First Year Seminar 191HFA07 - FYS-Eyesores or Eye Candy?

Do you think UMass buildings like the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, the Campus Center, and Southwest are ugly? In this class, we will explore the history of Brutalism and how you can learn to love (or at least not hate?) these not-so-gentle giants. You will also learn where the word "Brutalism" came from, how the term is a poor translation (or happy accident, depending on the way you look at it) of the original French beton brut (literally "raw concrete"), and the legacy Modernism left behind, aesthetically and politically. In this First Year Seminar, we will learn all about the history of Modernism and Brutalism on campus and beyond through short readings, films, and interactive on-campus activities.

Open to first-year Humanities and Fine Arts Exploratory Track students and first-year HFA Majors. First year (Fr or Soph)