Research and Analysis of a Building
the skills to approach a broad range of structures and assess them with some degree of knowledge about the history of architecture and the culture in which they were made. This paper is an opportunity to show some of what you have learned in an analysis of a work of architecture.
Your task is to choose any building dating from 1400 to the present (if you are uncertain, please ask Prof. Thomas or a TA). It may not be a building that we have looked at in class. You may use a building you have visited in person, one you find in books, or one you find online (in addition to your textbook a good search option is Google art and culture https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/ (Links to an external site.)). A good tip if you are uncertain which building to choose is to search for other buildings by an architect that you enjoyed studying in class.
Once you have selected your building, do the same sort of exhaustive visual examination as you did for the first paper(Write down everything you notice: its form, that materials used in its construction, the use of ornament and color, the place it occupies, the space(s) inside it, and its general form (no need to have measurements, just talk about these latter qualities in general terms). But then take the next step, and analyze it historically. How does it reflect the values of its culture? How does it relate to works we have studied in class? Does it have particular political, economic, structural, or religious significance? Use the information provided on trustworthy web sites, and turn to JSTOR and Grove Art Online (both accessible through the library website) to find out more. Also, feel free to return to your class notes and textbook to deepen your historical analysis. Do not copy online texts in your final paper. You must synthesize what you read in your own words.
Your paper should be 3-4 pages in length and include an image of the building you examine (the image should be added at the end, and does not count as part of your papers length).
