Architecture

European architecture from 1420 to the mid-18th century with particular emphasis on its historical and social background. The various architectural movements--Renaissance, baroque, and rococo--are studied in terms of important architects and buildings especially of Italy, France, and England. For department majors, this course satisfies the Group 2 distribution requirement. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

An introductory course on materials used civil and environmental engineering. Lectures on structure and properties of construction materials including concrete, steel, glass and timber; fracture mechanics; strength testing; mechanisms of deterioration; impact of material manufacturing on the environment. Labs on brittle fracture, heat treatment of steel, strength of concrete, mechanical properties of wood. One lecture, one three-hour laboratory. Prerequisites: CEE 205 or MAE223.

This course will examine the possibilities of representation and information in the virtual realm. Through a series of modeling/rendering/compositing exercises, presentations, and in-class discussions, students will investigate the evolving relationship between architecture and its means of representation, as well as broader issues of technology and culture. The course will provide a firm understanding of current computer software. One three-hour seminar.

Housing ideas and urban projects of architects and social scientists since the mid-19th century as a response to industrialization, the development of the welfare state, the rise of professionalism, and the dispersion of democratic culture. Material drawn from architecture, urban planning, political theory, sociology, and social psychology. One three-hour seminar.

Selected issues in relationship to the development of architectural history and theory as critical disciplines, emphasizing the historiography and methodology of these disciplines. Course focuses on particular critics through a close reading and analysis of selected texts. One three-hour seminar.

Examines architecture as cultural production, taking into account its capacity to structure both physical environments and social organizations. A specific problem or topic area will be set by each studio critic, and may include a broad range of building types, urban districts or regional landscapes, questions of sustainability, building materials, or building performance. Studio work will include research and data gathering, analysis, and program definition. Students are expected to master a full range of design media, including drawing, model-making, and computer-aided design.

What kind of public architecture is appropiate for a democracy? Should public spaces and buildings reflect democratic values - such as transparency and accessibility - or is the crucial requirement for democratic architecture that the process of arriving at decisions about the built environment is as particpatory as possible? The course will introduce students to different theories of democracy, to different approaches to architecture, and to many examples of government architecture from around the world (the U.S., Germany, and China in particular), via images and films. Might include one or two field trips.

Introduction to concepts of energy utilization and conservation in building. Course presents the physics of building thermal performance, including quantitative methods, and discusses conservation strategies in building design and source energy. Passive design and alternative energy sources, including wind and solar-thermal, will be covered. One three-hour seminar.

VR/AR can enable engineers, scientists, and architects to plan and conduct their work in fundamentally new ways, visualize and communicate their findings more effectively, and work in environments that are otherwise difficult, impossible, or too costly to experience in person. This course explores the basic concepts of effective VR/AR experiences, builds skills needed to develop and support innovative science, engineering, or architecture projects. In the second half of the semester, working in small teams, students develop, implement VR/AR projects of their choice.

Topics will focus on major figures, such as Palladio, Wren, and Piranesi; centers, such as Rome and Venice; or themes, such as architectural theory, the legacy of classical antiquity, and the villa. For department majors, this course satisfies the Group 2 distribution requirement. One three-hour seminar.

A study of some of the major themes and movements of modern architecture from the late 19th century to the present day. Students will be encouraged to examine the social and political context, to probe the architects' intellectual background, and consider issues of class and gender in their relation to architectural and urban form. For department majors, this course satisfies the Group 3 distribution requirement. One three-hour seminar.

The Western city, American and European, has undergone a number of mutations since the Renaissance. This course will explore the complex relationships between different cities and architecture, between "real" cities and "fictional" architectural cities. Possible topics might include: urbanization as it affects contemporary life; the American vs. European city; the state of New Jersey, the exurban state "par excellence." One three-hour seminar.

A two-semester sequence in which fundamental design skills are taught in the context of the architect¿s wider responsibilities to society, culture and the environment. Students acquire a command of the techniques of design and representation through a series of specific architectural problems of increasing complexity. Both semesters required for three-year M.Arch. students.

A two-semester sequence in which fundamental design skills are taught in the context of the architect¿s wider responsibilities to society, culture and the environment. Students acquire a command of the techniques of design and representation through a series of specific architectural problems of increasing complexity. Both semesters required for three-year M.Arch. students.

Integrated design studios approach architecture from a synthetic perspective. Considerations of structure, environmental technology, building materials and systems, exterior envelope, and site design are integrated directly into the design process through the participation of technical faculty and outside advisors in critiques and reviews. Projects are developed to a high level of detail. At least one course is required for professional M.Arch. students. Fall, Spring.

An independent design project on a theme selected by the student. The thesis project is an opportunity for each student to define an individual position with regard to a specific aspect of architectural practice. As an integral part of the design process, it is intended that the thesis project will incorporate research, programming and site definition. One course is required for all M.Arch. students. Completion of pre-thesis workshops is required for entry into Thesis Studio. Fall, Spring.

An introduction to building systems and the methods of construction used to realize design in built form. Focus of the first half of the course is on primary systems, materials and principles used in construction of buildings and the fabrication of elements. Focus then shifts to examining how information is communicated from designers to fabricators, and current standards that exist in the practice of architecture and its relation to changes in methods of fabrication and project delivery. Lectures and laboratory sessions.

An introduction to the analysis and design of structural systems for buildings, including beams, columns, arches, and other structural members. The structural behavior of individual elements and simple structural systems is studied and analyzed quantitatively.

Analysis and design of structural systems, including frames, arches, plates, and shells. Primarily, it considers reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, and structural steel. Structural behavior is studied and analyzed by means of small-scale models. The design and construction of existing major structures are analyzed in some detail.

A study of the needs and means of environmental control in buildings and urban developments, including environmental control systems and equipment in relation to structural and other components of construction. Either course may be offered either term.

A study of the needs and means of environmental control in buildings and urban developments, including environmental control systems and equipment in relation to structural and other components of construction. Either course may be offered either term.

This course examines the relationship between two forms of mapping the city: cinematic representations of urban space and architectural representations of urban form. It questions how shifts in urban form and plans for development or reconstruction give rise to cinematic representations. Required viewing of films every week in addition to required readings. Project on the general theme of mapping the city through cinema utilizing materials from films, urban texts, and readings.

Topics in the research or urbanism.

Introduces planning theory, history, and practice. Examines urban, suburban, and regional planning processes, emphasizing the United States and Europe. Analyzes alternative planning models, issues such as ethics and social justice, and the diverse roles of public and private sector planners.

As climate change reshapes enviro-technical landscapes across the globe, this seminar examines discussions on the history of energy, nature, and built landscapes in terms of historiography and on location. Independent research thus considers the material and historical ramifications of the discussed concepts and probes them through case studies and locally. Students can choose to focus on historical or design inquiries for the final independent research projects which result in a journal-article style paper or exhibition that includes historical maps, drawings and installations.