FA180A • Contemporary Architecture

Contact Details
Professor Rob C. Anderson, PhD, SAH, and Fulbright Scholar Office Location: Zoom
[email protected] https://brandeis.zoom.us/j/91023844281
Communication:
The professor will regularly respond to emails and schedule office meetings on Mondays and Thursdays
only, and never on weekends. Longer emails beyond a “yes” or “no” reply, will require a Zoom office
meeting. The professor does not text and will reply to emails within 48 hours. Please do not send emails
through LATTE, but through the Brandeis email address only, listed above. Please plan accordingly, and do
ask questions well in advance. Questions are encouraged and very welcome in class! Please call me Rob.
Continuity:
Announcements will be made via emails and posted secondarily on LATTE. Please check both regularly.

Meeting Times/Locations
Classes:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 9:00am - 11:00am (via Zoom).
Office Hours:
By appointment only.

Accommodations
Brandeis seeks to create a learning environment that is welcoming and inclusive of all students, and I want
to support you in your learning. If you think you may require disability accommodations, you will need to
work with Student Accessibility Support (SAS) (781-736-3470, [email protected]). You can find helpful
student FAQs and other resources on the SAS website, including guidance on how to know whether you
might be eligible for support from SAS. If you already have an accommodation letter from SAS, please
provide me with a copy as soon as you can so that I can ensure effective implementation of
accommodations for this class. In order to coordinate exam and assignment accommodations, ideally you
should provide the accommodation letter at the start of the semester.

Course Description
The course presents major innovations and stylistic developments in world architecture in the aftermath of
World War II. Examining the larger social, political, and cultural contexts within which architecture
operates, the course will trace the diverse positions that characterize contemporary architecture across the
globe. Special attention will be paid to the relationships between theories, debates, and the creative
capacity of design and practice in architecture since the mid-twentieth century. Usually offered every
second year.
The course works both chronologically - as an architectural and urban history of styles - and thematically,
examining the contextual issues (social, political, and economic) that gave each period its distinctive
architecture. This is an interactive lecture course. The instructor primarily lectures, but frequently invites
students to answer questions, present research, and discuss readings, and express their thoughts on
specific subject matter.
Course Prerequisite(s):
None.
Learning Goals:
The learning goals for this course are:
• to foster critical thinking to discuss the works of contemporary architecture in relation with political,
social, and economic contexts.
• to acquire an expanded understanding of architecture in relation to urbanism and geography.
• to gain knowledge about major architectural works, monuments, and architects.
• to develop an understanding of how architecture participates in and responds to contemporary forms
of social justices and injustices.
• to develop the ability to analyze works of architecture with descriptive vocabulary and to express this
via writing assignments and oral presentations.
Credit Hours:
Four-Credit Course (with about eight hours of class-time per week, in the summer semester). For this
four-credit hour course, the expectation is that students will spend a minimum of 5 hours of study time
per class in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.).

Course Requirements
Attendance:
Full attendance is mandatory. Students are expected to attend all classes regularly, on time, and to
complete all readings and assignments. Doing well in class will depend on diligently attending lectures,
participating in discussions, and keeping up with weekly readings and HW. Lateness is not only disruptive,
but also disrespectful. Please see the School of Arts and Sciences website, for additional information.
Students may miss class in observance of major religious holidays and other activities observed by a
religious group of which the student is a member. For such days, you need to inform the professor during
the first week of the semester.
Unexcused absences may affect the student's grade. Grades will not be affected by excused absences
granted for religious reasons, bereavement, or medical reasons (which must be accompanied by a
doctor's note). Tardy arrivals will be counted toward unexcused absences. A student is tardy when
arriving 5 minutes late. If a student is more than 10 minutes late, it counts as an unexcused absence.
Students are responsible for obtaining any missed information in class from classmates. Leaving class
before it is dismissed will also count as one unexcused absence. If the Professor has not arrived to class
after the first fifteen minutes, and there has been no notification of late arrival by administrative staff, the
students MUST send an email attendance sheet to the faculty, and can then exercise the option to leave.
Assignments:
• Individual Progressive Research Papers with accompanying Individual Paper Presentations (PPT)
The two individual Progressive Research Papers are not to be a synopsis or book report of the week’s
reading material, but as supplemental material to critically thinking about, and understanding the issues
and broader implications of the text and lectures. It MUST include a well thought out thesis statement,
body, and concluding summary, and must not be written in the first-person voice (AVOID: I, me, we, etc.).
The topic will be discussed in a future class. Each Paper should be typed (maximum font size 12), double-
spaced, a minimum of 4 pages in length for the Mid-Term Paper and 7 pages in length for the Final Paper
(not including bibliography, photos, or diagrams), maximum margin of 1/2” all around, footnoted (cited
with a proper bibliography), and as one PDF document. The paper will be developed progressively in
stages, first as for Direction Paper, then a Mid-Term Paper, and then fully expanded for the Final Paper.
• Case Study Timelines (CST)
Over the course of the semester, you will be creating individual graphic case study timelines (CST) to give
visual form to lectures, readings, and discussions. The header for the document must be standardized to
include the dates and regional differences, and must include pictures, analysis text, a timeline, all on one
page, and all text double spaced. Please see posted examples and the template at the end of the syllabus.
• Précis Response Essays
Over the course of the semester, you will be creating individual rhetorical analysis essays (Précis) to give
written form to assigned focal text readings, in identifying an argument or thesis. The header for the
document must be standardized to include the citation of the text, with the 8 required format sentences,
all on one page, and all text double spaced. Please see posted examples and the template at the end of
the syllabus.
• Group Presentations (PPT)
There will be a few group presentations, as well as one for the Mid-Term, and one for the Final. We will
be employing rotational groups, to diversify participation and encourage collaborative engagement and
discussion. The group presentations are a group grade only, and it is the responsibility of each group to
have all students participate. This is a collaborative assignment, requiring professional involvement and
responsibility. Furthermore, you will be divided into smaller groups to create PPT presentations, with a
thematic direction and thesis, inspired by the lectures and readings. More information to follow.
All assignments must be labeled (name and assignment number) and double-spaced and submitted as a
PDF to LATTE. Course work not handed in by the assigned deadline will lose one letter grade for every
calendar day it is late, including weekends. It is your responsibility to ensure the projects and assignments
are submitted online, on the due date. There are no make-up exams, presentations, or critiques offered.
Failure to appear at a Mid-Term or Final presentation, will result in a failing grade for the semester.
• Mid-Term and Final Essay Exams
You will be asked to write one long essay and one short essay, for both the Mid-Term and Final Exams. A
study guide of potential questions and themes for the essay will be posted for your review.
Participation:
During the class discussions, students are expected to be courteous and respectful of the opinions of
others. Debates and discussions are central to this course. Everyone is encouraged to articulate their
point of view, but to do so in a manner that is courteous and respectful.
As this is a reading intensive course, students are expected to engage thoughtfully in the material and
class discussions, raising questions, and sharing insights. Students are responsible for any material
missed during an absence. Please ensure that your LATTE profile is up to date, including a recent and
clear face picture. Don’t forget to include some information about your current work, your academic and
personal interests, and anything else relevant to your fellow students and the professor. In a short
semester, such as this one, which covers much material, this is a good way to create a collegial
atmosphere.

A student should:
• complete assignments to the best of their ability, and submit them on time.
• engage actively with the ideas presented and with fellow students. Wide-ranging opinions and ideas
are encouraged, and a civil, respectful courtesy for everyone else is required.
• think deeply. This course addresses challenging subjects and thought-provoking material, and
everyone should be prepared to reflect and consider deeply-held assumptions.
Writing Standards:
Writing in this course should meet the standard of accuracy and clarity of expression that is expected of all
professionals. Appropriate grammar, correct spelling, and the ability to construct a clear and well-
organized statement or argument are expected.
To document your writing correctly, be sure to attribute all outside pieces of information to their original
sources. Simply, you must cite and footnote all sources (written and visual), using the MLA format. In
addition, students should keep in mind that even if it is required to paraphrase, there is a need to cite that
material. Use appropriate bibliographic and webliographic references for quoted and paraphrased
material. An excellent resource for proper format and usage guidelines is: Kate L. Turabian's A Manual for
Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Additionally, the University Writing Center can provide
professional writing advice in structuring an argument and in correct MLA (footnoted) citations and
documentation. Please make an appointment as needed.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is representing someone else’s words or ideas as one’s own. On occasion students violate,
often innocently, rules for citing and referencing source material; this is still plagiarism. This problem has
been exacerbated by the ready availability and frequent use of online resources. To report on research it
is incumbent on the student to know the difference between a direct quotation and paraphrasing (both
are appropriate, but require citation) and paraphrasing and plagiarism. There are two types of plagiarism:
intentional and accidental. Each is serious and will not be tolerated. Intentional plagiarism is the
deliberate attempt to submit someone else’s work as their own. This includes turning in:
• A paper copied from a book, a magazine/journal, or the internet.
• A paper written (in total or in part) by another person.
• Failure to properly cite sources, including: using an idea from a source without naming the source,
using the exact words of a source without quotation marks, or following the words and structure of the
source too closely.
The first time a student commits any form of plagiarism, he/she will receive an “F” for the assignment.
Upon the second offense, the student will receive an “F” in the course. This policy covers all assignments.
Accidental Plagiarism is the result of misunderstanding or misapplying the rules of documentation. It
includes using an idea from a source without naming the source, using the exact words of a source
without quotation marks, or following the words and structure of the source too closely as one is
paraphrasing. Errors resulting from a misapplication or unawareness of the rules of documentation may
also result in the grade of “F” for the assignment and paper in question.
Miscellaneous:
We ask that all students clear away the time for our dedicated class lectures and work, which means no
internet surfing or doing other tasks. Cell phones and other devices must be silent during class (i.e. on
vibrate or something similar). Absolutely no phone conversations, texting, eating, vaping, or smoking
during class. If you need to talk, text, or other non-class related activities, do it on the break or after class.
You are required to have dependable internet access, so you may have access to email, LATTE, and Zoom.
Your video feed must be live and you must be visually present at all Zoom classes, for the full class time.
Should you need financial assistance in securing access, please speak with someone in Student Financial
Services or an Academic Services advisor to discuss possible funding options. For your Zoom profile,
please indicate your first and last name on the screen, for attendance and participation purposes.
Lastly, always identify your work somewhere on your assignment. Include your name, the course
identification number, assignment name and number, and the date. Remember to cite as required.
Faculty Biography:
Robert [Rob] Anderson completed his Master of Arts in History and Theory from the Architectural
Association (AA), in London (UK), received a Bachelor of Architecture from the Boston Architectural
College (US), and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (US). From
2008 to 2010, Rob worked on his PhD course work with the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual
Arts (a short-term residency program in Italy, France, and the US (New York and Maine), researching
issues related to reinvention, originality, plagiarism, and appropriation in art and architecture. In 2014, he
completed his doctorate by successfully defending his final dissertation work with Tilburg University, in
the Netherlands (in affiliation with the Taos Institute), examining earlier coursework and research issues
in the context of the social construction of space and collective memory. His dissertation is titled:
“Authenticity and Architecture: Representation and Reconstruction in Context”, and is being developed for
publication. Rob is also a trained artist and designer, an historian of architecture and art, has a strong
affinity for the work of Sverre Fehn, the artwork of Nikolai Astrup and Edvard Munch, the landscape and
history of New England, England, Japan, and Scandinavia, and has traveled extensively throughout Europe
and Japan. In 2007, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to travel to Poland and Russia, researching
art and architectural education, related to Modernism. In 2018, he was awarded the Boston Society of
Architects Excellence in Teaching Award, and in 2019, he participated in a US State Department Grant to
research and develop new courses for the National College of Arts, in Lahore, Pakistan. Rob was recently
a professor at the Hong Kong campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) from 2019 until its
closing in 2020, due to political unrest and the pandemic, and has taught in the US at the Boston
Architectural College, Endicott College, Salem State University, the University of Maine in Augusta,
Wentworth Institute of Technology, and has also taught art and woodworking at the Greater Boston Aid
to the Blind. Rob was also the Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Chair of Liberal
Studies, at the Boston Architectural College. He continues to volunteer as a docent and researcher for
Boston By Foot, has led tours at the Walter Gropius House, and owns PTown Tours (an art and
architecture walking-tour company). In 2010, he published his first book, “The Invention of Architectural
Tradition in Norway: As Exemplified by the Work of Gudolf Blakstad and Herman Munthe-Kaas”, ISBN:
978-3-639-31952-1, and most recently has been working on several potential new books for publishing.
PhD, SAH, EAHN, and Fulbright Scholar.
Required Readings:
Puglisi, Luigi Prestinenza, New Directions in Contemporary Architecture: Evolutions and Revolutions in
Building Design Since 1988, Wiley, 2008; ISBN: 9780470518908.
An Appeal:
Do not fall behind and don’t suffer in silence. If you need help, let us know immediately! Don’t keep
challenges with work or assignments to yourself and quietly suffer or panic. Late work will be noted and
may pull down your final grade, but it is better to keep up with the assignments even if they are
submitted late. It is not possible to hand in all work at the end of the semester: it must evolve and
develop over time. The work must show the developing process and growth of ideas.
Subject to Change Statement:
The professor reserves the right to make modifications, based on the academic needs of the students.
Course Plan
MODULE 1: Modernism and the Architecture of Post-World War II
Week 1: Tuesday 6.1 Lecture 01: Introduction: Narratives and Themes
Topics: Philosophy of Sensation, Honesty and Materials, Refinements, and Symbolism

Wednesday 6.2 Lecture 02 and 03: Early Modernist Foundations and the Bauhaus
DUE: • Text: Curtis Ch. 2 (p. 33-51), Ch. 11 (p. 182-199), and Ch. 13 (p. 217-227)
• CST #1 (based on one building of your choice, from the weeks text reading)
Topics: Chicago Fire, Curtain-Walls, Tribune Competition, Art Deco, Zoning, Russian Constructivism, and the Bauhaus

Thursday 6.3 Lecture 04: Late Modernist Foundations

DUE: • Text: Curtis Ch. 13 (pp. 227-239), Ch. 18 (pp. 304-317), and Ch. 19 (pp. 329-339)
• Précis #1 Gropius “Design Philosophy” [on LATTE]
Topics: Wright, Gray, LeCorbusier, Lubetkin, Johnson, and SOM

Week 2: Monday 6.7 Lecture 05: Modernism, Reconstruction, and Social Housing
DUE: • Text: Curtis Ch. 14 (pp. 241-252) [on LATTE]
• CST #2 (based on one building of your choice, from the weeks text reading)
Topics: Weissenhofsiedlung, Dutch Estate Models, Villa Radieuse, and Social Housing

Tuesday 6.8 Lecture 06: Regional Modernism in Scandinavia

DUE: • Text: Curtis Ch. 25 (pp. 453-469) [on LATTE]
• CST #3 (based on one building of your choice, from the weeks text reading on Scandinavia or Asia)
Topics: Aalto, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland

Wednesday 6.9 Lecture 07: Regional Modernism in Asia

DUE: • Text: Curtis: Ch. 27 (pp. 504-511) [on LATTE]
• Paper I Direction (identifiable argument or thesis, direction, potential examples, one page double-spaced)
Topics: Japan, Korea, and China

MODULE 2: The Rise of Critical Discourse and the Emergence of Post-Modernism

Thursday 6.10 Lecture 08: Brutalism and the Heroic AND Video: “My Architect” (1h:56m)
DUE: • Text: Curtis Ch. 22 (pp. 395-415), Ch. 23 (pp. 416-435), and Ch. 27 (pp. 491-504) [on LATTE]
• Précis #2 Schweitzer “In Praise of Ugly Buildings” [on LATTE]
• CST #4 (based on one building of your choice, from the weeks text reading)
Topics: LeCorbusier, Scarpa, Paul Rudolph and the Heroic, and Barragán

Week 3: Monday 6.14 Lecture 09: Architectural Obituary AND Video: “Pruitt-Igoe Myth” (1h:23m)
DUE: • Text: Jencks “The Death of Modern Architecture” [on LATTE]
• Text: Goldberger “Why Modernist Architecture Lost Face” [on LATTE]
• CST #5 (based on one building of your choice, from the weeks text reading)
Topics: Modernist Critique, Reactions, and Variations

Tuesday 6.15 Lecture 10: Urban Renewal, Gentrification, World Fairs, and Utopia
DUE: • Text: Jacobs “The Life and Death of Great American Cities” (pp. 1-25) [on LATTE]
• Text: Rawn “How World’s Fairs Have Shaped the History of Architecture” (pp. 1-10) [on LATTE]
• Text: Paletta “Jane Jacobs vs. Robert Moses: Battle of New York’s Urban Titans” [on LATTE]
• CST #6 (based on one building of your choice, from the weeks text reading)
Topics: Robert Moses, Jane Jacobs, Local Character, Gentrification, Red Lining, Urbanism, World Fairs, and Utopias

Wednesday 6.16 Mid-Term

DUE: • Paper I and Presentation I
• Essay Exam

MODULE 3: Post-Modernism, Contemporary Architecture, and Future Directions

Thursday 6.17 Lecture 11 and 12: Post-Modernism, Form, Geometry, and the New York Five
DUE: • Text: Puglisi Ch. 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7
• Text: Curtis Ch. 32 (pp. 589-613) [on LATTE]
• Text: Jencks “What is Post-Modernism?” [on LATTE]
• Précis #3 Venturi “Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture” [on LATTE]
• CST #7 (based on one building of your choice, from the days text reading)
Topics: Jencks, Venturi, Brown, Johnson, and the New York Five: Eisenman, Graves, Gwathmey, Hejduk, and Meier
Week 4: Monday 6.21 Lecture 13: High-Tech and Deconstructivist Architecture
DUE: • Text: Puglisi Ch. 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, and 1.13
• Text: Johnson and Wigley “Deconstructivist Architecture” [on LATTE]
• CST #8 (based on one building of your choice, from the days text reading)
Topics: High-Tech, Tschumi, Koolhaas, Coop Himmelb(l)au, Hadid, Gehry, Foster, Piano, and Deconstructivism

Tuesday 6.22 Lecture 14: Post-Criticality and New Directions (student led PPT)
DUE: Text: Puglisi Ch. 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8. 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.16, 3.1, and 3.2
Topics: The Skyscraper, Commercialism, Excess, Folds, and Blobs

Wednesday 6.23 Lecture 15: The Dilemma of New Urbanism

DUE: • Text: Walker “Why is New Urbanism So Gosh Darn Creepy?” [on LATTE]
• Text: Ellis “The New Urbanism: Critiques and Rebuttals” [on LATTE]
• Text: Marcuse “Spatial Justice: Derivative but Causal of Social Justice” [on LATTE]
• Text: Macy “The Invention of Nostalgia: Seaside, Florida” [on LATTE]
• Précis #4: Dickinson “Pleasantville Effect: Nostalgia and the Visual Framing of (White) Suburbia” [on LATTE]
Topics: Seaside FL, Celebration FL, Suburbia, and the New Urbanism Movement

Thursday 6.24 Lecture 16: Phenomenology, Meaning, and the Genius Loci
DUE: • Text: Puglisi Ch. 2.8, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, and 3.7
• Text: Rowan “The Critical Reception of Norberg-Schulz’s Writing on Heidegger and Place” [on LATTE]
• Text: Tran “Phenomenology Method of Making Place” [on LATTE]
• Text: Young “Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish Museum in Berlin” [on LATTE]
• Text: Zumthor “A Way of Looking at Things” [on LATTE]
• CST #9 (based on one building of your choice, from the weeks text reading)
Topics: Genius Loci, Norberg-Schulz, Pallasmaa, Holl, Zumthor, Libeskind, and Diller Scofidio and Renfro

Week 5: Monday 6.28 Lecture 17: Contemporary Directions and Iterations (student led PPT)
DUE: • Text: Puglisi Ch. 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, 3.14, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, and 4.8
• Text: Belma and Sonay “Fractals and Fractal Design in Architecture” [on LATTE]
• Text: van Dijk “Experiencing Architecture” [on LATTE]
• Text: Pallasmaa “Geometry of Feeling”
• Text: Pallasmaa “Architecture of the Seven Senses” [on LATTE]
Topics: Foster, Calatrava, Snøhetta, Larssen, Fehn, Maki, Ando, and Ingels (BIG)

Tuesday 6.29 Lecture 18: Sustainability and Materiality

DUE: • Text: Puglisi Ch. 3.8 and 4.9
• Text: Masdar ”Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Initiative” [on LATTE]
• Text: McDonough ”The Hannover Principles” [on LATTE]
• Text: Mostafavi and Leatherbarrow ”On Weathering” [on LATTE]
• Text: McDonough and Braungart “The Promise of Cradle-to-Cradle Design” [on LATTE]
• CST #10 (based on one building from Boston, of your choice, based on the AIA App)
Topics: Nouvel, Behnisch and Behnisch, Foster, BedZED, Iceland, Kare, Kuma, Liyuan Library, and LWA

Wednesday 6.30 Lecture 19: Future Directions

DUE: • Text: Puglisi Ch. 4.10
• Text: Frazer ”Parametric Computation: History and Future” [on LATTE]
• Text: Chayka ”How the Coronavirus Will Reshape Architecture” [on LATTE]
• CST #11 Final Assembled Book (PDF) with Cover Page, Table of Contents, and Bibliography
• CST #12 Extra Credit (based on one building from Boston, of your choice, based on the AIA App)

Thursday 7.1 Final (expect the class to run late)

DUE: • Paper II and Presentation II
• Essay Exam

Evaluation and Grading

Grading will be assessed in accordance with the Brandeis University grading system (A = 4.00, A- = 3.67,
B+ = 3.3, etc.). Development (indication of growth), process and analytical skills, and presentation (both
oral and written) will be the primary factors in assessing course performance. Class participation will also
be taken into account for grade assessment. Students will be graded on a per project, presentation, or
exam/essay basis. Progress grades and academic warnings will be made available to a student performing
poorly, or in danger of failing, at any time, and as determined and needed.
Mid Term and Final Essay Exams 15% (Mid-Term 5% and Final 10%)
Two Individual Progressive Research Papers 20% (Paper I 10% and Paper II 10%)
Two Individual Paper Presentations (PPT) 15% (Mid-Term 5% and Final 10%)
Two Group Presentations (PPT) 20% (Lecture 14 10% and Lecture 17 10%)
Case Study Timelines (CST) 15% (Case Study Timelines 15%)
Précis Response Essays 10% (Précis 10%)
Participation 5% (Participation 5%)
TOTAL 100%
NOTE: Missed assignments will nullify other grades in the same category. Please remember to submit ALL
work. Late assignments will drop a grade for every day late.

Important Policies and Resources

Academic Integrity:
Every member of the University community is expected to maintain the highest standards of academic
integrity. A student shall not submit work that is falsified or is not the result of the student's own effort.
Infringement of academic integrity by a student subjects that student to serious penalties, which may
include failure on the assignment, failure in the course, suspension from the University or other sanctions.
Please consult Brandeis University Rights and Responsibilities for all policies and procedures related to
academic integrity. Students may be required to submit work via TurnItIn.com, or similar software, to
verify originality. A student who is in doubt regarding standards of academic integrity as they apply to a
specific course or assignment should consult the faculty member responsible for that course or
assignment before submitting the work. Allegations of alleged academic dishonesty will be forwarded to
the Department of Student Rights and Community Standards. Citation and research assistance can be
found at Brandeis Library Guides - Citing Sources.
Classroom Health and Safety:
• Register for the Brandeis Emergency Notification System. Students who receive an
emergency notification while attending class should notify their instructor immediately. In
the case of a life-threatening emergency, call 911. As a precaution, review this active shooter
information sheet.
• Brandeis provides this shuttle service for traveling across campus or to downtown Waltham,
Cambridge, and Boston.
• On the Brandeis campus, all students, faculty, staff, and guests are required to observe the
university's policies on physical distancing and mask-wearing to support the health and safety
of all classroom participants. Face coverings must be worn by all students and instructors in
classes with in-person meetings. Students and faculty must also maintain the appropriate 6
feet of physical distance from one another when entering, exiting, or being in the classroom
and continue to sit in seats assigned by the professor to assist the university in its contract-
tracing efforts. All faculty and students must also clean their work areas before and after
each class session, using the sanitizing wipes provided by the University. Classrooms will also
be professionally cleaned by Brandeis custodial staff multiple times per day. Review up to
date COVID-related health and safety policies regularly.
Course Materials, Books, Apps, and Equipment:
If you are having difficulty purchasing course materials, please make an appointment with your Student
Financial Services or Academic Services advisor to discuss possible funding options, including vouchers for
purchases made at the Brandeis Bookstore.
LATTE:
LATTE is the Brandeis learning management system. Login using your UNET ID and password. For LATTE
help, contact [email protected]. All work for the class must be submitted on LATTE as a PDF or PPT
document, or as stated for the respective assignment.
Library:
The Brandeis Library collections and staff offer resources and services to support Brandeis students, faculty
and staff. Librarians and Specialists from Research & Instructional Services, Public Services, Archives &
Special Collections, Sound & Image Media Studios, MakerLab, AutomationLab, and Digital Scholarship Lab are
available to help you through consultations and workshops.
Privacy:
To protect your privacy in any case where this course involves online student work outside of Brandeis
password-protected spaces, you may choose to use a pseudonym or alias. You must share the
pseudonym or alias with me and any teaching assistants as needed. Alternatively, with prior consultation,
you may submit such work directly to me.
Student Support:
Brandeis University is committed to supporting all our students so they can thrive. If a student, faculty, or
staff member wants to learn more about support resources, the Support at Brandeis webpage offers a
comprehensive list that includes these staff colleagues you can consult, along with other support
resources:
• The Care Team
• Academic Services (undergraduate)
• Graduate Student Affairs
• Directors of Graduate Studies in each department, School of Arts & Sciences
• Program Administrators for the Heller School and International Business School
• University Ombuds
• Office of Equal Opportunity.
WRITING A RHETORICAL PRÉCIS ANALYSIS AND READING RESPONSE PAPER
I. How to read scholarly architectural texts:
As a critical thinking strategy for this course, as you read the required texts, start by situating them in their historical contexts. Ask yourself:
-When was this text written? Who wrote it? Who is this author I'm being asked to read? (Googling the author's name is encouraged.)
-What can the text's date and the author's profile tell me about the argument being made?
-What are some of the key terms that these authors use to make their arguments? What do these terms mean?
-What is the central argument or claim of the text, and the purpose of each of these authors' writing?
As you read, use these questions to craft your weekly writing assignment, which we've called a reading response or rhetorical analysis précis. Use
the template below, but remove the [brackets], but leave the (parenthesis). At the top of the page, include your name, the assignment
number, the course name, a date, and a header citation. The assignment must be on one page, and double spaced. No first-person voice.

II. How to write a rhetorical précis:

A rhetorical précis is a short paragraph distilling the main ideas in the text, of their importance. It includes a citation header, and the following:
a) A single coherent sentence with the following:
-name of the author, title of the work, date in parenthesis;
-a rhetorically accurate verb (such as "argue") — identifying what the author is intending to do, in understanding the reading.
-a that clause containing the major claim (thesis statement) of the work.
b) A sentence that explains how the author develops and supports the major claim (thesis statement). Does the author offer
scientific evidence, or does he/she analyze under examined aspects of a work or idea…? What is the evidence the author uses?
c) A sentence that states the author's purpose (what for), including the intended audience and the relationship the author
establishes with the audience. This sentence should clarify the bias or lens of the author; why they are bothering to write this; and
who they are trying to convince. What is the problem this author is trying to address in this writing"? Add your own comments.
Précis Format Example:
1. Sentence one provides:
a) the name of the author, the genre (essay, novel, etc.), and the title of the work with the publication date (in parenthesis), the verb
argues MUST be used to indicate the argument of the article, followed by;
b) a “that” phrase in which the thesis or argument of the work is stated (either paraphrased or quoted).

In [_______________________________]’s [_____________], [_______________________________]

author’s full name kind of source title of source

[(___________)], [_____________] argues that [__________________________________].

publication date author’s last name thesis of the work
2. Sentence two provides an explanation of how the author goes about supporting the thesis or main idea. Brevity is important –
you will not restate the details from the work, but explain the rhetorical method used by the writer to develop these supports.

By [_______________________________]ing [_____________________________________________]
verb how author supports the thesis and what evidence is used

[_______________________________] [_________________________________________________].
pronoun or author’s last name what the author is able to accomplish in the source
3. Sentence three states the purpose of the piece (which may reflect the thesis, but should also include the writer’s motives – why
the author is writing this piece?). This is accomplished with an “in order to” phrase.

The author’s (His or Her) purpose it to [___________________________________________________]

author’s purpose

in order to [_________________________________________________________________________].
author’s goal or motivation
4. Sentence four explains the author’s intended audience and how the author positions the ideas or thesis with that audience.

[___________________] positions himself as [_____________________________________________]

author’s last name how the author positions himself/herself

and wants to reach [__________________________________________________________________].

targeted audience for the source, why?, and what is the bias?
5. Sentence five depicts how the source is relevant or applicable to your developing ideas.

[__________________________________________________________________________________].
how the work is relevant or applicable to your own developing ideas or research
6 and 7. Sentence 6 and 7 adds comments of your own reflection, analysis, or research direction.
8. Sentence 8 restates an arguable point. No first-person voice.
**NOTE: PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PRECIS FOR THE WEEK TOGETHER IN ONE DOCUMENT, NOT SEPARATE DOCUMENTS FOR EACH.**
CREATING A CASE STUDY TIMELINE (CST)

HEADER (MUST BE single spaced text)

☐ Your Name (or Group Number and Group Member Names):
☐ Class Name and Number:
☐ Instructor Name:
☐ Date Created:
☐ CST Assignment Number and Text Reference

BODY (MUST BE double spaced text)

☐ Title of Work Selected:

☐ Architect/Designer of Work Selected (“unknown” if applicable):

☐ Style of Work Selected:

☐ Date of Work Selected:

☐ Region or Country of Work Selected:

☐ Timeline, indicating regional and stylistic context or differences:

☐ Marker and annotated text to indicate time stamp of work selected

☐ Maps:

☐ Images (minimum of two):

☐ Sections and Plans (minimum of one):

☐ Written paragraph of information (in your own words, no first-person voice, double spaced, and cited0:

Style: defining visual and material characteristics

Context: social, philosophical, technological, political, and emerging discourse

☐ Additional analysis, context, and annotated text (in your own words, and cited):

☐ Address how the work selected addresses course debates, themes, and issues:

☐ Additional Information:

☐ Margins: Bound Side 1”

NOTE: Consider any graphic format, as long as you indicate the information above. No larger than 8.5” x 11”
paper, with 1” margin on left side (for binding). Final CST assignment will be a cover page, table of contexts,
and brief summation timeline of periods covered. All images and text must be cited with a footnote.

The CST MUST BE ONE PAGE.