4.130 Arch Des Theory & Methods
Fall 2016
Instructor: Mark Goulthorpe
TA: Jonathan Dessi-Olive
Lecture: T9-11 (5-216)
Information:
The course aims to give some historical and theoretical
background to the notion of architectural ‘design’:
what is ‘design’ and where might we recognize its emergence
historically? Is it possible to identify one or more origins or
arche, or is it simply an inimical spatial/material aptitude of the
genus homo? At what moments does ‘design’ become articulated as
such (disegno), and at what points historically is it formalized
into disciplinary norms? Where does pedagogy become formulated to
reinforce such disciplinary norms, and at what periods does design
pedgagogy reformulate in response to or in search of changing
design aptitude, and why?
Equally, we will seek to identify the status and nature of ‘design’ in contemporary pedagogy and praxis, and to trace emerging tendencies that point towards the ‘becoming’ of design. Of particular interest will be the influence of the current shift to a digital technology, recognized as an apparent new base paradigm of design production in all cultural fields. We will therefore consider digital production in a variety of contemporary ‘design’ fields, alert to the provisional and formative nature of creative (digital) praxis.
Given the context of MIT as a technical research institute, and
given the interests of the instructor (Goulthorpe), the relation
between ‘design’ and ‘technology’ will be foregrounded continually.
We will consider the implication of these two notions, each by-now
ubiquitous in their usage and assumed meaning, to the point that
their conceptual and practical origins are obscure, as is their
actual meaning. The course aims to offer critical acumen in respect
of Design Technology, both through reading, writing and through
creative ‘design’ work.
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