Urban Field Study

4 credits · Undergraduate

In this course, we will critically “read" urban landscapes in the Bay Area. Walking tours, on-site lectures, individual wanderings, and archival research will explore built environments, spatial histories, and broader patterns of urbanism in Berkeley, San Francisco, Emeryville, Oakland, Pleasanton, and beyond. At every juncture, we will consider the dynamic interrelationships between built form and everyday life, becoming attuned to the power of landscape to both express and suppress identities and opportunities. We will travel by BART and on foot (~3 miles of walking per class!) to pursue ways to think critically about the spaces we inhabit, what remains to be explored, and the contours of our future.