SHELL combines the disciplines of history and theory. Though the two may not seem all that related, one cannot help but develop theories which explain the evolution of architecture over the course of history. In the first two years at the University of Southern California School of Architecture, I have had four classes covering the history (and theory) of architecture, "from pre-history to post-modernism."

Prior to January 1998, I had chosen not to post my essays directly to SHELL. At that time, however, the powers-that-be at USC graciously extended password-protection to student accounts. Because of the inherent security and monitoring benefits of such a system, I no longer feel posting my essays will pose realistic academic integrity concerns.

Let me be clear that I do not support censorship of academic materials; however, I am also completely against plagiarism in any form, and I have personally witnessed several people blatantly steal information from the internet and use it without credit. This is wrong and I refuse to be part of it. At the same time, I have a strong desire to share my views of architectural history and theory with the rest of the world.

To access they essays linked below, you must have a valid Username and Password. To get a valid Username and Password, you must first send me email that includes your name and, if you are enrolled in school, your school's name. These two items are absolutely essential to secure the essays against plagiarism.

CHAMBERS

1. Honesty. An in-depth look at the meaning and effectiveness of the writings of Victor Hugo and Leon Battista Alberti, specifically relating to the desire to return to "an earlier architecture" as the correct model for their "modern" time. Grade: A
    
2. Monuments. What is a monument? Who gets to decide? These are questions which everyone takes for granted, but for which no one can give a good answer. This essay examines four authors and their opinions about monuments. Grade: A-
    
3. Tradition. There are many traditions in architecture which are inherently discriminatory. This essay looks at concerns regarding gender, race, ecology, political, and economic challenges to the architectural institution. Grade: A
    
4. The Los Angeles Times Building. A look at the LA Times Building in downtown Los Angeles, from both an historical and analytical perspective. Grade: A
    
5. Never Again: The Century Freeway. The Century Freeway will probably be the last great freeway project in America. What were the issues surrounding the projects that led to such controversy? Grade: A