Instead of traditional readings, the class studied the following precedents as a precursor to their work. These works were discussed in class, fostering a discussion on space versus object. All the work is courtesy of the student named, and used with permission.
Sandra Baron
Rebecca Edson
"I studied the traditional typology of the house from the American South, as the climate and culture realized a focus on the incorporation of the courtyard into the home. The dog-trot style, with a two-sided breeze way situated within the middle of the house was the most simple of this variety, found in the poorest of homes from that region. But the basic principle of this breezeway was incorporated into the design of the wealthy plantation homes, with the wide porches on both levels of the house and the necessity of cross ventilation. Regardless of the economic level, the southern home exemplified a blurred line between the interior and exterior; the space between the fragmented middle ground between the two."
Merritt Tam
"We were asked to research a different type of house in order to look at how spaces were organized. I researched Chinese courtyard houses (from underground village houses to traditional houses), while other people researched Roman, Middle Eastern, and American (dog-trot) houses. We were asked to model the space in and around the house. After this exercise, we were asked to go to a larger scale and research a city. I researched Chinese cities. Other examples were Roman and American cities. We were again asked to model and categorize the spaces within the city and to compare these to the spaces within the private house."