Diapositiva 1

1
The Environmental Architect. From the shelter to
the skyscraper. An introduction to architecture
for students of English language.
La realització daquests materials ha estat
possible gràcies a una llicència retribuïda de la
modalitat C durant el curs 2006-2007, concedida
pel Departament d'Educació i Universitats de la
Generalitat de Catalunya (DOGC núm. 4661 de
23.6.2006).
Anselm Pagès Muñoz
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The Environmental Architect.
PROLOGUE Cities and architecture are essential
entities in our everyday lives. They have
humanized our planet in an intermingled
relationship with nature, territory, cultural
tradition and innovation since the beginnings
of civilization. Man has produced all sort of
works those characterized by exceptional standard
s of durability, sustainability, comfort, beauty
and creativity and those which had a disastrous
impact for their inadequate solutions.
Most interventions leave indelible stamps in the
environment and we are their actors and
receptors. These materials are designed to
encourage the observation of urbanized landscapes
in their natural environment, and in technical,
aesthetic and historical terms.
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Introduction. This is a cross curriculum course
to be offered to students of English language
with the aim is to introduce them to architecture
and urban geography. At its centre there are
environmental issues, construction solutions and
historical processes in aesthetic and cultural
terms. It is a practical course that offers a
general introduction led by a general
power-point presentation with texts, pictures,
drawings, audio-slide shows as well as
listening and writing activities. The materials
are mainly student and class centered presentation
s that place understanding and discussion at
their centre. There is an special interest in
providing visual material that enhance the
comprehension of reading and listening texts.
Every unit provides some clues to develop
extension activities, research projects, ICT
presentations or handmade models. Throughout the
development of each unit, students will work
individually, in pairs and in teams. The quality
and accuracy of their projects, presentations
and contributions will provide consistency and
coherence to these introductory materials. The
time required for the development of each unit
will vary according to the extension given to
practical and research activities.
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The Environmental Architect.
1- Shelters.
2- Materials and Construction.
3- Structures.
4- Home in Diverse Natural Environments.
5- Architecture and Civilization.
6- Cities Large, Complex and Evolving Works.
7 a - Approaches to a History of Architecture and
Cities. I
7 b - Approaches to a History of Architecture and
Cities. II
Resources.
Teachers Guidelines.
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The Environmental Architect. Contents


1- Shelters.

SLIDE -
Nomad and Regular Homes.......
.. ....1 - Shelters and Natural
Environment.............2
- Which is which? And which is the Easiest to
Build?............. 3 - Caves.
The First Human Dwellings.......
....4 - The Underground Cities in
Cappadocia............................
....... 5 - Making an Underground
City...............................
...........6 - Research activity Find your
Favourite Cave.............7
- The Tipi or Tepee.
...........8 - The
Yurt. ..........11
- The Bedouin Black Tents. Listening..
.....14 - The Igloo and the
Arctic Regions.............16
- Mud and Adobe Houses...
.....20 - Make an Adobe Hut.
...22 - Research
activity Mud and Adobe Constructions.
.23 - Timber Huts
............24 -
Thatched Huts........
26 - Hut on Poles. ....
.... .27 - Make a Model of a Timber
and Thatched Hut.29 - Stone
Constructions. . ........
.... .30 - Research activity Good and Bad
Shelters. ..........................33
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2- Materials and construction.

SLIDE - Materials and construction
.2 Audio slide presentation
Bamboo. - Description of Materials. Natural
Materials.....3 - Match
the Description with the Names of Rocks.
..............4 - Artificial
Materials ............
5 - Describe and Compare the Materials.
..................8 -
Properties of Materials .......
..13 - Materials and Uses
.............................
.......14 - Environmentally Friendly
Materials. ...........15
- Construction and Environmentally Friendly
Materials.. .......18 -
Evaluation Listen and guess the
Materials...................................
.............. 19 3-
Structures. - Nature and Man Made
Structures..........2 -
Basic Structural Principals........
......... 3 - Basic Structural
Systems. Trabeated System........
..8
Arcaded Systems...........9
- Triangular, Cable and Membrane Systems.
............. ...12 -
Evaluation. Structures. Put them in pairs...
................ 18 -
Materials and Structures. ......
....20 - Frame Structures.
..........................
..21 - Forces that Materials and Structures
Have to Support.............................
....... 23 - Requirements of a Building.
............ 27 -
Millennium Bridge. London. Evaluation
........28
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4- Home in Diverse Natural Environments.
SLIDE


- Guess the regions where these
buildings belong to.........2 -
Clues for a Comfortable Dwelling......
..... 3 A Traditional
House on the Balearic Islands......
...4 A Traditional House in
Scotland................5 -
The Climates in the Tropics.. ....
.......6 The Rainforest.
Building in the Humid tropics.........
.7 - The Desert and the Savannah. Building
in the Dry and Hot Regions....... 9
- Altitude Another Climatic Factor.
.........12 - Climate
Change and Global Warming.......
....13 - Evaluation. Constructions in
Different Environments. ..14
Environments for Different
Constructions. .......15
Regions and cities...
.....16 Research paper A World Full
of Architectonic Treasures.........17
Project works. ...
...18 5- Architecture and Civilization.
- Cultural Tradition in Construction
Throughout the World. (I-III)............
..2 - The World According to the
Durability of Buildings. .. 6
- When Tradition Stops Innovation. A case
study Myanmar..7 - When Tradition
Inspires Innovation. A case study The
Netherlands..8 Function and Culture in
Architecture. A case study Iran Listening.
..........9 - Function and Shape
in Architecture.10 -
Function and Shape in Time...
......11 - Clues to Distinguish
the Uses of a Building...........1
2
8

• - Evaluation Which is the odd one out?
  ...13
• Listening. Decide the building it is.
  ........................15
• - Shapes in Architecture. ......
  ................17
• - Temples Plans and Fronts. ....
  ...........18
• - Architecture and the Making of
  Spaces................................
  .....22
• - Evaluation Project work. .....
  ..22
• 6- Cities Large, Complex and Evolving Works.
• - Cities and You. .......
  .. 2
• - Reasons for the Settlement of Cities.
  .....3
• - Cities, Design and Growth. .....
  ................4
• - The Worlds Oldest and Most Populated Cities.
  ...5
• - Cities, Locations, Skylines and Layouts.
  .....................6
• - City Shapes. .
  ...8
• - Functions and Urban Land Uses. ...
  .................... 9
• - City Shapes and Functions Change Through
  Time. A case study Barcelona..........10
• - Evaluation Research activity. Your
  City.....13
• The Urban World. .....
  ........14

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• 
  
  SLIDE
• Sao Paulo.Los Angeles. - Cairo. - Shanghai. -
  Istanbul. - London. - Mexico City. - Tokyo. -
  .Mumbai.
• Evaluation Research activity. Present a
  Metropolis. ........... 29
• Satellite Views of Cities.....
  ..................... 30
• 7 a - Approaches to a History of Architecture and
  Cities. I
• Architecture from 3000 BC to 1600 AD.
  ..........2
• - Historical Periods from 3000BC to 1600AD.
  ....4
• - Civilization and Architecture from 3000 BC to
  1600 AD. .......5
• Civilizations, Cities and Settlements up to
  1600s. ......6
• Audio slide presentation Egypt A
  Civilization and the Nile.
• Audio slide presentation Religion and Death
  in Ancient Egypt.
• Audio slide presentation The Classical
  Period Greece.
• Slide presentation Greek Gods.
• Audio slide presentation Greek Gods and
  Festivals.
• Audio slide presentation Marathon.
• Audio slide presentation The Roman Empire.
• Audio slide presentation Roman Roads.

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• Audio slide presentation The Renaissance.
• Research project.
• Reading activity. The Bubonic Plague
• Research activity.
• 7 b - Approaches to a History of Architecture and
  Cities. II
• Architecture from 1600s to 1900
  7
• - Architecture Movements from the 1600s to
  1900......8
• - Styles, People, Events and Cities from 1600
  to1900........9
• - Audio slide presentation Baroque. A New
  Theatrical Style.
• - Research activity.
• - Audio slide presentation Life in a Palace.
• - Research activity.
• Audio Slide presentation. Some Facts about the
  Industrial Revolution.
• Slide quiz The Industrial Revolution and the
  Transformation of Cities.
• Audio slide presentation The Industrial
  Revolution and the Making of Textiles.
• Research activity.
• Audio slide presentation The Steam Engine.

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Acknowledgements I will appreciate, carefully
consider and reply to any comments or
suggestions about The Environmental Architect.
I express my gratitude to all the people who
have contributed to the making of these
materials. Some pictures and drawings have been
downloaded from the internet or come from other
publications. I have tried to include
complete references in each case. However, if
there is something that needs a more specific
reference or the author refuses to share it, I
will include the notes or exclude the material as
soon as I receive the request. I want to thank
the school teachers of John Paul Academy in
Glasgow. Mr Irvine Murdock, Mrs Margaret Shari,
Mrs Cristina Beltran and Mr Rod Mclaren for
their help and advice in correcting the
materials. My most special thanks to Mr Ron
Edlin, Mrs. Maria Rosa Jordà, Mr Irvine Murdock,
Mr.Jason Ellington, Mrs Susan Young and Mrs
Maureen Andrew for recording some of the
listening materials. e-mail address
apages_at_xtec.cat