Start semester
40 326 REFORM. Architecture and Social Transformation
- Admission to AHO and successful completion of three years bachelor level studies (180 ECTS).
- Much of the material is in Norwegian, so it is useful to know a Nordic language.
Part of course series: OCCAS
The course is open to students from: Architecture, Design and Landscape Architecture
The second half of the 19th century was marked by radical social reform, creating new architectural needs and prompting new building types. In Norway, the penal reform of 1850 led to the building of near 60 prisons all around the country, while the mental illness act of 1848 spurred entirely new types of hospitals. This course studies the relationship between social reform, legislation, and architecture, taking Norwegian architectural history as its point of departure. The course research will form part of the new 5 volume series Norwegian Architectural History (Pax, 2024–2028), while the course itself will end in an exhibition.
Knowledge:
- Knowledge of the social significance of architecture, and more specifically about the relationship between social reform, legislation, and architecture.
Skills:
- Archival research skills
- Academic reading and writing
- Exhibition design and curation
General competence:
- Experience in contextualizing architecture and communicating its social significance.
The course is organized as a lecture series, followed each week by reading seminars, archival searches, and discussions.
We will make local trips to visit the key building types in question, e.g. prisons, mental hospitals, schools, and agricultural facilities.
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe) | Individual | Pass / fail | The course is assessed on the basis of seminar presentations, case studies, and contribution to the final exhibition. It must be stated in writing at the start of the course which elements are included in the folder, when they must be delivered and what is required for them to be approved. One overall grade is assigned to the folder. |
| Workload activity | Comment |
|---|---|
| Attendance | Students are expected to attend all course days and be active participants in the seminar activities. |