The course aims at the application of historical methods and critical theories to the study of the history of architecture and the decorative arts in the Western World from the beginning of the Contemporary Age (mid 18th century) to the last decades of the 20th century.

Students will acquire a basic understanding of the technological, social, political, cultural and economic forces involved in the production of the built environment, and a broad grasp of some of the major structures in contemporary architectural history

The lectures will approach architecture and the built environment as critical features located in a broad social and cultural context, illuminating the changing meaning of architecture for the people who commission, design, build, use, preserve, and demolish buildings.
A good preliminary knowledge of the historical, political and social events taking place in the Western World in the period comprised between 18th and 20th centuries is required.

1. Barry Bergdoll, European Architecture 1750-1890, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2000
2. William J. Curtis, Modern Architecture since 1900, Phaidon, London – New York 1996
3. Kenneth Frampton, Modern architecture. A critical history, Thames & Hudson, London – New York 2007
4. Pdf documents with the text and images of the lectures will be downloaded on the course portal the day after each lecture

• QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ASKED TO THE TEACHER DURING THE LECTURE, NOT AFTER, BEFORE THE BEGINNING OR IN THE BREAK TIME
• The examination will be based on the written discussion of the subjects illustrated during the course
• The dates of the two written examinations will be communicated during the first week of the course
• The final SCORE is calculated as the average of the SCORES of the two examinations