ARCH628P

Architecture is not innocent or docile. When the Christian leaders of medieval Europe launched a series of crusades against Muslim cities of the "Holy Land", buildings colonized territory, enforced the hegemony of certain identity groups over others, reconfigured economic structures and class hierarchies, and became theaters for violence. Using the architecture of the Crusades as a test case, this course will introduce you to diverse theories for the social interpretation of space, a skill that will help you practice socially responsible design in a present world torn apart by inequity. For your final paper, you will develop your own method of architectural analysis and interpretation based on such theories.