Hans Teerds: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2021

Name Dr. Hans Teerds
Name variantsHans Teerds
Address
I. f. Geschichte/Theorie der Arch.
ETH Zürich, HIL D 75.1
Stefano-Franscini-Platz 5
8093 Zürich
SWITZERLAND
E-mailhans.teerds@gta.arch.ethz.ch
DepartmentArchitecture
RelationshipLecturer

NumberTitleECTSHoursLecturers
052-0850-21LThe City in Theory: Urban Matter and Design Information 2 credits2SH. Teerds, T. Avermaete
AbstractThis elective seminar focusses on contemporary issues of urban theory. During the spring of 2021 the seminar will focus on (1) the ideal of public space and (2) the processes of gentrification. Students that participate in the course will read and critically engage in seminal readings that discuss these topics, which continue to influence and characterize the contemporary urban territory.
ObjectiveThis course will:
- Introduce students to several historical and contemporary contributions to actual debates on cities and urban design, in particular the discourses on gentrification and public space,
- Discuss the motivations, purposes and ideologies behind particular contributions to these discourses on cities and their future
- Emphasize the specificity of the 'designerly view' upon the deficiencies and potentialites of the urban territory
- Highlight the relationship between theoretical as well as design approaches to the contemporary city
- Equip students to reflect upon the contemporary situation in cities with the help of both theoretical as well as design perspectives
ContentThe City in Theory: Urban Matters and design is an elective seminar course that focusses on issues of urban theory, urban and architectural design, and urban analysis. Students that participate in the course will read and critically engage in seminal readings that discuss particular topics which continue to influence and characterize contemporary cities.

During the spring of 2021, the seminar will focus on two critical topics of urban theory: (1) the ideal of public space and (2) the processes of gentrification.

The multiple interfaces between these two topics will be used to come to a better understanding of the concrete processes and ideologies that reshape and transform our cities.

The course will not only investigate the topics from a theoretical point of view but also questions how architectural and urban design (1) contribute to the vitality of public spaces and (2) influence pernicious processes of gentrification. Conversely, various material manifestations of public and urban space will be used to explore specific conceptions of the relationship between the city and the citizens, as well as between the built environment and notions of well-being.

During each meeting, seminal texts that address these topics from different domains (the perspective of the designer, the perspective of social research and political theory), and from different geographies (conceptions and experiences from the Global South and Global North) will be read and discussed.

In addition, students are asked to analyze a contemporary (re)development of a city, wherein they trace the topics discussed during the seminar.
Prerequisites / NoticeAdvanced bachelor students and master students can enrol in this course