This course provides an introduction to design disciplines, theories, movements, and factors that influence the built environment. Spanning a range of scales-from individual objects to entire territories-students will explore how architecture and its related fields both shape and reflect society. Emphasis is placed on understanding how cultural, political, economic, technological, and environmental forces inform the design and experience of the built environment. The course serves as a foundation for developing a critical framework for engaging with architecture and its broader contexts. Corequisites: ARCH 5691.