The built environment transmits, reinforces and reproduces social values, attitudes and behav­iors. Experiencing a campus, for example, shapes perceptions of the university itself, personal relationships, intellectual exploration, and professional life. These experiences and perceptions are captured and manipulated symbolically in media. Examples are the portrayal of the univer­sity as an “ivory tower,” a placed for “coming of age” or a setting for the practice of “weird science. Thus, mass media can be a good vehicle to understand the symbolic content of archi­tecture and places, uncover divergent interpretations and explore cultural trends.

A set of core readings will introduce media as a cultural artifact and explore the differences between types of mass media. Selected media will be used to introduce critical and interpretive skills. Assignments will focus on using those skills to learn lessons about archi­tecture and urbanism. Over the second part of the semester, Students will complete independent projects on topics of personal interest that use media in a critical and speculative way.