Architectural Composition I-2024 | Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Architectural Composition I

Credits: 6

Code: 7986

Course: 2

Term: First semester

Type: OB

Module: Project Planning Module

Matter: Composition 1

Main language of instruction: English

Other languages of instruction: Spanish

Teaching staff

Head instructor:
Dr. ESTÉVEZ ESCALERA, Alberto - estevez@uic.es

Office hours:

Attention to the subject Architectural composition 1

Attention to students is always given when it is required, throughout the scheduled class schedule, both theoretical and practical. On the other hand, a specific schedule of personalized, individual attention is also established, which is set every Monday between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Without detriment to the choice of another time that can be arranged by appointment:

Prof. DDr. Alberto T. Estévez - estevez@uic.es

Prof. DDr. Yomna K. Abdallah - yomnaabdallah@uic.es

Introduction

“You can learn from the past but you can't continue to be in the past; history is not a substitute for imagination.”

Frank Gehry

"And the Modern Movement is the past, it is history, which now, in the third decade of the 21st century, is more than 100 years old."

Alberto T. Estévez

Within the “Project” Module (“Architectural Design Module”) of the Degree in Architecture, the Matter “Composition” (poorly and wrong translated as "History and Theory of Architecture") has 24 ECTS (European credits). These are distributed uniformly in 4 parts, in the respective 4 semesters of the second to third year: specifically, Composition 1, 2, 3 and 4. Also having an “Introduction” specific subject in the first year. As also have an “Introduction” specific subject in the first year for example the Matters of “Projects” and of “Construction”. The five subjects (Composition 1, 2, 3, 4 and this “Introduction”) should then be aligned in coherence with each other, updated and coordinated, as happens with the rest of the subjects and Matters of the Degree in Architecture. In the same way that a certain presence of this Matter should be considered in the TFG (Final Degree Work), as it also happens in the rest of the Matters.

Well, teaching and studying “Composition”, in the third decade of the XXI century as we are, is very different from teaching and studying it as it was done 50 years ago. It would be forgetting or not understanding everything that has happened in the last half century: a great evolution of ideas and an enormous enrichment of understandings that have existed until now about architecture around the world. Something that the current architecture student deserves to know and cannot be hidden from him due to ignorance or prejudice.

Thus, for example, today it must be asserted that architecture is not language: an idea that became especially fashionable many decades ago. Architecture is architecture, although it seems obvious to say so, which is what will be explained now in the subjects of Composition. Since every time it is said that architecture is language, poetry, “frozen music”, or any other assertion, what you do is establish a metaphor. And therefore, as in any metaphor, there is part of the truth and part of the lie. And “believing” it entirely, and building a single understanding around it, dogmatically clings, discriminates against other understandings, limits the horizon and impoverishes it.

In the same way that it is impoverished to think that the Matter of “Composition” tries to teach the history of art and architecture. Again, one must go to what is apparently obvious: in Composition, "Composition" is taught and studied, which is part of the “Project” Module. Module where one must also learn to project, to design, and to compose. And to project, and to design, and to compose, for our time, which is different from the last century. It is also in Composition where must be taught and studied to be an architect, not a historian. An architect of our time. In any case, it then tries more to teach to transcend history, to learn to “create objects”, which does not simply try to “listen to objects”, which is again a metaphor. And however erudite the quotations may seem to support certain understandings, they too become obsolete over time, and must be critically assumed. Thus, for example, today it is no longer understood that “architecture history is made because the meaning of current architecture is sought”, as Tafuri said more than half a century ago, but there are more ontological and experiential arguments behind it. Nor should it be generalized about "the anguish of the present" that he also said, to solve it by projecting. Concept more typical of an Eurocentric and existentialist world, of the last century, than of the global, multicultural and biodiverse world in which we are today. Etc. In short, the Matter and subjects of Composition must try to help students to form a correct and rigorous understanding of what Architecture really is, without the misunderstandings and prejudices accumulated over the decades, even by prestigious architects and recognized professors, and incidentally also understand what Art really is. All this assumed without myopia or shortsightedness, with the freedom that such terms deserve.

Pre-course requirements

Overlaps with other subjects in the same schedule are not accepted. The main language is English as marked in the descriptions of this School for this subject. The use of Spanish or Catalan will be optional for practical classes by groups and/or personal corrections.

Objectives

Sobre los contenidos de la Materia Composición, los objetivos de la titulación que afectan especialmente a esta materia son:

1. Aptitud para crear proyectos arquitectónicos que satisfagan a su vez las exigencias estéticas y las técnicas;

2. Conocimiento adecuado de la historia y de las teorías de la arquitectura, así como de las artes, tecnología y ciencias humanas relacionadas;

3. Conocimiento de las bellas artes como factor que puede influir en la calidad de la concepción arquitectónica;

Así pues, los contenidos de esta materia se disponen en línea con tales objetivos, con el fin de desarrollar las correspondientes competencias

(03, 04, 34-T, 35-T, 40, 48, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56 y 57, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 73, 74, 77):

- Composición, teoría e historia de los proyectos urbanos y de arquitectura.

- Crítica arquitectónica.

- Teorías generales de la forma, de la composición y de los tipos arquitectónicos.

- Historia general de la arquitectura.

- Procesos de simbolización, funciones prácticas y ergonomía desde la composición, teoría e historia.

- Necesidades sociales, calidad de vida, habitabilidad y programas básicos de vivienda desde la composición, teoría e historia.

- Tradiciones arquitectónicas, urbanísticas y paisajísticas de la cultura occidental. / Sus fundamentos técnicos, climáticos, económicos, sociales e ideológicos.

- Estética. / Teoría e historia de las bellas artes y de las artes aplicadas.

- Relación entre patrones culturales y responsabilidades sociales del arquitecto.

- Bases de la arquitectura vernácula.

- Sociología, teoría, economía e historia urbanas.

Estos 11 apartados son a su vez los resultados de aprendizaje a exigir al alumnado para la evaluación de las competencias.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

03 - To acquire adequate knowledge of spatial representation systems applied to architecture and urbanism .
04 - To acquire knowledge and apply it to the analysis and theory of form and the laws of visual perception in architecture and urbainism.
34-T - Ability to design, practice and develop basic and execution projects, sketches and blueprints.
35-T - Ability to conceive, put into practice and develop urban projects
40 - Ability to express architectural criticism.
48 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the general theories of form, composition and architectural typologies
49 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the history of architecture.
50 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the study methods for the processes of symbolization, practical functions and ergonomics.
51 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the study methods of social needs, quality of life, habitability and basic housing programmes
53 - To acquire adequate knowledge of architectural, urban development and landscaping traditions of Western culture, as well as their technical, climate, economic, social and ideological foundations
54 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the aesthetics, theory and history of Fine Arts and Applied Arts.
55 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the relationship between cultural patterns and the social responsibilities of the architect
56 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the principles of vernacular architecture
57 - To acquire adequate knowledge of urban sociology, theory, economy and history.
63 - Ability to conceive, put into practice and develop architectural and urban planning projects adapting with new times.
64 - Ability to conceive, put into practice and develop architectural and urban culture.
65 - Ability to recognise contemporary characteristics and freedom in the understanding of architecture.
66 - Ability to internalise architectural form.
67 - Ability to understand and analyse architecture and the city in relation to philosophical and societal systems.
68 - Ability to apply the aesthetics, theory and history of Fine Arts to architecture and urban planning.
69 - Ability to discover the critical-cultural dimension of the role of the architect
73 - To acquire adequate knowledge of research, experimentation and innovation in architecture.
74 - To acquire adequate knowledge of new architectural concepts and practices.
77 - To acquire adequate knowledge of the analysis and theory of form and laws of visual perception.

Learning outcomes of the subject

See next part.

Syllabus

Architectural composition 1

Origins of modern architecture: architecture and design from the end of the 19th century and first half of the 20th century (1851-1939)

Prof. DDr. Alberto T. Estévez + Prof. DDr. Yomna K. Abdallah

Program and planned work plan (agenda), 6 ECTS (x 25-30 h./ECTS = 150-180 h. Dedication 15 weeks, 10-12 h./sem.)

WEEK 1 (Monday, September 9, 2024, 10:15-14:15 h).

- 10:15 h. Introduction (Opening class: Justification - Objectives - Competences - Contents - Methodology - Bibliography - Evaluation - Attention - Documents).

- 11:00 h. Theoretical class: Approaches 1, what is architecture?

- 12:00 h. Theoretical class: Approaches 2, about what it is architecture? (Perfection and Details in Architecture).

- 13:00 h. Theoretical class: Approaches 3, what is being an architect?

WEEK 2 (Monday, September 16, 2024, 10:15-14:15 h).

- 10:15 h. Topic 1: Breaking the classical tradition, in pursuit of a new art, architecture and design for a new world.

Crisis of historicism - Birth of a “New Style” - Antecedents and Precursors (contextualization).

Universal Exhibitions - Architecture and design with iron (the new materials) - Joseph Paxton [Crystal Palace].

- 12:15 h. Topic 2: Applied Arts Reform in the British Countries - Ruskin and Morris - Arts & Crafts (Mackmurdo, Dresser, Voysey).

WEEK 3 (Monday, September 23, 2024, 10:15-14:15 h).

- HOLIDAYS.

WEEK 4 (Monday, September 30, 2024, 10:15-14:15 h).

- 10:15 h. Topic 3: Modernisme in Catalonia I (Domènech, Puig, Jujol) - Emotionality and rationality - The Catalan triad (Domènech, Puig, Jujol).

- 11:15 h. Topic 4: Modernisme in Catalonia II (Gaudí) - Emotionality and rationality - The Catalan genius (Gaudí).

- 12:15 h. Topic 4: Modernisme in Catalonia III (Gaudí) - Symbolism in the Sagrada Familia.

WEEK 5 (Monday, October 7, 2024, 10:15-14:15 h).

- 11:15 h. Theoretical-practical class, at La Pedrera - Casa Milà - architecture itinerary of Modernisme (meeting point, corner of Paseo de Gracia / Calle Provenza).

WEEK 6 (Monday, October 14, 2024, 10:15-14:15 h).

- 11:15 h. Theoretical-practical class, at La Sagrada Familia (meeting point, facade of the Sagrada Familia on Calle Marina).

WEEK 7 (Monday, October 21, 2024, 10:15-14:15 h).

- 10:15 h. Topic 5: Art Nouveau in Belgium (Horta) - Free line and geometry.