Architecture

Paper details

Question: C.-N. Ledoux and Karl Friedrich Schinkel both drew provocative drawings of the interiors of their theater designs (the theater at Besançon and the Schauspielhaus in Berlin)—Ledoux’s eye and Schinkel’s view onto the stage with the opening night backdrop. How might these drawings be seen as reflecting each architect’s attitude about the theater and theatrical design? How are their theaters and representations similar or different? From these two examples, what conclusions might one draw about changing notions of the theater from the late eighteenth to early nineteenth century or about the evolution of a neo-classical vocabulary in terms of form and composition during this period?

Our professor has mentioned the readings I sent are must read for writing this papeR

The annotated bibliography (first assignment) must list five printed sources (books, book chapters or journal articles) you intend to use for your research. Write a one-paragraph synopsis of each source. You may use an internet database (such as JSTOR) to retrieve materials that have been published in print, and I encourage you to use JSTOR, the Avery Index and WorldCat databases to search for sources. However, you may NOT use internet-only content for your research. Let me repeat that: do not use anything from the internet UNLESS it has already appeared in print. Do not even think of wasting your time on Wikipedia. You may have points deducted from your grade if you use internet sources, and you are very likely to include erroneous information.

Due: 6.19.16

The second assignment is a 1,500-word essay that discusses the work in terms of close observation. Describe the work in detail. Discuss its program, site, spatial qualities, construction and materials. How is it used? Who built it, and who were its intended users? How does it relate to its physical context? Organize your observations hierarchically, so that your essay begins with the project’s most important details. Devote one paragraph to each important aspect of the work.

Due: 7.10.16

The third assignment is a 2,000-word paper which offers detailed analyses of the work’s formal attributes, especially those discussed in the observation paper. Look closely at the project’s forms and spatial relationships. How do these elements work together, and how do they prompt or react to their users’ actions? How does the project serve its patron’s needs and aspirations? How does the work relate to its contexts (the built environment, the natural environment, its cultural context, the history of architecture, and so on)? Organize your analyses hierarchically, with each paragraph focusing on a specific theme or topic.

Due: 7.24.16

The fourth assignment is a 2,500-word essay which extends the previous assignment’s analyses to interpret the work in relation to its cultural, social, political and environmental contexts, while also understanding the work’s disciplinary autonomy and poetic gestures. How are the project’s forms and spatial relationships meaningful? Whereas the analytical paper (assignment three) comprises a series of related analyses of individual aspects of the project, the interpretive essay offers an overarching argument about the project. The first paragraph establishes the argument, and every subsequent refers back to, and supports, the first paragraph.

Due: 8.5.16