Introduction

This Open Educational Resource (OER) is designed for learners interested in discovering how to appreciate the built environment. The text assumes no prior knowledge of architectural history and focuses on the vocabulary of architectural analysis, as well as case studies on individual architects and structures. The emphasis is on learning to look and evaluate buildings in context and to foster a greater appreciation for the world around us. This text does not focus on defining structural systems or move chronologically, and instead is intended as a series of mini-lessons on specific topics. Each chapter also contains recommendations for additional readings and videos to provide opportunities for further learning.

This resource was written as a complement to Paul Goldberger’s text, Why Architecture Matters (Yale University Press, 2011). Paul Goldberger (b. 1950) is an architecture critic whose writing has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize. He is best known for his architecture column in the New Yorker and is now a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. If you are using Goldberger’s book, there are Chapter Study Questions to help prompt review and discussion under the heading Additional Resources at the end of this book.

The author of this OER, Kelsey Ferreira, is an instructor at Portland Community College, Portland, Oregon. She has an MA in Art History from University of Oregon and a professional background in museum education and public art administration. She has been part of the adjunct faculty at Portland Community College, Portland, Oregon since 2009 where she teaches courses in art history, architecture, and art appreciation.

Cover image is a detail of Auditorio de Tenerife by Daniel Foster CC BY-NC-SA 2.0