Happy Lunar New Year from the USC US-China Institute!
East Asian Design: Architecture & Urbanism (June 7 -July 5, 2022)
This complimentary online seminar will overview the multifaceted architectural and urbanist dimensions of East Asia - from its urban planning concepts and monuments, to construction techniques and aesthetic concepts.
Overview:
Moving across history in time and space, this course will overview the multifaceted architectural and urbanist dimensions of East Asia - from its urban planning concepts and monuments, to construction techniques and aesthetic concepts. It will extract some of the most defining epochs in East-Asian history, such as the spread of Buddhism, Colonialism, and the embrace and assimilation of Western Modernism. Going from Japan to China, and Korea to Hong Kong, this course will offer insights into how East Asian culture offers an intellectual counterpoint to the West, and why it remains deeply relevant to our increasingly globalizing world.
The five-week seminar (June 7 through July 5, 2022) includes:
- video presentations
- readings
- mandatory online forum participation
- weekly live online Zoom discussion with an instructor (Tuesdays, 4-5pm Pacific Time).
Benefits
- 3 USC Rossier School of Education Continuing Education Units ($35/unit processing fee applicable)
- Certificate of completion
- Resources and materials
*Must complete seminar requirements
Lecturer
Professor Vinayak Bharne teaches at the USC School of Architecture where he conducts seminars on global urbanism and heritage conservation and coordinates international studios on urban design. His research explores contemporary urbanism in Asia, specifically the urbanism of indigenous habitats, informal settlements and sacred territories. He is the author/editor of five books including The Emerging Asian City: Concomitant Urbanities and Urbanisms, and Zen Spaces and Neon Places: Reflections of Japanese Architecture and Urbanism.
Seminar Schedule
Reading assignments and pre-recorded lectures for each week will be available in an online forum and are to be completed prior to the discussion sessions. Access and log-in information will be provided upon acceptance into the course. Please refer to the Seminar Requirements Document for details on assignments and course completion.
Online discussions (via Zoom) will be each Tuesday, 4-5pm Pacific Time.
| Session | Date | Topics |
| 1 | Tue 6/7 |
Learning from East Asia: A View from the West
City Form and Planning Concepts - China, Japan, Korea
|
| 2 | Tue 6/14 |
The Buddhist Thread: The Pagoda, the Monastery and the Zen Garden
Experiments in Material - Architecture in Stone, Earth and Wood
|
| 3 | Tue 6/21 |
Aesthetics and Symbols - From Yin-Yang to Wabi-Sabi
The Architecture of the Dwelling - From the Chinese Courtyard House to the Japanese Machiva
|
| 4 | Tue 6/28 |
Colonialism and its Legacies - From Macau to the Shanghai Bund
Redefining Western Modernism - Tokyo, Pudong & the Hong Kong High-Rise City
|
| 5 | Tue 7/5 |
The Village, the Vernacular and Informal City - Notes from Mongolia, China and Hong Kong
Lessons from the Contemporary City: From the Chonggyecheon River Revitalization to Japan's Train Network
|
How to apply
Step 1: Submit your application below.
This program is sponsored by the USC U.S.-China Institute and the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia.
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