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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AH 293"
COURSE NAME: "Modern Rome & Its Monuments (On-site; may have an activity fee)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2014
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Laura Foster
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: W9:15 AM 12:00 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: On-site
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course treats the arrival of modern architecture and urban planning to Rome, a city that was already a model of architecture worldwide. The primary objectives of the course are:

1)     To examine approaches to urban planning and design of national capitals that developed in the 19th century and their impact upon Rome.

2)     To acquire the appropriate terminology in order to discuss architectural and urban design, including an understanding of the different historical styles and building techniques present in Rome.

3)     To sharpen skills of direct observation and analysis of individual monuments and urban spaces.

4)     To provide an understanding of the intersection of Italian politics and architectural representation in the specific context of the late 19th-early 20th centuries.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

From the much-maligned Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II at Piazza Venezia to the wide boulevards resulting from medieval neighborhoods being razed to the ground under Mussolini’s orders, Rome’s modern architecture and urban form are perhaps the least understood aspects of its history. This course will examine the dramatic changes that took place between the time Rome became the capital of Italy in 1870 and the fall of the Fascist regime in 1943. We will proceed chronologically and thematically, exploring both newer and older neighborhoods on site while learning to read through the many layers of the city’s nearly 3000-year history.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1) An understanding of essential elements of Italy’s modern political history and their effects upon Rome’s monuments

2) An ability to identify Rome’s layers of development, distinguishing between different historical periods

3) The competence to engage in a sophisticated discussion of architecture on the formal level of design and the contextual level of historical analysis.

4) An understanding of how historical memory and Rome’s unique place in history informed the choice of new monuments and the revelation of ancient ones.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
Modernism in Italian Architecture, 1890-1940Richard EtlinMIT Press0262050382 NA1118.E86 
Fascist Spectacle: The Aesthetics of Power in Mussolini’s ItalySimonetta Falasca-ZamponiUniversity of California Press0520206231 DG571.F2 
The Architecture of Modern Italy, Vol. 1Terry KirkPrinceton Architectural Press1568984383 (  
Roads and Ruins: The Symbolic Lanscape of Fascist RomePaul BaxaUniversity of Toronto Press0802099955  
Terragni's DanteumThomas SchumacherPrinceton Architectural Press1878271822 On order for Frohring Library

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Class ParticipationThis course meets only once per week and is almost entirely on site; therefore, attendance is essential. The lectures are not composed simply of a tour of monuments, but will involve complex analysis at the monuments themselves. In order to grasp the concepts presented in course readings and handouts, participation is essential. Students will be evaluated on their attention to lectures by questions asked and ideas discussed. Engagement with in-class assignments will also be evaluated.10%
Midterm ExaminationThe midterm examination will be composed of •Short answer questions: Definitions of architectural terms, specific questions regarding monuments we have observed or issues discussed in the assigned readings, demonstration of an understanding of maps and plans •Slide comparisons: identify 2 buildings or spaces, their architects and dates, then compare and contrast the works in a short essay, supporting your discussion with relevant information from assigned readings and lectures •Essay: topics that treat general themes discussed in the first half of the course. You will need to provide specific examples taken from works discussed in class. 25%
Final ExaminationThe format for the final exam will be the same as the midterm, with slide identifications and comparisons covering only material since the midterm. The essay questions will be on topics taken from themes discussed in the entire course. 25%
On-site exercises in observation and understanding architectural designThe four exercises to be completed on site will consist of note taking and observation in order to hone knowledge of architectural terminology and urban form. Students will be provided with a series of questions to which they will respond in writing while observing monuments and urban spaces. Students will be required to transform these notes into a short 2-page essay. The exercises will be evaluated individually according to accuracy and engagement with the material, but the final grade will be based on the 4 exercises taken together. See the course schedule for dates of the individual exercises.20%
Term PaperYou will produce a term paper of 8-10 on a specific monument or on an urban space taken from the period discussed in class. While some research will be involved, the paper will be based primarily upon direct observation, drawing on the skills developed in the on-site exercises. A list of suggested topics will be provided, though students may suggest their own topics, to be approved by the professor. Please refer to the course outline below for deadlines. 20%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the cours
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is essential for this course which meets only once per week.  The experience of site visits cannot be made up on one's own. Unexcused absences will be noted in calculating the class participation grade.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE
Week One
Wednesday Jan 15   Course overview:  Review of syllabus, introduction of site material and site walk
Meeting place          Classroom TBA                       

Week Two
Wednesday Jan 22   The Architecture of Bourgeois Rome
Meeting place           Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna

Required Reading    Note:  Readings must be completed before the class meeting
•Terry Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy.  Vol. 1:  The Challenge of Tradition, 1750-1900, pp. 219-259 (from “The Last of Papal Rome”, to “Rome, a World Capital”).  On Reserve at the Frohring Library

Week Three
Wednesday Jan 29    Fascism and Futurism: Historical, Political and Aesthetic Considerations
Meeting Place           Classroom

Required Reading           
•Richard A. Etlin, Modernism in Italian Architecture, 1890-1940, selection
•“The Myth of National Regeneration in Italy: From Modernist Avant-Garde to Fascism,” in Antliff, Mark and Matthew Affron, eds.  Fascist Visions: Art and Ideology in France and Italy. On Reserve in Frohring Library N8846.F8F3
•Document:  Antonio Sant’Elia, Manifesto of Futurist Architecture

Week Four
Wednesday Feb 5    The Beginnings of Rationalist Architecture and Ties to Fascism
Meeting Place          Classroom

Required Reading           
•Richard A. Etlin, Modernism in Italian Architecture, 1890-1940, chapter selction
•Diane Yvonne Ghirardo, “Italian Architects and Fascist Politics: An Evaluation of the Rationalist's Role in Regime Building,” Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 39.2 (1980), 109-27 (JSTOR)

Week Five
Wednesday Feb 12    Experimentation in Social Architecture: The Garbatella Neighborhood
Meeting Place            Metro B Garbatella stop

Required Reading           
•Richard A. Etlin, Modernism in Italian Architecture, 1890-1940, “A Modern Vernacular Architecture (pp. 129-164). On permanent reserve in Frohring library, NA1118.E86.

Week Six
Wednesday Feb 19    Reshaping Ancient Rome in the Fascist Image
Meeting Place            Piazza Venezia

Required Reading:   
•Spiro Kostof, “His Majesty the Pick:  The Aesthetics of Demolition,” in Streets:  Critical Perspectives on Public Space, pp. 9-22. On Permanent Reserves at the library, NA9053.S7S82
•Paul Baxa, Roads and Ruins: The Symbolic Landscape of Fascist Rome. [On order for library]

Week Seven
Wednesday Feb 26    Ancient Rome Reinvented:  The Foro Mussolini
Meeting Place            Piazzale Maresciallo Giardino

Required Reading:           
•Simonetta Falasca-Zamponi, Fascist Spectacle:  The Aesthetics of Power in Mussolini’s Italy, Ch. 3 “The Politics of Symbols from Content to Form” (pp. 89-118)

Week Eight
Wednesday Mar 5      MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Meeting Place             Classroom

Week Nine
Wednesday Mar 12    Modern Architecture and the Role of Exhibitions in the 1930s
Meeting Place             Classroom

Required Reading           
•Diane Ghirardo, “Architects, Exhibitions and the Politics of Culture in Fascist Italy,” Journal of Architectural Education 45, 2 (Feb 1992), pp. 67-75.  Download from JSTOR database.

Week Ten
Wednesday Mar 26    Architectural Competitions and Monumental Projects for Rome
Meeting Place:            Classroom

Required Reading:           
•Schumacher, Thomas L.  Terragni’s Danteum (New York:  Princeton Architectural Press, 1985), Chs. 1& 2 (pp. 31-87): “The Danteum Project” and “Terragni and His Sources: Ancient and Modern”

Week Eleven
Wednesday Apr 2        Shaping Youth, Shaping Identity in Architecture:  The Casa GIL in Trastevere and the Casa della Giovane
Meeting Place              JCU Tiber Campus Entrance

Required Reading       TBA

Week Twelve
Wednesday Apr 9       Competitions and Group Projects Realized:  Città Universitaria and Post Offices
Meeting Place             Piazza                       

Required Reading      TBA

Week Thirteen
Wednesday Apr 16     The Imperial Turn:  The Stazione Ostiense and E42
Meeting Place             Metro B Piramide stop/Ostiense Train Station

Required Readings            
•Richard A. Etlin, “The Esposizione Universale of 1942,” in Modernism in Italian Architecture, 1890-1940, Ch. 13 (pp. 481-515).  On Permanent Reserves at Frohring Library, NA1118.E86

Week Fourteen
Wednesday Apr 23      Death and the Regime:  Piazza Augusto Imperatore
Meeting Place              Piazza Augusto Imperatore           

Required Reading           
•Spiro Kostof, “The Emperor and the Duce:  The Planning of Piazzale Augusto Imperatore in Rome,” in Art and Architecture in the Service of Politics, pp. 270-325.  A photocopy of this article will be distributed in class.

DATE, TIME AND LOCATION OF FINAL EXAM TO BE ANNOUNCED.