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40 639 Architecture of Sport: Downhill
Master Level
Play is an essential feature of humanity, and sport formalizes this play in a social space. This series of courses is an examination of the spatial and architectural features of sport. Sport is a central aspect of our society, as it has been for millennia. Both the ancient Egyptians and Greeks afforded a prominent place to sport, and throughout history, it has provided a space for both participation and spectatorship. From the most casual of games to the cutthroat world of professional sports, it provides its participants with excitement, confrontation, competition and personal challenge. For the spring 2021 semester, the topic is downhill skiing.
The sport of skiing includes many disciplines, from cross-country and telemark to alpine, freestyle and jumping. Each of these occupy their own type of landscape and architecture. And each give rise to a different cultural image and demographic. The research in this course will delve into these topics as a basis for developing original architectural projects in a mountain context.
Primary Learning Outcome
- Ability to employ architectural research as a basis for original designs
Subsidary Learning Outcomes
- How to do basic research into a topic
- How landscape, sport and architecture interact
- How to communicate findings and designs
- An awareness of mountain architecture
The course consists of two activities: a series of lectures by architects, athletes and historians, and weekly reviews of progress. Our studies will lead us from the scale of a landscape (e.g. 1:10.000) to the development of architectural space at 1:50.
This course is intended as an in-person arrangement, but activities can when needed be moved to the internet. Attendance at all activities is essential.
An extensive list of literature on the topic is under preparation and will be available at course start. The following are general references on skiing.
Allen, E.J.B. - The Culture and Sport of Skiing. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2007.
Huntford, R. - Two Planks and a Passion. London: Continuum, 2008.
Johnson, W. - White heat: the extreme skiing life. New York: Atria Books, 2014.
Scharff, R. - Ski magazine's Encyclopedia of skiing. New York : Harper & Row, 1979.
| Mandatory coursework | Courseworks required | Presence required | Comment |
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| Presence required | Required |
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
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| Project assignment | - | Pass / fail |
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| Lectures | |
| Evaluation (mid term) |