On Space and Time in Urban: Formation and Design

This course focusses on space and time and its interplay in urban formation and design. In so doing it is subdivided into five themes, preceded by a general introduction and proceeded by a summary conclusion. The five themes begin with a fundamental treatment of both space and time as entities favoring classical definitions as distinct from those associated with spacetime and relativity. This is followed by particular emphases on both space and time and problematics introduced by concepts such as temporality, periodization and both spatial and temporal turns. A third theme deals with event time as distinct from clock time, including seasonal and religious events as well as so-called pseudo-events and the spatial and temporal aspects of use such as obsolescence and recycling. The fourth theme deals explicitly with the definition of hegemonic periods in historical time, how they might be measured, emerge and how they influence the sensing of space and time particularly in terms if cultural norms and different modes of spatiotemporal appreciation. Finally, the fifth theme is rather more conclusionary through the cataloguing, classifying of spatial and temporal influences in urban formation and design. Each theme will occupy a two-week period in the academic calendar and commentary will be illustrated with examples and case studies germane to urban formation and design. Here the emphasis will be on identification, measurement and the essential ‘thingness’ or palpable materiality of constructed environments.

The class is primarily oriented to students in the MAUD/MLAUD program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. Participation by students will be of two kinds. First, students will be required to submit an illustrated short essay for each of the five themes of no more than four pages in length. The subject or object of the paper will be the identification of an example of the application of a constructed project or plan germane to the theme. In other words, students will required to identify applicable case studies and to briefly justify them with regard to an underlying spatiotemporal theme. Second, students will be required to participate in all classroom discussions and be adequately prepared to do so.