Architectural Humanities 1 - Architecture in Settlements & Cities - YSA00005C

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  • Department: York School of Architecture
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: C
  • Academic year of delivery: 2025-26

Module summary

A foundational and introduction to the evolution of architecture as building practices within contextual and divergent landscapes. This model will introduce architecture as a creative and comprehensive response to socio-cultural and natural conditions that involve nature, arts, crafts, beliefs, and technology

Professional requirements

Students studying this architecture degree will need to evidence a portfolio demonstrates a response to the RIBA themes and Values validation and that the course has 50% design components and 20% professional practice components

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2025-26

Module aims

This module is designed around knowledge building through engagement, research and debates (lectures & Seminars) with contributions from related fields like art, history, culture, archaeology, nature, technology, philosophy, and planning. Those engagements will be organised around four key strands, typically covered through a block of two lectures and a Seminar, where 3-4 experts in these strands will be invited to share their knowledge and research within a student-led approach to research and enquiry.

Students will work on thematic research, investigation of case studies, building models of historic structures, and produce short discussion pieces/ essays, supported with case studies (small research in history & theory of architecture). Assessment will be based on portfolio of research, case studies and writings)

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, the student will be able to:

LO1_ Demonstrate awareness and appreciation for the role of architecture in history, exploring its art, craft, technology across different historic, social, and cultural contexts.

LO2_ Demonstrate a foundational understanding of contrasting and changing architecture and building practices, exploring responses to natural, socio-cultural, and technological forces.

LO3_ Review and evaluate the evolution of architecture and building practices in historic contexts, analysing and the role of people, communities, arts and crafts in shaping their stylistic characteristics.

LO4_ Communicate thoughts, ideas, critical and complex contextual understanding via visual, verbal and written techniques.

Module content

This module will be designed around three thematic strands:

- Architecture in settlements: two lectures + One Seminar (3-4 speakers – art, history, archaeology)

- Architecture & urban evolution: two lectures + One Seminar (3-4 speakers history of art, geography, planning, housing)

- Architecture & technology: two lectures + One Seminar (3-4 speakers – building conservation, sustainable design, housing)

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Additional assessment information

MULTIMEDIA ESSAY [100%]

The multimedia essay will be composed of a complete critical research work; the outcome will generally be composed of complementary connected elements, generally as follows (exact percentages will be clearly indicated by the assignment brief):

Research Tasks

  • The research progresses throughout the semester leading to essay definition in light of the delivered seminars); the presentation of this element will depend on the assignment brief. Examples of presentation may include: a short report, a paper/chapter analysis, a sketchbook, or a drawing panel.

[a made/drawn component is highly encouraged]

Essay

  • 2000-2500 words (or equivalent)

[In the multimedia essay, architectural drawings and illustrations would compensate for word count, based on work quality.]

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

The module is delivered as themed packages of lectures and seminars. For each theme, the students will be developing relevant research tasks. The research tasks will build up to define the students’ individual multimedia essay. The tasks will be clearly defined by the assignment brief, which will define key milestones throughout the semester for work progress review and provide the students with formative feedback and advice on the final multimedia essay submission.

The collective work will be submitted at the end of the semester.

Verbal and written formative feedback will be provided on interim submissions and a summative written feedback will be provided on the final submission of essay elements. The duration of feedback return will follow the University’s guidance.

Indicative reading

Alberti, L. B., (1988) On the art of building in ten books translated by Rykwert, J., Leach, N., and Tavernor, R.. Cambridge, MA, and London: MIT Press

Bandyopadhyay, S. (2010) The humanities in architectural design a contemporary and historical perspective. London: Routledge.

Banham, R., (1984) The architecture of the well-tempered environment. London: Architectural Press.

Borden, I., et al (2014) Forty ways to think about architecture: architectural history and theory today. London: Wiley.

Colquhoun, A., (1989) Modernity and the classical tradition: Architectural essays 1980-1987. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press

Fernandez-Galiano, L., (2000) Fire and memory: On architecture & energy. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Gombrich, E.H., (1995) The story of art. London: Phaidon

Hawkes, D., (2008) The environmental imagination: Technics and poetics of the architectural environment. London: Routledge.

Hawkes, D., (2012) Architecture and climate: An environmental history of British architecture, 1600-2000. London: Routledge.

Honour, H., and Fleming, J., (2009) A world history of art. London: Laurence King Publishing.

Nesbitt, K., ed. (1996) Theorizing a new agenda for architecture: An anthology of architectural theory 1965–1995. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Schultz, C.N., (1980) Genius loci: Towards a phenomenology of architecture. New York: Rizzoli.

Singer, C., (various) A History of Technology, Volumes 1- 5. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Smith, K., (2012) Introducing architectural theory. New York and London: Routledge

Tafuri, M., (1979). Theories and history of architecture, translated by Verrecchia, G.. New York: Harper and Row.