The Logic of Sensation (in the institution)::TAKE 2

KTH Critical Studies Elective Seminar

This critical studies elective seminar will examine the logic of sensation as it pertains to the architectural space of the institution, including the clinic, the prison, the academy, and the museum. The seminar will critically assess, through a series of set readings and by undertaking diagram work, the ways in which sensation or ‘blocks of affect’ circulate in the space of the institution.

This is a second iteration of a seminar first developed for Masters of Architecture students in the School of Architecture and Design, RMIT University, Melbourne, in 2011. In this seminar, relocated to the Swedish context of Stockholm, I ask participants to use specifically Swedish examples of institutions (historical and contemporary) when responding to weekly readings, and when preparing for their essays. Within this iteration of The Logic of Sensation, we will also place an emphasis on gender and minoritarian identity in the context of the institution.

TASKS and ASSESSMENTS

(NOTE: your assessment is made up of two parts, please read carefully below!)

01::PART ONE: 50% Discussion and BLOG activity

Every week in response to the given readings you will be required to produce a line drawing that will be developed toward a logic of sensation colouring-in book. You will also be required to write a 300-500 word response to the given reading. This response should offer a brief summary of the essay as well as your critical and creative response to the essay. Be sure to upload your image and text before each seminar!

To be uploaded on the discussion link of our BLOG: https://archandphil.wordpress.com/category/02_discussion/ and presented each week in class.

02::PART TWO: 50% Colouring-In Book

You will develop your responses to the weekly readings as an interactive Colouring-In book, to be uploaded as a pdf file to ISSUU: www.issuu.com/ArchandPhil (login will be supplied in class) and and create a link back to the Projects link on the archandphil BLOG. You will also submit a hard-copy to my office (KTH C506).

Your Coloring-In Book must include: 1. a title page, and don’t forget your name!; 2. a brief essay that summarizes what you have discovered in the seminar, with an emphasis on the example of your chosen Swedish institution; 3. revised responses to each of the weekly readings, as well as revised images; 4. a bibliography where you should include not only all the references you have made to the readings (and whatever other references you have found useful), but also references to any appropriated imagery you have used.

To be compiled and completed as an A4 colouring-in book by Friday 4 May 2012. (Submit as a hard copy to my office and to ISSUU, as noted above).

To further develop the final Colouring-In Book, especially your brief introductory essay, some of the questions you might ask yourself are: 1. What institution will I use as my example (remember that institutions vary in scale and operation from the institution of marriage to the institution that is expressed as a nation-state!); 2. How does sensation or affect operate in that setting? 3. How are minoritarian identities (women, children, migrants, others) affected in the given architectural context, and how do they affect that context? You might even consider imaginatively inhabiting the world of a ‘minoritarian’ character, and attempting to write from their point of view.

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