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Semester 2

Architecture in Scotland before 1650 (ARHI10038)

Subject

Architectural History

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

3

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Visiting students must have completed 3 History of Art/Architectural History courses at grade B or above, and please note that we will not consider History courses unrelated to Art, or practical Art courses, towards these pre-requisites. We will only consider University/College level courses. **Please see Additional Restrictions below**

Course Summary

A systematic survey of the development of Scottish architecture from the 11th Century to mid 17th century. There is strong focus on the social and political context and the development of the castellated tradition and its transformation to domestic and civic forms. We will examine buildings, styles and designing, vernacular buildings and designed landscapes.

Course Description

There will be a strong emphasis on archival skills and interpretation and the way that different historiographies impact on our understanding. Part of the course will look at film, and TV productions such as Outlander, and consider how and why Scotland's landscape and architectural heritage are represented in particular ways and how these representations might be improved. Students will be encouraged in seminars and site visits to participate in consultation and discussion. Site visits will offer a uniquely immediate experience of buildings, cityscapes and landscapes and their visual and physical impact on the reading of places. The historiographical aspect will develop an authentic spirit of enquiry that transcends biases and received opinions, and the course offers a model for students to examine their own, though different, national heritages. The methodologies and analytical skills taught are transferable to other contexts and so the course will appeal to a diverse and inclusive community of oversees and home students. At some point during the semester each student will have the opportunity to give one 20-minute tutorial presentation. These presentations are optional. The course content will include pre-mediaeval and vernacular buildings, the Mediaeval styles, including ecclesiastical and castellated architecture and the Introduction of Renaissance forms and types including the Royal Palaces. For the early 17th Century we will study Scottish Classicism. The course will also examine historiographical issues, interiors and furnishings, and designed landscapes. The course will be delivered twice weekly. This is in the form of a series of 10 lectures-seminars each of 2 hours duration, totalling 40 hours of teaching over 10 weeks. Some seminars will be set aside for the optional, unassessed PowerPoint presentations

Assessment Information

Written Exam 50%, Coursework 50%, Practical Exam 0%

Additional Restrictions

Unless you are nominated on a History of Art exchange agreement, visiting students are only permitted to enrol in one 3rd year History of Art or one Architectural History course each, per semester, before the start of the relevant semester’s welcome period – and spaces on each course are limited so cannot be guaranteed for any student. Enrolment in a second course from this group will depend on whether there are still spaces available in the relevant Welcome Period, and cannot be guaranteed. It is NOT appropriate for students to contact staff within this subject area to ask for an exception to be made; all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. This is due to the extremely limited number of spaces available in this very popular subject area.

view the timetable and further details for this course