ARCH 403: Special Topics in Arch History section CN (CRN 77318)
Counter-narratives of Architecture: Thinking Architectural History from/with the Americas and the Caribbean.
Thursdays, 9-11:30 AM, from 03/17/2025 through 05/07/2025.
Counter-Narratives of Architecture:
Thinking Architectural History from/with the Americas and the Caribbean.
This course challenges the dominant narratives of modern architecture, which often overlook the impact of colonialism, imperialism, and neocolonialism—factors central to discussions in fields like art and literature. While recent critiques have questioned the exclusivity of the architectural canon, advocating for its expansion to include regional, ethnic, and gendered perspectives, architectural history/theory remains predominantly nomological, attributing the formation of the canon solely to Western influences. Through alternative theoretical frameworks and examining key episodes, this course explores the possibilities of a dialogic reading of architectural history/theory, presenting it as a continues negotiation between identity and difference.
Nb. This course is structured thematically and, at times, follows a chronological order. It uses case studies as reference points for ongoing reflection, focusing on spatial practices and environments and their exploration across disciplines. Additionally, it includes a collective event/conversation on counter-narratives, resulting from an open call organized by students.
Bio
Dr. Yazmín M. Crespo Claudio, PhD, MA, MDes, MArch, BArch, BED, a Puerto Rican architect, historian, educator, and co-founder/director of taller Creando Sin Encargos (tCSE), joins the School of Architecture at UIUC (and CLACS) from Harvard Graduate School of Design, where she was a Professor in Architecture History and Theory. She holds a PhD in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning, a secondary field in Film and Media Studies, and a certificate in Latin American Studies from Harvard. Her scholarship explores the intersections of architecture, education, media, gender, and territory, focusing on pedagogical experiments in architecture and critical spatial practices across Latin America and the Caribbean. Dr. Crespo has served as Chair of the Department of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Interior Design, Coordinator of the Master in Architecture program, and Assistant Professor at the International School of Design and Architecture at Universidad Ana G. Méndez in Puerto Rico. Her research focuses on architecture and social difference, examining how class, race, and gender are represented—or overlooked—in design. Committed to decolonizing architectural education, she challenges mainstream pedagogies by incorporating perspectives from the Global South. Her work draws on archipelagic thinking and decolonial and Indigenous theories, including sentipensar and Pachamama, to highlight marginalized knowledge systems and transformative approaches to placemaking.