EGMT 1510: The Aesthetics of UVA

Consistently ranked as one of the most beautiful college campuses in America, the University of Virginia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site revered for its architectural style. Prospective students dream of living and learning here among the white columns, antique red bricks, and verdant gardens. UVA owes its reputation as a renowned example of American Neo-Classical architecture to Jefferson and his preference for styles from the Ancient Classical world invoked to reference ideals such as restraint, integrity, power, and reason. But what other values are associated with Neo-Classical architecture? Does this style represent the same values to everyone in our community, or does it feel different depending on your own identity? In this course we will explore how our aesthetic preferences have been (and are being) shaped by our politics, perspectives, and values.  We will visit different parts of UVA’s grounds to discuss how design choices were made to express and reinforce specific ideologies. Students will also identify places of dissonance, where UVA’s historical aesthetic is at odds with its current aspirations.  After taking this course, walking through Grounds will never be the same.