American City: Architectural and Urban Design History

Catalog description

This course explores the architectural and urban design histories of American cities, tracing their evolution from colonial settlements to the late 20th century. At the urban scale, we will examine diverse city planning traditions, including early grid designs, City Beautiful and Garden City movements, the impact of industrialization, and the rise of suburbanization. We will analyze the redevelopment of urban nodes and the tensions between historic preservation and urban renewal. The course will also investigate how zoning laws, racial segregation policies, and economic forces have shaped the cityscape. At the architectural scale, our focus will center on the design and transformation of housing in the American city. We will study a range of dwelling types, including row houses, immigrant tenements, apartments, public housing projects, and private developments. Throughout the course, we will consider how political decisions, economic systems, and social movements have influenced the design and use of urban spaces.