An Illustrated Essay. The history of architecture and art

“There exist, in the history of architecture and art, in general, particular moments or singular ‘cases’ that assume a critical determining value for the comprehension of entire cultural cycles. We intend to speak of buildings, or of productions that are stylistically unified, that seem to mark a point of passage, a moment of crisis in a culture that… perceives in a confused way the need to go beyond itself, feels the need to verify its own historical coherence, thus giving rise to works that recapitulate in themselves, through their characteristics, the complementary horizons of diverse experiences,..”
Manfredo Tafuri, “Problems of Criticism and Problems of Chronology in Two Monuments from Taormina, Il Palazzo dei Duchi di S. Stefano and La ‘Badia Vecchia’” 1962
Using the semiotic structure (in fact semiotic procedures are called “structuralism”) remark on a particular building, space or ensemble of buildings as signifier, thus present them as a form available to description, then employ analytic devices to exhaustively identify all the signifiedsyou can perceive or that others perceive (but in this case you must thoroughly identify your sources). The signshould then automatically be evident but should be exhaustively documented nonetheless.
This must be your analysis in the end. While you are encouraged to research and react to the opinions and theories of others concerning these constructions, if they exist, in the end the interpretations must be yours and the framework for forming those interpretations should be yours and should be clearly and precisely explained. Method is as important as conclusions.
You are encouraged to take on the role of archaeologist or detective. These are both explorers employing both deductive and inductive methods while appearing to represent the contemplative in one case and the animated in another, while in fact they just perform slightly different forms of the same song.
The essay should be about 1200 words or 4 pages of text, 12 pt. double spaced, with modest illustration(s).
Sources
The following books and articles on our self should help in identifying buildings or spaces of interest and are excellent models for the sort of perspective asked for in this exercise.
Elizabeth Fee, et. al., The Baltimore Book: New Views of Local History (Temple, 1991) pp. 39 – 54, 227 – 249. The book is organized into various areas of the city with maps to significant objects (architectural, urban, historic) arranged in recognition of the political semiotics of each. A good example of the procedures that can be employed as well as exceptional analysis of the urban fabric as narrative.
Sherry H. Olson, Baltimore: The Building of an American City (Johns Hopkins, 1980) Excellent references to both monuments and quotidian structures, urban ensembles and events
Mary Ellen Hayward & Frank R. Shivers, The Architecture of Baltimore: An Illustrated History, (Johns Hopkins, 2004) for many examples, most of them monumental or at least grand in form and conception.
David Harvey, “Chapter 8: Spaces of Utopia,” in Part 3: The Utopian Moment,” in Spaces of Hope, (University of California, 2000) pp. 133 – 196
Aldo Rossi, The Architecture of the City, (MIT Press, 1982) For background in typology, monuments, primary elements, vernacular, etc.
Francis F. Bierne, Baltimore: A Picture History 1858 – 1968 (Maryland Historical Society, 1968)
Mimi Cheng, et. al., Baltimore: Open City (MICA, 2011) catalogue of installations and events at D Center on North Avenue organized by MICA students. Examples of wildly interpretive portrayals of Baltimore.
Michael Hays, “The Postmodern Reassertion of Typologies,” in Unprecedented Realism: The Architecture of Machado and Silvetti, (PAP, 1995) pp. 35 – 37 included with the essay “Domains of Architecture” by Rodolfo Machado – not required but valuable.
Giulio Carlo Argan, “On the Typology of Architecture”, Architectural Design no. 33, (December 1963) pp. 564 – 565 in Kate Nesbitt, Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture: An Anthology of Architectural Theory, (PAP, 1996) pp. 242 – 246: Particularly from p. 243 and the passage “In the process of comparing…” Argan reinitiated the discussion of type and typology after World War 2 in an effort to reengage history and contemporary architectural form following the dismissal of these phenomenon by the Modern Movement.
Also: Films are excellent media for the discussion and visualization of the issues confronted by this course and the current exercise. Films and video represent the human body, the body politic and the constructed urban fabric in a continual play of movement and position, in Mise en scène that should illuminate sought-after relations.