Architectural Theory 3

Code:

400403

Acronym:

400403

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
CNAEF	Architecture and Urbanism

Instance: 2013/2014 - A

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Arquitectura (A)
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master Degree in Architecture

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIARQ	211	MIARQ	4	-	6	-	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The issue of this UC: The Forms of PUBLIC SPACE

1. The pursuit of a definition of Public Space as a category of Architecture, that is, a set of spacial forms dictated by the universal principles of order, proportion, economy and others, as well as by circumstantal reasons of social values, state of the art and nature. Methodical quest of principles and circunstances.
Concepts acquired in precedent units of architectural theory will be enlarged and methods oriented towards autonomous thinking required for nestling personal research fields.
2. State of the art of architectual theory. Pluri and interdisciplinarity, towards an outline of the fields of Architecture and Urban Design . Science, Art and Technics. Theory and Criticism, Design and Construction. Literature of Architecture, from the Classic Books to contemporary publications ( generalist and speciality).
3. Theoretical and critical knowledge endeavours strategic formulation which, in the domain of Architecture, is operated and attains full expression by the project.
4. Experimental research is the essential requirement for any theoretical formulation in Teoria 3, followed by the demands of demonstration (facts and arguments) through the disciplinary instruments of architecture (hand and computer drawing, measuring and calculation, photographic or other image capture means, graphic design of text and image maters) complemented by bibliographic research and, eventually, by interview (authors, users, promoters, constructors).
5. Autonomous choice and enunciation of Architectural issues.
6. New technologies required by Teoria 3, for production, register, discussion and archive, have the primary purpose of development both instrumental crafts and communication habits, that serve in first instance, freedom of speech fed by debate apprenticeship and, as equally valuable, the digital archive that allow others to read, criticise and continue one’s work.

Learning outcomes and competences

Recognition of the public Spaces as positive facts with significative forms that must be expressed by the disciplinary instruments of architecture. 

Working method

Presencial

Program

Empirical research will be adressed to public spaces or buildings, freely chosen by each student but necessarily visited, where different kinds of built forms may stand, such as a public facility, housing, from work places to leisure ones.
HIGHLIGHTS for 2012-2013: Public spaces in small urban settlements; Public spaces in material culture context - agriculture, industry, logistics); Public Spaces or Buildings designed and built after 1975.
By recognizing that architectural research implies types of reasoning that belong and sometimes are dominant in artistic fields of knowledge, such as projective and synthetic thought, among the case study options, the student may consider the existing public spaces inscribed in the scenery of the exercise of the Architectural Design unit he is attending, therefore design proposals are admitted both as theoretical and practical results.

1. Urban analysis: Identity of the architectonic elements that constitute the urban form. Public Space and forms of buildings. The principle of continuity, as a conceptual hypothesis for the analysis of the architecture of public space. The human body, a powerful tool for comprehensive reading of space. (Fonseca, 2008)
2. Domestic and institutional space – towards the identifying of social and urbanistic phenomena that underlie the forms of dwelling, of working and public facilities. Hierarchy of architectonic forms. Existency, Values and Forms. The social issue in Architecture.
3. From urban history to urban design. Regeneration, refurbishing and expansion as technical and political concepts.
4. An initiation into research methodology on urban and architectural facts. Practical and theoretical instruments for architectural criticism. Critical objectivity in architecture. Theory, strategy and project. Review and concept innovation. New thinking and identity – the author and his case.
5. Evolution and upgrade of the expression “principles” in Architecture. (C. PERRAULT, J. RUSKN, Le CORBUSIER)
6. The relevance of writing in architectural knowledge. Writings and interviews of masters. Writings by architects – objectivity, simplicity and economy of their words. Their mates, the poets.
7. Contemporary urban projects for urban space transformation. Public Space as a category. (KOOLHAAS, SIZA 2008). Identity, urbanity, citizenship. A regra e o modelo (CHOAY, 1980) Norma e Forma
8. Consistency of urban design – imagery, tectonics and maintenance - and its material architectonic expression. Ethics, Aesthetics and Technique. (FONSECA, 1996)
9. Architectural form as Sign. Integrity, uniqueness and historicity of the architectonic fact. Proportion and Beauty today.
10. Design for public facilities, a review from classic treatises, modern manuals and contemporary norms. Principle, rule and measure. Planning, program and design for institutional spaces.
11. The institutional client – identifying the architect’s interlocutor. Effects of inter-action in public promotion of architecture.
12. Functional brief as progressive argument in the realm of architectural design. Architectural expression of function - narrative and abstraction – the subject of style.
13. Scale and layout – compromises between building and public space. Figure and background concepts applied to urbanism and public building in special.
14. Dependence between the development of a public building and its surrounding space.
15. Form consistency. Economy of expression means. Construction. Reviewing the idea of “resilience”.
16. The state of the art for “monument”: Form and meaning. Architectural values for contemporary changes on monumental sites.

Mandatory literature

Alberti Leon Battista; Da arte edificatória. ISBN: 978-972-31-1374-7
Polión Marco Vitruvio 070; Les dix livres d.architecture. ISBN: 2-903442-29-0
Zevi Bruno; Architettura in nuce
Rasmussen Steen Eiler; Experiencing architecture. ISBN: 0-262-18003-0
Venturi Robert; Iconography and electronics upon a generic architecture. ISBN: 0-262-22051-2
Machabert Dominique, Beaudouin Laurent ; Alvaro Siza ; Une Question De Mesure, LE MONITEUR, 2008. ISBN: 9782281193565

Complementary Bibliography

Quetglas Josep; Artículos de ocasión. ISBN: 84-252-1525-0
Moneo Rafael; Inquietud teórica y estrategia proyectual. ISBN: 84-95951-68-1
Pallasmaa Juhani; The thinking hand. ISBN: 978-0-470-77929-3

Teaching methods and learning activities

Teaching methods serve the theoretical nature of the contents, through a diversity of the forms of contact between student and teacher that vary from full attendance to individual tutorial work, seminar sessions evolving several teams. Auditorium lectures, by the professor and guests, serve content information, motivation, critical reading of case studies and other exercises. Seminar and tutorial work implies the experimental use of concepts, individual case study choice, team and method structuring, decision and leadership learning, coaching for intermediate results share and presentation.
On the bases of written and graphic materials referred to themes and case studies, students are expected to exercise structuring and clearing his discourse through multimedia. Guests may be invited to offer their knowledge on a particular subject, on interdisciplinary work, or as an institutional representative for a building need.

Software

CAD
Power Point

keywords

Humanities > Arts
Humanities > Philosophy > Aesthetics
Humanities > Philosophy > Phenomenology
Social sciences > Geography
Technological sciences > Architecture
Technological sciences > Architecture > Design > Environmental design

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Defesa pública de dissertação, de relatório de projeto ou estágio, ou de tese	0,00
Exame	0,00
Participação presencial	20,00
Prova oral	0,00
Teste	50,00
Trabalho de campo	10,00
Trabalho escrito	20,00
Trabalho laboratorial	0,00
Total:	100,00

Eligibility for exams

Register of attendance classes is recquired.
Evaluation will be composed by the results of the two tests and a minimum of two informs of the exercises proposed in class.

Calculation formula of final grade

Components of final Classification - scale 0-20
20% - Presence 

30% - Avarage of results from two written papers along the year
50% - Written exams, Classification is the average of results from two tests.

Evaluation criteria
• Program: Comprehension of Public space as an architectonic fact, that expresses the collective values of society.
• Method: Pertinence of choice of examples, diversity and accuracy of data and its analysis, objectivity of interpretation, originality of critical arguments, quality of results, economy of media.
• Frequency and active participation: Presence in class, apprehension and development of lectures issues, prosecution of examples given by the professor, critical evaluation of the cases presented by colleagues and himsellf, iniciative and capability in team work.

Examinations or Special Assignments

1. Lierature review

2. My body in journey, an experience of recognition of an existing and actually visited public space (drawing, photo and writting)

Observations

English, French, Italian and Spanish languages will be accepted in written papers but final results must be submitted in portuguese or bilingual ( portuguese and one of the above).