University of Technology Sydney

11328 Australian Modernism

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Architecture
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 144 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10413 Bachelor of Design Architecture Master of Architecture
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This PG seminar is an introduction to the story of modern architecture in Australia. Students explore the origins of modernism firstly through the lens of European and North American key texts and modernist practitioners, while closely analyzing significant case studies from the post WW2 era to the 1990’s. Studentsl track their influence on architects and architecture more broadly in Australia through reference sources from magazines and newspapers to current TV documentaries and beyond.

The modernist Australian story however remains only half told. The modern century saw an exceptional number of non-western influences start to significantly impact our Architecture, shaping Australian modernism differently to that developed in other parts of the world. The seminar ends in the final weeks with an exploration of these other cultural influences on architecture from the 1950’s on, taking us to precedents in Indonesia, Japan, India and more, as generally unrecognized influences on some of our most prominent architectural works. Arguably, students open the door on this, the untold history of modern architecture in Australia.

The seminar involves reading and a short lecture and discussion each week, as well as a number of guest appearances from home owners to academics and a number of site visits which are being explored for modernist projects in the Sydney Area (like the Alexander House in the image above), ...so some local travel may be involved. The program will be confirmed in Week 1. There are no costs for this subject.

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Assessment task 1 - Case Study Formal Analysis

Type: Case study
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%

Assessment task 2: Assessment task 2 - Create and Present a 2:30 video explainer

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%

Minimum requirements

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.