Modern Architecture and Urbanism — Week 1 Notes

Welcome and context

• Professor Walker introduces the course: Modern Architecture and Urbanism
• Quick room-check: if you have a broken desk, tell the instructor as you leave to ensure the room works for everyone
• Ice-breaker: asks about everyone’s summer and shares a personal “to-do” summer list (s’mores, boating, seeing fireworks, etc.)
• Anecdote about attending a Rumble Ponies minor league baseball game with humorous, memorable events (mascot Rowdy on the roof, meatball-themed promotions) to illustrate a fun, relatable start to the semester
• The midterm and overall course tone are previewed as both fun and rigorous

Instructor and teaching assistant

• Instructor: Professor Walker, in the art history department
• Teaching assistant: Suri Kim, a top student with interests in architecture
• Suri Kim’s research focus: art related to biochemistry, biotechnologies, artificial life, and multi-species subjectivity production in bio art; exploring art within contaminated bio infrastructures
• Suri invites students to take her classes and notes the professor’s kindness, while jokingly noting she can be a tough but exciting instructor

Research interests and teaching rationale

• Professor Walker emphasizes that faculty conduct research at a research university, and there is overlap between class topics and faculty research
• First book topic: government architecture in Berlin after the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989) and German reunification (1990)
• Master plan context: government district in Berlin, the bend of the Spree River, historic sites near the Berlin Wall, and the interplay of past ideas with contemporary architecture
• Current research: Brigitte Dorshi (born 1920 in Berlin), architect-urban planner, postwar reconstruction in West Germany, exchange program to the United States, study with Frank Lloyd Wright, apprenticeship at Wright’s Arizona fellowship, later moving to Japan to become Germany’s first Zen master
• Emphasis: Brigitte Dorshi’s trajectory from high modernism toward Zen practice; the class will explore how such figures illuminate shifts in architectural thinking
• Research goal: examine how a single architect’s career can reveal transitions within modernism and beyond

Course orientation and big questions

• The class balances “fun” (exploring modern architecture) with “business” (syllabus, expectations)
• Core question introduced: how does modern architecture relate to its predecessors, i.e., how contemporary architecture relates to modern architecture?
• Central concept: paradigm shift of modernity, largely tied to the Industrial Revolution; the course will trace how architecture responds to this shift
• Introduction to key vocabulary: zeitgeist (the spirit of the age), a German term used to discuss the social, political, and cultural climate that shapes artistic and architectural production
• The stakes: for modern architects, architecture is not just about form or beauty but about saving society from the negative effects of modernity; architecture is seen as a primary instrument for social transformation

What is modern architecture? Associations and themes from student responses

• The instructor prompts students to share associations with modern architecture (form, material, social meaning, etc.)
• Common associations discussed include: machine aesthetic (clean lines, minimal ornament, emphasis on function), honesty of materials (exposing structure like glass, steel, concrete), industrial/ factory-like aesthetics, and a focus on the mass public and social utility
• Examples cited and discussed to illustrate variety within modern architecture:
• Bauhaus as a recognizable image of modern architecture
• Rubinsky House in Tel Aviv by Abraham Marcus Feld: clean lines with curved balconies and a strong, objective material honesty
• Villa Maria by Alvar Aalto: regional modernism using wood slats, warm materials, and textile-like ceiling articulation; warmth and earthiness contrasted with industrial materials
• Viceroy’s House in New Delhi by Edmund Lutyens: a hybrid of colonial classical forms with Indian motifs and on-site contributions by local architects, illustrating hybrid, monumental modernist expression
• US Post Office and Courthouse in Binghamton, completed 1935 by Conrad and Cummings: New Deal era project; explicitly historicizing and referencing classical antiquity to restore dignity post-Great Depression
• Acknowledgment: modernism is diverse, sometimes “weird,” highly textured, and regionally varied; it includes prototypes and sometimes subpar copies of a minimalistic idea
• The class will examine the tension between perfection and critique: “the poetry of the right angle” (orthogonality) vs. cookie-cutter urban forms; institutional aesthetics vs. expressive experimentation
• The concept of “honesty” in materials and the desire to reveal the building’s internal purpose and function is emphasized

Key conceptual framework: paradigm shift and zeitgeist

• Paradigm shift definition: deep structural changes that alter how life is lived, including work methods and experiences of time; not a mere update, but a fundamental reframing
• Modern architecture as a response to a paradigm shift driven by the Industrial Revolution; contemporaries did not wait to react but actively engaged with these changes
• Zeitgeist: a concerted spirit of a given era that motivates and unites people under a shared set of ideas; understanding zeitgeist is essential to creating meaningful art and architecture
• Consequences of not aligning with the zeitgeist: creating architecture that missteps with society’s needs can degrade daily life or even harm living conditions
• The stakes for modern architects: architecture as a potential means to salvage society from the corrosive effects of modernity; architecture as a specific tool to realize a new social order
• The semester will explore how different architects interpreted the zeitgeist with varied political leanings (leftist, socialist, communist) and how these beliefs informed architectural language

Beyond the Bauhaus: modernism’s breadth and regional diversity

• Modernism is not monolithic; it includes regional variants and stylistic idiosyncrasies
• An example of regional modernism is Finland’s Villa Maria (Alvar Aalto), featuring natural materials and warmth that diverge from stark industrial modernism
• The course will discuss monumental, colonial, and postcolonial buildings (e.g., Viceroy’s House in New Delhi) to show how modern language interacts with local contexts and histories

Syllabus and course logistics (overview of first-day policies)

• The syllabus is a core resource; the instructor plans to cover it in detail so students know what is required
• Contact information for professor and TA, and office locations:
• Office hours: Mondays, 02:45–04:45; Professor’s office: Fine Arts 309 (above John Arthur Cafe)
• TA offices: Fine Arts 341, Third Floor
• Course type and credit: this class fulfills the aesthetics requirement in the general education distribution; four credit course; students are expected to invest $9.5$ hours per week outside scheduled class time for reading, writing, and studying
  • Outside-work expectation: $9.5$ hours per week
• Attendance policy: attendance is essential for passing; there are two free absences; additional absences affect the attendance/participation grade
• Two free absences: $2$ free absences; no need to inform in advance
• Study groups and peer notes: students are encouraged to form study groups and share notes if someone misses a class
• Technology policy: the classroom is technology-free; notes should be taken by hand; phones, laptops, and tablets should be away during class unless accommodations require otherwise (sitting in front rows if accommodations needed)
• Academic integrity and AI: students are expected to submit their own work; AI usage is discussed, with caution around final papers; the instructor emphasizes trust in students and will discuss AI usage on a case-by-case basis for the final project
• Late work and penalties: late-work penalties are steep (lowered by one letter grade per day); all assignments must be completed to pass
• Grading breakdown (approximate distribution):
• Attendance: 15 ext{%}
• Reading quizzes (based on primary-source essays and Brightspace readings): 15 ext{%}
• Midterm exam: writing-focused (essay format; uses terms, concepts, and readings from class)
• Final exam: same format as midterm
• Writing assignments: tied to a realistic project (designing a new Fine Arts Building for the campus) with a specific rubric
• Course schedule and reading strategy: readings are due on the date assigned; quizzes will be announced in advance; a practical strategy suggested: read after the lecture to align with discussions and use Curtis as a review resource
• Important scheduling notes: some weeks include one meeting rather than two; a Monday class may meet on Tuesday during certain weeks; professors may move or record lectures (e.g., the Tuesday before Thanksgiving) to ensure access for students off-campus

Required texts and readings

• Two required textbooks:
• William J. Curtis, Modern Architecture since 1900, third edition (hard to find online; ensure you have the third edition if you seek a PDF; otherwise, obtain a physical copy)
  • If you find a PDF, make sure it is the third edition to avoid permanent confusion
• Olber Conrad, Programs and Manifestos on Twentieth Century Architecture (anthology)
• Additional readings: available on Brightspace in the readings folder; these are not part of the two primary texts but supplement the course
• Reading strategy emphasis: the Curtis text is rich and challenging but highly beneficial for lecture support; do not skip it; if you struggle, slow down and persist

Reading, quizzes, and exams

• Reading quizzes: not from the Curtis text; they assess understanding of primary-source essays and Brightspace readings
• Quiz timing: quizzes are announced in advance; the lowest quiz grade is dropped at the end of the term
• Midterm and final exams: primarily writing-based, essay exams requiring use of terms, concepts, and readings from class

Assignments and final project

• Writing assignments: connected to a real-world institutional context—the founding of a School of the Arts at the university and the plan for a new Fine Arts Building; students will design a concept and write about spaces and aesthetics for that project
• The final assignment requires a detailed architectural proposal (conceptual design) for a new Fine Arts Building on campus; the assignment is highly specific and localized; students are encouraged to explore creative and realistic approaches
• AI use in the final paper: students can discuss potential AI usage with the instructor; possibilities include using AI in creative ways (e.g., Minecraft-based design exploration) but must be discussed with the instructor to ensure integrity

Reading strategy and class tips

• If you struggle with Curtis’s reading, a practical tip is to read after the lecture so the discussion in class helps you understand and then use the Curtis text as a review resource
• The syllabus should be treated as a reference guide for scheduling and requirements; refer to it before class for changes or updates

First-week tasks and social setup

• Students are encouraged to introduce themselves and connect with a classmate to share notes if needed; this fosters a study-network and ensures coverage if someone misses a class
• Coffee or drinks are allowed during class, but food is discouraged; a prior student once brought a sizzling fajita station as a stunt to test the instructor’s rules, illustrating a light-hearted but memorable learning environment

Miscellaneous logistical notes

• Thanksgiving week: the Tuesday lecture may be offered via Zoom or recorded; the instructor aims to keep access to all students; off-campus access will be provided for that session
• The syllabus outlines several changes to the schedule due to travel or campus events; students should reference it regularly to stay on track

Quick primer on key terms for the course

• Modern architecture: a broad, diverse movement emphasizing function, material honesty, machine aesthetics, and social/political dimensions
• Modernism is not monolithic; it’s shaped by regional variations and by different political commitments (left, socialist, communist) and by the desire to address social inequalities embedded in urban environments
• Zeitgeist: the spirit of the age that informs both the creation and reception of architecture; understanding the zeitgeist is essential to meaningful design and analysis
• Paradigm shift: a deep, structural change in how life is organized and experienced, not just incremental advancements

Encouragement and closing thoughts for the first week

• The instructor expresses excitement about the semester and the chance to discuss intersecting interests
• Emphasis on community, regular attendance, active note-taking, and engagement in office hours and class discussions
• Acknowledge the high stakes of architectural work in relation to social, political, and economic contexts; students are invited to participate thoughtfully and critically throughout the course

Summary connections to upcoming topics

• Thursdays will cover the industrial revolution in depth and its architectural responses
• The course will progressively examine how architecture attempted to “save society” from the potential harms of modernity and how different architects pursued varied strategies to address urban and social concerns
• Expect ongoing discussion of historical monuments, postcolonial contexts, and how modern language interacts with local histories