Directed by Professor Ricardo L. Castro, MRAIC

Teaching collaborator: Carlos Rueda-Plata (PhD Candidate)

OBJECTIVES, RECORDINGS AND EVALUATION

TOPOTHESIA AND LIMITS:

THE ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPE OF MYTH

Topothesia is an unusual concept in English that usually refers to the creation of descriptions of the physical environment as a way of promoting the meaning of certain types of interaction. However, the established meaning of the word in Greek could be translated as “placement of site.” The latter sense is the one that informed the academic goals of the Summer Course in Greece 2005 and will continue to inform those of the Summer Course in Greece 2007.

This course aims to provide its participants with some critical tools and concepts, which focus on the act of experiencing architecture and the landscape that defines its context. We assume that in order to make supportive and significant architectural contributions, the designer's past experience plays a fundamental role in his/her externalization of understandings through design. We believe that the landscape, architecture, and culture of Greece are among the most appropriate settings to develop a truly experiential as well as poetic memory of a place. Poetic, here, means that something has meaning and transcends the actual appearance of its "thingness," in an effort to unveil its essence.

The title of this year’s theme, "Topothesia and Limits: The Architecture and Landscape of Myth” indicates clearly the research context, which will be sources of inspiration for the creation of every individual's storehouse of architectural precedents as well as in the implementation of a hands-on final project. This project will be executed in Aegina, at the end of our journey throughout Greece and some of its islands.

RECORDING FORMAT

Large format Moleskine sketch-books (13.5 x 21 cm) are required. The choice of media will be left at the discretion of each individual. Each member of the class will be required to make three measured free-hand surveys of environmental fragments (e.g., a small room, a fragment of a building, etc...) as part of the overall recording activity.

EVALUATION

Evaluation will be based on individual involvement and participation (20%), the recording notebook (30%), individual presentation of character (20%), group (three participants per group) project proposal and final building project that will be developed throughout our one month stay in Greece and its implementation during the second half of the course (30%). Evidence of inquisitiveness coupled with the rigor, thoughtfulness, and presentation of the project will count heavily in the evaluation process.

Think of the fascinating (hi)story of Arachne, or that of Daedalus for instance. There are many possible connections to be made with the idea of architecture, landscape, and the making of artifacts....You have over one hundred and fifty thousand possibilities!!!!

Topothesia: Unraveling the Enigma of the Liminal

enigma - 1449, from L. ænigma "riddle," from Gk. ainigma, from ainissesthai "speak obscurely, speak in riddles," from ainos "fable, riddle."

Continuing the experience of previous summer courses in Greece, SCG03 and SCG05, this year we will concentrate on a series of final group projects that will entail topographical interventions. Their geographical context will be the bay located North to the ancient site of Kolona, Aegina.

The building activity will take place in the liminal area between sea and land, although conceptually liminal areas may exist also, for instance between clearing and forest. The building will be conceived as a gesture marking, a trace in the landscape, which will be related to some of the mythical aspects explored by each one of the members of the various groups as well as to the surrounding topographical events.

The conceptual discourse coupled with the understanding of the topography and historical landscape will help determining the scale of the structure, it tectonic qualities, its permanence, planned erosion or disintegration, and ultimately its purpose.