Required Readings

The following articles and essays will be sent as pdfs by e-mail to the class on the Friday before the weekly Monday meeting. Links to useful websites will also be sent.

9 Sept. Charney, Melvin, 1980, "The Montrealness of Montreal, Formations and formalities in urban architecture", The Architectural Review 167.
16 Sept. Clay, Grady, "Crossing the American grain with Vesalius, Geddes and Jackson: the cross Section as a learning tool", in Everyday America: cultural landscape studies after JB Jackson, Berkeley, University of California Press, 2003
23 Sept. Linteau, Paul-André, "Factors in the Development of Montreal" in Montreal Metropolis, 1880-1930, Montreal, Boréal,1994.
30 Sept. Fournier, Marcel and Véronique Rodriguez, "An Age Rich in Miracles" in Montreal Metropolis, 1880-1930, Montreal, Boréal,1994.
7 Oct. Kennedy, Andrea, 2000. "Montreal's Duplexes and Triplexes", The Fifth Column v.10.
21 Oct. Linteau, Paul-André, "'The Garden of Montreal': Development by Beautification, 1910-1918", The Promoter's City: Building the Industrial Town of Maisonneuve 1883-1918, Montreal, Lorimer,1985.
28 Oct. Vanlaethem, France, "The Ambivalence of Architectural Culture in Quebec and Canada: 1955- 1975" in The Sixties: Passion, Politics and Style, Montreal, McGill-Queen's University Press, 2008.
4 Nov. Lortie, André, The 60s: Montreal Thinks Big, p. 95-102, Montreal, Canadian Centre for Architecture / Douglas & McIntyre, 2004.
18 Nov. Deschamps, Yves, 1999. "Montreal: A Landscape of Modern America", JSSAC 24:1.
25 Nov. van Nus, Walter, "A Community of Communities; Suburbs in the Development of "Greater Montreal" in Montreal Metropolis,1880-1930, Montreal, Boréal,1994.

Assignments

Assignment 1 – analysis of an ensemble of buildings

Students will select one of a series of building sets - typically part or all of a city block– and will produce a two-page description and sidewalk analysis of the ensemble, as well as a separate one-page research summary. Descriptions should include a very succinct summary of the quartier for context and the sidewalk analysis should address when, how and why the buildings were built. Maps and images should be included within the two pages.

Due Tuesday 15 October – submit a pdf by e-mail no later than 2:00pm

Assignment 2 – presentation in class Monday 11 November 2013

Pairs of students will be asked to identify, observe and analyze recent interventions in the area of the six to ten block neighbourhood around one of the building ensembles studied in Assignment 1. A maximum ten-minute long, 20-screen presentation should include observation, analysis and a reading of the intentions of two or three projects built post-1945 in that area.

Assignment 3 – termpaper: analysis of a neighbourhood

Students will select a neighbourhood and will write a 2500-word illustrated in-depth analysis of the patterns and layers of that Montreal neighbourhood. This analysis should pay particular attention to public spaces, to the street patterns and to the influence and impact of recent projects on the character and nature of that area.

Due Tuesday 2 December – submit a pdf by e-mail no later than 2:00pm

Evaluation

1. attendance at all sessions – in class and walking tours 10%
2. a written analysis of an ensemble of buildings in a particular neighbourhood 25%
3. presentation of recent interventions to the same neighbourhood 25%
4. termpaper 40%

All assignments must be submitted to complete the course. Late submissions will be penalized.

Due Friday 26 November – submit a pdf by e-mail no later than 12:00 noon

In accord with McGill University’s Charter of Students’ Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French any written work that is to be graded.

McGillUniversity values academic integrity. Therefore all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest/for more information).

Please refer to www.mcgill.ca/integrity/studentguide/ for guidelines on how to avoid plagiarism.