This lecture course is the first in the architectural history sequence. It is a broad survey of key buildings from ancient Egypt to the present. Greatest attention is accorded to European and American examples, but lectures are also devoted to the architecture of Pre-Columbian, Islamic, and Asian Cultures. Among the issues addressed in the lectures and reading assignments are the various systems employed to order architectural compositions, the role of buildings as vehicles for the expression of social ideas, and the history of the architectural profession. The goals of this course are to establish a chronological framework for future studies in architecture; to develop skills of description and formal analysis; and to develop basic skills for historical research and writing.
