Architecture in the Age of Improvement: the Victorians 1840 - 1914 (U03919)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : ACE-3-U03919

Often referred to as the 'age of improvement', the Victorian era was one of unprecedented growth and development. The Victorians not only benefited from the technological advantages afforded by the full flowering of the Industrial Revolution but also enjoyed the profits that came with Britain's economic and political rise to world dominance. With this rise came profound social change as politicians, academics, social reformers, manufacturers, and religious leaders vied to institute new sensibilities regarding morality, spirituality, science, charity, education, and political representation. This transformation naturally affected the type and style of buildings that were erected during this period, dramatically altering the character of Britain's rural and urban landscapes. This course considers the architectural consequences of these transformations by exploring the development of theories and practices in architecture in the context of the social and cultural changes (and challenges) that gave rise to them. Although the Victorian era may be seen to have come to a close with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the course will conclude by examining how these transformations were carried through and further developed in the first decade of the twentieth century leading up to the First World War.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : AH2A & 2B; or Honours entry to History of Art or its combined degrees; or Honours entry to BMus (Music) or by agreement of the Head of Subject Area.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Architecture - History, (School of Arts, Culture and Environment, Schedule A)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 4 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
07/01/2008	11:00	13:00

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	11:10	13:00	Central
Lecture	Thursday	11:10	13:00	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Knowledge of the history and cultural significance of architecture in Britain (and elsewhere) during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

An awareness of the social, religious, political, and educational use and manipulation of architecture during the Victorian period.

An understanding of the wider relationship between Victorian ideals and the 'improvement' of the built environment.

Knowledge of the different ways in which change in Victorian society affected architecture and urban space.

An appreciation for the way changes in technology, industry, and the capitalist economy in Britain transformed the built environment.