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Mission Statement Draft

As we begin our thesis, we want to be certain that the M.Arch program can provide us with the intellectual resources and contemporary perspective that are critical to the successful formation and execution of relevant design theses. It is imperative that the CED's self-professed activist intentions remain grounded in critical, rigorous, and experimental design, using the particular tools of our discipline. Our aim is to resolve these issues and build confidence throughout the course of thesis.

summer waning

Dear Students,

It's inspiring to see that you have begun already to work toward the framing of your theses, through reading and conversation.

I have undertaken some new readings this summer, and reread some old favorites-- in the hope that they may become common texts for the coming year--

Manfredo Tafuri, Architecture and Utopia
Sanford Kwinter, Architectures of Time
Susan Sontag, Against Interpretation
Annie Dillard, Living by Fiction
Edward Soja, Postmodern Geographies

and many others.
Let me know if you would like to have a preliminary meeting next week.
Best,
JStoner

Yes

It would be great if anyone who is interested in biweekly meetings can come prepared with a 200 word statement of their proposal at the next meeting. Included in this statement should be an idea of the paradigm you are working under and your proposal (program, site, scale of intervention, and methodology). The way Nezar ran the last meeting was by having everyone read each others writing and comment on them while the author is silent.

Thursdays after 8?

discussion?

Anyone out there interested in bi-weekly meetings (evening or weekend) to discuss research/topics and readings such as those posted and discussed by the group meeting with Nezar? Post comments so we can coordinate, if interested.

nezar's suggested readings, v.2

courtesy of marina, i scanned nezar's second packet of suggested thesis prep readings


download here as a single 5M PDF file:

https://webfiles.berkeley.edu/cmd/shared

file is called CED thesis prep.nezar2.PDF




chris

Hi all -

Five architectural writings that have been important for me and seem useful for thesis prep.  I've read portions of all of them (and hope someday to finish all).  I also strongly second (or third) previous mentions of Zumthor's Thinking Architecture.

 

 

Moneo, Rafael

Theoretical Anxiety and Design Strategies in the Work of Eight Contemporary Architects

ENVI NA680.M65 2004

http://www.amazon.com/Theoretical-Anxiety-Strategies-Contemporary-Architects/dp/0262134438/ref=sr_1_1/002-8165695-1239236?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183924130&sr=1-1

An easy-to-read collection of his lectures that'€™s a great way to understand and decode contemporary and recent built work.  Not a theoretical treatise really, but his informed take on these architects.

 

 

 

Porphyrios, Demetri

Sources of Modern Eclecticism: Studies on Alvar Aalto

ENVI NA1455.F53.A236 1982

http://www.amazon.com/Sources-Modern-Eclecticism-Demetri-Porphyrios/dp/0312746741/ref=sr_1_1/002-8165695-1239236?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183924948&sr=1-1

I read part of this book in article form.  Porphyrios argues that Aalto is not a sort of one-off, entirely idiosyncratic Modernist but is rather firmly rooted in the traditions of Finland.  Again, helpful for reading and decoding.

 

 

 

Nesbitt, Kate, editor

Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture : An Anthology of Architectural Theory 1965-1995

ENVI NA680.T45 1996

http://www.amazon.com/Theorizing-New-Agenda-Architecture-Architectural/dp/156898054X/ref=sr_1_1/002-8165695-1239236?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183924432&sr=1-1

Really good place to start.  Lots of relatively brief essays by a wide variety of theorists.  Really helpful introduction about architectural theory and its place in practice and the discipline.

 

 

 

Brooks, Turner

Work

ENVI NA737.B694.A4 1994

http://www.amazon.com/Turner-Brooks-Work-Ross-Anderson/dp/1568980310/ref=sr_1_1/002-8165695-1239236?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183924582&sr=1-1

A monograph, not a treatise, but such beautiful, ecovative work - compare with below.  Wonderful way to conceive of architecture.

 

 

 

 

Cohen, Preston Scott

Contested Symmetries and Other Predicaments in Architecture

ENVI NA737.C63.A4 2001

http://www.amazon.com/Contested-Symmetries-Other-Predicaments-Architecture/dp/156898250X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-8165695-1239236?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183924236&sr=1-1

Another monograph - incredibly thoughtful, beautiful, very formal, highly intellectual.  I'€™ve only read bits and pieces (including Moneo'™s foreword, which helps situate the work).  I'd like to understand and explore more.