Architecture and technology have been intimately connected throughout history. While this connection dates back to the earliest human attempts at changing their environments, it has been strengthened with the changes brought about by the industrialization of the West and the post-World-War II rise of information technologies. This course explores the historical connections of architecture and technology since World War II and their implications on humans, architecture, and the planet. It aims to contextualize the link between technological changes and architectural practice and representation. Besides providing an overview of the technological advances that have had an impact on architecture, we will focus on how technology affects the environment, human bodies, and society at large. While the course is structured with a rough chronology from World War II till today, each session of the class will focus on one scale through which technology operates: a small scale related to the human body and to appropriate technologies inspiring a human-centered architecture; a medium scale in which technologies directly affect buildings and cities; and a large-scale related to industries, nations, and the entire planet.
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