HHIS-390: History & Theory of Space 2

This course explores the multifaceted nature of urban, public, and private spaces, paying special attention to the sociopolitical, cultural, and economic forces that shape our built environments. We will review a range of scholarship from various academic disciplines and intellectual spheres, but remain focused on the realm of design and particular design products that provide us with a framework to understand the context within which particular spatial and design outcomes are observed. Aiming to contextualize various phases of design and spatial strategies since the late 18th century, we will pay particular attention to the forces that "produce" space, recognizing that gender, culture, and the everyday life of cities must be considered and evaluated against various theoretical and ideological perspectives. Interior and exterior spaces, exhibits, entertainment spaces, bars, cafes, sites of collections (e.g., museums), and many other realms that define and are affected by design will be analyzed in order for us to understand, albeit in an ephemeral manner, the forces that shape what we call our spatial experience.