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COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course provides an
overview of major historical events as they have shaped the material
culture of the world. It begins with the study of the earliest form of
cave dwellings and agricultural settlements of 15,000 B.C.E. and ends with
an assessment of the world of art at the beginning of the 15th Century
C.E. It examines the different ways in which distinct cultures, religious
world-views, and geographic peculiarities of Europe, Asia, and the
Americas have shaped the globe and its environment, making it a habitable place.
COURSE FORMAT
The course is divided into series of lectures and
seminar sessions: - The lecture sessions are further divided in
there parts:
- Part one charts the origins of human
civilizations.
- Part two studies the classical art and architecture of the world
in the context of the emerging empires.
- Part three focuses on the relationship between the world’s major
religious ideals and the historical development of our planet’s
material cultures.
- The seminar sections are organized around
lecture content, student presentations, and discussion on required
readings. Student presenters in the seminar sections may be assigned
additional reading on their chosen topic.
CLASS NOTES
Students are responsible for preparing their own class
notes. Due to the extensive material covered in this course, the
instructors will give an outline at the beginning of each lecture
containing names of artists, art works, key concepts and terminology. The
visual material will be made available for viewing on the DES121 Web Site:
http://www.aus.ac.ae/~des121/
TEXT
Students are required to purchase the textbook and read the
assigned pages before each lecture (see DES121 Schedule). There will be 5
Pop-Up Quizzes during the entire semester that will ascertain that
students are keeping up with their required readings.
· M.
Stokstad, ART A Brief History, Prentice-Hall, 2000 (AUS
Bookstore)
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Presentation & Board: 100 points
Scale Project: 100 points Quizzes: 50 points
Test 1:
50 points Test 2: 50 points Test 3: 50 points
A =
370 points or above B = 270—330 C = 170-230 D =
100-170
CODE OF CONDUCT
Absence from four classes
will reduce the final letter grade by one full letter. All incidents of
Plagiarism will be reported to appropriate University officials for
further action, which may include expulsion from the University. (Ref:
Page 30 in AUS Catalogue 2001-2002)
ASSIGNMENT 1: PRESENTATION & BOARD
This assignment will help
students first learn how to describe, analyze, and understand a specific
aspect of a work of architecture and then present their topic through
examples in verbal and illustrative forms.
All registered students will select a TOPIC from the list of Seminar
Topics by sending an email to the instructor with First, Second and Third
preferences. Once a Topic is assigned (we will try our best to accommodate
your preference), they will read the assigned readings for this topic,
read additional material assigned for reading, conduct further research,
and prepare a 15 minute Class Presentation (3-4 presentations per seminar
session). For this presentation, students will draw upon visual material
covered in the associated Lecture Sessions (available for viewing on the
course website). The Class Presentation must accompany sufficient copies
of presentation handout for all class members and ensure a comprehensive
understanding of the art-work, including the following aspects:
- Environmental and Cultural Background
- Form &
Composition
- Materials of Construction
- Style &
Medium
After the presentation, student must complete a short report on their
presentation and prepare a Presentation Board for their final submission
of this assignment.
NOTE: Students may invite their friend to their
final presentation and Instructor may invite other faculty members.
ASSIGNMENT 2: SCALE PROJECT
The Scale Project is designed to make
sure that students understand the scale of at least one important building
of their choice. Each student will make a copy of the site plan of the AUS
Campus (there is no need to re-draw plans for this assignment). She/he
will then select a building covered in this course, locate its plan and
section, and bring these drawings to the same scale as the Campus Site
Plan by reducing or enlarging through a photocopy machine. Students will
then replace an existing building on the Campus Site Plan with the
selected architectural work of the past and draw sections of the existing
and the historic building. Submission should be carefully presented on a
2ft. by 2ft. cardboard (as creatively as the student wishes).
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