1.- COURSE CONTENTS.

This course uses the big city as the natural playground were the contemporary architecture was born and developed. The students will face a History of the Contemporary City which is, at the same time, a History of the Contemporary Architecture and a History of the Contemporary Landscape.

The historical period of contemporaneity is divided in three phases related to changes of paradigm in economy and philosophy: 1882-1939 (monopolist capitalism and scientifism); 1939-1979 (welfare state and existencialism); and 1979-2007 (late capitalism and relativism). Each period gave birth to a new kind of big city: Metropolis, Megalopolis and Metapolis.

The course makes two parallel approaches to this topic. The first one is mainly theoretical, and focuses on the historical evolution of the idea of landscape and the concept of sustainability. The second one is more practical, and analyzes six cases of study corresponding to cities that were emblematic in each period: New York and Berlin in the metropolitan one, London and Los Angeles in the megalopolitan one, and Shanghai and Bogota in the metapolitan one.

Lectures.

A.- Metropolis, 1882-1939.

A1.-Metropolis.

A2.- Metropolitan landscapes.

A3.-New York.

A4.- Berlin.

B.- Megalopolis, 1939-1979.

B1.- Megalopolis.

B2.- Megalopolitan landscapes.

B3.- London.

B4.- Los Angeles.

C.- Metapolis, 1979-2007.

C1.- Metapolis.

C2.- Metapolitan landscapes

C3.-Shanghai.

C4.-  Bogota.

2.-OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES.

Objectives.

- Use the big city as the node that connects contemporary architecture and landscape.

- Convey a complex vision of history, avoiding simplifications and lineal readings.

- Insert the contemporary architecture in its social, political, cultural and productive context.

- Introduce the students in the world of research on architecture

Outcomes.

- Ability for architectural critic.

- Ability to work in groups as well as with personal autonomy.

- Ability in research techniques.

- Ability to manage public debates.

Grades.

The final grade will result of the proportional addition of four partial grades:

-          25% corresponding to a research work.

-          25% corresponding to a group presentation.

-          25% corresponding to the participation on the seminar debates.

-          25% corresponding to 6 short  tests about the readings and the lessons content.

In order to pass the course, the four partial grades have to have been evaluated. In case some of them were not, the student will be able to submit the corresponding task at the end of the term (in the day of the exam). In case no one of them were evaluated, he/she will have to pass, at the end of the term (in the day of the exam), a written exam about the lectures of the course (this will also be the case of the non-assisting students).