Overview

This elective course will focus on the real city, Zürich. The existing built urban environment is to be accepted ‘as found’ (Smithson, p., a.). Students will be taught a new form of urban literacy by learning to read the city. They will be required to map existing zones of tension, conflict, social cohesion, in which everyday life unfolds re-codifying specific spots on the city. Mapping those fields in the city will built up a data basis for Zurich, based on which, students will organize urban hikes and presentations on the field. With this agenda, the course intends to support creative action in urban life and instigate a new curiosity for the role of architects and potential for architectural thinking in the urban environment. The process and products of the course will be documented in a collective guide for Zurich, compiled and shared with the public.