Urban Praxis. Syllabus: Spring DRAFT. a history of social theory in architecture. Course Description. Overview

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1 Urban Praxis a histry f scial thery in architecture Barnard + Clumbia Architecture Curse Number TKTK Rm Number TKTK Mndays & Wednesdays 4:10-5:25 Prfessr: Leah Meisterlin 500K Diana lmm2132@clumbia.edu, lmeister@barnard.edu Thery withut practice has n value Practice withut thery has n purpse... Syllabus: Spring DRAFT...and either withut respnsibility has n place in architecture. 1 Curse Descriptin Overview Cities are where strangers live tgether. They are the accumulatin f netwrked and interrelated prcesses resulting frm spatial prximity, cnflict, and varying attempts t meet the needs bilgical, cultural, intellectual, lgistical, and emtinal f grups and individuals. Cities are mre than densely ppulated places, characterized by mre than a simple cncentratin f building. They are, by very definitin, scial and the mst cmplex, cmplicated, and cntested, f ur spaces. At its cre this curse is abut translatin, navigatin, and mediatin between philsphies f the city and the city as cnstructed, between thery and practice, between ethic and actin. Situated between these, we will examine and discuss the rles f architecture, architects, and design mre generally within the sciplitical cmplexity f cities. Urban interventin happens in the spaces within buildings, the spaces f buildings, and the spaces between buildings. Interventins ccur within the smetimes sweeping and smetimes surgical scales f infrastructure, megaprjects, urban planning, cmmunity actin, infill develpment, and legislated plicy, all in attempts t shape the dynamic frces mving thrugh the city. They ccur at scales ranging frm the reginal thrugh the urban t that f singular buildings and f individual human actrs. The tempral scales f interventin in practice and in thery are similarly varied. They are als nnlinear. Cnsider: T study the city is t study a cmplex and spatial system whse nly cnstant may be its ceaseless change. An understanding f urbanity r the urban cnditin is nt a gal, but a prcess. T inhabit the city is t ccupy a place nly t the extent that yu may ccupy a mment, cntributing in that mment t the reificatin r disruptin f the city as cnstructed. And yet paradxically surrunding yu stands the cncretized manifestatin f urban histry, a histry that is ften less representative f frmal thught but f plitical pririties, scial needs, cultural nrms, and the negtiatins between them. T act n the city, then, is t attempt t engage bth its dynamism and its cncretized histry. Urban actin is bth spatial and tempral in its attempt t steer the rganizatin f develpment. Cities, s lng as they are ccupied, are never finished. Thus, the histry presented and examined here is nt ne that can be adequately traced with adherence t chrnlgy. Instead, this curse will examine wrks f urban architecture thrugh the evaluative framewrk inherent t the expressin f the discipline, inherent in architectural praxis itself namely, a framewrk f spatitemprality, at times privileging gegraphy ver histry, spatiality ver histricism, and space ver time. As a result, this curse is rganized as a survey f tpics in scial philsphy and urban develpment, ffering a brad-strke depictin f the theretical landscape within urban thinking and city making. The curse begins with a premise that there is n urban actin withut plitics, n 1 Wilkins 2007, xii. [Urban Praxis Syllabus: Spring 2014 page 1 f 9]

2 practice withut pinin, and n design withut agenda. Thus, while individual tpics can receive little mre than a week s attentin within the semester, each will be discussed via analytical cmparisn between the writing f scial thinkers and the prpsitins f architects and urban designers. Methd f Instructin Student Learning Objectives The curse is divided int three thematic mdules (plus an epilgue f srts), int which the thirteen tpics surveyed in the lectures and readings are gruped. Readings predminantly cnsist f theretical writings; lectures cnsist f a series f architectural prjects and prpsals which engage thse theries. Thrugh the relatinship between thery (in text, in the reading) and practice (in prjects, in the lecture), the curse will analyze the relevance and impact f scial cnsideratins n the built envirnment and the develpment f architecture as a critical discipline. Often the architectural case studies will be used t help unpack and cntextualize the n-thegrund implicatins f the selected theries. Amng thers, the curse bjectives include the ability t translate (bidirectinally) between wrks f scial and thery and urban and architectural prpsitins. Mre specifically, upn successful cmpletin f the curse, students shuld be able t Understand and critically interpret the central scial themes present in western urbanism and architectural prpsitin since the mid-19 th Century as well as several histrical and nnwestern precedents cntributing t the develpment f the prjects studied. Understand the develpment f architecture as a discipline, with particular fcus n the its develpment adjacent t related disciplines and sciplitical prcesses as well as the histrical relatinship between the develpment f architectural and scial thery. Demnstrate a facility with transdisciplinary analysis and inquiry, incrprating literature (bth primary and secndary texts) acrss disciplines in the study f architecture and architectural prcesses. Develp a critical apprach t the analysis f architectural prjects, ne which situates design prpsals within and upn a physical site and a scial cntext. Develp basic elements f histrical and gegraphic research: including the frmulatin f research questins, the use f textual and visual evidence, and the develpment f analytical relatinships f prcesses spanning bth time and space. Standard Infrmatin The class will meet twice weekly n Mndays and Wednesdays frm 4:10PM t 5:25PM, save fr exceptins described in the academic calendar and nted in the Curse Schedule belw. Barring any technical difficulties, class will begin prmptly. Evaluatin & Grading Reading & Participatin Students are expected t keep up with the syllabus schedule, cmpleting readings prir t class, and arriving prepared fr the lectures which build upn the required reading. Further, while the syllabus divides the readings int specific tpics and despite this structure explicitly aviding strict chrnlgy, the curse is designed as a cumulative sequence. Cncepts and ideas discussed in the early weeks will reappear, and certain tpics cannt be meaningfully discussed withut prir grundwrk laid in thers. As a result, again, students are expected t keep pace with the syllabus reading schedule. (After all, what use is a discussin n the architectural implicatins f technlgy withut having first discussed urban rganizatin arund mdes f prductin?) While the curse is frmatted as a lecture, and discussin prper is nt a frequent expectatin, students shuld knw and anticipate that I will ask a lt f questins during lecture. As such, class participatin will cmprise 5% f the final grade. Respnse Papers Students will be required t write a ttal f three papers thrugh the semester. The first tw, due befre the midterm, are designed as synthetic respnse papers while the final paper is a larger research paper with interim deliverables t fcus students questins and inquiries. Paper 1 is a shrt paper that asks students t synthesize the tpics cvered in Part 1 f the curse. The assignment descriptin will include a cllectin f essay prmpts t which students are expected t respnd with supprt frm the readings and examples frm the architectural [Urban Praxis Syllabus: Spring 2014 page 2 f 9]

3 precedents discussed in lecture. Paper 1 will cmprise 20% f the final grade. Like the first, Paper 2 is a shrt synthetic paper cvering the first half f Part 2. Again, students will be given a cllectin f essay prmpts within the assignment descriptin. Paper 2 will cmprise 20% f the final grade. Final Research Paper The Final Paper is a mre substantial analytical research paper n a tpic determined by each student. The tpic shuld be an analysis f an urban architectural prject (whether a prpsal, prpsitin, r realized building) and its scicultural underpinnings. It is expected t include the theretical perspectives r framewrk(s) discussed in class, frm beynd the specific discipline f architectural thery. The Final Paper requires tw interim deliverables prir t the submissin f the paper: Students will submit a Tpic Prpsal, which is expected t be a brief summary descriptin f the intended architectural case study alng with preliminary research questins and cnsideratins fr the analysis. The prpsal is an pprtunity t seek feedback and guidance tward bibligraphic resurces, research directins, and analytical framing. Students will be required t have their prpsals apprved prir t mving frward with their tpics, and are encuraged t meet me during ffice hurs t discuss pssible tpics prir t the prpsal due date. Specific requirements fr the prpsals will be included in the Final Paper assignment descriptin. The Tpic Prpsal will cmprise 10% f the final grade. An Outline and Anntated Bibligraphy are required prir t the final paper being submitted. Specific requirements fr this deliverable will be included in the Final Paper assignment descriptin. At a minimum, students shuld be able at this pint t articulate their papers theses and critically describe the relevance f the texts and prjects t be cited. The Outline and Anntated Bibligraphy will cmprise 15% f the final grade. The specific requirements and expectatins fr the Final Paper itself will be delineated in the assignment descriptin. Generally, students will be expected t engage primary and secndary surces, bth graphic and textual, frm architectural and nnarchitectural perspectives, in rder t critically and thughtfully analyze a wrk f urban architecture thrugh the lens f scial thery and evaluate the intentin and efficacy f the wrk relative t its scial cntext. The Final Paper will cmprise the remaining 30% f the final grade. Attendance With a particular mind t the divisin f curse material presented in readings versus in lecture, students are expected t attend every class meeting. Attendance recrds will be maintained thrughut the semester (via sign-in sheets). Students with excessive absences (greater than 2) withut apprpriate reasn, will see a reductin in their final grades in increments f ne-third f a letter grade (A- t B+) beginning with the third absence. Students wh will miss class due t religius hlidays r ther apprpriate reasn shuld the prfessr in the first week f classes with the dates (and reasns) f their freseen absences and are encuraged t make arrangements with peers fr lecture ntes. Submissin Each assignment descriptin will utline the specific requirements fr its submissin frmat, deadline, and deliverable expectatins. Save fr extenuating circumstances fr which extensins will be given nly with prir apprval and cmpelling reasns, abslutely n late assignments will be accepted withut a late penalty. As a deterrent t late submissins, the late penalty is a reductin f 50% f the ttal pints within the first 24 hurs after the deadline and an additinal 25% f the ttal pssible pints up t 48 hurs after the deadline. Grading Assignments will be graded n a fur-pint letter-grade scale, frm which final grades will be calculated accrding t the percentages listed abve. Any students hlding a grade f less than B- fllwing the University s Spring Recess will be ntified, and a meeting will be scheduled t discuss expectatins fr the latter half f the semester. [Urban Praxis Syllabus: Spring 2014 page 3 f 9]

4 Expectatin f Academic Hnesty As always and as with every ther curse, this class is cnducted in accrdance with University plicy n matters f academic hnesty and integrity and with attentin t the Cllege s Hnr Cde. Nte that instances f plagiarism will nt be tlerated, whether in written text, in research, r in intellectual framing. We build n the wrk f thers: give credit where credit is due. Additinally, this curse cntains a few cnsideratins which shuld be stated. At several pints in the curse, students will be encuraged t lk t their peers fr cllabrative discussin and debate. (With particular relevance t the tpics explred in this curse, the cllective culture created by shared studi spaces is certainly expected t affect and augment studying practices beynd design classes.) Except where therwise stated in specific assignments, cllabratin is welcmed but individual assignments must be cnceived and cmpleted individually. Students with Disabilities Students with disabilities wh will be taking this curse and may need disability-related accmmdatins are encuraged t make an appintment with me as sn as pssible. Disabled students wh need test r classrm accmmdatins must be registered in advance with the Office f Disability Services (ODS) in 105 Hewitt. Resurces & Materials Readings There are n required bk purchases assciated with this curse. Readings that are nt available electrnically as pen surces r thrugh the Libraries as ebks will be distributed as PDFs via Cursewrks. The readings listed within this syllabus are each t be cnsidered required. As a survey lecture curse cvering an array f urban and scial issues as well as architectural cnjectures, the pssible list f reference, related, r additinal readings is perhaps t cumbersme t prvide any meaningful use t anyne. As a result, care has been taken t cite readings frm a handful f edited anthlgies cncerned with the curse s tpics wherever pssible (althugh the riginal publicatin infrmatin f these texts is prvided in the syllabus). The essays, bk chapters, and ther excerpts assembled in these anthlgies (but nt required fr this curse) shuld, in effect, be cnsidered additinal reading and helpful resurces. The anthlgy readers cited in this curse are listed in the References belw. Lecture Images Office Hurs & Meetings Image lists including bibligraphic citatins f architectural prjects described and images used in lecture will be available fr students at the beginning f each class. A selectin f slides per lecture presentatin will be assembled int a deck fr student reference and distributed via Cursewrks. Students shuld use these as reference in writing their respnse papers and are encuraged t chse final paper tpics frm the architectural wrks discussed in the lectures. Leah will hld ffice hurs weekly fr students f this curse in the Diana Center, 500K n DAY TKTK frm TIME TK [minimum f tw hurs per week]. Individual meetings can be arranged fr times utside f ffice hurs by appintment. Curse Schedule Prlgue Week 1: Intrductins W 22 Jan Curse Overview, Review f the Syllabus, & Expectatins Part 1 Premises & Operatinal Definitins Week 2: Scial Space M 27 Jan Lefebvre, Henri The Prductin f Space. Translated by Dnald Nichlsn- Smith. Malden, MA: Blackwell. Part 1 Plan f the Present Wrk, Part 2 Scial Space, [Urban Praxis Syllabus: Spring 2014 page 4 f 9]

5 Paper 1 Assigned W 29 Jan Lefebvre 1991 Part 7 Openings and Clsings, Ockman 1993 Lefebvre, Henri. The Right t the City, Originally published in Lefebvre, Le Drit a la Ville. Translated by Christian Hubert. (Paris: Editin Anthrps, 1968), Week 3: Plis Plitical M 3 Feb Arendt, Hannah The Human Cnditin. Chicag: University f Chicag Press. Chapter 1 The Human Cnditin, 7-2. Chapter 2 The Public and the Private Realm, W 5 Feb Arendt 1958 Chapter 6 The Vita Activa and the Mdern Age, Framptn, Kenneth The Status f Man and the Status f His Objects. In Labr, Wrk, and Architecture: Cllected Essays n Architecture and Design, New Yrk: Phaidn Press. Originally published in Melvyn A Hill, ed., Hannah Arendt and Recvery f the Public Wrld. (New Yrk: St Martin s Press, 1979). Week 4: The City & The Architectural Prject M 10 Feb LeGates and Stut 2011 Kitt, H.D.F. The Plis, Originally published in HDF Kitt, The Greeks. (Lndn: Penguin Bks, 1951; revised editin, 1957). Mumfrd, Lewis. What is a City?, Originally published in Architectural Recrd 82 (Nv 1937). Wirth, Lewis. Urbanism as a Way f Life, Originally published in American Jurnal f Scilgy 44, 1 (July 1938). Lin and Mele 2013 Fischer, Claude S. Theries f Urbanism, Originally published in Fisher, ed., The Urban Experience, Secnd Editin. (New Yrk: Wadswrth, 1984). W 12 Feb Lane 2007 Smithsn, Alisn and Peter. Urban Structuring, Originally published in Smithsn, Alisn and Peter, Urban Structuring, (Lndn: Studi Vista, 1967), LeGates and Stut 2011 Le Crbusier. A Cntemprary City, Frm Le Crbusier, The City f Tmrrw and Its Planning. (New Yrk: Dver, 1987). Originally published in Urbanisme (1929). Nesbitt 1996 Bess, Philip. Cmmunitarianism and Emtivism: Tw Rival Views f Ethics and Architecture, Originally published in Inland Architect 5/6 (May/June 1993), Part 2 Praxis in Cntext: Scial Questins f Scale & Externality Week 5: Prcesses M 17 Feb Berman, Marshall All that Is Slid Melts Int Air: The Experience f Mdernity. New Yrk: Penguin. Intrductin: Mdernity Yesterday, Tday, and Tmrrw, Part IV, Chapter 2: The 1860s: The New Man in the Street, Part V, Chapter 1: Rbert Mses: The Expressway Wrld, [Urban Praxis Syllabus: Spring 2014 page 5 f 9]

6 PAPER 1 DUE Paper 2 Assigned W 19 Feb Habermas, Jurgen Legitimatin Crisis. Trans. By Thmas McCarthy. (Bstn: Beacn Press). Part 1 A Scial-Scientific Cncept f Crisis, LeGates and Stut 2011 Harvey, David. Cntested Cities: Scial Prcess and Spatial Frm, Originally Published in Nick Jewsn and Susan MacGregr (eds.), Transfrming Cities. (Lndn: Rutledge, 1997). Week 6: Husing M 24 Feb Lane 2007 Blackmar, Elizabeth. The Scial Meaning f Husing, , Originally published in Blackmar, Manhattan fr Rent, (Ithaca: Crnell University Press, 1989). Heidegger, Martin. Building, Dwelling, Thinking, Originally published in Heidegger, Petry, Language, Thught. Translated by Albert Hfstadter. (New Yrk: Harper and Rw, 1959 [1954]), Tighe and Mueller 2013 Riis, Jacb. Hw the Other Half Lives, Originally published in W 26 Feb LeGates and Stut 2011 Cngress fr the New Urbanism. Charter fr the New Urbansim, Originally published in Cngress fr the New Urbanism Charter fr the New Urbanism, Secnd Editin. (1993, als available nline at Martin, Reinhld, et al The Buell Hypthesis. In Barry Bergdll and Reinhld Martin. Freclsed: Rehusing the American Dream. (New Yrk: Museum f Mdern Art). Tighe and Mueller 2013 Marcuse, Peter. Husing Plicy and the Myth f the Benevlent State, Originally published in Scial Plicy and Administratin (1978). Week 7: Prductin & Ecnmy M 3 Mar LeGates and Stut 2011 Engels, Frederich. The Great Twns, Originally published in Frederich Engels, The Cnditin f the Wrking Class in England in 1844 (public dmain, 1845). Mltch, Harvey. The City as a Grwth Machine: Twards a Plitical Ecnmy f Place, Originally published in American Jurnal f Scilgy 82 (September 1976), Week 8: Envirnment W 5 Mar M 10 Mar Sassen, Saskia The Glbal City: New Yrk, Lndn, Tky, Secnd Editin. (Princetn: Princetn University Press). Chapter 5, The Prducer Services, Chapter 6, Glbal Cities: Pstindustrial Prductin Sites, Framptn, Kenneth Twards a Critical Reginalism: Six Pints fr an Architecture f Resistance. In Labr, Wrk, and Architecture: Cllected Essays n Architecture and Design, New Yrk: Phaidn Press. Originally published in Hal Fster, ed., The Anti-Aesthetic: Essays n Pst-Mdern Culture. (Prt Twnsend, WA: Bay Press, 1983), Partridge, Ernest. "Are We Ready fr an Eclgical Mrality?" Envirnmental Ethics. 4 (Summer 1982): [Urban Praxis Syllabus: Spring 2014 page 6 f 9]

7 Week 9: Spring Break Week 10: Technlgy Week 11: Security W 12 Mar M 17 Mar W 19 Mar M 24 Mar W 26 Mar M 31 Mar PAPER 2 DUE Final Paper Assigned NO CLASS Spring Recess NO CLASS Spring Recess Castells, Manuel. "Eurpean Cities, the Infrmatinal Sciety, and the Glbal Ecnmy." The Jurnal f Ecnmic and Scial Gegraphy 84 (1993): 4. Matsuda, Misa Discurses f Keitai in Japan. In Persnal, Prtable, Pedestrian: Mbile Phnes in Japanese Life. (Cambridge: MIT Press), Schumacher, Patrik I Am Trying t Imagine a Radical Free-Market Urbanism (Interview with Peter Eisenman). In Lg 28 (Summer 2013), Fucault, Michel Pwer/Knwledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings, Edited by Clin Grdn. (New Yrk, Panthen). Chapter 2. Prisn Talk Originally published in Magazine Litteraire 101(June 1975) and reprinted as Les Jeux du Puvir in Plitiques de la Philsphie. D. Grisni, ed. (1976). Chapter 8. The Eye f Pwer Originally published as L Oeil du Puvir, a preface t Jeremy Bentham, Le Panptique (Paris, 1977). W 2 Apr LeGates and Stut 2011 Davis, Mike. Frtress L.A., Originally published in Davis, City f Quartz: Excavating the Future in Ls Angeles. (Lndn: Vers, 1990). Jacbs, Jane. The Uses f Sidewalks: Safety, Originally published in Jacbs, The Death and Life f Great American Cities. (New Yrk, Randm Huse, 1961). FINAL PAPER: TOPIC PROPOSAL DUE Part 3 The Big Three Week 12: Class M 7 Apr Sassen, Saskia Chapter 9. Ecnmic Restructuring as Class and Spatial Plarizatin, W 9 Apr Fainstein and Campbell 2002 Smith, Neil. "Gentrificatin, the Frntier and the Restructuring f Urban Space," Originally published in in Neil Smith and Peter Williams (eds.) Gentrificatin and the City. (Bstn: Allen and Unwin, 1986). Lin and Mele Caldeira, Teresa PR. Frtified Enclaves: The New Urban Segregatin, Originally published in Public Culture 8, 2 (1996), Week 13: Race M 14 Apr Fainstein and Campbell Gldsmith, William W. Frm the Metrplis t Glbalizatin: The Dialectics f Race and Urban Frm, Originally published in Peter Marcuse and Rnald van Kempen (eds), Glbalizing Cities: A New Spatial Order. (Oxfrd: Blackwell, 2000), W 16 Apr Wilkins, Craig L. The Aesthetics f Equity: Ntes n Race, Space, Architecture, and Music. Minneaplis: University f Minnesta Press, Chapter 1. Space Place [Urban Praxis Syllabus: Spring 2014 page 7 f 9]

8 Chapter 4. Space Actin Chatper 6. Architecture Mtin Week 14: Gender M 21 Apr Campbell and Fainstein 2003 Hayden, Dlres. "Nurturing: Hme, Mm, and Apple Pie," Originally published in Hayden, Redesigning the American Dream: The Future f Husing, Wrk, and Family Life, revised expanded editin (2002 [1984]), , LeGates and Stut 2011 Spain, Daphne. What Happened t Gender Relatins n the Way frm Chicag t Ls Angeles?, Originally published in City and Cmmunity 1,2 (June 2002), W 23 Apr Nesbitt 1996 Agrest, Diana I. Architecture frm Withut: Bdy, Lgic, and Sex, Originally published in Assemblage 7 (1998), FINAL PAPER: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY & OUTLINE DUE Epilgue Week 15: Justice, Equity, & the Public M 28 Apr Fainstein, Susan S. The Just City. Ithaca: Crnell University Press, Intrductin Tward an Urban Thery f Justice, Chapter 2 Justice and Urban Transfrmatin: Planning in Cntext, Flyvbjerg, Bent. Ratinality and Pwer: Demcracy in Practice. Steven Sampsn (trans). Chicag: University f Chicag Press, Chapter 20, Pwer Has a Ratinality that Ratinality Des Nt Knw, Harvey, David. "Scial Justice, Pstmdernism, and the City." Internatinal Jurnal f Urban and Reginal Research. 16 (1993): W 30 Apr Fainstein and Campbell Srkin, Michael. See Yu in Disneyland, Originally published in Michael Srkin (ed), Variatins n a Theme Park: The New American City and the End f Public Space. (New Yrk: Hill and Wang, 1992), Venturi, et al Learning frm Las Vegas. Cambridge: MIT Press. Thery f Ugly and Ordinary and Related and Cntrary Theries, Week 16: Ntes n Utpia M 5 May FINAL PAPER DUE References (Anthlgies & Readers listed in the Schedule abve) Campbell and Fainstein 2003 Campbell, Sctt and Susan S Fainstein, Eds Readings in Planning Thery. Malden, Blackwell. Fainstein and Campbell 2002 Lane 2007 Fainstein, Susan S and Sctt Campbell, Eds Readings in Urban Thery, Secnd Editin. Malden: Blackwell. Lane, Barbara Milles, Ed Husing and Dwelling: Perspectives n Mdern Dmestic Architecture. New Yrk: Rutledge. [Urban Praxis Syllabus: Spring 2014 page 8 f 9]

9 LeGates and Stut 2011 Lin and Mele 2013 Nesbitt 1996 Ockman 1993 Tighe and Mueller 2013 LeGates, Richard T and Frederic Stut, Eds The City Reader, Fifth Editin. New Yrk: Rutledge. (Full bk text is available nline as an ebk via the University Libraries.) Lin, Jan and Christpher Mele, Eds The Urban Scilgy Reader, Secnd Editin. (New Yrk: Rutledge). (Full bk text available as an ebk via the University Libraries ) Nesbitt, Kate, Ed Therizing a New Agenda fr Architecture: An Anthlgy f Architectural Thery, New Yrk: Princetn Architectural Press. Ockman, Jan, Ed Architecture Culture, New Yrk: Clumbia Bks n Architecture, Rizzli. Tighe, J. Rsie and Elizabeth J. Mueller The Affrdable Husing Reader. New Yrk: Rutledge. [Urban Praxis Syllabus: Spring 2014 page 9 f 9]