Aim
The course aims to increase each student’s ability to reflect critically on questions to do with urban architecture, so as to enable him or her to acquire an analytical attitude to the profession of architecture. This is done primarily by training each student to read, write and speak about urban architecture in ways that are constructive and aware of relevant theories, and lead to a firmer possession of a conceptual apparatus that would let him or her actively and critically take part in contemporary debates and academic research. The student shall also be exercised in ways that allow him or her independently to argue, orally and in writing, on architectural and urban themes. The course also aims to introduce urban theory as a part of the theory of architecture as a whole.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

• with reference to a given text or a part of a specific built environment, define and identify questions to do with architectural theory of an urban nature and relate them to their contemporary and/or historical context(s).

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

• independently and simply be able to analyse, orally and in writing, from the point of view of architectural urban theory, a specific urban place or a built environment or a text on such a subject.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

• exhibit an ability to assess in a well-developed way the qualities of built-up and other urban places, and formulate meta-theoretical questions having to do with built-up urban places and the architectural profession.

Contents
The course includes a fundamental discussion of concepts and traditions that are central to urban and architectural theories and, of the former, introduces some that are relevant, mainly by reference to research.

The course comprises lectures, seminars, individual study and essay writing. The student is offered opportunities to discuss in seminars theories and the production of knowledge of significance to the performance of the work of an architect. In writing his or her essay, and in the preparatory reading, the student is offered an opportunity to address questions of knowledge and discuss those of architectural form in an urban context; in the course of at least two seminars he or she both writes and presents an essay and opposes another.

Teaching in general, and these small seminar groups, have as their general aim to further the development of students individually.

Literature
Le Gates, R. & Stout, F. (eds.), The City Reader, London, Routledge 2007 ISBN: 9780415770835.
Some shorter texts can be added during the course.