Short course
The Building Culture of Britain: From Vernacular to Sustainable Architecture
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Location:
Online
Dates:
12/01/2027 - 23/03/2027
Study format:
Online - live
Fees:
£430.00
Understanding changes in how buildings were built, what was used to build them, and the traditions and cultures that formed around those practices is not only useful for studying architectural history. It is also crucial for managing the historic built environment as it exists today. Furthermore, it can reveal deeper cultural and climatic changes, teaching us about the growth and decline of economies, and society’s relationship with the environment.
This course will cover developments in the use of building material in Britain from prehistory up to the 20th century. It will include lectures on the technologies and practices that emerged for using stone, earth, brick, timber, and other materials, the building elements and forms that emerged in response to geography and climate, and the dynamic relationships of material and culture that these informed. Together we will explore traditional construction techniques and how they evolved from vernacular to standardised methods. We will learn about the origins of the materials and their journey into the built fabric. We will see how Britain’s rich history is linked to a diverse tapestry of regional variation, and learn to understand the interplay of material culture and environment. We will follow these developments into the modern era, and consider how we can learn from the past to sustain the future. This will improve our understanding of materiality in the historic environment and our ability to ‘read’ buildings and cities.
The course will begin with a general overview of regional variation across Britain. Then, each week we will explore a particular building material or construction technique and its associated vernacular building traditions. We will discover how distinct cultures formed around materials or practices at various geographic scales. As well as recorded lectures, the course will include virtual site visits, lab tours, and interviews with academic and professional experts.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Programme details
This course begins on the 12 Jan 2027 which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting which will be held on 19 Jan 2027, 4.00-5.00pm (UK time)
Week 1: Geology and landscape of Britain
Week 2: Building culture and history across Britain
Week 3: Stone
Week 4: Earth
Week 5: Brick
Week 6: Lime
Week 7: Timber framing
Week 8: Metals
Week 9: Roofing
Week 10: From vernacular to sustainable architecture
Level and demands
This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required.
This course is offered at FHEQ Level 4 (i.e. first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments and for the weekly webinar. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours, including those spent in live webinars.
English Language Requirements
We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements please follow this link: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/english-language-requirements
Course aims
- To highlight the relationships between the environment (landscape, geology, climate), the use of building materials, the emergence of architectural languages and styles, and cultural traditions.
- To provide an overview of the history of construction across Britain.
- To gain an understanding of building materials and how they work in a range of historic building types.
- To gain an appreciation of how historic events and technological advances helped shape the built environment.
- To explore how material cultures form and further influence building practice.
- To show how traditional methods and materials can provide building solutions for the modern world.
IT requirements
Any standard web browser can be used to access course materials on our virtual learning environment, but we recommend Google Chrome. We also recommend that students join the live webinars on Microsoft Teams using a laptop or desktop computer rather than a phone or tablet due to the limited functionality of the app on these devices.
Programme details
This course begins on the 12 Jan 2027 which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting which will be held on 19 Jan 2027, 4.00-5.00pm (UK time)
Week 1: Geology and landscape of Britain
Week 2: Building culture and history across Britain
Week 3: Stone
Week 4: Earth
Week 5: Brick
Week 6: Lime
Week 7: Timber framing
Week 8: Metals
Week 9: Roofing
Week 10: From vernacular to sustainable architecture
Teaching methods
This course takes place over 10 weeks, with a weekly learning schedule and weekly live webinar held on Microsoft Teams. Shortly before a course commences, students are provided with access to an online virtual learning environment, which houses the course content, including video lectures, complemented by readings or other study materials. Working through these materials over the course of the week will prepare students for a weekly 1-hour live webinar you will share with your expert tutor and fellow students. All courses are structured to amount to 100 study hours, so that on average, you should set aside 10 hours a week for study. Although the course finishes after 10 weeks, all learning materials remain available to all students for 12 months after the course has finished.
All courses are led by an expert tutor. Tutors guide students through the course materials as part of the live interactions during the weekly webinars. Tutors will also provide individualised feedback on your assignments. All online courses are taught in small student cohorts so that you and your peers will form a mutually supportive and vibrant learning community for the duration of the course. You will learn from your fellow students as well as from your tutor, and they will learn from you.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
- understand how building practice evolves from landscape, local culture and resource availability;
- understand a range of historic building fabrics and techniques;
- be able to identify stylistic and regional variations for a range of structural materials and historical periods;
- be able to communicate effectively on a range of conservation-related topics such as material suitability and historic accuracy.
Assessment methods
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Dr Martin Michette
Martin is a Departmental Lecturer in Architectural History and Cultural Heritage and Director of the Cultural Heritage Training Programme. He is also a Researcher in the Oxford Resilient Buildings and Landscapes Lab at the School of Geography and the Environment. He studied Architecture (BSc) at the University of Bath and Building Conservation (MEng) at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, before gaining his doctorate in Science and Engineering in Arts, Heritage and Archaeology at the University of Oxford. He spent several years working in architectural practice and continues to work as a historic building surveyor in a freelance capacity.
Assessment methods
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Level and demands
This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required.
This course is offered at FHEQ Level 4 (i.e. first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments and for the weekly webinar. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours, including those spent in live webinars.
English Language Requirements
We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements please follow this link: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/english-language-requirements
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course Fee | £430.00 |
Module code: O26P711HCZ
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form.