This course introduces students to examine and understand the effects of the physical environment on human experience. The students will learn to see architecture not only as a material and formal practice but also as a social one. How does architecture contribute to community building, social (in)equality, and sustainable consumption of natural resources? The course will emphasize hands-on learning and contemporary architecture of New York City, engaging the city as a living laboratory for learning. In addition to learning through reading, direct observation, and analysis, students also learn to expand their imagination through model-making as a way of thinking with their hands, as well as sketching as a means to observe and analyze buildings.