Course

Module 1: Modern, Postmodern and Late-Modern Movements

Evolution of architecture between the World Wars and after Technological advancements and structural innovations; Modernist ideologies: Functionalism, Brutalism, International Style; Postmodernism and Late-Modern responses; Art movements: Abstract, Expressionism, Dadaism, Surrealism, Bauhaus

Module 2: Contemporary Critiques & Regional Responses

Critical Regionalism: Kenneth Frampton and global adaptations; Deconstruction and its expression in architecture; Art and architecture in the digital age (2000s onward); Environmental concerns, sustainability in contemporary design; Indian context: Vistara exhibition, validation of the vernacular

Module 3: Indian Architecture Post-Independence

Post-independence era and architecture for the State Influence of Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn; Indian Modernists: Achyut Kanvinde, Charles Correa, B.V. Doshi, Anant Raje; Contemporary Indian architectural trends and public projects; Cultural narratives and socio-political architecture

Module 4: Urbanization, Society & Built Heritage

Global trends and patterns of urbanization; Indian context: megacities, Tier 2 towns, and peri-urban development Migration, urban poverty, housing, infrastructure, public health Public space, gendered access, transport, and real estate; Preservation of natural, built, and cultural heritage

Course Objectives

• To critically examine modern, postmodern, and contemporary art and architectural movements in relation to global and Indian contexts.
• To explore technological, philosophical, and cultural influences on architecture from the early 20th century to the present.
• To study the impacts of urbanization and globalization on built environments, societies, and public health in India and abroad.
• To sensitize students to issues of accessibility, heritage, public housing, and infrastructure in the context of rapid urban change.

Course Outcomes

After completing this course, students will be able to:

CO1:     Interpret major art and architectural movements from the modern to the postmodern and contemporary periods, including their Indian parallels.

CO2:     Analyze the influence of socio-political, cultural, and philosophical ideas on architectural practice and discourse.

CO3:     Examine the challenges of urbanization and globalization on architecture, planning and public life.

Evaluation Pattern

1. Kenneth Frampton, Modern Architecture: A Critical History, 5th Edition, Thames & Hudson, 2020.
2. William J.R. Curtis, Modern Architecture Since 1900, 3rd Edition, Phaidon Press, 1996.
3. Jon Lang, A Concise History of Modern Architecture in India, First Edition, Permanent Black, 2002.
4. Peter Hall, Cities of Tomorrow: An Intellectual History of Urban Planning and Design in the Twentieth Century, 4th Edition, Wiley-Blackwell, 2014.
5. T. Ravindran (Editor), Traditional Architecture in India: A Reader, First Edition, Mapin Publishing, 2014.
6. Festival of India, Vistara: The Architecture of India – Exhibition Catalogue, First Edition, The Festival of India and the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), 1986.
7. G. Krishna Menon, Essays on Urban Heritage and Indian Urbanism, First Edition, INTACH & IHC (India Habitat Centre), 2018.