Heritage: contemporary questions

Duration

40h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Claudine Houbart

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

DoCoPoMo // Liège

While the heritage status of architecture from the first half of the 20th century has now gained international legitimacy [1-2]-a symptom of the gradual expansion of the concept of heritage since the end of World War II [3-4]-the recognition of architectural movements that followed the modern movement remains limited, particularly with regard to postmodern architectural productions. [5] This architecture, which emerged in Italy and the United States before spreading worldwide between 1960 and 1980, is characterized by a diversity of responses to the overcoming of modernism. [6-7]

However, their eclectic language-references to the past, humor, a return to ornamentation, the use of color, the mobilization of symbolic language, etc.-[8-9] led and continues to lead to the disqualification of most of the movement's productions on the basis of taste criteria [10]: a phenomenon identical to the rejection of Art Nouveau in the mid-20th century. Parallel to the still nascent international debate on its heritage status, important milestones have already been lost through demolition or interventions that show little respect for their specific characteristics: the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery in London; Horton Plaza in San Diego; the Hood Museum in Dartmouth; or closer to home, Bruno Albert's Blanc Gravier student housing in Liège. [11-14]

This seminar aims to explore and promote postmodernist production in Liège through the creation of a graphic and illustrated inventory. The field of study is deliberately limited geographically to specific areas of the city of Liège, the scope of which will be defined according to the number of participants. A temporal narrowing may then be carried out at the end of the systematic survey of the areas under consideration. In summary, the objective of the DoCoPomo [15] seminar is fourfold:

• Establish a theoretical and critical framework for selecting the works to be included in the inventory based on criteria and/or interests;
• Identify, document, and analyze the achievements that meet these criteria, with a view to producing an individual file for each one;
• Create a graphic charter and editorial guidelines for the formatting and communication of the results (graphic representation, iconography, etc.);
• Compile an inventory, accompanied by a summary map, including basic documentation for each selected item (author, date of creation, location, brief description, illustration, etc.).

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

By the end of this course, students will be able to think critically about a topical heritage issue, and more specifically to research, investigate, structure and present their thoughts in collaboration with their peers.

 

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

The Architectural Culture courses of the baccalaureate cycle as well as the course about intervention principles on existing architecture. 

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Presentations and lectures, visits, fieldwork (survey), library/archive research, group discussions and presentations

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Additional information:

The sessions are organised face-to-face as long as health conditions allow it. 

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
- MyULiège

Written work / report

Continuous assessment


Additional information:

Active participation in sessions, intermediate presentations of research work.

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

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Contacts

c.houbart@uliege.be

Maxime.Coq@uliege.be

 

Association of one or more MOOCs

Items online