ARK702: Architectural Philosophy I / Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying

This course consists of discourse and comparative analysis of various philosophical attitudes and worldviews from the Western and Islamic perspectives that mould the formal principles of architecture and the built environment particularly in the urban context. This is to investigate any direct and/or indirect relationship between what the society’s worldview is and what is being built around it. The position and role of the architect is concurrently examined within the dialectic of leader-mediator-servant concept. Although topics of discussion may range from the early Greek to Western and Islamic cities, the conditions of the current advanced global-capitalist society will be given special emphasis. The theoretical deliberation via lecture-seminar will prepare for the student’s own development of critical and philosophical attitude and worldview to be integrated in the advanced design works.