Mapping the Discourse. Architecture Periodicals in/for the Teaching of Architecture History

The article reflects on the role of architectural journals as sources, instruments, methods and narrative devices for teaching history, questioning their mediators with a multifaced network milieux characterized by divergent positions, ideological agendas, modes interacting. Moving from seminar offered over past six years to internationals students at Politecnico di Milano in framework History Theory course, pedagogical project intersects growing attention relations between architecture media, current debate history transnational practice.A corpus around fifty periodicals published eighteen different countries was addressed “system knowledge” “global printed network”, overcoming monographic local-centered readings based isolated or linked national editorial cultures narratives. Journals were examined interrelations interconnections through comparative cross-cultural analyses, crossing diverse geographies, trace international circulation knowledge.Crossing two research attitudes codified historians, who tended look magazines structuring sources writing or, alternatively, objects inquiry decades, are critically complex objects, investigated economic, material, cultural, visual, graphic dimensions. By dissecting overall structure each journal scrutinizing constituting elements - including undervalued parts, often considered peripheries discourse -, multi-layered study this brings light constellation actors agents involved production knowledge. analysis rationalities, strategies networks editors, owners, institutions, general audience allowed question very notion milieu that contribute create. On one hand, cross-reading “journal biographies” “anatomy” genres canonical interpretations timeframes 20th century still centered European North American scene, offering more nuanced understanding times forms culture. other using visual less-conventional analytical tools communicative revealed potential maps, timelines, diagrams promising innovative devices. These means could enrich instruments used pedagogy opening discussion opportunities contamination procedures quantitative technologies methodologies digital humanities.