Assignment: Survey of Architecture History
Prepared FOUR articles selected from Body and Building: Essays on the Changing Relation of Body and Architecture, which is an excellent architecture theory collection on classical architecture. Your job is to select ONE article that interests you from the four articles, answer the four questions listed below. The length of each answer is approximately 300-500 words. In each answer, no citation is required. Please submit your answers in a Word document and label clearly the name of the article you choose.
Article Name:
Greek Temple and Greek Brain/ Doric Figuration/ Sphere and Cross/ Vitruvius Crucifixus
Q1: What is the argument of this article? If there is no obvious argument, simply write a description of the themes or the author's perspective.
Q2: What historical evidence the author uses in the article to enhance the power his argument? If there is no obvious argument, simply list and introduce the important people, books, buildings, and events appear in the article.
Q3: The article you read is a theory article. "Architectural theory has its unique distinctions. It comprises a broad body of ideas and debates, which over many centuries has not only come to form a substantial literary edifice but also one ever more complex and refined in its details and issues."(Mallgrave, 2006) What are the distinctions and relation between architecture history, architecture theory, and architecture practice? Use what you learned from the article and our class to answer.
Q4: Criticize the article as much as you can, based on your experience, and the readings/lectures you have done for the class. If you completely agree with the author, just write down your reaction and response to the article.
You have one week to read and write. Please notice: some content in the readings may not have been covered by our lectures. You can refer to following modules and extracurricular resources.
Chapter 3: John Onians- Greek Temple and Greek Brain
Chapter 4: Mark Wilson Jones- Doric Figuration
Chapter 10: Karsten Harries- Sphere and Cross: Vitruvian Reflections on the Pantheon Type
Chapter 13: Neil Leach- Vitruvius Crucifixus: Architecture, Mimesis, and the Death Instinct.