Ethics

Architecture 48-383

flyer

Architecture is inextricable from the uneven social, political, technological, and environmental conditions shaping the contemporary world. With this reality as our starting point, in this course, we will examine the complex intersections of ethics, power, and space that often shape architects' choices. How would you respond if a major client demanded that you use materials you know create toxic landscapes and long-term environmental harm? Should architects unionize their labor? Would you take a job renovating an old sugar plantation? Through close reading, writing, in-class discussions, and role-play, we will explore the challenges facing architects across various spatial and temporal scales—from the long-term energy flows and planetary infrastructures of the polycrisis to the interpersonal challenges of daily life in the workplace. This course is not about mandating any ethical benchmarks. Instead, we will work to develop our own processes and strategies to help us navigate these difficult ethical quandaries.