Th 1:30 p.m. - 4:10 p.m., Online

Before materials construct things, materials themselves are constructed. Whether stone or concrete, plywood or timber, materials are produced conceptually and physically. How we conceive of materials and their properties—what they should be used for, how long they should last, whether they are natural or artificial, cheap or noble, etc.—is constantly shifting and in relation with other societal concerns. This course examines different material constructions, how they intertwine, and their significance for architecture. We will consider materials not just from design to build but within a longer process of extraction, development, inhabitation, and demolition. In doing so, we will also draw on a variety of sources from related disciplines such as anthropology, gender theory, art and art history, and environmental history. In short, the broader aims of the course are to explore the agency of materials, the preconditions that materials put on architecture (and how these might be appropriated or subverted in individual projects), and how material notions and materials themselves mutate over time.

Qualified non-architecture students welcome with instructor permission.

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