Mediating Environments

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/L_AABAMKD222

Course Objective

At the end of this course, students are expected to: 1. Have knowledge of and insight into theories and notions of (public) space and media, interfaces and (spatial) environments; 2. Be able to reflect on how to critically analyze mediated environments regarding their history/genealogy and/or their social and political implications; 3. Be able to conduct case study-based research on the relation of processes of mediation and (interconnected) environments, using appropriate academic literature, methods and terminologies, and situating their research in the history of visual and material culture; 4. Have improved their ability to communicate the outcome of their research to peers in a clear and well-structured manner by means of an audiovisual assignment.

Course Content

The course deals with mediated (spatial) environments as well as environmental mediation from both a historical and a conceptual point of view. It starts from the assumption that the spaces we inhabit, populate, navigate, that we are confronted with or immersed in, are built and formatted, increasingly technologically wired, interactive and interconnected. In other words: environments become interfaces for mediating experience, privileging certain uses and, at the same time, constraining others. Urban environments have become ‘smart’; the Internet of Things connects physical and virtual space in new and highly efficient ways; environmentalist intervention as well as political agendas and policies depend on monitoring ecology and generating data of current conditions (of e.g. air and water pollution or climate change) by means of sensor-media; large technological infrastructures intertwine place and space, the local and the global. Yet, it would be short-sighted to only conceive of these processes as recent developments enabled by 'digitality'. The course therefore draws a historical line to situate current conditions of mediating environments in the context of a shared genealogy of architectural design and technological processes of mediation. The aim of the course is to develop a critical understanding of traditional and contemporary places, spaces, buildings, infrastructures and technologies. Their respective functionality, (an)aesthetics, social and political implications will be discussed historically and theoretically and analyzed by students in the form of case studies.

Teaching Methods

Lectures, seminars, and excursions. The lectures and seminars of this course are offered in English only. Students following the Dutch (i.e. bilingual) track can submit all written assignments in either English or Dutch. Exceptions are multiple-choice tests, assignments with peer reviewers across language tracks, and group assignments (across language tracks).

Method of Assessment

This course comprises a presentation (30%), and an audio assignment with a practical component as described in the study manual (70%). Connection between learning objectives and assessment: Learning objective 1: presentation and audio assignment Learning objective 2: presentation and audio assignment Learning objective 3: presentation, practical component and the audio assignment Learning objective 4: presentation, practical component and the audio assignment.

Literature

A list of mandatory (and recommended) class literature will be published on Canvas and/or the Study Manual.

Target Audience

This course is compulsory for all BA MKDA students in their second year who chose Architecture or Media as their specialisation. It is open as an elective for 2nd or 3rd year MKDA students.

Additional Information

For attendance rules, see Teaching and Examination Regulations. Students should be aware that regular attendance is necessary to pass the course.

Entry Requirements

See the Onderwijs
- en Examenregeling (OER), c.q. Teaching and ExamRegulations (TER) for MKDA.