History of Building Construction

Subject 702-817 (2008)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2008.Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.500
Level: Graduate/Postgraduate
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2008:

Semester 1, - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: Seminars and field trips equivalent to two lectures and one tutorial a week.
Total Time Commitment: Not available
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Professor Miles Lewis
Subject Overview: A historical study of the use of materials and the means of constructing buildings from antiquity on, but with special reference to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, comparing equivalent materials and trades between cultures, and exploring the transmission of skills and techniques from one to another. Students will develop skills in the analysis of surviving buildings and archaeological remains, the use of specialised literature in the field, and other aspects of independent investigation and reporting.
Assessment: An essay, class papers, exercises (drawn or written), equivalent to not more than 3000 words (60%); and a two-hour examination.
Prescribed Texts: None
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills: On completion the student should:
  • be able to recognise traditional building materials and methods
  • be able to trace their origins and connections
  • distinguish authentic from reconstructed fabric
  • be able to report coherently on these issues
  • be able to contribute to the investigations of archaeologists and others

Generic skills obtained are:

  • understanding the historical development of building materials, structures and construction methods
  • appreciation of the historical and cultural developments underlying the history of building, especially in the Middle East and Europe, North America and Australia
  • understanding the cultural role of building technology
  • recognition of materials and techniques when found in unfamiliar contexts
  • appreciation of practical issues in surviving structures which may affect how they are conserved
  • professional preparation of reports on these matters
Related Course(s): Graduate Diploma Planning & Design(Architectural History & Conservation)
Master of Architecture
Postgraduate Diploma in Planning & Design (Arch.History & Conservation)

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