Historic Preservation Program Courses

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course will introduce students to a variety of American vernacular building and other cultural traditions, with an emphasis on early rural architecture and landscapes, regional traditions of the 18th and early 19th centuries, popular transformations of the late 19th century, and finally widespread building practices and other cultural expressions of the 20th century. It will cover the basic history of and current approaches to the study of vernacular architecture and cultural landscapes, provide a list of current literature, including relevant journals and periodicals, and introduce students to methods used in the study and analysis of a range of material, architectural and landscape forms.

The course combines lectures and seminars. lectures will provide a broad overview of the field, as well as a chronological tratment of the development of American vernacular architectural forms. The seminar protion of the ocurse will emphasize problems and approaches in vernacular architectural studies. Topics will include: diffusionism, environmental factors, and cultural factors. The "linguistic" model for analyzing vernacular forms will also be treated.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:
Students will be expected to attend class regularly and participate in classroom discussions; write and present a 5-6 page report and a 8-10 page research paper, short midterm and final examinaton.

TEXTS AND READINGS:

Required:

D. Upton, ed., America's Architectural Roots: Ethnic Groups that Built America
T. J. Schlereth, ed., Material Culture Studies in America
V. L. McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses

COURSE READER (purchase details will be provided).

Additonal References:

READING FILE (Additional materials [photocopies] available for reference and short-term loan from Program Office.)