SUMMER SCHOOL 2007


BRAZILIAN ARCHITECTURE HISTORY AND THEORY


Total studio working time : 45 hours + 20 hours in Ouro Preto
Arch. Rita Velloso, Prof. Msc.


Course Description

This course will introduce students to key works of brazilian architecture and urban design. The course will focus on projects and executed works in Brazil from 1600 to 2000.
As we become familiar with the forms and spaces of brazilian colonial architecture, this course will pay special attention to baroque architecture and urbanism from the eighteenth to the nineteenth centuries, the legacies of humanistic and medieval architectural practices, and to the built environment¹s role in the framing, staging, and enhancement of ceremony and ritual.
We will read important theoretical works related to the development of modern brazilian architecture, well as significant buildings and design from 1930 to 2000 and we will examine brazilian modern architecture as a mode of cultural production in relation to its aesthetic, political, technological, economic and social contexts.


Requirements

Lecture course with a paper. Grades will be based upon participation in discussion sections and an essay. Each student will be expected to produce a paper on brazilian modern architecture at the end of the course.


Pedagogic Intentions

The class will consist of lectures, discussions based upon class readings (both in-class and in discussion sections), and an essay. Lectures will be structured as both period-long presentations by the professor and as shorter presentations with time allotted for in-class discussion. I will schedule additional discussion sections outside of class. The class will take a field trip to Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.


Readings

Kenneth Frampton, Modern Architecture: A Critical History, 3rd ed. (London: Thames and Hudson, 1992). Other readings to be announced.


ARCHITECTURE STUDIO

Total studio working time: 60 hours
Arch. Joel Campolina Prof. Dr.
Arch. João Diniz, Prof. Msc.


Course Description

The architecture studio course was drawn up to motivate students to produce preliminary design proposals for a cultural building inserted in the Belo Horizonte´s downtown area: The BH Interactive Museum – BIM.
Emphasis will be strongly given on conceptual basis, representation quality, ideas expression, contextual relationship, urban insertion and construction logic.


Requirements

The class-works will consist on subsidiary thematic lectures and seminars and in-class design workshop under professor´s supervision.
Each two-person student team will be asked to present its preliminary project for the theme as well as to explain and sustain its proposal.
There will be tree evaluation steps (see the attached summer school time schedule).


PEDAGOGIC INTENTIONS

The studio intends to create a team reflection on the situation of a Brazilian Downtown area (BH Center case) throughout site visit and analyses, and an architectural preliminary project that will reflect the background and the experience of the involved team.
The students will be welcome to talk and show their previous architectural knowledge and academic experience.


READINGS

Collage City, Collin Rowe
“Green Architecture”, James Wines
Other readings will be announced.





DRAWING WORKSHOP –
ARCHITECTURAL REPRESENTATION

Total working time: 30 hours
Arch. Alexandre Menezes – Prof. Dr. (PhD)


Course Description

The Drawing Workshop will be based on observation, creative and electronic drawings focusing on cityscape. The intention is to go out into Brazilian historic, modern and contemporary cities studying and sketching representative spaces and buildings. More than any other skill, drawing is essential to the work of an architect. Special attention will be given to architecture and cityscape exploring basics notions about dimensions/ proportions, perspective/ deformation and composition. Attention at form, light shadow, texture, space between, and how drawings sit on the page. Using variety of media and checking how these affect designing. The objective is to support design creative activity.


REQUIREMENTS

There is no need of special drawing abilities. The workshop is looking for expressive sketches and how they can help architects develop creative work in the design studio. Grades will be based upon sketching activity and discussion sessions. Each student will be expected to produce a sketchbook with a variety of drawings, texts, pictures of historic, modern and contemporary Brazilian architecture at the end of the course.


PEDAGOGIC INTENTIONS

The classes will consist of sketching activity exploring a variety of medias and different results. There will be discussions about how quick time and simple sketches can help designers develop their thoughts and creativity during the design process. The interest here is to develop the ability to think and interact with drawings, not only the ability to draw.


READINGS

Robbins, E. (1994). Why Architects Draw. Massachusetts, The MIT Press.
Verstijnem, I.;Hennessey, J.; Leeuwen, C.; Hamel; Goldschmidt, G. (1998). "Sketching and creative discovery." Design Studies 19(No 4): 519 - 546.

Others readings to be announced



URBAN DESIGN STUDIO

Total working time: 30 hours
Arch. Maurity Sieiro Neves – Prof.


Course Description

The urban design studio will introduce students to key works of brasilian urban design.
We will know the most significatives urban design experiences in Brasil in differents moments of his history – Colonial, Empire, Republic, and Modernity. We will study the urban design and architecture relationship.
The urban design studio will introduce students to key works of Brazilian urban design. This course will focus on development of Brazilian cities from XVI century. We will give emphasis on compression of the city like a political, economic, social and cultural process.


REQUIREMENTS

The class work will consist on lectures, discussion and seminars.
The students will produce a reflection to be able to present a urban plan for a Belo Horizonte`s area.


PEDAGOGIC INTENTIONS

The class will consist of lectures, discussions based upon class reading. Lectures will be structured as both period-long presentations by the professor or conferencists
The urban design studio will introduce students to key works of brasilian urban design. This course will focus on development of brazilian cities from XVI century. We will give emphasis on compression of the city like a political, economic, social and cultural process.
We will visit OURO PRETO, BRASILIA and different areas of Belo Horizonte.
A field trip to Ouro Preto, and Brasilia will take as a city tour in Belo Horizonte.


READINGS

Readings will be announced and prepared.