Architecture, Theory and Criticism.

Professors

Cristina Gastón Guirao

A-4.3

Introduction

This course guides the construction of a critical discourse around architectural themes. To question architecture and to exercise criticism on it is necessary
ask the questions properly. For this, it is important the way of convening the works or subjects of study on the table and the procedure for approaching them. Writing is one of the tools of criticism, but also drawing, photography and the project itself are resources available to the architect to assert his judgment. A selection of books and works will contribute to the issues to be discussed. Recognition of the perspective from which prominent critics act is the first step in building a point of view of his own. It will try to distinguish the ideology, temporal perspective, interests and influences of relevant authors of the architectural culture. From there we will have to move forward with a direct look at the work without intermediaries. Books and journals provide textual and graphic content and convey information at several levels. Each of the reference books will be presented with an explanation of the character of its first edition and a review of the topics that break down the index, attention will be paid, for example, to the semantic field used in the title of chapters and subchapters as well as the type of graphic documentation that the book contains, among other aspects. Its impact to date will be assessed and additional readings will be proposed.

From there, the student will be encouraged to individually formulate a critical position regarding the texts studied in order to subsequently apply the concepts. that these authors bequeathed us to another selection of works, through graphic and written means. Exercising criticism is not about issuing opinions but about constructing well-founded judgments and formulating them -with words and/or images- in such a way that they are clear and understandable when communicating them. This theoretical position should be expressed in a short text, between 250 and 500 words, headed by a title, accompanied by a picture and the bibliographical references consulted. These works will serve to initiate the debate in each of the sessions. The aim is to establish relationships between the topics of the classes and to broaden them to open up new areas of debate. By the end of the course, each student must have produced a total of 10 short critical papers.

Program

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