A History of Architectural Structure
In this course we explore the development of structural form in architecture from the Neolithic to the present. Emphasis is placed on the invention of structural devices (arch, rib vault, dome, truss, space truss, shell, tensile and pneumatic structures) and new building materials (concrete, reinforced concrete, steel). Case studies include the Pyramids, Mycenaean beehive tombs, Greek temples, the Pont- du-Gard near Nîmes, the Pantheon in Rome, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Gothic cathedrals, Renaissance domes, the bridges, greenhouses and railroad architecture of the Industrial Revolution, Gaudí's catenary structures in Barcelona, Frei Otto's tensile constructions, and the development of the skyscraper in America. 3 hrs lect./3 hrs. lab.