Essay of 2,500 words.
Title: Imitation and Replication of Classical Architecture in Europe
Imitation and Replication of Classical Architecture in Britain (that has been influenced by Roman architecture, that has itself been influenced by Greek Architecture.)
Formatting: All essays should follow the template outlined below. Essays that fail to follow these requirements (including the process of selection and approval of an appropriate topic, and the formatting guidelines) will receive a ‘fail’ mark (i.e. below 40%). The essay’s sub-sections should be clearly signposted for the reader using appropriate sub-headings, as outlined below.
1. Introduction (250 words):
The Introduction is your first point of contact with the reader. Please use it to provide a summative picture of the whole essay and its content. Think of it as a mental map that the reader will use to navigate through the details of your writing. It should let them know what exactly you are going to be looking at, why you have selected it and how you are going to discuss it (including which historiographical references you will use). summarise the essay structure and your main points before you move on to the detailed discussion in the main body of the essay.
2. Main body (2000 words):
Divide your essay into three parts:
2.1. Facts.
What information did you find after your research for your selected item? present the main historical facts about it.
Use the course bibliography and search on your own for this purpose (see below how you should cite the sources you use). Bear in mind that information found on the Internet may be inaccurate and should be used with caution. In general, books and academic journal articles retrieved from the library are more trustworthy sources of information.
If the selected item is a modern work of architecture, please answer these questions: When was it designed or built? Where? Why? (i.e.: for what function or purpose?) By whom? If the item is an object of design or manufacturing (for example: a biscuit; an automobile) or an older building (for example: Chartres Cathedral), some of these questions may not apply.
2.2. Description.
Describe the item you have selected, using the most precise terms you can find. Imagine that you are describing it to someone who has never seen it. You may attach one or more pictures, if necessary, but all your pictures together (excluding the cover: see below) should not take up more than two full pages, regardless of the graphic layout of your essay. Your description should explain what your object looks like through your words alone, without the need for any visual supplement, picture or drawing.
2.3. Commentary.
Answer one or more of these queries:
2.3.1 What design intentions can you identify by looking at this building or object? Why is it worthy of an architectural historian’s attention? Why did it appeal to you, in particular? (Be as personal as you like). Your discussion may refer to construction, use, aesthetics, economic or social aspects, politics and ideology, and any other factor that you believe was relevant to the production of the selected item.
2.3.2 If the object you have chosen is technically meaningful, which technologies and materials were used for its design and construction? Was it made by hand (and if so, by which kind of artisan or manual workers), by mechanical machines, or digitally (and if so, which software and tools were used)?
3. Conclusion (250 words):
The Conclusion is your last point of contact with the reader. Please use it to summarise the main points of the essay and look a bit further into the future. Now that you have a moment to reflect on your research and your main points, do you think there is one main idea that this essay was gradually building from one sub- section to the next? If so, what was it, and how could it be explored further in future research and work on the same subject? Is there a way in which this idea relates (reinforces or subverts and challenges) existing historiographical discussions of the selected item?
