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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2011/2012
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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Edinburgh College of Art : Architecture - History

Undergraduate Course: Evolution of the Edinburgh Townscape (ARHI10005)

Course Outline
SchoolEdinburgh College of Art CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Course typeStandard AvailabilityAvailable to all students
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) Credits20
Home subject areaArchitecture - History Other subject areaNone
Course website None Taught in Gaelic?No
Course descriptionThis course focuses on the development of Edinburgh from the Union of Parliaments to the proposed reconstruction of the city after the Second World War, with a particular emphasis on the period 1767-1950. The influence of eighteenth century Neo-classicism, the Picturesque Movement and the historical revivals of the nineteenth century on both the layout of the city and the characteristics of its principal buildings are explored. The concern here is not only with the stylistic development of the city's architecture, but also the theoretical and philosophical concerns that lay behind these and, in particular, the effect of both the Enlightenment and the Romantic Movement. By contrast, the effects of public concern and legislation in connection with housing, education and public health, as well as and the history of the development of building regulations are considered where appropriate. In addition to this examination of the broader townscape issues, the course also deals with specific building types, including the major public buildings and lays a special emphasis on housing.

The purpose of the course is to encourage an understanding of the issues outlined above and the way in which their interaction has helped to form the city. In addition, the course is also concerned with changing ideas of the city as expressed at various points in Edinburgh's history and in various texts. To this end, it explores a variety of texts and images of the city, including the 1752 Proposals; Robert Adam's ambitious neoclassical proposals for the city; the notion of Edinburgh as "The Athens of the North"; John Ruskin's Edinburgh Lectures of 1853 and the Abercrombie Report of 1949.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements Students must have honours entry to History of Art or its combined degrees or honours entry to Music or by agreement of Head of Subject Area.
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus?Yes
Course Delivery Information
Delivery period: 2011/12 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1) WebCT enabled:  Yes Quota:  27
Location Activity Description Weeks Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
CentralLecture1-11 09:00 - 10:50
CentralLecture1-11 09:00 - 10:50
First Class Week 1, Monday, 09:00 - 10:50, Zone: Central. Seminar Room LO5, Old College
Additional information The Thursday session will take the form of student seminars.
There will be occasional visits to buildings/locations in the city
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours:Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)Evolution of the Edinburgh Townscape2:00
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
The students will have: A thorough knowledge of the major stylistic trends in Edinburgh architecture.
A thorough knowledge of the main trends in urban planning in Edinburgh and the wider British and European context to of which they form part
An understanding of the relationship between architecture and its urban setting
An understanding of the wider social, historical, theoretical and cultural contexts in which cities in general and Edinburgh in particular developed
An ability to synthesise arguments from a wide variety of source material, written and visual, primary and secondary

The honours course requires that students read and research in a more self-directed way than in earlier years. They are called upon to organise more diffuse and challenging material, constructing more sophisticated architectural-historical argument, informed by analysis of primary sources and corrected by critical awareness with regard to secondary texts.
Assessment Information
Coursework = 50%
1x2 hour examination = 50%
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Not entered
Syllabus Not entered
Transferable skills Not entered
Reading list Not entered
Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern Not entered
KeywordsEdinburgh, urban design, townscape, Scottish towns, Enlightenment, New Town, Old Town, Patrick Gedde
Contacts
Course organiserMr John Lowrey
Tel: (0131 6)50 2314
Email: J.Lowrey@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Claire Davies
Tel: (0131 6)50 2309
Email: c.davies@ed.ac.uk
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© Copyright 2011 The University of Edinburgh - 16 January 2012 5:35 am