UDIST300 Eco: Metro Nature
SPRING 2012

Interdisciplinary Studios extend a student's cross-school experience from Core Studio up into his or her upper division years. 3 units of Interdisciplinary Studio are required of all majors and must be completed in the junior or senior year.

The need for a more balanced relationship with the planet coupled with exponential urban growth has inspired a surge of contemporary creative work being made that reflects on and is redefining the relationship of city life to Nature. This project-based course is for students interested in a multidisciplinary environment for researching, discussing, and presenting ideas surrounding this topic. The course is broken down into 3 segments: I. A Concise History of the Human/Nature Relationship, II. The Culture of Nature, and, III. Nature as Metro-influence, with related lectures, readings, writing and project assignments, speakers, and fieldtrips. The course will begin with questions about the origins and development of our city/nature relationship, and end with it's projected future. Readings will cover concepts such as; the Tragedy of the Commons, The Slow Textile Movement, Emergent Architecture, Biomimicry, and William McDonoughs 'Cradle to Cradle' design philosophy. Fieldtrips will include excursions to the SF City Dump, The Academy of Sciences, and an An Unnatural History of Golden Gate Park audio tour designed by the Studio for Urban Projects. We will look at work ranging from: Jeff Koon's giant topiary, Puppy; Joan Foncuberta's photographic series Landscapes Without Memory; Doug Aitkens recent video installation, Migration; to, Natalie Jeremijenko's Environmental Health Clinic; The Blur Building by architects, Diller and Scofidio; Koyaanisqatsi, by director Godfrey Reggio; and pieces designed by animals: Rat Wallpaper, Fly Lamp, etc by the Swedish firm, Front. This course is designed to tap into the contemporary stream of work being made around these issues while offering a historical foundation for the movement. We will explore innovative work in the Bay Area as well as by CCA faculty and alumni and the course will culminate in a self-directed project exploring the future of the Urban/Nature relationship.