Dialogue in Art, Architecture, and Urbanism
MIT's seminar course examines how the idea of the city has been reinterpreted by artists, architects, and other disciplines. Students compare planned cities such as Brasilia, Las Vegas, Canberra, and Celebration with redesigned urban spaces like Ground Zero, Barcelona's 2004 waterfront, and Boston's Rose Kennedy Greenway. Readings and discussions frame the collaboration between artists and architects in rethinking public space, but the bulk of the work is a student-designed project or intervention that evolves across the term. Each week combines a group lecture or discussion, often with visiting guests, with a one-on-one meeting between student and instructor to review progress on that individual project. Materials include the syllabus, project guidelines, and case study readings, offered through MIT OpenCourseWare under a Creative Commons license for self-directed study without grading or credit.