What is Public Architecture?  Who designs it?  For whom is it built?  Who controls access and movement within public spaces?  Public architecture may be defined in many ways: architecture that is open to the public, architecture that has a public client, or architecture that is financed with public money.  Each of these concepts begins to encompass what is public, but there are many types of spaces, such as privately owned public spaces (like a train station) or publicly owned spaces where access is limited (like the U.S. Capitol or White House) that challenge the definition of public architecture.  There are also varied public populations, like women and children, who may use a space differently than another public group or may be restricted in their use of the space.  All of these are issues we will begin to consider as we discuss architecture and the public.

We will begin the course discussing the Enlightenment idea of the “Public Sphere” and develop a working definition of what is public architecture.  We will then study specific examples of public building (museums, libraries, markets and exchanges, capitols and courthouses).  Next we will consider issues of the public in the larger context of the city.  Finally, we will look at some specific examples of contested public spaces, including Charlottesville’s Emancipation Park. 

Throughout the course, we will develop a working definition of public architecture and study of a variety of public spaces (universities, libraries, museums, parks and urban spaces). Students will use this thematic study to analyze a specific work of design and write a research paper.  Through the successful completion of writing assignments, including a proposal for the expansion of the Fralin Museum of Art, students will learn how architects, architectural historians and preservationists communicate within one another as well as with those outside of their areas of expertise.   This course will fulfill the second writing requirement.

There are additional UVa-only syllabus items for this course. Click here to view all the public and UVa-only syllabus items. This link is restricted to UVa-members with Netbadge authentication.