecture. The second intent of this course is to make the student aware of the resultant problems and to show how the fundamental conversations can be continued. COROLLARY This course requires the development of several types of expertise. The first expertise is looking at the architectural compositions and seeing (as Holmes would say) how they are organized. The second expertise is understanding the the implications of the organization and observing (Holmes again) the thematic and cultural associations. The third expertise is thinking about what you have seen and observed and critically placing these thoughts in the larger conversations about life, death, and imagination (Rossi).

2 College of Architecture and Planning - University of Colorado at Denver Page 2 STRUCTURE Two kinds of lecture will be used in order to develop the required expertise for the course. The first lecture of the week (usually on Monday) will present a general theoretical framework: introducing the student to a way of seeing and observing. The second lecture of the week (usually on Wednesday) will present a particular building or buildings: introducing the student to a way of critical assessment in terms of the fundamental conversations. EVALUATION The concepts in this course are not difficult, in general, but the association and combination of verbal and visual concepts is sometimes daunting. Simple testing seems to provide the most expedient means of assessing whether a student has made the necessary connections. The course is cumulative in its themes and students will be evaluated by the following devices and percentages: 1st quiz - 25%. Second quiz 25%. Final - 50%. READING Laurence Keith Loftin III Origins of Architecture. Kendall-Hunt. ISBN Richard Weston Key Buildings of the 20 th Century. W.W. Norton & CO. ISBN-10: Le Corbusier Towards a New Architecture. Create Space. ISBN-10: Robert Venturi Learning from Las Vegas. MIT Press. ISBN-10: X Alain de Botton The Architecture of Happiness. Vintage. ISBN-10: Lisa Heschong Thermal Delight in Architecture. MIT Press. ISBN-10: X Vincent Canizano (ed.) Architectural Regionalism. Princeton Architectural Press. ISBN-13: Hoffman Sustainable Architecture White Papers. Earth Pledge. ISBN Schedule Part I Origins (First Conversations) Jan 23 w INTRODUCTION de Botton: The Significance of Architecture, pp Hoffman: Talarico, Taking the Elective Out of Environmental Education, pp m ARCHITECTUE & BUILDING - The Hamiton Wing of the Denver Art Museum de Botton: The Significance of Architecture, pp Heschong: Necessity, pp. 1-10, Delight, pp Canizaro: Berry, The Regional Motive, pp Weston: Wright, NY Guggenheim Museum, pp Weston: Kahn, Kimbell Art Museum, pp Weston: Gehry, Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, pp Identification: Louis I. Kahn / The Kimbell Art Museum / Fort Worth, Texas / w SHELTERING & Examples Loftin: Chptr 1: The Practical Approach - Sheltering Hoffman: Stone, A Passive Solar, Straw-Bale School, pp Weston: Murcutt, Ball-Eastaway House and Studio, pp Identification: Emperor Temmu / Ise Shrine / Uji-tachi, Japan / 690 AD Glenn Murcutt / Ball Eastaway House / Sydney Australia / 1983

3 College of Architecture and Planning - University of Colorado at Denver Page 3 Feb 04 m MODELING Loftin: Chptr 2: The Mythical Approach - Modeling Heschong: Sacredness, pp Weston: Taut, Glass Pavilion, pp , Weston: Stirling, Staatsgalerie, pp Identification: Hadrian. Pantheon. Rome, Italy. 126 AD Donato Bramante / Tempietto / Rome, Italy / 1502 Francesco Borromini / San Carlo Alle Quatro Fontane / Rome, Italy / 1641 Etienne-Louis Boullée / Cenotaph to Newton / - / 1784 James Stirling / Staatsgalerie / Stuttgart, Germany / w LABOR DAY HOLIDAY: NO CLASS No Reading 11 m PYRAMID POWER Le Corbusier: Regulating Lines, pp Identification: Cheops / The Great Pyramid / Giza, Egypt / 2560 BC 13 w FOUNDING & EXAMPLES Loftin: Chptr 3: The Invention of the City - Founding Heschong: Necessity 11-12, Sacredness, pp , Hoffman: Browning, Biomimicry, Biophilia, and Building Community, pp Hoffman: Clark & Tice, Haymount: Planning a Sustainable Town, pp Weston: Asplund, Stockholm Library, pp Identification: Emporer Diocletion / Diocletion's Palace / Split, Croatia / 305 AD Gunnar Asplund / Stockholm Library / Stockholm, Sweden / m DWELLING Hoffman: McDonough, Eco-Effectiveness:A New Design Strategy, pp. 1-5 Canizaro: Pavlides, Four Approaches to Regionalism in Architecture, pp Heschong: Affection, pp , Sacredness, Weston: Wright, Falling Water, pp Weston: Aalto, Villa Mairea, pp Indentification: Frank Lloyd Wrigh / Falling Water / Bear Run, Pennsylvania / 1937 Alvar Aalto / Villa Mairea / Noormarkku, Finland / w GATHERING & SPARING Hoffman: Wines, The Art of Architecture in the Age of Ecology, pp Canizaro: Dodge, Living by Life: Some Bioregional Theory and Practice, Weston: Piano, Tjibaou Cultural Center, pp Weston: Mecanoo, The Library at Delft, pp Identification: Robert Smithson / Spiral Jetty / Great Salt Lake, Utah / 1970 Christo / The Running Fence Project / California / m REMEMBERING Loftin: Chptr 4: The Commerative Tradition - Remembering Heschong: Sacredness, pp Weston: Plecnik, Church of the Sacred Heart, pp Identification: Ictinos & Callicrates / The Parthenon / Athens, Greece / 432 BC Andrea Palladio / Villa Rotunda / Vicenza, Italy / 1566

4 College of Architecture and Planning - University of Colorado at Denver Page 4 27 w THE CLASSICAL CONVERSATION Le Corbusier: Architecture: Pure Creation of the Mind, pp de Botton: In What Style Shall we Build?, pp de Botton: Ideals of Home, pp Weston: Wagner, Post Office Savings Bank, pp Weston: Asplund, Gothenburg Law Courts Annex, pp Identification: None Part II Modernity (the Great Breach) Mrch 04 m BREACHING Loftin: Chptr 6: The Proposition - The New Age de Botton: In What Style Shall We Build?, pp Canizaro: Ricoeur, Universal Civilization and National Cultures, pp Le Corbusier, The Engineer's Aesthetic and Architecture, pp Weston: Wright, Robie House, pp Weston: Mendelsohn, Einstein Tower, pp Identification: Frank Lloyd Wright / Robie House / Chicago, Illinois / 1909 Eric Mendelsohn / Einstein Tower / Potsdam 1924 Quiz #1 - In Class 06 w THE ONTOLOGY OF THE MODERN OBJECT Loftin: Chptr 7: The Implication - The Invention of Continuous Space Loftin: Chptr 8: The Application - Le Corbusier's 5 Points de Botton: In What Style Shall we Build?, pp Le Corbusier: Eyes that do not See: Liners, pp Weston: Rietveld, Schroeder Hse, pp.48-49, Weston: van der Rohe, Barcelona Pavilion, pp , Weston: Le Corbusier, Villa Savoye, pp Identification: Mies van der Rohe / Barcelona Pavilion / Barcelona, Spain / 1929 Le Corbusier / The Villa Savoye / Poissy, France / m MODERN REVOLUTION Loftin: Chptr 9: The Solution - The International Style Loftin: Chptr10: The Dark Side of Modernism de Botton: In What Style Shall We Build?, pp Le Corbusier: Architecture or Revolution, pp Heschong: Necessity, pp Canizaro: Morrison, After the International Style - What?, pp Weston: Neutra, Lovell House, pp , Weston: van der Rohe, Tugendhat House, pp , Weston: Scharoun, Schminke House, pp Identification: Le Corbusier / Villa Stein / Garches, France / 1929 Michael Graves / Snyderman House / Fort Wayne, Indianna / w CONFLATIONS: TADAO ANDO Loftin: Chptr 11: Apocalyptic Modernism Hoffman: Bearden, Cool Roofs, pp Weston: Ando, Koshino House, pp Identification: Tadao Ando / Azuma House / Osaka, Japan / 1976 Tadao Ando / Koshino House / Ashiya Japan / 1984 Tadao Ando / Church on the Water / Hokkaido, Japan / 1988

5 College of Architecture and Planning - University of Colorado at Denver Page 5 Part III Interlude and End (The Post Syndrome) 18 m POST-EVERYTHINGISM Loftin: Chptr 12: Post-Everythingism de Botton: Talking Buildings, pp Canizaro: Pallasmaa, Tradition and Modernity: The Feasability of Regional Architecture in a Post-Modern Society, pp Venturi: Some Definitions Using the Coparative Method, pp Weston: Venturi, Venturi's Mother's House, pp Indentification: Robert Venturi / Venturi's Mother's House / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / 1964 Venturi Scott Brown / Addition to the National Gallery / London, England / w RETURN OF POST-EVERYTHINGISM Loftin: Chptr 13: Deconstruction and Emptiness de Botton: Talking Buildings, pp Venturi: Historical and Other Precedents: Towards an Old Architecture, pp Weston: Eisenman, Wexner Center for the Visual Arts, pp Weston: Miralles, Civic Center, pp Weston: Libeskind, Jewish Museum, pp Identification: Peter Eisenman / Wexner Center / Ohio State University / 1989 Daniel Libeskin / Jewish Museum / Berlin, Germany / m Spring Break No Reading 27 w Spring Break No Reading Part IV Continuity (Conversations Continued) Aprl 01 m CONTINUITY de Botton: Ideals of the Home, pp , Venturi: Theory of Ugly and Ordingary and Related and Contrary Theories, pp Identification: Charles Garnier / Paris Opera / Paris, France / w SPACE de Botton: Ideals of the Home, pp Weston: Zumthor, Thermal Baths, pp Weston: Holl, Chapel of St. Ignatius, pp Identification: Guarino Guarini / S.S. Sindone / Turin, Italy / 1690 Steven Holl / Chapel of St. Ignatius / Seattle, Washington / m BUILDING de Botton, The Virtues of Building, pp Weston: Chareau, Maison de Verre, pp , Weston: Foster, Hong Kong Bank, pp Identification: Dutert & Contamin / Palais Des Machines / Paris, France / 1889 E.A.T. / Pepsi Pavilion / 1970 World's Fair, Osaka, Japan / w THE JOY OF CORNERS Weston: Kahn, Richard's Medical Center, pp Identification: Louis I. Kahn / Richard's Medical Center / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / 1974 Louis I. Kahn / Erdman Hall / Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania / 1965 Take Home Quiz #2 in Class

6 College of Architecture and Planning - University of Colorado at Denver Page 6 Part V Designing (The Architect s Dilemma) 15 m REGIONAL POSSIBILITIES: THE CREEDE AFFAIR Canizaro:, Frampton, Ten Points on an Architecture of Regionalism, pp de Botton: The Ideals of Home, pp Canizaro: Colter, Manual for Drivers and Guides Descriptive of the Indian Watchtower, pp Canizaro: Eggener, Placing Resistance: A Critique of Critical Regionalism, pp Weston: MLTW, Condominium at Sea Ranch, pp Identification: Mary Colter / Watchtower / Grand Canyon, Arizona / 1932 MLTW / Sea Ranch / Sanoma County / California / w RIGHT VS. LEFT de Botton: Ideals of Home, pp de Botton: The Virtues of Building, pp Le Corbusier: Architecture: The Illlusion of Plans, pp Canizaro: Speck, Regionalism and Invention, pp Identification: Mario Botta / Watari-Um Museum / Tokyo, Japan / m PRACTICE de Botton: The Virtues of Buildings, pp Le Corbusier: Three Reminders to Architects, pp Identifications: None 24 w CRITICISM Weston: Scharoun, Philharmonie Hall, pp Identification: Peter Eisenman / House VI / Cornwall, Connecticut / 1975 Hans Scharoun / Philharmonic Hall / Berlin, Germany / 1963 Greene & Greene / Gambell House / Pasadena, California / 1908 Alvar Aalto / Alajari Town Hall / Alajari, Finland / m THE LOST COURT Venturi: Theory of Ugly and Ordinary and Related and Contrary Theories, pp Weston: Le Corbusier, La Tourette, pp Identification: Le Corbusier / La Tourette / Eveux-sur-Arbresle, France / 1957 Part VI - Larger Issues (Place and Time) May 01 w CITIES & ROME Le Corbusier: Architecture: The Lesson of Rome, pp de Botton: The Virtues of Buildings, pp Hoffman: Ambaz, Green Towns, pp Identification: Auguste Perret / Palace of the Soviets Project / Moscow, USSR / 1931 Le Corbusier / Palace of the Soviets Project / Moscow, USSR / m REGENERATIVE ARCHITECTURE Loftin: Chptr 14: Back to the Beginning - Living in Harmony with the Land - Dwelling de Botton: The Promise of a Field, pp Hoffman: Balmori, Living Buildings, pp Canizaro: Coates, Biotechnology and Regional Intetration, pp Weston: Foreign Office Architects, Yokohama Ferry Terminal, pp Weston: MVRDV, Dutch Pavilion, pp Identification: Foreign Office Architects / Ferry Terminal / Yokohama, Japan / 2002 MVRDV / Dutch Pavilion / Hanover, Germany / 2000

7 College of Architecture and Planning - University of Colorado at Denver Page 7 08 w MEETINGS W/ INSTRUCTOR 13 m - 18 s FINALS WEEK END NOTES