MWF 11:30 a.m -12:20 p.m., Architecture Hall 147

This course presents a survey of architecture from about 750 to about 1789. Examples are drawn from the traditions of Western and Islamic architecture during the periods usually termed the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Baroque, with particular interest in the formation of and interaction between these traditions. Although Arch 350 is not a prerequisite for this class, the material covered in it is helpful for understanding the course content of Arch 351.

The class meets three times weekly for a series of lectures illustrated with slides. There will be two tests, two take-home writing assignments, and approximately 370 pages of required readings.

Brian McLaren, Ph.D., bmclaren@u.washington.edu
Phone: (206) 543-4966
Office Location: Architecture Hall 170F
Office Hours: 12:00 noon -1:30 p.m. T/Th
Graduate Student Assistants: See Staff page
Office Location: Architecture Hall 180

Textbooks: The following course texts are available for purchase at the University Book Store and will be on reserve in the CAUP and Odegaard Libraries:

Spiro Kostof, A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals, Second Edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995).
Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman, Architecture, from Prehistory to Postmodernity, Second Edition (New York: H.N. Abrams, 2002).

These books provide an extensive list of additional reading, and a useful glossary of terms. Please consult them first if you do not understand a term listed in this study guide or mentioned in the lecture. Many additional books are on reserve in the CAUP Library. These can be found in the UW library online catalog listed under the course number or instructor’s name.

Web site: Course information, lecture notes, images and study aids are available to all enrolled students on the website. Due to copyright restrictions, students must use a password to access some parts of the site. The URL and password will be announced in class during the first week of the course.

This is an undergraduate upper division and graduate level class, and as such we assume you are responsible students who attend class regularly and plan ahead for assignments and exams. We recommend that you read and review the assigned material before the lectures in which it will be covered. Because the lectures do not directly follow the order of the text, it may be useful first to read an entire chapter or set of chapters in anticipation of the lectures dealing with the material covered.

Details for each assignment will be discussed in class and outlined in a handout. All assignments are due by the end of class (12:20 p.m.) on the date specified. Late submissions will not be accepted, except in cases of proven hardship (crashed disks and printer failures do not constitute proven hardships). Electronic submissions are also not acceptable.

Closed-book tests cover material presented in the lectures and required readings. No blue books are required. Because of the large enrollment, makeup exams will not be allowed except in cases of proven hardship. (Plans for holiday travel departure before the exam date do not constitute proven hardship.) If you miss an exam for any reason, you must contact Professor McLaren immediately. Exams are read and graded by the Graduate Student Assistants. Any questions should first be directed to them.

Test responses will be evaluated for accuracy, thoughtfulness and clarity. Assignments will be evaluated for thoroughness, quality of ideas, and clarity of presentation (this can include writing and graphics). Each test and assignment will be given a percentage score. Final percentage grades will be calculated according to the weighting below and then converted to the University’s 4.0 scale using a curve. This means that your final grade will be assessed relative to the performance of the others in this class. According to the University’s grading assessments, the average grade for a course of this sort will fall at about 2.8 if it is to represent an uninflated evaluation.

Assignment 1                20 % of course grade
Assignment 2                20 %
Test 1                             30 %
Test 2                             30 %

Questions of interpretation may arise with assignments and tests on the history of architecture. If you have questions about the grading of an assignment or test, contact the GSA who graded it first. Your points of contention must be clearly put in writing before you meet. Remember that a grade can be raised or lowered...

Students are encouraged to visit the GSAs and instructor. If you cannot make it to announced office hours, please make individual arrangements, preferably via e-mail. However, do not expect GSAs or the instructor to respond at length via e-mail 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.

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

home