Culture of Building

This subject is not offered in 2016.

Admission into a course at the Melbourne School of Design.

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

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

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 equivalent to 500 words (10%), to show ability to engage in discussion concerning traditional and alternative construction methodologies and processes.

• Assignment equivalent to 1000 words (20%) due in week 5, with optional resubmission in week 12, to demonstrate understanding of the technical and cultural relationship between design and construction.

• Assignment equivalent to 1500 words (30%) due in week 9, with optional resubmission in week 12, to extend the approach introduced in the previous assessment task to other building examples.

• Two hour examination equivalent to 2000 words during the examination period (40%) to demonstrate the cognitive skills necessary to envision the construction-related activities associated with various building types and systems in different cultures. A minimum mark of 40% has to be achieved in the examination in order to pass this subject.

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