This seminar is looking at the relationship between architecture, embodiment and spatio-political dimensions of utopia. It is also an exploration of architecture’s agency between social realities and creative fiction assuming that possible futures have been imagined before in various ways. By revisiting past (architectural) utopias/futures through altered viewpoints - by moving the “view from nowhere” to a situated standpoint - it seeks to help envisioning affirmative places of inclusiveness.

“The question of Utopia would seem to be a crucial test of what is left of our capacity to imagine change.” (Jameson, 1991)

A wide range of texts (covering various topics from the fields of Architecture, Gender Studies, and Feminist Theory), lectures and projects will serve as the basis for developing new sketches and fragments (textual and visual). 

These will serve as a growing collection of (concept) tools to become aware of one's own bias with the ultimate aim to challenge the (still) common “view from above” approach in (architectural) design by grounded perspectives. (Haraway, 1988)

Following the recommendation of Elisabeth Grosz this seminar sets out to look at architectural utopias „in relation to process, event, experience, the unexpected and unforeseeable, the momentary and fragmentary, the pre-programmed yet still possible“.

The course is under continuous assessment (at least 80% presence at tutorial sessions is required to qualify for grading).:

- active participation in text discussion(s) 

- architectural project analysis + presentation(s) 

- final individual "position" paper (max. 500 words) combined with visualisation(s) 

ATTENTION: This course is co-taught by Maja Ozvaldic (LV-Nr.  S03655) and Daniela Kröhnert (LV-Nr. S03654) and students need to  register for both courses via the base to be admitted.

This course is specifically addressed to students with a background in Architecture. Students should be able to work independently on a high level between the sessions. max. 16 participants (priority is given to students of architecture) Presence at the first meeting is mandatory for participation.