1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Architettura (Architecture) - Torino 1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Architettura - Torino
The laboratories on the history of architecture and the city aim to provide the tools to investigate the diachronic dimension of architecture and of the transformation of the territory and to build a critical reflection on the relationship between past and present. The laboratories differ from the previous monographic courses in the history of architecture in the use of forms of teaching based on the students' direct experience of analysis and historical research. Each laboratory focuses on a theme, an object, or a case study chosen by the teacher(s), without geographical or chronological limits.
In particular, the History of Architecture and Cities Lab_B aims to provide the basis of the methodology of historical research (literature; secondary sources; primary sources), in order to acquire deep knowledge of the history of an architectural monument (singular works or urban spaces), able to better identify its historical and aesthetic value, also aiming at developing strategies of enhancement, dissemination and protection of the cultural and architectural heritage. Therefore, for the academic year 2020/21 the theme is: “Torino/Turin: the history of its architectural and urban heritage in view of multifaceted strategies of cultural tourism development”.
Human activity is the primary driver of the current climate crisis, with scientists cautioning that our planet cannot withstand a temperature increase of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Today, as the majority of the global population resides in urban areas, cities worldwide face escalating social, economic, and environmental challenges. These challenges disproportionately affect economically and socially marginalized communities, who contribute the least to greenhouse gas emissions yet are most vulnerable to climate hazards. Despite advances in science and technology, there is a need for a historical approach that transcends technocratic solutions and Eurocentric scientific paradigms. In this course, we will advocate for integrating indigenous knowledge into climate action for climate justice.
In this course, we will be looking at contexts such as the Middle East, Africa, Central and South Asia, and South America to examine indigenous building technologies, cultures, and practices. The course challenges the marginalization of these communities' material and architectural cultures, which are often dismissed with reductive and colonial terms such as “vernacular,” “traditional,” “primitive,” or “premodern” architecture. By questioning these colonial presumptions, we aim to re-evaluate vernacular architecture, and reframe this cultural heritage as a resource in climate justice, mitigation, and adaptation.
Unlike traditional courses, laboratories in the field of History of Architecture and Cities adopts unique experimental learning-by-doing methods. Students actively engage and enhance their research skills through practical involvement and hands-on activities. The emphasis on active learning and applying theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios fosters a deeper understanding of the subject matter. The main aim is to equip students with the skills necessary to conduct basic historical research—including the use of literature, secondary, and primary sources—and apply these findings to climate action, with a focus on traditional and indigenous knowledge that is often overlooked in architectural and urban history. Each laboratory session focuses on a specific theme, object, or case study, selected by the professor.
For the academic year 2024/25, the theme of "Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge for Climate Justice" will explore the role of architecture and urban planning in framing an alternative historical narrative that intersects climate, architecture, landscape, history, and indigenous knowledge.
We will be using Moodle for all the classroom assignments and submissions.
In general terms, the laboratories guide the students to the research of historical sources (graphic or textual, material, bibliographical and/or archival), to their analysis and interpretation, to their discussion and finally to the restitution of the research carried out through tools such as writing or graphic analysis. Through an in-depth experience conducted on specific case studies, each laboratory aims to provide students with the critical and methodological skills necessary to conduct an autonomous and conscious study and research project. The laboratories also aim to strengthen students' critical skills with regard to some central themes of contemporary historiographical debate.
Upon completing this laboratory, students will be equipped with both practical and theoretical knowledge, enabling them to:
- Contextualize and Evaluate Architectural Influences: Understand and articulate the historical and contemporary influences on architectural and urban design, particularly focusing on the role of indigenous and traditional knowledge in shaping sustainable practices.
- Critical Analysis and Interpretation: Analyze and critically evaluate urban and architectural history through the lens of climate justice, recognizing the impact of colonial and Eurocentric narratives in historical documentation and contemporary policy.
- Digital Communication of Research: Utilize digital tools to effectively communicate research findings, employing methods such as digital timelines, video essays, and online presentations to showcase the intersection of architecture, urban planning, and indigenous methodologies.
- Documentation and Archival Research: Identify and utilize diverse forms of documentation, including non-traditional and indigenous sources, to organize and analyze information. Reflect critically on the representation of knowledge in various types of literature, particularly focusing on indigenous perspectives often marginalized in historical discourse.
- Multidimensional Historical Analysis: Adopt a multidimensional approach to examine historical and ongoing processes of urban transformation, considering environmental, social, political, and economic factors. Address interconnected issues such as ecological sustainability, social justice, and the resilience of communities, particularly in the Global South.
- Effective Communication and Scholarly Discourse: Develop and articulate complex ideas through proficient reading, writing, and speaking skills, ensuring a deep understanding of the course themes and the ability to engage in scholarly debates around climate justice and historical narratives.
- Collaborative Research and Project Development: Work effectively in groups to design, execute, and present a historical research project that integrates course learnings with personal insights, leveraging collaborative skills to enrich the research process and outcomes.
The student should have passed the History of Contemporary Architecture exam (1st year) and attended the History of Modern Architecture exam (2nd year). Moreover, a general knowledge in the history of Turin and its greatest monuments is strongly recommended.
For a full comprehension of the themes that the course covers, it is recommended that the student has passed the History of Contemporary Architecture exam (1 st year) and attended the History of Modem Architecture exam (2nd year).
The course aims to provide the main tools for historical research, understood to mean the definition of the meaning of an architectural monuments (or urban sites) on the basis of its context, its location, the way in which it is presented, even to the evolutionary process of up to their current state. In order to arrive at a sufficient and complete methodological approach, the course will focus on the analysis of some famous case-studies of Turin and its surroundings, intended to provide a complete frame on the complexity and variety of the sources (direct and indirect), and on their specific nature according to the main historical periods and phases. The student teams will deal with monumental ensembles with a significant complexity, focusing on the main methodologies of analysis of the evidences (the monument itself), as well as written and iconographic sources coming from different historical ages: Middle, early and late Modern, Contemporary Age.
At the end of the course the student-architect will be able to understand in detail the specific literature, to have a complete panorama of historical sources, to develop a historical research of scientific level, to elaborate critical texts and graphic elaborations able to foster strategies of development, protection and diffusion of the architectural heritage.
The course will be organized into teams; review sessions; workshop; visits, according to a timetable to be previously provided to students.
Course topics are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of architectural history from an indigenous and ecological perspective but also to equip students with critical tools to engage with contemporary issues of climate justice through the lens of architectural practices. These topics should foster a deep appreciation of the complexities and richness of indigenous architectural traditions and their relevance to today's global challenges. Course topics are:
- Indigenous Architectural Practices and Climate Adaptation: Explore how indigenous building practices across various cultures have evolved in harmony with the local environment and climate, demonstrating sustainable and resilient architecture long before modern sustainability concepts emerged.
- Decolonizing Architectural History: Investigate the impact of colonial narratives on the understanding and representation of non-Western architecture. This topic will challenge students to critically reassume indigenous architectural contributions and question conventional historical accounts.
- Vernacular Architecture and Ecological Insights: Discuss the principles of vernacular architecture, focusing on how traditional constructions utilize local materials and techniques that are ecologically and economically sustainable.
- Architectural Responses to Climate Challenges: Address how historical and contemporary indigenous architectures have responded to climate challenges with innovative, sustainable practices that offer lessons for global architectural responses to climate change.
- Technology and Craftsmanship in Indigenous Architecture: Study the technological innovations and craftsmanship within indigenous communities, highlighting how knowledge is passed down through generations and adapted over time to meet changing environmental conditions.
- Cultural Heritage and Architectural Conservation: Explore strategies for conserving indigenous architectural heritage, considering how these efforts can support broader goals of cultural preservation and climate justice.
- Interdisciplinary Approaches to Global Architectural History: Integrate perspectives from ethnography, environmental science, and anthropology to provide a holistic view of how architectural practices are intertwined with cultural identity and environmental stewardship.
- Critical Theories and Methods in Architectural History: Encourage critical thinking and methodological diversity in studying architectural history, incorporating theories of postcolonialism, environmentalism, and social justice to enrich understanding.
The laboratory will guide students through a plurality of exercises aimed at developing specific skills: bibliographic research; identification and critical use of primary sources; critical readings of key texts; deconstruction of existing research works; paper writing exercises; visual analysis of buildings; individual and group presentations; collective discussions; etc. Each of the teaching modules will be subject to specific forms of revision and will contribute to the formation of the overall evaluation.
The laboratory will guide students through a plurality of exercises aimed at developing specific skills: bibliographic research; identification and critical use of primary and secondary sources; critical readings of key texts; paper writing exercises; visual analysis of cities; individual and group presentations; collective discussions; etc.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic makes it difficult to predict to what extent the course will be held through direct interaction in the classroom or through a plurality of remote teaching tools. The organization of the course might be subject to change due to such variables: therefore, a detailed program of course activities will be provided at the beginning of the semester.
The laboratory will alternate between ex-cathedra lessons, specific exercises to be conducted either in small teams or individually, and collective discussions on some issues of common relevance.
Lessons (15%) will be focused on theoretical-practical explanations of the main sources of historical research.
Exercises will follow every class.
Review sessions, if necessary (10%), are meant as synthetic recall-classes on the western history of modern and contemporary architecture.
Workshop (60%): the methodologies outlined and exemplified step by step will be tried out through student-led researches on a chosen monument. Students will carry on a historical research in small teams (2-3 students). They will have to produce a research paper (written step by step, with mandatory deadlines) and present the results of the critical and analytical work carried out during the workshop. Next to the work, a large amount of time will be spent on audits with the teachers.
Visits (15%) to famous monuments of Turin will be scheduled.
The laboratory (60 hrs) will alternate between:
- lessons and lectures on specific topics by teachers and international speakers (20 hrs);
- specific exercises to be conducted either in small groups (25 hrs);
- collective guided discussions on some issues of common relevance (15 hrs).
The students are expected to work in groups for the successful delivery of a historical research project executed and presented with a digital narrative. Depending on the circumstances, when possible, field trips are foreseen.
- John BELDON SCOTT, _Fashioning a Capital: The Politics of Urban Space in Early Modern Turin_, in Marcello FANTONI, Malcom SMUTS, George GORSE (eds.), _The Politics of Space: European Courts ca. 1500-1700_, Roma: Bulzoni, 2009.
- Claude H. BERGERON, _City Planning in Turin, 1800-1865 : from Napoleon I to the first capital of Italy_, PhD diss. (Univeristy of Princeton, 1972), Ann Arbor: UMI, 1989.
- Michele BONINO, Giulietta FASSINO, Davide Tommaso FERRANDO, Carlo SPINELLI (eds.), _Torino 1984-2008: Architecture Atlas_, Torino: Urban center Metropolitano, 2008.
- Anthony L. CARDOZA, Geoffrey W. SYMCOX, _A History of Turin_, Torino: Einaudi, 2006.
- Cristiana CHIORINO, Giulietta FASSINO, Laura MILAN (eds.), _Turin_, Berlin: DOM, 2015.
- Vera COMOLI, Carlo OLMO (eds.), _Turin_, Torino: Allemandi, 2000.
- Vera COMOLI, Rosanna ROCCIA (eds.), _Progettare la città. L’urbanistica di Torino tra storia e scelte alternative_, Torino: Archivio Storico della Città di Torino, 2001.
- Antonio DE ROSSI, Giovanni DURBIANO, _Turin 1980-2011: Its transformation and its images_, Torino: Allemandi, 2011.
- Giulietta FASSINO, Carlo SPINELLI, _Torino contemporanea. Guida alle architetture / Contemporary Turin: Guide to Architectures_, Trento-Barcellona: List Lab, 2011.
- Martha D. POLLAK, _Turin 1564-1680 : Urban design, military culture, and the creation of the absolutist capital_, Chicago – London: University of Chicago Press, 1991.
- Società degli Ingegneri e degli Architetti di Torino (ed.), _26 itinerari di architettura a Torino / 26 Architectural Walks in Turin_, Torino: Società degli Ingegneri e degli Architetti di Torino, 2000.
Mandatory Readings:
- Boyd, Emily, Brian C. Chaffin, Kelly Dorkenoo, Guy Jackson, Luke Harrington, Alicia N’Guetta, Emma L. Johansson, et al. 2021. ‘Loss and Damage from Climate Change: A New Climate Justice Agenda’. One Earth 4 (10): 1365–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2021.09.015.
- Chakrabarty, Dipesh. 2009. 'The Climate of History: Four Theses'. Critical Inquiry, 35: 197–
- Sultana, Farhana. 2011. ‘Suffering for Water, Suffering from Water: Emotional Geographies of Resource Access, Control and Conflict’. Geoforum 42 (2): 163–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2010.12.002.
- Brooks, N., J. Clarke, G.W. Ngaruiya, and E.E. Wangui. 2020. ‘African Heritage in a Changing Climate’. Azania, 297–328. https://doi.org/10.1080/0067270X.2020.1792177.
- European Commission. Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture. 2022. Strengthening Cultural Heritage Resilience for Climate Change: Where the European Green Deal Meets Cultural Heritage. LU: Publications Office.
- IPCC, 2023: Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, H. Lee and J. Romero (Eds.)].’ IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.59327/IPCC/AR6-9789291691647.
Further Readings:
- Amorim-Maia, Ana T., Isabelle Anguelovski, Eric Chu, and James Connolly. 2022. ‘Intersectional Climate Justice: A Conceptual Pathway for Bridging Adaptation Planning, Transformative Action, and Social Equity’. Urban Climate 41 (January): 101053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2021.101053.
- Bourdieu, Pierre “Kabyl House or the World Reversed” Algeria 1960, 133-153.
- Ghosh, Amatov. 2016. The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Megarry, Will. 2023. ‘Cultural Heritage, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management’. In Routledge Handbook on Cultural Heritage and Disaster Broadsheet Management. Routledge.
- Ingold, Tim “On Building a House” in Making: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art and Architecture. (Routledge 2013) 47-59.
- Suzanne Preston Blier “Houses Are Human: Architectural Self-Images of Africa's Tamberma.” Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 42.4 (Dec 1983), 371-382.
- Vellinga, Marcel, “Re-imagining Vernacularity” in Rurality Re-Imagined: Villagers, Farmers, Wanderers, Wild Things. (Ben Stringer ed, AR+D, 2018) 46-55.
Slides; Libro di testo; Esercizi; Esercitazioni di laboratorio; Materiale multimediale ; Strumenti di collaborazione tra studenti;
Modalità di esame: Prova orale obbligatoria; Prova pratica di laboratorio; Elaborato grafico prodotto in gruppo; Elaborato scritto prodotto in gruppo; Elaborato progettuale in gruppo;
Exam: Compulsory oral exam; Practical lab skills test; Group graphic design project; Group essay; Group project;
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Exam: Compulsory oral exam; Individual graphic design project; Group graphic design project; Individual essay; Group essay.
The exam will consist of an oral test, with an evaluation on a 30-point scale. The oral exam will last 25-30 minutes.
1. The evaluation will be carried out continuously over the course of the semester and will be based on the outcome of all the activities carried out during the workshop, as well as the student's ability to participate in discussions (15%).
2. The final exam will consist of an oral interview during which the student will have to demonstrate the ability to critically review the work carried out during the semester (50%) and analyze in a pertinent way the topics and case studies covered by the laboratory (35%).
Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilità o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unità Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione più idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.
Exam: Compulsory oral exam; Practical lab skills test; Group graphic design project; Group essay; Group project;
Evaluation Matrix (final vote is over 30):
The evaluation consists of three parts: 1. Three different submissions. 2. Presentation and oral exam. 3. Co-development of the final project with the teaching committee.
SUBMISSIONS:
Submission 1- Glossary (10% of the final vote). You will work in groups to look for definitions of certain concepts/keywords related to climate change, climate justice, indigenous knowledge from different sources.
Deadline: 3rd week of the class.
Submission 2 – Timeline (1 image), video essay of max 2 minutes, max 750 words short essay (15% of the final vote). You will work in groups to create a timeline for a theme assigned to your group.
Deadline: 6th week of the class.
Submission 3 - Architectural video essay of max 7 minutes (30% of the final vote). You will work in groups for investigating in detail and undertaking historic research on a case study selected together with the teaching committee.
Deadline: 1 week before the exam date.
FINAL PRESENTATION OF SUBMISSION 3 and ORAL EXAM (15%)
In the final exam date, you will first present only your third submission. And then, you will answer to 1 question asked by the professor of the course. The question will come from the contents of the classroom lectures or readings.
Note that If you are below 50% of the final at the end of the term, there will be no need to make the final presentation and take the oral exam.
CO-DEVELOPMENT OF THE FINAL PROJECT WITH THE TEACHING COMMITTEE (30%)
There are seven sessions dedicated to the co-development of the final project together with the teaching committee. You should discuss your project at least 3 times (out of these seven sessions) with one of the members of the teaching committee (either the professor of the class or the tutor) and present the progress you achieved. Each table discussion you receive corresponds to 10% of the final vote.
BONUS (10%)
There is the possibility of getting a bonus (max 10% final vote). You can select among:
• Academic debate on an assigned topic in front of the whole classroom.
• Present and critically discuss an article (agreed with prof. Dinler) in the classroom.
• Make the whole classroom laugh by telling a joke, dancing, singing, etc. Depends on you.
LODE:
The projects that use architectural materials (maps, architectural drawings, historic documents, etc.) integrating these materials with a creative graphical video narrative will receive lode if the oral exam is successful.
In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.