HOA 300, Sec. 002 – ST: Architecture of the Middle Ages
Professor Mateo
MW, 3:45-5:05
Rm: BH 105
The Middle Ages witnessed the erection of spectacular buildings with bold spatial designs, stunning
decoration, and a profound symbolic meaning. In this course you will familiarize yourself with many of
the European masterpieces of architecture from this period (5th-15th cc). It will also help you understand
why they were designed that way and how their design related to the social, religious and political
structure and ideals of the time. Our focus will be on the relationship between patrons and builders, the
technological developments that opened new possibilities for the architects, the architectural language
that they developed, the way the buildings were used, their symbolic meaning, and the mechanisms by
which that meaning was conveyed. The classes will be in discussion format, requiring your active
participation and previous reading of selected chapters from two textbooks.