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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AH 293"
COURSE NAME: "Modern Rome & Its Monuments (Rome City Series)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2015
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Laura Foster
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: M9:15 AM 12:00 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: On-site
OFFICE HOURS:

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 between 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 distinguish among Rome’s many historic layers of development

3) the ability 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
European Architecture, 1750-1890Barry BergdollOxford University Press0192842226  
The Architecture of Modern Italy, Vol. 1Terry KirkPrinceton Architectural Press1568984200  
The Architecture of Modern Italy, Vol. 2Terry KirkPrinceton Architectural Press1568984367   
Modernism in Italian Architecture, 1890-1940Richard EtlinMIT Press0262050382   
Streets: Critical Perspectives on Public SpaceZeynip Celik, Diane Favro, Richard IngersollUniversity of California Press0520085507  
Fascist Spectacle: The Aesthetics of Power in Mussolini's ItalySimonetta Falasca-ZamponiUniversity of California Press0520206231   

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Class Participation and AttendanceThis site class 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%
On-site exercises in observation and understanding architectural design In the first half of the course, we will complete a series of exercises in note taking and observation in order to hone knowledge of architectural terminology and urban form. Students will be required to transform notes taken on site 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 3 exercises taken together. See the course schedule for dates of the individual exercises.20%
Midterm ExaminationThe midterm examination will be composed of •Short answer questions: Definitions of architectural terms, specific questions regarding monuments we have observed, 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 class discussion •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%
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%
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%

-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 course.
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:
Please see the statement above regarding attendance in the section on assignments.
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
Monday Jan 19
           Introductory lecture and site walk: Rome around 1870
Meeting place
            Classroom G.K.1.1

Assignment                 Homework assignment to be discussed in class (see also handout)

Week Two
Monday, Jan 26         
19th C. National Capitals and the Legacy of Ancient Rome / Italy’s Risorgimento and the Remaking of Rome
Meeting place
            Classroom G.K.1.1 – 9:00 instead of 9:15 AM

Assigned Reading      Readings must be completed before the class meeting

                                    Barry Bergdoll, European Architecture, 1750-1890, Chapters 2 & 8

Week Three
Monday, Feb 2          
The Making of la Terza Roma in the Historic Center
Meeting Place          
Piazza del Popolo

Itinerary                    Piazza del Popolo, Galleria Colonna, Palazzo di Montecitorio, the Pantheon,
                                   Galleria Sciarra, Monument to Vittorio Emanuele; In-class Writing Exercise

Assigned Reading      Terry Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy:  Vol. 1 The Challenge of Tradition, 1750-1900, pp. 87-89; 112-122; 219-240.
                                    On reserve in
Frohring Library, NA1114.K574 Vol. 1

Week Four
Monday, Feb 9
          Roma Alta: Urban Expansion on the Esquiline and Quirinal Hills
Meeting Place           
Piazza della Repubblica

Itinerary                    Piazza della Repubblica; Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, Acquario, via Nazionale (St. Paul’s Inside-the-Walls, Palazzo delle
                                    Esposizioni)

Assigned Reading      Bergdoll, European Architecture, Chapters 5 & 7

                                    Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy, Vol. 1, pp. 241-245 

Week Five
Monday Feb 16
           The Italian Government and the Papacy:  The Political Meaning of Prati and Palazzo della Giustizia.
Meeting Place            
Piazza Risorgimento
Itinerary
                      Piazza Risorgimento, Borgo, residential buildings along via Crescenzio, Piazza Cavour, Palazzo della Giustizia;
                                     In-class Writing Exercise

Assigned Reading      Terry Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy.  Vol. 1, pp. 246-259   

Week Six
Monday Feb 23          
Stile Liberty and Rome of the Belle Époque: Quartiere Coppedè, Villa Torlonia and the Villas of the Nomentana
                                     neighborhood

Meeting Place
             Piazza Buenos Aires
Itinerary
                     Quartiere Coppedè, Villa Torlonia, via Nomentana

Assigned Reading      Terry Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy:  Vol. 2 Visions of Utopia, 1900-Present, Ch. 5 pp. 15-34

Week Seven
Monday, Mar 2         
MIDTERM EXAMINATION (1 hr 30 mins) / Lecture: The Origins of Fascism and the Use of Rome
Meeting Place             Classroom GK.1.1 9:00 instead of 9:15 A.M.

Assigned Reading      Terry Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy:  Vol. 2, Ch. 5, pp. 43-61

Week Eight
Monday Mar 9
           From Garden City to Suburban Exile:  The Development of Quartiere Garbatella
Meeting Place
             At the exit of Metro B Garbatella stop
Itinerary
                      Garbatella neighborhood from Piazza Benedetto Brin to Piazza Eugenio Biffi

Assigned Reading      Richard A. Etlin, Modernism in Italian Architecture, 1890-1940, Ch. 5 (all). On Permanent Reserves, NA1118.E86

Week Nine

Monday Mar 16          Disembowelment and Purification: Archeological Excavation and Urban Displacement
Meeting Place
             Piazza di Torre Argentina
Itinerary
                      Piazza di Torre Argentina, via delle Botteghe Oscure, Piazza Venezia and Palazzo Venezia, via dei Fori Imperiali;
                                     In-Class Writing Exercise

Assigned Readings    Etlin, Modernism in Italian Architecture, Ch. 11 pp. 391-403

                                    Spiro Kostof, “His Majesty the Pick: The Aesthetics of Demolition,” in Streets: Critical Perspectives on Public Space, pp.
                                    9-22. On course reserves,
NA9053.S7S82

Week Ten
Monday Mar 23
        Foro Italico & Ministero degli Esteri
Meeting Place            
In front of obelisk at Foro Italico
Itinerary
                     Academy of Physical Education and Marble Stadium; Obelisk and Foro Mussolini, Swimming Pools, Fencing Academy;
                                    Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Assigned Readings    Terry Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy:  Vol. 2, Ch. 6 pp. 128-132.

                                    Etlin, Modernism in Italian Architecture, Ch. 11, pp. 426-434

                                    Simonetta Falasca-Zamponi, Fascist Spectacle, Ch. 3.  On course reserves, DG571.F2

Week Eleven
Monday Mar 30
        Architectural Competitions and the Entrance of Modern Architecture to Rome: Post Offices, University Campus,
                                    and Termini Train Station

Meeting Place           
Piazza Bologna
Itinerary
                    Post Office at Piazza Bologna; Rome “La Sapienza” campus tour; Termini

Assigned Reading      Richard A. Etlin, Modernism in Italian Architecture, 1890-1940, Ch. 11, pp. 403-426. On permanent reserve in Frohring
                                    library, NA1118.E86.

SPRING BREAK APRIL 5 - 10

Week Twelve

Monday Apr 13        Tensions between Modernism and Classicism: Casa GIL, Testaccio neighborhood, Ostiense Post Office, Stazione Ostiense
Meeting Place
            viale Trastevere in front of the Ministry for Public Instruction
Itinerary
                    Casa GIL, walk through Testaccio, Ostiense Post Office, Stazione Ostiense;
                                   In-Class Writing Exercise

Assigned Reading      Terry Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy:  Vol. 2, Ch. 6 pp. 95-108.

Week Thirteen
Monday Apr
20         Fascism as permanent exhibition:  E42 (the EUR district)
Meeting Place
            At the exit of Metro B Magliana stop

Itinerary                    “Square Colosseum”, Restaurant Building, Expo Building, Palazzo dei Congressi, Piazza Marconi

Assigned Readings    Terry Kirk, The Architecture of Modern Italy:  Vol. 2, Ch. 6 pp. 133-141

                                    Etlin, Modernism in Italian Architecture, Ch. 13 (all)

Week Fourteen
Thursday Apr 27
          Death and the Regime: Piazza Augusto Imperatore and the Ara Pacis Museum
Meeting Place
             Via Portico d’Ottavia, in front of the ancient monument

Itinerary                       Jewish Ghetto, then Piazza d’Augusto Imperatore

Assigned Readings    Etlin, Modernism in Italian Architecture, Ch. 15 (all)
**Term Paper Due In Class**

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