Thomas Jefferson brought Palladio’s style to the architecture of US government. Chicago was the world’s proving ground for high-rise building techniques as well as being the cradle of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Style. Mies van der Rohe demonstrated how “less is more” and Philip Johnson and others tried out Post-Modernism - before Frank Gehry exploited computer aided design to make fantastic shapes buildable.
Course aim
To examine the extraordinarily varied historical development of the architecture of the United States, including the important ways in which it was influenced by European styles.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- You will need your own personal email address so that you’re able to login to the WEA’s digital learning platform: WEA Canvas. You will need to be able to understand how to follow URL links to pages on the internet. If you want to understand more about Canvas please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
- You will need to be able to follow links to join our WEA live video learning platform: WEA Zoom. If you’d like to understand more about our video learning platform, Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline and http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
- This is a live lecture delivered by a subject specialist in an online webinar video learning platform. You will need to be able to access the internet on a device with speakers or earphones. There will be opportunities to take part in discussions and chats. If you’d like to know how to use Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
- No skills or experience needed
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- describe the key periods and styles of the architecture of the United States
- demonstrate an understanding of how these principal forms developed in American building
- identify the American uses of new material and building methods
How will I be taught?
- The WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas will be used to provide resources or to support lessons, enable assessment, provide learner feedback and for other activities for individuals away from the course. If you want to understand more about our digital learning platform please visit: http://bit.ly/WEAonline
- The WEA tutor will use a range of different teaching and learning methods and encourage you and the group to be actively involved in your learning
- presentations with images and colour notes for each session
What kind of feedback can I expect?
- A range of informal activities will be used by the tutor to see what you are learning which may include quizzes, question and answer, small projects and discussion
- You will have opportunities to discuss your progress with your tutor
What else do I need to know?
- Nothing else is needed
Pre-course work, reading and information sources
- No pre reading or pre course work is required
What can I do next?
- Progress to another WEA course
- Progress to a course with another provider
- Become involved as a volunteer for a WEA partner or another organisation
- Where this is possible making visits to see buildings considered in this course.
Download full course information sheet







