Arch 150 Appreciation of Architecture I

Time and Location Autumn quarter, 2017. Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30-4:50, 130 Kane Hall

Instructor Professor Alex T. Anderson, Ph.D.

170F Architecture Hall
office hours: w 1:30 – 3:30 (or by appointment)
ata@u.washington.edu

Course Description This course provides a broad introduction to architecture. It addresses the historical
evolution of architecture, cultural significance of buildings in their geographic and social
contexts, fundamental design principles, building materials and construction techniques,
environmental factors that affect building design, and the roles of designers, builders,
patrons, clients, and users of buildings. The course focuses primarily on architecture
built before the modern era, from prehistory to 1400. This course precedes and
compliments Arch 151 Appreciation of Architecture II.

Learning Objectives By the end of the quarter each student should:

• Have a good understanding of architectural principles and traditional building
construction techniques
• Have a basic grasp of the global history of architecture from prehistory to 1400
• Be able to identify key works of architecture from the period and their significance

Format The class meets twice weekly for a series of illustrated lectures. There are approximately
300 pages of required reading, regular assignments and on-line tests.

Requirements Regular attendance at lectures is required. I strongly recommend that you read the
assigned material before the lectures in which it will be covered. Because the lectures do
not follow the order of the textbook precisely, you may find it useful first to read an entire
chapter in anticipation of the lectures dealing with the material covered. You should then
carefully review applicable pages immediately before each lecture.
I will discuss details for each assignment in class and on the course website. All
assignments are due at the time specified.
To avoid distractions, you may not use cell phones or computers (tablet or laptop)
during the lectures. If you need special accommodation for note-taking please contact
Professor Anderson.

Required Text Michael Fazio, Marian Moffett, and Lawrence Wodehouse, Buildings Across Time: An
Introduction to World Architecture, 4th edition, (McGraw Hill Education)

Additional required readings will be available as pdf files on the course website.

Recommended Texts Mark M. Jarzombek, Vikramaditya Prakash, Francis D. K. Ching, A Global History of
Architecture, 2nd ed. (Wiley, 2011). Available on reserve in the CBE Library and as an e-
book through the UW Libraries.

Course Web Site https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1114231

Communication The course assistants and I are happy to meet with students outside of class or after the
lectures; however, please do not plan to meet with us immediately before the lectures. If
you cannot make it to announced office hours, please make individual arrangements,
preferably via e-mail.
E-mail is a useful and convenient mode of communication; however, do not
expect us to respond at length to questions of content, definitions of terms, grading
disputes, etc. If you have a question that requires a substantive response, please set up
an appointment to speak with one of us.
Please turn off cell phones before class.

Testing Tests cover material presented in the lectures and required readings. They are all on-
line and can be completed outside of class time. Because of the large enrollment,
makeup tests will not be allowed except in cases of proven and officially documented
hardship.

Grading Assignments are read and graded by the course assistants. If you have questions about
the grading of an assignment, first contact the course assistant who graded it. State your
points of contention clearly in writing before you meet. Remember that a grade can be
raised or lowered...
Final percentage grades will be calculated on the basis of 150 points available in
the course and then converted to the University’s 4.0 scale.

Assignment 1 15 points
Assignment 2 15 points
Test 1 30 points
Test 2 30 points
Test 3 30 points
Test 4 30 points

Note: Details of the syllabus and course schedule are subject to change. Significant changes will be announced in class and posted on the website.
Course Outline and Lecture Schedule

Date Themes Reading* Work

1 th 9/28 Course overview 1-7

2 tu 10/3 Construction 1: mud, wood, and stone

3 th 10/5 Prehistory 1: the architecture of nomadic and early 251-258, 274-282

agrarian societies GH_intro.pdf

4 tu 10/10 Prehistory 2: megalithic architecture 9-14

5 th 10/12 First civilizations: cities and public space 14-20, 63-66, 81-83 Test 1 opened
GH_2500bce.pdf

6 tu 10/17 The diffusion of architectural ideas GH_1500bce-200ce.pdf

7 th 10/19 Egypt 1: architecture of the old kingdom 20-33 Assignment 1

opened

8 tu 10/24 Egypt 2: architecture of the new kingdom

9 th 10/26 South Asia: Buddhist and Hindu architecture 65-79 Assignment 1

due

10 tu 10/31 East Asia: early architecture of China and Japan 83-97

11 th 11/2 Americas: cities and architecture of Central and 259-274 Test 2 opened
South America

12 tu 11/7 Greece 1: Aegean and archaic Greek architecture 35-61

13 th 11/9 Greece 2: classical Greek and Hellenistic

architecture

14 tu 11/14 Rome 1: architecture of the republic 105-131

15 th 11/16 Rome 2: architecture of the empire Test 3 opened

16 tu 11/21 Construction 2: concrete, vaults, domes

th 11/23 Thanksgiving holiday

17 tu 11/28 Byzantine and Carolingian architecture 133-146, GH 400-1200ce.pdf Assignment 2

opened

18 th 11/30 Early Islamic architecture in the Middle East and 153-160, 172-175
Spain

19 tu 12/5 Romanesque architecture in Europe 177-211 Assignment 2

due

20 th 12/7 Gothic architecture in Europe 213-249 Test 4 opened

* Page numbers refer to: Michael Fazio, Marian Moffett, and Lawrence Wodehouse, Buildings Across Time: An Introduction to World Architecture, 4th
edition. PDF files are available on the course website https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1114231