After successful completion of the course, students are able to develop a research question and discuss it in an independently written academic text. In the seminar, students gain a methodological insight into how the existing canon of architecture can be questioned and how this criticism can be used to derive profitable approaches for the development of alternative architectural histories. In addition, basic knowledge of gender studies is imparted through the reading of texts.

Sex and space. Queerfeminist approaches
Focus on Heritage Conservation

The seminar deals with how intimacy, closeness and sexuality are negotiated in architecture on different scales. The starting point is the observation that the examination of places associated with sexuality or intimacy also opens up a critical perspective on the margins of architectural history and the construction of gender norms. Contexts such as sex work, the hidden expression of sexuality in public spaces or sexuality in living spaces are not usually established components of design tasks. Nevertheless, they tell us a great deal about how architecture and urban space are appropriated in everyday life: how sexuality fundamentally affects the definition of space and the distribution of power. This is linked not only to the question of who determines what a sexual act can be, but also to understandings of bodily norms, shame, love and friendship, as well as the demarcation between the private and public spheres. In this course, we will look at different places and architectures that have been appropriated as (secret) sexual meeting places or designed for sexual acts. The examples range from public convenience stores, swimming pools or parks to urban areas that are associated with and stigmatized by sex work.

FOCUS ON HERITAGE CONSERVATION

Participants in the seminar can either focus on art history (251.872 Wahlseminar Kunstgeschichte) or heritage conservation. The seminar papers are then written in the chosen focus. In the focus on monument preservation, the research questions for the seminar paper are developed on the basis of examples from Vienna. This can include listed architecture as well as the question of how places of sexuality can be made visible as cultural heritage of the city of Vienna or negotiated as such in society. Starting points could be the following questions:

•  Along which (historical) narratives are places of sexuality negotiated in Vienna?
• For which objects should sexuality play a role for registration as a monument?
• How can places of sexuality be made visible as cultural heritage?
• How do understandings of preservation and conservation change when places or objects and their relationships to sexuality and society are consciously addressed? For example, how does the evaluation of a public institution of necessity change when it is understood as a sexual meeting place? How do perspectives change when swimming pools are listed not only for their architectural design language, but as spaces that are also given meaning through the practice of intimacy?

 NOTE:

The course is part of a cross-research cooperation and the research project "STUMMES ERBE - Queerfeministische Bestandspflege tabuisierter Orte". In this project, we aim to develop a new set of tools that ties in with existing architectural research and offers an alternative to the traditional tools of the canon (Lorde 1984; Bonnevier 2007). Our focus is on the future handling of existing architecture. In this way, we would like to work on a historically sensitive understanding of design that develops a queer-feminist practice of architectural conservation from the theoretical critique of the canon.

The course is divided into two elective seminar groups that have chosen either the art history focus or the heritage conservation focus. Both groups are led jointly by the lecturers of art history and heritage conservation. The course takes place in coordination with Julia Nuler's design course 253.L78 TABUISIERTE STADT - QUEERFEMINSITISCHES LERNEN VON BESTAND. A joint forum for discussions and workshops will be held on several dates. This will take place during the regular design times (Tuesday 2 - 7 pm). In addition, four evening lectures will thematically complement the LVAs (dates on Wednesdays, tba). Attendance in the seminar includes participation in these forums and lectures.

Learning how to work scientifically is fundamental to the methodology of the seminar. We also deal with a critique of the existing canon and at the same time with the visualization of marginalized phenomena. Accordingly, historical sources may have to be questioned differently or other sources used (such as oral history or criminal records). We search for traces of how sexuality, intimacy and closeness were historically negotiated and how these negotiations can be linked to space and architecture. Depending on the focus of the seminar work, different methods such as archival research, discourse analysis, counter-mapping or site visits and analyses can be used for the focus on the preservation of historical monuments.

Weekly Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; start 08.10.2024; room AC-03-1, except 12.11 and 26.11: on these dates the course will take place in Raumlabor.

Compulsory attendance!

Special dates:
Workshops will take place on the following dates in collaboration with the TABUISIERTE STADT - QUEERFEMINSITISCHES LERNEN VON BESTAND (Tuesdays from 1 to 6 pm):

Workshop 1: 15.10.24, AA 03 - 1 - CEE

Workshop 2: 10. or 17.12.24, AA 03 - 1 - CEE

Workshop 3: 14.01., AA 03 - 1 - CEE

Closing event: 28.01.25, AA 03 - 1 - CEE

The certificate of achievement for the elective seminar with a focus on the preservation of historical monuments consists of three components.
As partial performance 1 in the focus on monument preservation, a bibliography and an outline for the academic text (partial performance 2) are written as a basis for the seminar paper and a research question is formulated. This preliminary work will be developed in the course of the seminar and will prepare the submission of the academic text (part 2). In the course of the semester, a working status on the research topic will be presented.
A scientific text of 30,000 characters is written as part of performance 2.
Partial performance 3 consists of an output that is developed in a joint workshop. This will be presented at the closing event on 28.1.25.

The attendance of the course is compulsory to pass.

ALL WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS ARE CHECKED WITH THE PLAGIARISM SOFTWARE TURNITIN ON TUWEL

recommended and preferred are:

• Interest in architectural history, heritage conservation and art history
• Interest in gender studies