Course info

The CHA course, entitled CRITICAL HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE IN ALGERIA 1 (19TH & 20TH CENTURIES), extends over two semesters. It concerns architecture and Urbanism in Algeria during the period covering the 19th and 20th centuries (1800-1900/1900-2000). It is interested in the precedents in the built environment in the Algerian territory. It is structured around three phases: precolonial, colonial and postcolonial.

On the educational side, the course allows you to understand the complexity of the built environment in architecture and urban planning by referring to social, cultural, economic and physical factors and their interaction over time. It teaches student architects the usefulness of historical knowledge in their training and the use of this knowledge in urban and architectural design.

The course is based on an Applied History methodology which combines theory and practice. While aiming to enrich architectural practice, the course goes beyond the simple observation of precedents; memorization and chronology of events, teaching the student to develop a critical mind first, then deductive which allows the transformation, criticism and then the use of these precedents in the design.