Donald Hanlon, Professor

Bio
Professor Hanlon‘s teaching focuses on architectural design, history and theory. He is interested in balancing formal issues of composition with the historical and cultural forces that shape buildings. This perspective led him to publish a book, Compositions in Architecture, in 2009 that organizes architectural examples on the basis of their formal structure but also elucidates the reasons why their designers chose particular types of order in their design. The book is intended for use as a resource in studios and seminars devoted to understanding design logic. He received the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Teaching Award in 2001 for his accomplishments as a teacher at all levels of the curriculum, including his engagement of architectural students in design/build projects for community-based non-profit groups in Milwaukee. He has conducted student study programs in Europe, Costa Rica and Turkey.
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Hanlon’s research in Islamic architecture has concentrated on the architectural traditions of Turkey, Egypt, India and Central Asia. His writing and teaching have related to Islamic design principles, including geometry, traditional building practices and environmental design. Also, Professor Hanlon has taught the large and popular course, “An Introduction to Architectural Theory,” for fourteen years, recently converting it to the largest entirely on-line course in the University.

Education
Master of Business Administration: University of Washington, 1981.
Master of Architecture: University of Washington, 1979.
Bachelor of Architecture: Cornell University, 1972.

Research Focus
Design Composition
Islamic Architecture and Urban Design

Courses
Arch 101 Introduction to Architectural Theory
Arch 330 Design Methodologies
Arch 532 Modern Concepts in Arch Theory
Arch 533 Survey of Architectural Theory
ARCH 810: Design Fundamentals (Graduate students) (PDF:13k)

Selected Work
"Searching for Al-Qahira," The Newsletter of the Fulbright Alumni Association.
"The Plan of Al-Qahira," Journal of Urban Design, Vol. 1,No. 3. Oxford, UK.
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"The Adobe Church in New Mexico: An Example of Architectural Morphosis," Faith and Form, Washington, D.C.: Vol. XXIV.
"The Amin Hodja Mosque" Journal of Central Asia, Vol. XIII, No 2. Islamabad, Pakistan.
"The Spanish Mission Churches of the Upper Rio Grande Valley," Anthropologica, Vol. XXXIV, No 2. Ontario, Canada.
"Housing and Urbanization in a Desert Oasis," Traditional Settlements: Forms and Patterns, Vol. XI. Center for Environmental Design Research, Berkeley
"Architectural Education in Post-Maoist China." Journal of Architectural Education, Vol. XI. Center for Environmental Design Research, Berkeley.
"Memory and the Delphic Fix." Architectural Record.

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University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

School of Architecture & Urban Planning

Donald Hanlon, Professor