EdX

Housing and Cities (edX)

Housing and Cities (edX)

Explore how housing defines urban identity. Housing and Cities is a design-oriented architecture course that focuses on key moments of European urban housing history. It looks into ordinary or replicated housing types of different social classes that contributed to the definition of urban identity across borders and time.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see EdX's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Each topic is first introduced through a general overview that examines housing from an urban point of view. Secondly, each topic is illustrated through a typological analysis, aiming for a detailed vision of domestic life at each time.
Students are encouraged to have an operative view of the course, appreciating how modern and contemporary architecture has reinterpreted and been influenced by different housing models.

What you'll learn

  • Identify the cultural context and time of diffusion of housing types
  • Examine the plans of different housing examples and recognise types of distribution and spatial organisation
  • Estimate how a specific type of housing has influenced urban character
  • Contextualise different types of housing historically and socially
Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Cultural impact of housing displacement gentrification (Coursera) Coursera
University of Glasgow

Cultural impact of housing displacement gentrification (Coursera)

This course provides an introduction to gentrification and to the cultural impacts of housing displacement for people in cities and neighbourhoods across the world. Gentrification is a term which has been used to describe the process by which wealthier people move into an area leading to the displacement of poorer groups who are priced out of the area by increases in rents and housing prices. It is usually associated with physical improvements to the housing stock and to changes in local shops and services. Sometimes it is closely associated with the displacement of black people by white people.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
Cultural Heritage and the City (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
European University Institute - EUI,Global Governance Programme

Cultural Heritage and the City (FutureLearn)

Discover how cities develop their own unique cultures and explore key concepts related to cultural heritage. Cultural heritage is usually discussed in national or religious terms: we speak of Italian culture, Greek civilization, Islamic art, and so on. But today cities are creating their own heritage through museums, galleries, markets of artistic goods, and urban networks.

Oct 10th 2022
3 Weeks
Cities, Climate and Change: Pathways and Opportunities (Coursera) Coursera
Lund University

Cities, Climate and Change: Pathways and Opportunities (Coursera)

How can we develop transformative skills and capacities to achieve climate neutral and sustainable cities? This course explores how we can design, create and achieve climate neutral and sustainable cities. We embrace the “mission to the moon” approach for tackling greenhouse emissions from cities putting an emphasis on pathways and opportunities. We utilise insights and inspiration from Sweden, Europe and around the world.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Caer o No caer. El secreto de las estructuras (edX) EdX
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid - UC3M,UC3Mx

Caer o No caer. El secreto de las estructuras (edX)

Las estructuras están presentes en todos los sistemas que nos rodean. Descubrirlas y comprender cómo funcionan es sencillo y fascinante. Las estructuras están implicadas en nuestras vidas: las plantas, los animales, casi todo lo que fabrica el ser humano, incluso nuestro propio cuerpo, deben soportar una serie de fuerzas sin romperse, y por lo tanto prácticamente cualquier elemento de nuestro entorno es una estructura de una clase u otra.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Cultural Diversity and the City (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
European University Institute - EUI

Cultural Diversity and the City (FutureLearn)

Discover how cities can develop a distinct heritage through embracing cultural diversity. Cities all over the world have embraced cultural and religious diversity, creating unique heritages. On this course you will investigate both ‘old’ and ‘new’ diversities in city heritage in four different continents.

Jan 9th 2023
3 Weeks
CitiesX: The Past, Present and Future of Urban Life (edX) EdX
HarvardX,Harvard University

CitiesX: The Past, Present and Future of Urban Life (edX)

Explore what makes cities energizing, amazing, challenging, and perhaps humanity’s greatest invention. For the first time in human history, more than fifty percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas. Cities allow for the exchange of ideas, and generate remarkable innovations in business, art, and ideas. Cities are also home to millions living in poverty. Urban living can provide a pathway to a better life, but that’s not always the case for many people around the world.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Action Learning for Inclusion (POK) Polimi OPEN KNOWLEDGE
Politecnico di Milano

Action Learning for Inclusion (POK)

Architecture and planning education with marginalised communities. The Course explains how to develop planning, urban and architectural design teaching or training initiatives with an action-oriented approach, by describing the meaning, and possible methods and tools of Action Learning. It focuses specifically on the engagement with vulnerable and marginalised populations.

Available
4 Weeks
Éducation par la recherche : smart city à l'École (FUN) FUN
Université Sorbonne Paris Cité

Éducation par la recherche : smart city à l'École (FUN)

L’urbanisation est un phénomène qui prend de nombreuse formes. C’est aussi un processus très ancien qui se généralise pour atteindre, depuis la fin du XXe siècle, des seuils et des formes sans équivalents historiques. À quelles sociétés mène ce processus ? Quelles en sont les transformations politique, technique, économique, sociale et environnementale ? Avec le MOOC Éducation par la recherche : smart city à l’École venez explorer les évolutions des mondes urbains afin de contribuer à la formation des habitants des villes de demain.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Villes du monde en système (FUN) FUN
Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

Villes du monde en système (FUN)

Les villes regroupent déjà la moitié de la population mondiale et en concentreront les trois quarts avant la fin de ce siècle. C’est donc là que les sociétés doivent résoudre les problèmes majeurs pour leur durabilité, tant en matière de développement économique, de transition écologique, que d’équité sociale. Une bonne compréhension de la diversité des villes et de ce qui la cause est essentielle pour la réussite de ces évolutions nécessaires.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Cities are back in town : urban sociology for a globalizing urban world (Coursera) Coursera
Sciences Po

Cities are back in town : urban sociology for a globalizing urban world (Coursera)

Urbanization is reaching a new peak in the contemporary world with the rise of mega cities. Researchers try to make sense of these large urban areas using a variety of concepts. The class will review debates and present social science models of cities to analyse and compare contemporary developments. The class will review debates and present social science models of cities and metropolis to analyse and compare contemporary developments.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
The City and You: Find Your Best Place (Coursera) Coursera
University of Toronto

The City and You: Find Your Best Place (Coursera)

Welcome to The City and You: Find Your Best Place. I'm excited to have you in the class and look forward to your contributions to the other learners in our community. This free course will provide the knowledge and the tools needed to understand what cities do, why they matter, the forces shaping the greatest wave of urbanization in history, and how to pick the right place for you.

Oct 12th 2026
5-12 Weeks