Course detail
Basics of Architecture
FA-ZAR-AAcad. year: 2020/2021
The course introduces architecture in four blocks (three-weeks long), each block consists of 6 hours of lectures and 18 hours of studio consultations, i.e. 2+6 hours per week. The combination of general introduction, particular design and their critical reflection will allow the students to formulate, design and revise their own assignment and process not only with their supervisor and the doctoral students, but also with the students from the same study year. The blocks will be complemented by group critiques after the second and fourth block.
Language of instruction
Number of ECTS credits
Mode of study
Department
Learning outcomes of the course unit
– Students will gain the ability and skills to test them in their first studio work, hence in their first specific design.
– Students will familiarize themselves with the methods and results of creating their first small-scale design: brief, concept, design (programme, volume and space, structure, construction, and material).
– In the process of group critiques, students will gain the ability to get a critical distance and reflection on their own design, the ability to verify and modify the state and method of designing.
– Students will gain experience in working individually on the design, working in a small group, and also in a large (study year) group: they will gain awareness of the work of the previous generation, as well as of the generation they will study and work with.
Prerequisites
Co-requisites
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
1. Explanation of terminology, problems, and general questions in the lectures, where the presented methods of designing will be introduced and critically interpreted. Critical study and discussion of design methods in contemporary architecture.
2. Individual consultation of work in progress with the supervisor and the doctoral students.
3. Critical reflection on the work in progress in groups.
4. Presentation of the results in groups – critical discussion.
Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes
Course curriculum
LECTURE: Preliminary understanding: what is architecture and situation. Recording architecture and situation.
STUDIO: In the world around you, find and choose a situation with information that you would like to record so that it could be communicated. (To what and to who is the situation/information related, and how is the situation related to you as the designer?) Methods: Collection and selection of records. Proposals for further text and visual records/representations in relation to the selected methods of visualization/rendering: A. dynamic/static records (2D/3D text and image-plane, image-object and image-space: drawing: painting: collage: assemblage: photography). B. moving record (2D/3D video, film, animation). C. performative/interactive/responsive record (2D/3D performance, interactive or responsive image, object, digital or physical environment).
LECTURE: What is a problem situation? What is a diagram, notation, script, story-board… ? What is script and creative scripting?
STUDIO: Design a solution for a problem situation (How to get to the other bank of the river without a ford? How to get a bird's eye view in a flat land? How to live on the water/above the water/under the water?...) Design 2D/3D recording of the solution of the problem situation as a time-space notations, diagrams, scripts, story-boards… Select determinants/ parameters of your solution in time and space. Based on the diagrams, notation, scripts and determinants/parameters of the solution, propose a redesign and a new model for the new situation (To what and to who is the remodeling and new modeling related, how is it related to your situation?) What is the process of re-modeling and creation of a new model (diagraming, parametrisation…)? Methods: Design a 2D/3D concept and methods on how to develop your form, how to transform it and turn into a new form of your solution in time and space. Transformation 1: environment – external and internal. Transformation 2: types of scales. Transformation 3: structure – construction, construction – material.
Block II. VOLUME AND SPACE AND ENVIRONMENT: GEOMETRY (DIMENSION AND SCALE): USAGE AND PROGRAMME: SHAPE AND FORM
LECTURE: What is volume and space?
STUDIO: Relations between volume and space.
LECTURE: What is environment? People and things in the environment: movement and activity.
STUDIO: Design ways how to record the movement of things and people (and their activities) in time and space; and design a complex of characteristics/ parameters of this system. Methods: design of 3D records of rendering structure.
Block III. STRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION AND ENVELOPE
LECTURE: What is a structure, construction and envelope (basic terminology of materials). What is a space structure and construction (basic terminology of building construction).
STUDIO: Relations between structure, construction and envelopes in your model. Relations between structure and construction in your 2D/3D model.
Block IV. DESIGN TOOLS AND DESIGN
LECTURE: What is a tool? Co je navrhování nástroje na návrh budoucích návrhů?
STUDIO: Based on your model and its remodelling, design a tool/machine and methods that will enable you to design other designs and their models. The design of the tool/machine and design methods may have various scales and materials (digital data, real material), various relationships to the natural and cultural environment - live or inanimate, including humans (visible, audible, tactile, wearable, inhabitable…).
Work placements
Aims
Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences
In the case of a student's apology and with approval of the subject guarantor, personal attendance may be substituted with online attendance in the classes.
Recommended optional programme components
Prerequisites and corequisites
Basic literature
HEJDUK, John and Kim SHKAPICH (ed). Mask of Medusa: Works 1947–1983. New York: Rizzoli International, 1989. ISBN: 978-0847805679. (EN)
KOULA, Jan a Marcela SUCHOMELOVÁ, ed. Jan E. Koula: Důvěrná architektura. Praha: Vysoká škola uměleckoprůmyslová v Praze, 2013. ISBN 978-80-86863-49-8. (CS)
KOULA, Jan E.. Pozerám sa na architektúru. Bratislava: SFVU, 1965. (SK)
KUHN, Ivan: Stretnutie s architektúrou. Bratislava: Osveta, 1962. (SK)
SCHUMACHER, Patrik. Parametricism as Style. Parametricist Manifesto. London 2008. Presented and discussed at the Dark Side Club1, 11th Architecture Biennale, Venice 2008. (EN)
TSCHUMI, Bernard. The Manhattan Transcripts 1976-1981. New York City: Academy Editions, 1981. (EN)
ZERVAN, Marian: Architektúra (definície architektúry). In: ARCH 5/2005. (SK)
ZEVI, Bruno. Jak se dívat na architekturu. Praha: Československý spisovatel, 1966. (CS)
Recommended reading
Interactive Architecture Lab [online]. Dostupné z: http://www.interactivearchitecture.org (EN)
KOLAREVIC, Branko a Ali MALKAWI (eds.). Performative Architecture: Beyond Instrumentality. New York: Spon Press, 2005. ISBN: 978-0415700832. (EN)
Classification of course in study plans
- Programme B_A+U Bachelor's 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory
Type of course unit
Studio work
Teacher / Lecturer
Ing. arch. Barbora Ponešová, Ph.D.
B.Arch. Martin Kaftan, MSc, Ph.D.
Ing. arch. Jaroslav Sedlák, Ph.D.
Ing. arch. Jiří Marek
Ing. arch. Jan Mléčka, Ph.D.
MArch Ing.arch. Ing. Jiří Vítek
Ing. arch. Karolína Burešová
Ing.arch. MArch Jan Kristek, Ph.D.
Ing. arch. Kristýna Smržová
Ing. arch. Petr Kalouda
doc. Ing. arch. Jaroslav Drápal, CSc.
Ing. arch. Josef Kala
doc. Ing. arch. Josef Kiszka
Ing. arch. David Helešic
Ing. arch. Nicol Galeová