Course

Module 1: River-valley CivilizationsStudy of socio-cultural, religious and political systems, people?s beliefs, climate and other factors influencing the design of the built form of ancient river-valley civilizations along Nile, Tigirs, Euphrates and Sindhu.Module 2: Classical Greece and RomeHistorical and cultural context; classical Greek and Roman architecture and design features; materials and techniques; aesthetics and design philosophy; global influence Module 3: Vedic PeriodCultural and philosophical context; sacred geometry; spatial orientation and cosmology; early built forms and spatial patterns; design philosophy and symbolism

Course Objectives? To introduce students to the socio-cultural, religious, climatic, and political factors that influenced the development of architecture and urbanism in ancient river-valley civilizations? To explore the historical, aesthetic and philosophical foundations of Classical Greek and Roman architecture.? To develop an understanding of the cultural, cosmological and metaphysical foundations of Vedic architecture.Course OutcomesAfter completing this course, students will be able to:CO1 : Analyse the architectural forms, planning strategies, and material practices of ancient river-valley civilizations by understanding their belief systems, social hierarchies, environmental contexts and technological capabilities.CO2 : Identify and interpret the architectural features, construction systems and civic spaces of Classical Greece and Rome and evaluate their design philosophy and influence on later architectural movements.CO3 : Explain the philosophical and symbolic basis of Vedic architecture, and analyse spatial patterns, design principles, and sacred geometries used in early Indian architectural practices.

Reading Material1. Francis D.K. Ching, Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash, A Global History of Architecture, John Wiley & Sons, 20072. Banister Fletcher, A History of Architecture, 19963. Ananda Coomaraswamy, The Dance of Siva, Gyan Publishing House (2023)