MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN PARIS in Fall 2023 (AH2004A)

Celebrated for the beauty of its architectural past, Paris is also a rapidly changing, dynamic, modern metropolis in the present. From its historical center to newer neighbourhoods at the city's periphery, recent buildings and urban projects have altered Paris and made it the site of significant modern architecture and urbanism. This course introduces the major new monuments and urban designs that characterize the city today. Following a brief historical introduction, the Grand Projects such as the Louvre Pyramid, the Grand Arch and the Bastille Opera, as well as more modest and unassuming structures, will be studied on site. Focussing on the major architectural and urban undertakings of the past few decades, such as museums, libraries, cultural centers, housing projects and public parks, this course explores how the architecture and urban fabric of the past have been reassessed to suit modern materials, tastes and needs. Students will also investigate how international influences have been adapted, adopted, or rejected in the creation of Paris today. Emphasis is placed on the students' grasp of the material, rather than the completion of a chronological survey.