Architecture, Materiality and Climate
This course is taught as part of the Critical and Contextual Studies module. Lectures focus on mass-produced building materials, steel, concrete, glass and plastic and trace relevant historical concepts, design approaches and key historical buildings from industrial revolution to present and across different geographies. They underscore the intersections of materiality with social and environmental considerations, while introducing students to key figures, buildings and historical and theoretical issues in architectural history.
General Texts
Calder, B. (2021). Architecture: From prehistory to climate emergency. Penguin Books. ‘Introduction’ pp.xi – xxv; ‘”The beauty of speed”’, ‘”Too cheap to meter”’, ‘Today’s Great Energy Revolution’, pp. 323 – 444.
2 Pre-Industrial Architecture, Industrial Revolution and International Style
Texts
Addis, B. (2006) ‘The Crystal Palace and its Place in Structural History’, International Journal of Space Structures, 21(1), pp. 3–19.
Gideion, S. (2005) ‘1850–1890 Experimental Architecture’ in Building in France, Building in Iron, Building in Ferro-Concrete, pp. 120–151.
Johnson, P. (1931) Built to live in. NY: Museum of Modern Art.
Johnson, P. (1932) Modern architecture: international exhibition. NY: Museum of Modern Art.
3 Cast Iron and Steel
3.1 Early Modern and the Architectural Avant-Garde
This session introduces the emergence of steel and glass in early modern architecture, focusing on how designers such as Mies van der Rohe redefined space through structural clarity, industrial materials, and transparency.
Texts
Friedman, A. T. (1998), ‘People Who Live in Glass Houses: Edith Farnsworth, Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe and Philip Johnson’ in Women and the Making of the Modern House: A Social and Architectural History. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 126–59.
Mertins, D. (2005) ‘Mies’s Event Space’, Grey Room 20, pp. 60–73.
Smith, L. (2022) ‘Mies van der Rohe and the Universal Space Project’, Drawing Matter.
Buildings
Chareau, P. & Bijvoet, B. (1932) Maison de Verre, Paris.
Mies van der Rohe, L. (1930) Tugendhat House, Brno, Czech Republic.
Mies van der Rohe, L. (1951) Farnsworth House, Illinois.
Mies van der Rohe, L. (1956) Crown Hall, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago.
Mies van der Rohe, L. (1968) Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin.
Johnson, P. (1949) Glass House, New Canaan, Connecticut.
Rudolph, P. (1952) Walker Guest House, Sanibel Island, Florida.
Videos
ARTE (2004) ‘Episode 18: La Maison de Verre’, Architectures.
ARTE (2009) ‘Episode 43: The Sainte Genevieve Library’, Architectures.
3.2 Postwar Experimentation & Domestic Architecture
This session examines how steel became a platform for structural experimentation, postwar innovation, and the development of new architectural forms.
Texts
Fry, T & Willis, A-M. (2015) Steel: A Design, Cultural and Ecological History (Design, Histories, Futures). Bloomsbury Academic.
Buildings
Eames, C. & Eames, R. (1949) Eames House (Case Study House No. 8), Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.
British Iron and Steel Federation (1946–1950) BISF Houses, United Kingdom.
Prouvé, J. (1951) Maison Tropicale.
Fuller, R. B. (1945) Dymaxion House, Wichita, Kansas.
Fuller, R. B. (1967) US Pavilion (Expo 67), Montreal.
Piano, R. & Rogers, R. (1977) Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.
Rogers, R. (1969) Rogers House (Wimbledon House), London.
Rogers, R. (1968–1971) Zip-Up House.
Rogers, R. (1986) Lloyd’s Building, London.
Ito, T. (1984–1989) Silver Hut, Tokyo.
Ito, T. (2001) Sendai Mediatheque, Sendai, Japan.
Fujimoto, S. (2011) House NA, Tokyo.
Fujimoto, S. (2013) Serpentine Pavilion, London.
Gehry, F. (1997) Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain.
Videos
ARTE (1997) ‘Episode 2: The Georges Pompidou Centre’, Architectures.
ARTE (2005) ‘Episode 32: The Multimedia Library of Sendai’, Architectures.
ARTE (2001) ‘Episode 23: The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao’, Architectures.
4 Reinforced Concrete
3.1 Early Modern and the Architectural Avant-Garde
Texts
Johnson, P. (1932) Modern architecture: international exhibition. NY: Museum of Modern Art.
Le Corbusier (1931) Towards a New Architecture. London: Architectural Press.
Buildings
Le Corbusier (1915) Maison Dom-ino, Paris.
Le Corbusier (1931) Villa Savoye, Poissy.
Le Corbusier (1952) Unité d’Habitation, Marseille.
May, E. (1925–30) New Frankfurt (Neues Frankfurt), Frankfurt am Main.
Le Corbusier & Pierre Jeanneret; Mies van der Rohe, L.; Gropius, W.; Oud, J. J. P. (1927) Weissenhof-Siedlung, Stuttgart, Germany.
3.2 Raw Concrete
This session examines how exposed, cast-in-place concrete became a defining material of postwar architecture. We explore how architects used raw concrete to express structure, social purpose, and material honesty.
Texts
Calder, B. (2022) Raw Concrete: The Beauty of Brutalism. London: Penguin.
Buildings
Smithson, A. & P. (1954) Hunstanton School, Norfolk.
Smithson, A. & P. (1972) Robin Hood Gardens, London.
Lasdun, D. (1957–1959) Keeling House, London.
Lasdun, D. (1968) University of East Anglia, Norwich.
Lasdun, D. (1976) National Theatre, London.
Chamberlin, Powell & Bon (1976) Barbican Estate, London.
Hodgkinson, P. (1972) Brunswick Centre, London.
Brown, N. (1978) Alexandra Road Estate, London.
Goldfinger, E. (1972) Trellick Tower, London.
Lyons Israel Ellis (1966–69) Wyndham Court, Southampton.
Luder, O. (1966) Tricorn Centre, Portsmouth.
Greater London Council Architects’ Department (1968) Southbank Centre Complex (Hayward Gallery, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room), London.
Greater London Council Architects’ Department (1964–1967) Pimlico School, London.
Ando, T. (1976) Azuma House, Osaka.
Ando, T. (1993) Rokko Housing, Kobe.
Kahn, L. (1965) Salk Institute, La Jolla.
Kahn, L. (1983) National Assembly Building (Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban), Dhaka.
Videos
ARTE (n.d.) ‘Episode 14: The Convent of La Tourette’, Architectures.
Architecture Foundation (2017) Neave Brown in Conversation.
3.3 Liquid Stone
This session focuses on how architects exploited concrete’s plasticity to create expressive forms, dramatic spans, and new structures.
Texts
TBC
Buildings
Le Corbusier (1955) Notre-Dame du Haut (Ronchamp), Ronchamp.
Le Corbusier (1960) Convent of La Tourette, Éveux.
Saarinen, E. (1962) TWA Flight Center, New York.
Nervi, P. L. (1957–1960) Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome.
Candela, F. (1958) Los Manantiales Restaurant, Mexico City.
Utzon, J. (1957–1973) Sydney Opera House, Sydney.
Tange, K. (1964) Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo.
Siza, Á. (1998) Portuguese Pavilion (Expo ’98), Lisbon.
Zumthor, P. (2007) Bruder Klaus Field Chapel, Mechernich.
SANAA (2009) Rolex Learning Centre, Lausanne.
Videos
ARTE (n.d.) ‘Episode 14: The Convent of La Tourette’, Architectures.
Architecture Foundation (2017) Neave Brown in Conversation.
5 Glass
Texts
Reichlin, B. (1984) 'The Pros and Cons of the Horizontal Window The Perret – Le Corbusier Controversy', Daidalos 13, pp.64-78.
Friedman, A T. (1998), ‘People Who Live in Glass Houses: Edith Farnsworth, Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe and Philip Johnson’ in Women and the Making of the Modern House: A Social and Architectural History. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 126-59.
Murray, S. (2009) Contemporary Curtain Wall Architecture. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Architectural Press, pp. 9-63.
Buildings
TBC
Videos
TBC
6 Plastics
Texts
Walker, A. (1994) ‘Plastics: The Building Blocks of the Twentieth Century’, Construction History 10, pp. 67–88. London: Routledge.
Colomina, B. (2004) ‘Unbreathed Air 1956’, Grey Room 15, pp. 28-59.
Buildings
TBC
Videos
TBC