SP5-5 Photography as methodical research tool in architecture

The Faculty of Architecture / Architecture
4th Year, sem 2, 2024-2025 | Optional Course | Hours/Week: 2C | ECTS Credits: 2
Department:
Synthesis of Architectural Design
Course Leader:
conf.dr.arh. Vlad Eftenie
Teaching language:
Romanian
Learning outcomes:
Photography is more than a simple technical instrument for the study of the image of an architectural object.
By considering the objective characteristics of built space (location, geometry, proportion, lighting, use, etc) and other factors related to subjective interpretation (environment, specific interactions, cultural aspects, temporal evolution, Genius Loci, etc.. ) - methodical study of architectural photography can reveal new dimensions, able to overturn the professional approach of understanding of space and it’s spirit.

Aiming at understanding and learning the characteristics of architectural space, the architect student will initiate its comprehensive approach and methodic research using the photographic approach.
Content:
1. Photography as a complex research tool for the architect.
2. Short history of photography: techniques, photographers, approaches.
3. The “ingredients” of architectural environment. From architectural object to the everyday life.
4. Skills oh the architect as a vivid observer and photographer.
5. From reality to the image, objectivity and subjective representation.
6. The practice of methodical observation, photographic immersion.
7. From the everyday life environment to the photographic frame :
context, decoupage, depth of field.
8. Introduction to composition and main rules of photographic approach.
9. The composition in architectural photography - from point to line, surface, volume, perspective, lightning, contrast, color, texture, vector, rhythm, balance.
10. Time and the graceful moment.
11. Emotion as photographic intrinsic factor.
12. Evaluation and analytical interpretation of the image.
13. The photographic releve as a study tool.
14. Visual narrative discourse. The architectural portrait.
Teaching Method:
Interactive course with multimedia projections and urban incursions which includes:

- Lectures of the owner and guests - prestigious specialists
in the fields of architecture, philosophy, photography - 40%
- Photographic explorations (practical work) - 20%
Assessment:
Individual research on various photographic subjects - ongoing (20%)
Oral examination - individual presentation of a photo essay - at the end of the course (20%)
Bibliography:
1. BARRETT Terry, Criticizing Photographs, Fourth Edition, ed. Mc Graw Hill, New York, 2006
2. BARTHES Roland, Camera lucida, col. Balcon, trad. Virgil Mleșniță, ed. Idea Design & Print,
Cluj, 2009
3. BERGER John, Ways of Seeing, British Broadcastin Corporation and Penguin Book
4. CONSTANTINESCU, Dinu Teodor, Photography and architecture, Ed. Tehnica, Bucharest, 1984
5. EFTENIE, Vlad, Fotografia, instrument metodic de cunoastere si investigare in planul imaginii urbane,
Ed. UAIM, Bucuresti, 2012
6. FEININGER, Andreas, The creative photograph, Ed. Meridiane, Bucharest, 1967
7. GOFFMAN E., La mise en scène de la vie quotidienne, ed. Minuit, Paris, 1973
8. GRIGORESCU D, Adventure of the image, Ed. Meridiane, Bucharest, 1994
9. HALL Edward T., La dimension cachée, ed. Seuil, Paris, 1978
10. LICKLIDER Heath, Architectural scale, trad. Cosma Iurov, ed. Tehnică, Bucharest, 1973
11. LYNCH Kevin The Image of the city, The M.I.T. Press, Massachusetts, 1960
12. MIHALI Ciprian - Invention of space (Architecture of the everyday life),
ed. Paideia, col. Spații imaginate, Bucharest, 2001
13. MILLER Denise, Photography’s multiple roles, The Museum of Contemporary Photography,
Columbia College, Chicago, 1998
14. SĂSĂRMAN Gheorghe, Purpose, space, architecture, ed. Meridiane, Bucharest, 1979
15. SONTAG Susan, Sur la Photographie, Collection Choix-Essais, Christian Bourgois
editeur, Paris, 2000
16. SCHULZ Christian Norberg - Genius Loci, Pierre Mardaga editeur, Bruxelles, 1981
Notes:
is necessary to have/know how to make use of digital camera/mobile phone