COURSE CONTENT

The course examines the principal architectural theories underpinning twentieth-century architectural production, with particular emphasis on the period from the postwar era to the present day. Its primary objective is to foster a critical understanding of the main issues in contemporary architectural research by analyzing key texts in architectural theory and criticism, as well as selected extracts from literature, philosophy, and other fields (including critical, media, art, sociological, and economic theories). These readings will help illuminate the representative architectural ideas in relation to broader cultural and socio-economic contexts.

Themes such as aesthetics, ethics, phenomenology, and the notion of complexity will be employed to contextualize and clarify the theoretical discourse put forth by contemporary architects, alongside their practical endeavors.

In the current intellectual climate, it is no longer feasible to treat theory as a dogma or as a fixed canon of pivotal texts and authors. Instead, architectural theories—by necessity plural and transdisciplinary—should function as frameworks for debate and as avenues for critical engagement. This orientation will be pursued in the course through the close reading of important essays by contemporary architects, with the additional aim of assessing how closely their theoretical standpoints align with their built work.

Furthermore, the course’s teaching methodology foregrounds the relationship between architecture and the city, both by examining individual architectural achievements in depth and by analyzing their connections to their contexts. While particular attention will be paid to Rome, the course will also incorporate relevant case studies from other parts of the world, with a special focus on cities in emerging countries.

COURSE PURPOSES AND LEARNING PROCESS

One of the primary objectives of this course is to reflect on the significance of “architectural theory” at a time when the need for theoretical reflection and renewal has arguably never been more urgent. In confronting the transformative events that have defined the last quarter century—ranging from environmental crises, mass migrations, and the pandemic to political polarization and rising income inequality—architecture must reassess its conceptual underpinnings.

To examine the role of theory in contemporary architecture, a set of specific theoretical approaches—including questions of aesthetics, ethics, environment, materiality, and technology—will be selected collectively. Students will work in teams to delve deeply into each chosen approach, presenting it to the class and articulating its relevance.

During the course, students will identify and thoroughly analyze a series of key terms—some that are frequently mentioned today (such as “sustainability” or “inclusion”), others of a broader scope (like “aesthetics” or “complexity”), still others more commonly applied (“memory” or “communication”), and yet others that remain underexplored, or that need to be contextualized and redefined (for instance “beauty” or “lyricism”).

The goal is to enrich architectural discourse to include diverse aspects, including those often neglected by critics. Our discipline requires such redefinition, and we are compelled to identify the essential needs that architecture must address in the contemporary world.

Ultimately, the course endeavors to address questions and arguments, without necessarily presuming to offer definitive answers. Teacher and students will explore these issues jointly, in a setting characterized by active participation, critical exchange, and continuous learning.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The overarching aim of this course is to foster students’ critical thinking and to enhance their ability to identify, compare, and articulate the various theoretical approaches that characterize the contemporary architectural landscape. Students will also be guided toward understanding the conceptual principles that inform contemporary design processes.

By the end of the course, students are expected to achieve the following outcomes:

-       Critical Thinking. Develop the ability to examine architectural representations and built works from multiple perspectives. Engage in informed discussions on architectural issues, challenging assumptions and fostering well-reasoned debate.

-       Analytical Competence. Acquire the methods and tools required for the systematic analysis of architectural works and themes. Building on their personal interests or inclinations, students will refine their capacity to observe, investigate, and interpret architecture in context.

-       Self-Learning Know-How. After familiarizing themselves with the methodological frameworks presented in the course, students will gain the necessary skills to independently seek, evaluate, and synthesize relevant references and sources on specific topics.

-       Reading and Writing Proficiency. Attain a specialized vocabulary and a clear, concise style suited to presenting and disseminating ideas through a variety of media and formats, from written essays to oral presentations.

-       Collaborative and Communication Skills. Cultivate the ability to work effectively within a team, contributing to collective research projects and group presentations.

-       ContextualAwareness. Strengthen the capacity to situate architectural theory and practice within broader cultural, social, economic, and environmental frameworks. Demonstrate awareness of how diverse contexts shape design decisions and theoretical discourse.

LEARNING METHODS AND ACTIVITIES

The course is organized around lectures, collective readings of multiple texts, excursions, teamwork, and private study. Students will be actively encouraged to develop personal insights and conduct research both individually and in groups. The outputs of these personal investigations—whose format will be agreed upon with the instructor and tailored to each student’s expressive inclinations—will serve as an integral part of the final evaluation, together with an oral examination.

-       Lectures. Lectures will be led by the instructor and may also feature external experts who will address specific topics. This approach ensures a diversity of viewpoints and potentially opens discussions that transcend the realm of architecture.

-       Collective Readings. These sessions will focus on examining texts selected periodically from the course bibliography, aligned with the themes covered in lectures. The readings will be participatory, prompting students to raise questions and engage in active debate about the key ideas in the chosen works.

-       Excursions. The class will visit several of the most significant modern and contemporary buildings or districts in Rome to underscore the value of firsthand spatial experience in architectural investigation. Students will be encouraged to sketch and photograph these spaces (or use any other artistic technique, subject to prior approval by the instructor). They will then compile a notebook in which the buildings or districts are analyzed through the lens of the key terms identified during the course. Each set of images will be accompanied by a short text (up to 300 words) explaining the creative process behind the observations.

-       Teamwork. Working in instructor-monitored groups, students will deepen their understanding of a single key term (see “course purposes and learning process”). In addition, each group will choose a contemporary architect and link that architect’s work to their theoretical writings. The outcomes of these investigations will be presented to the class at the end of the course in the form of a concise PowerPoint (a maximum of 10 slides for the chosen key term and 10 slides for the architect’s theoretical/practical approach).

-       Private Study. Each student will be invited to create a glossary to explore, interpret, and reflect on the key terms and their applications (see “course purposes and learning process”). This glossary will be discussed during the oral exam.

Please Note: The specific types of documents (drawings, photographs, three-dimensional models, videos, texts, etc.) that groups and individual students must submit will be decided in consultation with the instructor and may vary according to each participant’s preferred modes of expression.

EVALUATION
The course includes two examinations, each worth 50% of the final grade.

-       First Examination. This will take place at the end of the semester and will consist of the teamwork presentation to the class (see “Learning Methods and Activities”).

-       Second Examination. This will be an individual oral interview during the final exam session, which must be booked on Sapienza Infostud webpage. In this interview, students will present the results of their private study (again, see “Learning Methods and Activities”) and discuss the topics covered throughout the lectures and assigned readings.

Specific conditions and required previous knowledge

This is an optional course that can be added to a student’s study plan at any point, from the first year through the final year.

Non-attending students will have access to notes, images, video and additional materials via the e-learning platform. They must contact the teacher by email to arrange the individual project they will present at the exam.

It is strongly recommended to have already taken a course on the history of contemporary architecture.

Since this course is delivered in English, knowledge of the language is required.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

The books listed here are intended as general references; not all will be examined in detail during the course. Students will determine the required readings in consultation with the instructor, in alignment with their teamwork and private study (see “Learning Methods and Activities” above).

Main reference texts

Moneo, R. Theoretical Anxiety and Design Strategies in the Work of Eight Contemporary Architects, The MIT Press, 2004

Yenks C., Kropf K. (edited by). Theories And Manifestoes of Contemporary Architecture, Academy Editions Ltd, 2005 (second edition)

Tschumi, B., Cheng I. (edited by). The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st  Century, The Monacelli Press, 2003

Michael Hays K. (edited by). Architecture theory since 1968, The MIT Press, 1998

Essays by contemporary architects

Aravena A., Elemental, Las Muller Publishers, 2018

Balmond C., Informal, Prestel, 2002

Cook P., Speculations, Circa Press, 2022

Eisenmann P. (with E. Iturbe), Lateness, Princeton University Press, 2020; The formal basis of Modern Architecture, Las Muller Publishers, 2018; Ten Canonical Buildings: 1950-2000, Rizzoli Intl Pubns, 2008; Eisenman inside out : selected writings, 1963-1988, Yale University Press, 2004

Foreign Office Architects, Phylogenesis: Foa’s ark, Actar,  2003

Hertzberger H., Lesson for students in Architecture, Nai Uitgevers Pub, 2005

Herzog & de Meuron, Natural History, Las Muller Publishers, 2003

Holl S., Parallax, Princeton Architectural press, 2000

Ito T., Blurring architecture, Charta, 1999

Koolhaas R., Delirius New York, Oxford University Press, 1978; S M L XL, 010 Publishers, 1996; Content, Taschen, 2004; Junk spaces, Quodlibet, 2006; Countryside. A report, Taschen, 2020

Libeskind D., Between zero and infinity: selected projects in architecture, Rizzoli International Publications, 1981; Radix-Matrix, Prestel, München 1997; The Space of Encounter, Universe Pub, 2001

Lynn G., Folds, bodies & blobs: collected essays, La Lettre volée, 1998; Animate Form, Princeton Press, 1999

Moneo R., Remarks on 21 Works, The Monacelli Press, 2010

MVRDV, Metacity/Datatown, 010 Publishers, 1999;KM3, Actar, Madrid, 2005

Nouvel J., Baudrillard J., The Singular Objects of Architecture, Univ of Minnesota Press, 2003 

Rossi A., A Scientific Autobiography, The MIT Press, 1774; The architecture of the city, The MIT Press,1982

Smithson A. and P., The charged void: urbanism and architecture, The Monacelli Press, 2001

Souto de Moura E., Learning from history, Amag, 2020

Spuybroek L., NOX: Machining Architecture, Thames & Hudson, London 2004

Studio Mumbai, Inspiration and Process in Architecture, Moleskine, 2013

Tschumi B., Architecture and Disjunction, The MIT Press, 1996

Van Berkel B., Bos C., Move, UN Studio & Goose Press, 1999;Un Studio Un Fold, NAi Publishers, 2002

Watanabe M. S., Induction Design. A method for evolutionary design, Birkhauser Architecture, 2002Zumthor P., Thinking Architecture, Las Muller Publishers, 1998; Atmospheres, Birkehauser, 2006

General references

Banham R., The architecture of the well-tempered environment, University of Chicago, 1969; Theory and design in the first machine age, The MIT Press, 1980

Bell D., Zacka B. (edited by), Political Theory and Architecture, Bloomsbury Academic, 2020

Conrads U. (edited by), Programs and Manifestoes on 20th century architecture, The MIT Press, 1971 Corner J., Recovering landscape : essays in contemporary landscape architecture, Princeton Architectural Press, 1999

De Kerckhove D., The architecture of intelligence, Basel 2001

De Solà Morales I., Differences. Topographies of Contemporary Architecture, The MIT Press, 1997 Forty A., Words and buildings: a vocabulary of Modern Architecture, Thames and Hudson, 2000

Gausa M. et alii (edited by), The Metapolis dictionary of advanced architecture, Actar, Barcellona 2003

Giedion S., Space Time and Architecture, Harvard University Press, 1941

Jodidio P., Wines J., Green Architecture, Taschen, 2010

Lima Z., Lina Bo Bardi, Yale University Press, 2013

Lynch K., The image of the city, The MIT Press, 1960; A theory of good city form, The MIT Press, 1981 Mc Luhan M., The medium is the massage, Penguin, 1967; War and Peace in the Global Village, Bantam, 1968

Nesbitt K. (edited by), Theorizing a new Agenda for Architecture: an Anthology of Architectural Theory 1965-1995, Princeton Architectural Press, 1996

Pallasmaa J., The eyes of the skin: Architecture and the Sense, John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2012

Rowe C. The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and Other Essays, The MIT Press, 1982;

Tafuri M., Architecture and utopia, The MIT Press, 1979

Venturi R., (with Scott Brown D., Izeneour S.), Learning from Las Vegas, The MIT Press, 1972; Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, MOMA, 1977

Vidler A., The Architectural Uncanny. Essays in the Modern Unhomely, The MIT Press, 1992; Warped Space. Art, Architecture, and Anxiety in Modern Culture, The MIT Press, 2002

Zevi B., Architecture as Space. How to Look at Architecture, Horizon Press, 1957.