ARCH 100: Architecture and Ideas

Penn State University, Fall 2015

Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:45-11:00 AM, 102 Thomas Building

Instructor: Ross E. Weinreb, Instructor of Architecture

Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 11:30AM-12:30 PM and by appointment
Office location: TBA
Office phone: TBA
e-mail: [email protected], *(see “e-mail Policy” below)
Course TA: Kathryn Stankus: [email protected]
Course Website: https://cms.psu.edu/default.asp

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces architecture and urbanism through theory. It presents key concepts that have
shaped the built environment from antiquity into the modern era. Themes include evolving definitions of
the architect, ideas about aesthetics, technology, and tradition, and cultural forces that influence notions
of what constitutes ‘good’ architecture.
These topics will demonstrate multiple ways of understanding buildings and cities, as well as influential
concepts, authors, and texts. They will also help students analyze and judge arguments critically, and
better understand buildings and cities as ideologically charged artifacts.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course provides an introduction to architecture for a general audience. It emphasizes the analytical
criteria used to evaluate buildings as cultural, aesthetic, and technological artifacts. Related questions
include the professional identities and priorities of architects and engineers, and the evolving standards
for successful built environments. The architectural works discussed are drawn from prehistory to the
present, and combine explanations of the western tradition with topics and examples of global scope.
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
• Identify key ideas that have traditionally defined ‘good’ architecture
• Explain the influence of specific architects and authors
• Analyze how specific works of architecture reflect these varying criteria
• Relate measures of architectural success to broader cultural, political, and philosophical issues
• Know the linked professional histories of architecture and engineering
• Critically assess the built environment using the ideas discussed as an initial framework
• Evaluate the priorities and decisions that influence the built environment

REFERENCE BOOKS:
There is no required textbook for Arch 100. However, helpful books for this course are available in the
Reference section of the Architecture & Landscape Architecture Library (1st floor Stuckeman):
M. Moffett, A World History of Architecture (Ref: NA200.M575 2008 Q)
Trachtenberg & Hyman, Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity (Ref: NA 200.T7 2003 Q)
For students who wish to do further reading, the following offer helpful introductions to architecture
and theory that are relevant to this course:
Colin Davies, Thinking About Architecture (King Publishing, 2011)
Paul Goldberger, Why Architecture Matters (Yale University Press, 2009)
Fil Hearn, Ideas that Shaped Buildings (MIT Press, 2003)
Denise Costanzo, What Architecture Means (Routledge, 2015)
- (available on Amazon)
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE AND TECHNOLOGY:
Glowing screens of any size impede full participation in class by you and your classmates. All devices
should be silenced before class begins, and laptops, tablet computers, and telephones should NOT be
used during class. If you wish to take lecture notes electronically you must (a) obtain permission from
the teaching assistant, (b) set screen brightness minimally and/or (c) sit in the back two rows so your
screen is not a distraction to others. If you are found to be using your screen for other purposes during
class, this privilege will be revoked.

COURSE W EBSITE (ANGEL):

Information about this course is available online through the ANGEL course support system at:
https://cms.psu.edu/default.asp. Viewable (PDF) and printable versions of lectures with images, an outline
of topics, key terms, and space for note-taking will be available to download. NOTE: These do NOT
provide all the information you need to know for exams and quizzes.
Also, a list of review questions and useful vocabulary will be posted to accompany each lesson. These
are provided as study aids: they are not sample quiz/exam questions. However, answering these from
your notes will help ensure you understand the larger themes and ideas on which you will be tested.

COURSE GRADES:
30% 3 Unit Exams (10% each)
35% 6 Unit Quizzes + Film Quiz (5% each)
20% 3 Reading Activities (6% each) + 1 Final Exercise (2%)
12% Online Discussion Forum Participation
3% Attendance (random sign-in)

GRADING SCALE:
93-100% A 83-86% B 70-76% C
90-92% A- 80-82% B- 60-69% D
87-89% B+ 77-79% C+ <60% F

QUIZZES AND EXAMINATIONS:

This course emphasizes understanding theoretical concepts, not memorizing building dates. You WILL
be expected to know who made certain arguments, which ideas are characteristic of specific periods and
movements, and how specific architects, designs, and writings demonstrate these ideas. Quizzes and
exams will use multiple-choice, multiple select, true/false, and other objective question formats.

Quizzes: Six Quizzes (two per unit) during each unit will review material from three previous lectures.
The last Quiz will cover the film viewed during the last week of class. All material covered in classroom
lectures is eligible for inclusion. Some questions and answers will be cued to images.
Quizzes will be administered online via ANGEL during the period posted in the Course Schedule. They
are open-notes. HOWEVER, they have tight time limits, and successful completion will require thorough
knowledge of the material. Each student is expected to complete each assessment ALONE, without
discussion with fellow students.

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REQUIRED READINGS & READING EXERCISES:
You will be assigned one short reading per unit that support the topics we discuss in class. These will be
available through the PSU Libraries’ electronic Course Reserves system. To access, go to:
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/home.html and go to the “Start Here” field. Select the “Course
Reserves” tab, and search by Course Number (“Arch 100”).
For each of the course's three units, you will need to complete an activity based on the assigned
readings.
• The activity and instructions will be available online through ANGEL
• These activities can be completed in stages, as soon as you finish each of the readings (Note: be
sure to select “Save and Resume”)
• Activities must be completed by the posted deadline to receive full credit
• Late activities will be penalized by 10% if received before the relevant unit exam
• Late activities will NOT be accepted after the exam becomes active

ONLINE DISCUSSION FORUMS

Each week, an online Discussion Forum is provided in ANGEL. These are meant to encourage student
responses to the topics and issues presented in the lectures and readings. A Question of the Week will
be provided to help start discussions. Students can also post any questions or comments on the week's
material.
Participation in these forums will be monitored and be part of your course grade. You will be assigned
to a Discussion Group that will be responsible for posting two times during the semester. You are also
encouraged to read and comment on postings during other weeks. An information page in ANGEL
provides detailed information about how contributions to the forums are evaluated.
M akeup Policy:
If you have a conflict with any of the assessment dates on the semester schedule, it is your responsibility
to contact the Instructor well in advance via e-mail to discuss. Makeup quizzes, exams or extended
deadlines are only authorized under extraordinary circumstances and at the Instructor’s discretion.

ATTENDANCE:
Attendance will occasionally be taken. If you need to miss class because of illness or an official University
activity, please notify us in advance to ensure your absence will be excused if attendance is taken.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
All students in this class agree to abide by the principles of academic integrity. All cases of dishonesty in
this course, including cheating on examinations and quizzes, or plagiarism on writing assignments, will
not be tolerated and will be dealt with according to the policies of the University. Cheating by sharing
information during or about exams and quizzes or using unauthorized materials will result in an
AUTOMATIC ZERO for the student’s assessment and further action as outlined by University policy.
According to the Penn State Principles and University Code of Conduct:
"Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at Penn State University, allowing
the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest, and responsible manner. In according with the
University's Code of Conduct, you must not engage in or tolerate academic dishonesty. This includes,
but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication of information or citations, facilitating acts of
academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another
person, or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work

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of other students. Any violation of academic integrity will be investigated, and where warranted, punitive
action will be taken. For every incident when a penalty of any kind is assessed, a report must be filed."
For official Penn State Academic Integrity policies, including definitions of plagiarism and the University’s
penalty system, see the following website:
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/cyberplag/cyberplagstudent.html
For the College of Arts and Architecture Academic Integrity Policy Statement, see:
http://www.artsandarchitecture.psu.edu/students/acad_integrity
To see a copy of the college's sanctioning guidelines, see:
http://artsandarchitecture.psu.edu/sites/artsandarchitecture.psu.edu/files/Sanctioning Guidelines.pdf

E-M AIL POLICY:

The instructor is available for questions before and after class, and during office hours. I will also
communicate information about the class via e-mail, so check your PSU e-mail regularly. Your
correspondence with the instructor and TA must be MINIMAL, NECESSARY, and PROFESSIONAL in
writing style. A “professional” message will:
• Begin with a formal salutation (“Dear Prof./Dr./Ms. X”)
• Identify the sender by name and course affiliation (specify Arch 100)
• Use complete sentences, proper spelling and punctuation
• Do not ask for information that is readily available on the syllabus

This ensures that your e-mail will be taken seriously as a professional message and receive a timely
response (messages that do not are likely to be ignored).
In addition, all course communications (in class, postings to Discussion Forums, etc.) should be
respectful towards any and all potential readers. Any student who violates standards of civil and
respectful communication will lose the privilege of participating in Discussion Forums.
NOTE: University Policy dictates that confidential academic information can only be shared via e-mail
to PSU addresses. If you write from a non-PSU account (Gmail, etc.), you will be asked to re-send
your message from your PSU address ([email protected]) or through ANGEL.
When sending a message through ANGEL, please check the box that sends a copy to the recipient’s
regular PSU e-mail address. This ensures your message will be read as soon as possible.

Affirmative Action & Sexual Harassment:

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to a policy that all persons shall have equal access to
programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to
ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by Commonwealth or
Federal authorities. Penn State does not discriminate against any person because of age, ancestry, color,
disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Direct all inquiries to the Affirmative Action Office, 211 Willard Building. 
An Invitation to Students with Learning Disabilities:
It is Penn State's policy to not discriminate against qualified students with documented disabilities in its
educational programs. If you have a disability-related need for modifications in your testing or learning
situation, your instructor should be notified during the first week of classes so that your needs can be
accommodated. You will be asked to present documentation from the Office of Disability Services
(located in 116 Boucke Building, 863-1807) that describes the nature of your disability and the
recommended remedy. You may refer to the Nondiscrimination Policy in the Student Guide to
University Policies and Rules.

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