Duration
Environment and contemporary issues : 40h Th
Sustainability and transition : 12h Th
Number of credits
| Bachelor in architecture | 5 crédits |
Lecturer
Environment and contemporary issues : Alexis Zimmer
Sustainability and transition : Alexis Zimmer
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the second semester
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This course consists of two distinct parts. The first part is taught in person and is described below under section 1. The second part is delivered remotely through the MOOC Sustainability and Transition and is described below under section 2.
This course draws on approaches from environmental history to offer tools, methods, and narratives that enable us to situate architectural issues both in the materiality of the environments they mobilize and in the history of which these environments and issues are both products and vectors. These approaches invite us to understand, in the historical context of their formation, the material dependencies that structure our societies and guide architectural practices. They also shed light on the historical roots of major contemporary environmental crises. The main objective of this course is to develop a historical and critical understanding of territories and their production, as well as ways of living, in order to promote the emergence and consolidation of architectural, landscape, and urban planning practices that are mindful of their consequences.
The course will cover the following points:
- Introduction. From progress to devastation: environmental history and historical narratives
- Land appropriation and resource production
- The visual representation of territories: perspectives, maps and landscapes
- The ecologies of capitalism: plantations, (unequal) colonial trade and globalization
- Industrializing territories and governing pollution
- Energy symbiosis: the intertwined powers of industrial societies
- Agricultural modernization: the reciprocal construction of urban and rural territories
- Urban ecologies: epidemics, pests and domesticity
Environment and contemporary issues
This course draws on approaches from environmental history to offer tools, methods, and narratives that enable us to situate architectural issues both in the materiality of the environments they mobilize and in the history of which these environments and issues are both products and vectors. These approaches invite us to understand, in the historical context of their formation, the material dependencies that structure our societies and guide architectural practices. They also shed light on the historical roots of major contemporary environmental crises. The main objective of this course is to develop a historical and critical understanding of territories and their production, as well as ways of living, in order to promote the emergence and consolidation of architectural, landscape, and urban planning practices that are mindful of their consequences.
The course will cover the following points:
- Introduction. From progress to devastation: environmental history and historical narratives
- Land appropriation and resource production
- The visual representation of territories: perspectives, maps and landscapes
- The ecologies of capitalism: plantations, (unequal) colonial trade and globalization
- Industrializing territories and governing pollution
- Energy symbiosis: the intertwined powers of industrial societies
- Agricultural modernization: the reciprocal construction of urban and rural territories
- Urban ecologies: epidemics, pests and domesticity
Sustainability and transition
This part of this course aims to provide students with a scientific knowledge base from a full range of disciplines pertaining to the environmental and social issues of sustainability and transition.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
1. At the end of this course, students will be able to ::
- Understand the fundamental methods and knowledge of environmental history and their relevance to the fields of architecture.
More specifically:
- situate the emergence of contemporary socio-environmental issues in history.
- account for the deeply intertwined and inseparable relationships between human and non-human histories
and non-human histories (through the analysis of specific projects, territories and materials).
- develop the ability to describe and critically analyse the production of territories i.e.
in what they imply and generate in terms of socio-environmental relations and transformations.
All of the learning in the teaching unit enables the student to develop the competences in the Faculty's reference framework and, more specifically, the competence(s):
- Enter into exploratory, sensitive, critical reading,...
- Study the various components of the theme and context (historical, landscape, built, environmental, cultural, social, economic, legal, technological,...) ?Include environmental, landscape, cultural, socio-political values
- Take into account the site's climatic and geographical factors
2. At the end of the part of this course, and on the basis of the scientific content presented, students will be able to:
- Describe, differentiate and question the dynamics and interactions of the different spheres of the Earth system;
- Describe and analyse the interactions between the human and the Earth systems;
- Demonstrate the importance of considering the issues of sustainability and transition from a systemic point of view;
- Develop a critical and reflective mindset that enables them to analyse current issues;
- Use the scientific knowledge base to combat feelings of eco-anxiety
Environment and contemporary issues
At the end of this course, students will be able to ::
- Understand the fundamental methods and knowledge of environmental history and their relevance to the fields of architecture.
More specifically:
- situate the emergence of contemporary socio-environmental issues in history.
- account for the deeply intertwined and inseparable relationships between human and non-human histories
and non-human histories (through the analysis of specific projects, territories and materials).
- develop the ability to describe and critically analyse the production of territories i.e.
in what they imply and generate in terms of socio-environmental relations and transformations.
All of the learning in the teaching unit enables the student to develop the competences in the Faculty's reference framework and, more specifically, the competence(s):
- Enter into exploratory, sensitive, critical reading,...
- Study the various components of the theme and context (historical, landscape, built, environmental, cultural, social, economic, legal, technological,...) ?Include environmental, landscape, cultural, socio-political values
- Take into account the site's climatic and geographical factors
Sustainability and transition
At the end of the part of this course, and on the basis of the scientific content presented, students will be able to:
- Describe, differentiate and question the dynamics and interactions of the different spheres of the Earth system;
- Describe and analyse the interactions between the human and the Earth systems;
- Demonstrate the importance of considering the issues of sustainability and transition from a systemic point of view;
- Develop a critical and reflective mindset that enables them to analyse current issues;
- Use the scientific knowledge base to combat feelings of eco-anxiety
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
None
Sustainability and transition
None
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
1. Lecture
2. Contents learned autonomously include:
- Videos.
- Video transcripts.
- Additional resources (optional)
Environment and contemporary issues
Lecture
Sustainability and transition
Contents learned autonomously include:
- Videos.
- Video transcripts.
- Additional resources (optional)
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Remote course
Further information:
1. In face-to-face mode, in an auditorium
2. Remote course
Further information:
The teaching method is distance learning. This part of the course is made up of several videos and recommends optional reading material.
Environment and contemporary issues
Face-to-face course
Additional information:
In face-to-face mode, in an auditorium
Sustainability and transition
Remote course
Further information:
The teaching method is distance learning. This part of the course is made up of several videos and recommends optional reading material.
Recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
1. Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Projected media available on eCampus
Recommended reading :
J-B. Fressoz, & al., Introduction à l'histoire environnementale, Paris, La Découverte, 2014.C. Bonneuil, J-B. Fressoz, J-R. Viallet, Nous avons mangé la Terre : l'évènement anthropocène, Paris, Le Seuil, 2022 A. Zimmer, Brouillards toxiques. Vallée de la Meuse, 1930, contre-enquête, Bruxelles, ZS, 2016.
Each session will be accompanied by textual or audiovisual references to consult (podcasts, videos, documentaries), in connection with the topic covered.
2. Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Videos, optional reading material and guidelines will be provided via the eCampus platform.
Environment and contemporary issues
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Projected media available on eCampus
Recommended reading :
J-B. Fressoz, & al., Introduction à l'histoire environnementale, Paris, La Découverte, 2014.C. Bonneuil, J-B. Fressoz, J-R. Viallet, Nous avons mangé la Terre : l'évènement anthropocène, Paris, Le Seuil, 2022 A. Zimmer, Brouillards toxiques. Vallée de la Meuse, 1930, contre-enquête, Bruxelles, ZS, 2016.
Each session will be accompanied by textual or audiovisual references to consult (podcasts, videos, documentaries), in connection with the topic covered.
Sustainability and transition
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Videos, optional reading material and guidelines will be provided via the eCampus platform.
3 optional evenings will be dedicated to this SPOC (meetings with certain speakers and discussions around the themes of this part of the course). The dates are 20/11, 28/11 and 9/12.
Assessment methods and criteria
Other : Hybrid
Further information:
1. Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire and open questions )
Additional information:
Weighting: 80% for the ' environment, contemporary issues' part and 20% for the 'Sustainability and transition' part.
2. Exam(s) in session
Any session
- Remote
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire )
Continuous assessment
Further information:
The course must be completed by 3rd May 2027 for the second term, and 30 August 2027 for the second session.
Weighting: 80% for the 'environment and contemporary issues' part and 20% for the 'sustainability and transition' part.
Environment and contemporary issues
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )
Further information:
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire )
Additional information:
Weighting: 80% for the ' environment, contemporary issues' part and 20% for the 'Sustainability and transition' part.
Sustainability and transition
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- Remote
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire )
Continuous assessment
Further information:
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- Remote
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire )
Continuous assessment
Further information:
The course must be completed by 3rd May 2027 and 30 August 2027 for the second session.
Weighting: 80% for the 'environment and contemporary issues' part and 20% for the 'sustainability and transition' part.
Work placement(s)
None
Sustainability and transition
None
Organizational remarks
None
Sustainability and transition
None
Contacts
1. Alexis Zimmer, azimmer@uliege.
2. Prof. Sybille Mertens and Floriane Fassotte/Elise Pirenne (durabilite.transition@uliege.be)
Environment and contemporary issues
Alexis Zimmer, azimmer@uliege.
Sustainability and transition
Prof. Sybille Mertens and Floriane Fassotte/Elise Pirenne (durabilite.transition@uliege.be)
Association of one or more MOOCs
The MOOC entitled 'Durabilité & Transition (U1)' is associated with this course.
Further information:
There is no MOOC associated with this course.
Environment and contemporary issues
The MOOC entitled 'Durabilité & Transition (U1)' is associated with this course.
Sustainability and transition
There is no MOOC associated with this course.