The aim of the course is to investigate the sources from which architecture and design have extracted meaning throughout history. The specific focus of the lecture series will be the interrelationship between myth, religion, philosophy and architecture. Case studies demonstrating symbolic traditions will be drawn from both Eastern and Western design, including examples as diverse as the Greek Temple, the Jewish synagogue, the Christian church and the Chinese palace complex. The diversity of subjects and themes will highlight the complexity and sophistication characterising design traditions of the past, and reveal the intricate role architecture has played in the expression of a society's belief systems.