Blurring the Borders Between History and Design: a Complementary Approach in Architectural Education [chapter 20]

Abstract

The subject matters, scope and methods of architectural history have been a matter of discussion for decades. It has been long considered something different than the his-tory of spatial and tectonic typologies that has been regarded as canon or further be-yond a bunch of architectural knowledge operating as a supportive kit to increase the quality of architectural education. Architectural history, positioned within the De-partment of Architecture since 1960s, has tended to define itself as an autonomous field by dissociating from architectural design. The answer of the following question is contradictive: “Is history an autonomous discipline or a ‘service’?” In that sense would it be possible if one calls architectural history courses neither autonomous nor service by blurring the borders between those two? Could architectural history be a basic, inseparable and complementary component of architectural design and theory?This paper is based on an academic trial that has been practiced through the first year undergraduate students in the school of architecture that I am affiliated with. The model is formulated to customize and carry out architectural history courses togeth-er with Basic Design Studio. What two courses suggest is an integrated model that relies on theory, history and design. This model also attempts to initiate a new rela-tionship with other disciplines like history, archaeology, philosophy and many oth-ers. In the overall, this paper tries to discuss the potential of a new form of learning that reveals permeable and intimate relationship with other design and other relat-ed disciplines by blurring the borders between fields.