History of Architecture

Catalog description

This course traces the history of architecture from prehistoric times through the modern era, with particular emphasis on the iconic structures of human civilization that have shaped the building traditions of the European and Asian continents. The focus is on reconstructing as fully as possible the context of major architectural masterpieces and investigating their iconography and symbolic content. In addition to Western monuments, the architecture of China, Japan, Siam and the Indian subcontinent is also explored, as well as the interconnections between Eastern and Western visual culture, and between the Islamic and Judeo-Christian worlds, during the last two millennia. Course fee required.