Architecture

The course provides a study of architectural culture, which is one of the traditional Chinese cultures. Topics include basic theories, general concepts, and main contents of Chinese traditional architectural culture; its historical development process, achievements, and social and cultural significance; current situation of preservation and protection of Chinese traditional buildings; practical value and influence of traditional architectural culture; language and cultural knowledge related to traditional architectural culture.

As one of fundamental courses of Interior Architecture Design majors, this course provides the theoretical background of fundamental CAD systems and digital design technologies in order that students can reach the next phase of advanced design computing studies and practices. This includes architectural planning, design, drafting procedures, practices, symbols and preparation of advanced working drawings for architectural and interior design. Moreover, this course tackles how digital design and design computing technologies interact with design per se using quantitative and scientific processes, so that students can comprehend the main features of digital design. 

This course studies the development of public and private architecture in Berlin from the 19th century to the present. Following an introduction to architectural terms, and an examination of the urban development and architectural history of the Modern era, the Neo-Classical period is surveyed with special reference to the works of Schinkel. This is followed by sessions on the architecture of the German Reich after 1871, characterized by both modern and conservative tendencies, and the manifold activities during the time of the Weimar Republic in the 1920s. The architecture of the Nazi period is examined, followed by the developments in East and West Berlin after World War II. The course concludes with a detailed review of the city's contemporary and future architectural profiles, including an analysis of the conflicts conerning the redesign of ''Berlin Mitte,'' Potsdamer Platz, and the new government quarter. Students examine architectural examples within Berlin designed by such famous international architects as Lord Norman Foster, Frank O. Gehry, Renzo Piano, and Richard Rogers. Field trips complement the lectures.

This course explores how various forms of art, especially painting and architecture, have served to establish and strengthen the political cohesion of the young American nation. After defining key concepts, the course focuses on landscape painting in the 19th century, which was dedicated to the majesty of American landscapes. On the architectural level, it studies classicism as well as specific American forms of architecture. The course provides an opportunity analyze an artistic work in its historical and cultural context through the prism of building a national identity.