Start semester
40 332 Vitruvius – an investigation
Credits:
6
Full course name in Norwegian Bokmål:
Vitruvius – an investigation
Course code:
40 332
Level of study:
Master
Teaching semester:
2024 Autumn
Assessment semester:
2024 Autumn
Language of instruction:
English
Year:
2024
Maximum number of students:
12
Person in charge
Victor Plahte Tschudi
Required prerequisite knowledge
Admission to master in architecture at AHO and successful completion of three years bachelor level studies (180 ECTS).
Course content
The course reaches back to the foundational text in architecture, Vitruvius´ De Architectura (On Architecture) written ca. 20 BCE. It aims to re-evaluate the text and unravel the messages Vitruvius carries to today, concretized in specific areas of investigation. The first part of the course centers on understanding the text and its context, including some of Vitruvius´ central notions, and the books´ translations, interpretations, and publication history. A second part traces Vitruvius´ influence on architectural history and theory from antiquity to the present. A third part explores the relevance of Vitruvius today and aims to investigate how De architectura yields new and meaningful dimensions to the practice and thinking of architecture. Areas of investigation include materials, color, notions, gender, sustainability, the role of the architect, and the idea of the classical.
Learning outcome
Knowledge:
• Insight into the currents of architectural history from antiquity to the present.
• Understanding of bookmaking and publication history
• A grasp of central themes and notions in architecture that range from ideas such as beauty, “the classical”, and the problematic relation between architecture and words to the secrets of materiality, color, and the climatic impact on architecture nestling within Vitruvius´ text.
Skills:
• Analysis and interpretation of text
• Presentations of text
• Ability to conceptualize ideas and remanifest them as concrete projects
General competence:
• Ability to do independent research, write and present short papers, imagination and dexterity to develop projects.
Working and learning activities
The course is organized as combination of lectures and seminars on Tuesdays throughout the term. The lectures provide a context for the work and is held by practicing architects, as well as book- and architectural historians. The seminars take the form of workshops in which texts are discussed and themes developed. The course includes a midterm presentation of a preselected text-passage from Vitruvius and a final presentation and exhibition of relevant projects. Short daytrips are also on the agenda.
Students meet weekly (Tuesdays) for obligatory seminars and lectures and are expected to actively participate in discussions. Work includes short oral presentations of “finds” and a final project of written and visual material.
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project assignment | - | Pass / fail | The assessment is based on general course work and on a final project that consist of combination of visual material and an oral presentation |