The history of architecture is intimately intertwined with how humans perceive and interact with nature. Much in the way that houses are built to protect us from a wild nature and windows are designed to bring elements of nature indoors, architecture has evolved in response to our relation to the natural world. However, nature is not a fixed concept; it is culturally and socially constructed, and its meanings have changed throughout history. In architecture, nature is interpreted in various ways: as wilderness, as a refuge or a source of inspiration, and sometimes as a platform for aesthetic expression, or even as something that architecture may destroy.

Seminar on Architectural Criticism 1 at the Department of Architecture, Korea National University of Arts, explores these diverse perspectives on nature as analytical and generative tools for interpreting and practising architecture. Given the wide-ranging nature of the subject, the course focuses on five selected topics. This approach facilitates a deep dive into each area, enabling a transdisciplinary reading that connects architectural projects with fields such as natural science, social studies, and literature. Through this method, students engage with a variety of viewpoints, from traditional binaries of nature and culture to contemporary post-humanist discourses. The goal is to develop theoretical and conceptual frameworks that students can apply to their research and design projects.

This collection brings together texts by female authors that students read in this seminar.