ARTS 201: Case Study Project 1 Instructions
Design Your Own Roman City:
Learning Outcomes:
This project will enable you to conceptualize the components necessary for civic architecture, examine the ancient Roman city and its influence on later cities, understand Roman architectural styles, understand the functions of civic architecture, and give you an awareness of all the aspects that go into designing the cities in which we live today. You will develop a stronger sense of responsibility as a citizen by helping to shape a sustainable physical environment while considering the economic, social, cultural, and religious aspects of historical and contemporary cities.
Assignment Description:
This assignment asks you to take on the point of view of a Roman town planner. You are competing for a major commission to design a functioning urban center for 10,000 inhabitants. Choose a name for your town and describe the people, culture, and social structure of your town. You can build this town anywhere in the Roman world. Be creative but, most importantly, be accurate.
Assessment:
This assignment assesses your ability to comprehend ideas about town planning and to convey these ideas visually and in writing. Your project should demonstrate a thorough understanding of all the prompt questions given in this assignment.
Research:
- Roman Architecture: http://www.slideshare.net/mfresnillo/roman-architecture-398210
- Roman Architecture: Elements and innovations: http://www.slideshare.net/jainvijaya/roman-architecture-elements-and-innovations
- Roman Architecture website: http://www.essential-humanities.net/western-art/architecture/roman/
- Use your book, library resources, and credible websites for further research.
This assignment has two parts, but it is a single assignment:
- Part 1 is an aerial town design plan (3 examples below)– this can be hand-drawn or computer generated. You will not be graded on your drawing ability, but it must be your own plan. What buildings were an integral part of Roman civic life? How were these buildings arranged in relation to one another and in relation to personal homes? Include examples such as walls, colonnades, forums, amphitheaters, baths, palaces, temples, gates, aqueducts, sewer systems, public spaces, roads, etc. Be sure to consider size and space relations when you design your city. You can use a number legend to designate each building.
- Part 2 is an annotated PowerPoint illustrating and describing the Roman city plan you have designed. You must have a minimum of 10 slides. Each slide must include at least 1 image and a written description of at least 150 words.
Paste/create your town plan on Slide 1. Then, on subsequent slides, paste a picture and write an explanation of each structure. If you are unable to draw an accurate illustration, you may choose an actual existing Roman structure to illustrate your point.
Consider the following in your descriptions:
Explain the purpose/function of each building. Explain why you have placed structures where you have. What types of new technology can you include to make life better in Ancient Rome? What is the architectural style for civic vs. private structures? Why does style matter? Explain how each building contributed to the overall function of a city. What materials would you use to build these structures? Why? Would the buildings have exterior or interior decorations? Why/Why not? If yes, what would these decoration elements look like?
Submit your project: Save your PowerPoint as a PDF to reduce file size prior to uploading to BB.
Submit Case Study Project 1 by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 5.