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Courses - Fall 2025
ARCH
Architecture Department Site
ARCH478J
(Perm Req)
Selected Topics in Architecture; Adaptation
Credits: 3
Grad Meth: Reg, P-F, Aud
This seminar investigates adaptation as both philosophy and practice. It explores adaptive processes at various scales (materials, buildings, cities, landscapes) and of various types (reuse, reframing, addition/subtraction, infill, preservation, recovery, erasure). Topics include memory and the artifact; building as palimpsest; obsolescence and renewal; adaptation and sustainability; new architecture in historic contexts; urban/suburban retrofits; and recovered landscapes. Students delve into case studies and theoretical writings, as well as the practical aspects of engaging in adaptive reuse and renovation. Involving close reading and discussion of complex texts, lectures, workshops, and individual and group research, this course requires sustained attendance and engagement.