How to Read a Building

Perhaps you enjoy looking at architecture but don’t know much about how to interpret the forms you see, or wish you knew the names of all the different elements. If so, this is the course for you. We will examine the different historical styles of Western architecture and their component parts. Most of our time will be spent on the Classical (the orders, balustrades, types of arches, etc.) though we will not neglect the Romanesque and the Gothic (pinnacles, buttresses, foils, pointed arches, etc.). Though not primarily a history course, you will nonetheless learn what came when and why, and you will never look at buildings the same way again.
Continuing Education Units (CEU) : 1.5

You'll walk away with

• The ability to to identify and distinguish between different historical styles of Western architecture, including Classical, Romanesque, and Gothic.
• Familiarity with various architectural elements, such as orders, balustrades, arches, pinnacles, and buttresses
• Enhanced critical thinking skills to analyze architecture and understand its historical context and significance

Ideal for

• History buffs
• All members of the community—working, retired, and in-between