Construction Techniques of the 20th Century

The object of the course is to present a critical history of guiding ideas of 20th-century construction systems on the basis of a thorough knowledge of the built heritage, by investigating its technical and material aspects (materials and their installation), meanings and historical stratifications. The course deals with issues connected with the transformation of modern construction by processes of industrialization as compared to the continuity of traditional and regional knowledge and practices. It is organised as a series of lectures and a practical exercise involving analysis of the technological and constructional aspects of some works designed by the architect Gino Valle.

The course aims at providing students with a series of knowledge related to the history of the guiding ideas of 20th century building systems. At the end of the course the student will be able to carry out constructive analyses of complex buildings constructed in the twentieth century, critically analysing drawings, archive drawings of construction details, site photographs and technical literature. The student will be able to communicate the contents of the constructive analyses through graphic works, short texts and models.

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Oral during the exam session