Culture of Building

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Students may not gain credit for this subject and ABPL30027 History of Building Construction

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

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.

• Drawn or written class exercises in class, equivalent of not more than 500 words; 10%
• One written submission in week 5, with optional resubmission in week 12 equivalent of not more than 1000 words; 20%
• One written submission in week 5 and 9, with optional resubmission in week 12, equivalent of not more than 1500 words; 30%
• A two hour examination; to the total equivalent of not more than 2000 words. 40%

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

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