America Builds

Step inside the story of America—through its buildings. From pueblos and synagogues to factories and concert halls, this course explores how the spaces Americans have lived, worked, learned, and worshiped in over nearly 300 years reveal stories of resilience, change, and community.

In this course, students will:

• Practice deep observation, curiosity, and inquiry through hands-on study of historic structures.

• Gain empathy by understanding how different communities shaped and were shaped by these spaces.

• Work collaboratively to problem-solve, communicate effectively, and connect across difference.

• Build confidence in making meaning from unfamiliar situations—an essential skill for becoming engaged global citizens.

Through exploration of iconic and everyday buildings, students will discover how architecture is more than design—it is a living record of the American experience.

This seminar is taught by the buildings themselves. Each week focuses on one structure to reveal what it can teach us about American history—from construction methods and regional differences to symbolism, style, and the lived experiences of the people within.

Over the semester, students will explore 15 buildings organized chronologically, tracing the evolution of American life:

• Santa Fe Pueblo (Santa Fe, NM): Life before European contact

• Independence Hall (Philadelphia, PA): Colonial subjects and revolution

• Touro Synagogue (Newport, RI): Religious tolerance in a new nation

• U.S. Capitol (Washington, DC): Experimenting with self-government

• Chief Vann House (Chatsworth, GA): Slavery and displacement

• Lowell Mills (Lowell, MA): The birth of industry

• Over-the-Rhine Museum (Cincinnati, OH): Tenement life in urban America

• Langston Hughes House (New York, NY): Harlem rowhouse life

• Biltmore (Asheville, NC): Wealth and the age of industry

• Mother Emmanuel AME Church (Charleston, SC): African American self-determination

• Pauli Murray House (Durham, NC): Rural life and justice

• Triangle Shirtwaist Factory (New York, NY): Women, workers, and reform

• Terrace Plaza (Cincinnati, OH): Postwar urban change

• Mall of America (Bloomington, MN): Consumer culture and suburban growth

• Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA): The age of entertainment

Two of the featured buildings are located in Cincinnati, offering opportunities for on-site exploration, while others will be studied through primary sources, video, maps, interviews, and guest speakers.

By the end of the course, students will understand how buildings are more than physical structures—they are mirrors of American identity, struggle, and innovation.