Mapping the World With Architecture

The variety of architecture found around the world is astounding, with most of it designed not by architects, but by regular people who had a deep understanding of their environment.  Vernacular architecture is based on local needs, available building materials and traditional customs, but it can also be beautiful, ingenious, and sustainable for the future.  Vernacular architecture, some of which is still in practice today, and certainly provides inspiring lessons for architecture students, is intricately linked to its landscape, climate and geology.  As architects today make efforts to reduce their buildings’ ecological footprint and design for climate change, knowledge of these time-tested, clever design strategies is imperative. 

In this class, we will learn about places using maps, photos and google earth to help us analyze the geography.  Then we will make our own maps to document our new knowledge of the place.  A base map will be provided to print before class.  Students will be guided to draw, color and label the map, step by step, while watching the teacher draw.  Basics of cartography and geography are introduced non-linearly throughout the course.         

After making a map, we will look at the typical architecture and settlement patterns of the region or country, and discuss how the designs, materials, construction, forms, details, structure and more relate to what we know about the geography of the place.   Often a country has a variety of architecture and settlement patterns, so we will zoom into one or two prime examples and spend the last ten minutes of class sketching and labeling an architecture drawing.  

The class is designed for students to practice looking at a place from different perspectives and scales in order to develop spatial perception.  The map-making and sketching activities are presented as a fun challenge.  Students will be gently encouraged to show their work to the class, but they are not required to.  My teaching style is extremely encouraging, especially towards the efforts the students make.     

The class will include places from cold, hot-dry, hot-humid, and temperate climates.  We cover a variety of geographic regions, conditions and features for broad learning opportunities.  The class runs for 11 weeks, then repeats.  Students may enroll and unenroll at any time; they do not need to start at the beginning, as each class stands alone.  Please see the class schedule below.

Week of: 
April 23  Scandinavia/Norway
April 30  Italy 
May 7  Tuvalu & other Pacific Islands
May 14  Mali 
May 21  Japan 
May 28  India
June 4  Brazil 
June 11  China
June 18   Arabia
June 28  Egypt