Assignment Two: The Brookings Quad
In the first assignment, students independently collected scenes from around St. Louis to build a representative mosaic of our adopted city from the dual perspectives of Sauer and Ingold.
The second assignment joins students’ powers as one: as a class, we are going to study a single landscape – The Brookings Quadrangle – from different disciplinary perspectives. The purpose of the exercise is to merge the different disciplinary perspectives we have talked about thus far in the course: history, geography (including, for now, archaeology), anthropology part one (focusing on the uses of the space by humans and non-humans), anthropology part two (focusing on the symbols and meanings) and architecture. By addressing the assignment questions from multiple disciplinary angles, students will better understand the respective strengths and weaknesses of each “type” of approach to landscape analysis, think more holistically about what a landscape is, and gain a deeper appreciation for a “landscape” in which he/she interacts with daily.
Each student will be assigned to one of five groups (anthropology has two groups). Each group is a master of that discipline, and must approach the following set of questions through your particular perspective (as a geographer, as an anthropologist who studies how landscapes relate to daily patterns…). Each group can use the powers of observation (walking around the quad, interviewing passers-by, taking photos), internet research, and, of course, notes and readings from the semester.
There will be two 45-minute periods to complete the assignment. Day One (today), you’ll work within your group (of architects, of geographers, etc.) to fill in as much as possible the questions below. Each discipline may not necessarily address every aspect of every question…that’s OK! Day Two (Thurs), every student will become a Group Representative in a second set of meetings. One person from each of the Day One sections (e.g. an architect) meets up with one from the geographers, one from the historians, and two of the anthropologists. The new “Day Two Groups” share their viewpoints on the questions, and confer and finish the questions in a way that incorporates all disciplinary perspectives.
Questions:
1) What is the Brookings Quadrangle? Describe its history, layout, design, use, and meaning. Include comments on the buildings, the spatial elements (what makes up a “quad” and how these things are laid out), the atmosphere it creates, how students use and think about the quad, who does and does not have access to it.
2) Why does the Brookings Quadrangle exist? What is the purpose of having a “quad” at a university more broadly?
3) Has this space – its design, use, meaning – changed over time? If so, how? If not, why not?
4) Is it an integral part of Washington University in St. Louis? Why or why not?
5) How would campus be different if the Brookings Quad no longer existed? Describe a scenario where the Brookings Quad no longer exists. How does it change the university, people’s habits, the atmosphere of the place?
6) What are the strengths and weaknesses of each disciplinary perspective? What does a study of landscape gain by combining perspectives? If there is nothing to gain, or if the group thinks there is a superior perspective of the five, explain.
Photo credit: http://wustl.edu/community/visitors/tour/danforth/brookings-quad.html
Note: This assignment was adapted from an idea and assignment by Michael Frachetti.
The second assignment joins students’ powers as one: as a class, we are going to study a single landscape – The Brookings Quadrangle – from different disciplinary perspectives. The purpose of the exercise is to merge the different disciplinary perspectives we have talked about thus far in the course: history, geography (including, for now, archaeology), anthropology part one (focusing on the uses of the space by humans and non-humans), anthropology part two (focusing on the symbols and meanings) and architecture. By addressing the assignment questions from multiple disciplinary angles, students will better understand the respective strengths and weaknesses of each “type” of approach to landscape analysis, think more holistically about what a landscape is, and gain a deeper appreciation for a “landscape” in which he/she interacts with daily.
Each student will be assigned to one of five groups (anthropology has two groups). Each group is a master of that discipline, and must approach the following set of questions through your particular perspective (as a geographer, as an anthropologist who studies how landscapes relate to daily patterns…). Each group can use the powers of observation (walking around the quad, interviewing passers-by, taking photos), internet research, and, of course, notes and readings from the semester.
There will be two 45-minute periods to complete the assignment. Day One (today), you’ll work within your group (of architects, of geographers, etc.) to fill in as much as possible the questions below. Each discipline may not necessarily address every aspect of every question…that’s OK! Day Two (Thurs), every student will become a Group Representative in a second set of meetings. One person from each of the Day One sections (e.g. an architect) meets up with one from the geographers, one from the historians, and two of the anthropologists. The new “Day Two Groups” share their viewpoints on the questions, and confer and finish the questions in a way that incorporates all disciplinary perspectives.
Questions:
1) What is the Brookings Quadrangle? Describe its history, layout, design, use, and meaning. Include comments on the buildings, the spatial elements (what makes up a “quad” and how these things are laid out), the atmosphere it creates, how students use and think about the quad, who does and does not have access to it.
2) Why does the Brookings Quadrangle exist? What is the purpose of having a “quad” at a university more broadly?
3) Has this space – its design, use, meaning – changed over time? If so, how? If not, why not?
4) Is it an integral part of Washington University in St. Louis? Why or why not?
5) How would campus be different if the Brookings Quad no longer existed? Describe a scenario where the Brookings Quad no longer exists. How does it change the university, people’s habits, the atmosphere of the place?
6) What are the strengths and weaknesses of each disciplinary perspective? What does a study of landscape gain by combining perspectives? If there is nothing to gain, or if the group thinks there is a superior perspective of the five, explain.
Photo credit: http://wustl.edu/community/visitors/tour/danforth/brookings-quad.html
Note: This assignment was adapted from an idea and assignment by Michael Frachetti.