Course
Architecture
History and theory of architecture: from the Greek temple to the smart city and sustainable design
Part of the Antiquity track — finish it for a verifiable diploma →
§ 01 — Orientation
New here?
What you'll be able to do, who this is for, how long it takes, and where to begin.
By the end, you will be able to
- 01Recognize architectural periods and languages.
- 02Read how a space is designed to work.
- 03Think about cities like an urbanist.
- 04Judge what makes a building sustainable.
- 05See the built environment with new eyes.
Who this is for
How long it takes
- Quick orientationSkim the opening module and the cheatsheet to get the shape of it.~2 h
- Full read-throughRead every article once, in order.~2 h
- Mastery pathRead, take the quizzes, and space out your reviews.~2 weeks
- APA
Stoa. (2026). Architecture [Online course]. Stoa. https://stoa.school/course/architecture
- MLA
Stoa. “Architecture.” Stoa, 2026, https://stoa.school/course/architecture.
- Chicago
Stoa. “Architecture.” Stoa. Accessed September 1, 2026. https://stoa.school/course/architecture.
§ 02 — Curriculum
8 modules.
Each module is a small unit. Most read in sequence — but a determined reader can begin anywhere.
- M IClassical ArchitectureGreece, Rome, and the foundations of Western architecture3 articles
18 minBegin → - M IIRenaissance and Baroque in ArchitectureThe revival of classicism, perspective, and grandeur3 articles
18 minBegin → - M IIIModernist ArchitectureThe Industrial Revolution, the Bauhaus, and the International Style3 articles
18 minBegin → - M IVContemporary ArchitecturePostmodernism, parametric design, and sustainability3 articles
18 minBegin → - M V19th-Century Architecture: Classicism, Neo-Gothic, and the Industrial RevolutionArchitectural styles of the age of nationalism and industrialization3 articles
18 minBegin → - M VITotalitarian Architecture and Postwar ReconstructionNazism, the USSR, Brutalism, and the rebuilding of Europe3 articles
18 minBegin → - M VIIPostmodernism and DeconstructivismRobert Venturi, Frank Gehry, and the end of the modernist dogma3 articles
18 minBegin → - M VIII21st-Century Architecture: Sustainability, Parametrics, and the Digital BodyEcological architecture, BIM, and life after the pandemic3 articles
18 minBegin →
§ 03 — Learning outcomes
4 outcomes.
Recognize and navigate key styles and movements in world architecture.
Analyze architectural spaces in terms of function, form, and meaning.
Understand theories of urban space and principles of urban planning.
Evaluate the environmental and social aspects of architectural design.
§ 04 — Practices