Università Roma Tre

This course provides an introduction to the history of modern and contemporary architecture in Europe and North America, from the 15th century up to now. Lectures will explore the relationships between historical developments in architecture and wider changes in the social, technological and aesthetic realms. In this sense, the study of architecture will serve as a window into broader aspects of art history. Simultaneously, however, the course will examine architecture as a unique medium, with its own visual codes, spatial forms and material structures. Emphasis will be placed on learning to look at buildings and architectural representations in a deeper way. Textbook readings will help to introduce some of the basic issues while primary texts will supplement textbook readings.
Enjoying Rome, the class will focus on the Urbe’s development, through some guided tours around the city center. Specifically, the course will consider the following themes and protagonists: Leon Battista Alberti and Filippo Brunelleschi (XV century); Bramante, Raphael, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, and Michelangelo (early modern); Counter Reformist architecture (Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, Giacomo Della Porta, Palladio); Baroque architecture (Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Francesco Borromini and Pietro Cortona) and late baroque architecture in Rome (Carlo Fontana and Carlo Rainaldi) as well as in the rest of Italy (Filippo Juvarra, Bernardo Antonio Vittone, Nicola Salvi, Luigi Vanvitelli and Ferdinando Fuga). Finally, last lectures will discuss contemporary architecture: from the Industrial Revolution to Post Modern, including Art Noveau, the avant-garde, the Viennese Secession, Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier, and Frank Lloyd Wright.

Spagnesi, Gianfranco. 2013. “1401-2001. Profilo Storico dell’architettura dell’Occidente”. Milano: Jaca Book.
NB. Si considerino valide le edizioni successive.
NB. Parti del libro saranno rese disponibili sulla piattaforma digitale dell’università nei limiti consentiti dalla legge.