The design of the dwelling is linked over time to the transformations that take place at the small scale of the private sphere. Different residential scenarios, heterogeneous personal biographies, structural changes in couple roles and relationships, alternative family forms, etc. define new challenges and perspectives each time. The history and theory of architecture has in recent years attempted to investigate how new identities and ‘technologies’ of the private sphere are reshaping the domestic landscape. At the same time, the contemporary tendency to extend intimacy in public space through new forms of ‘domesticity’ is increasingly evident. This elective course aims to discuss theoretical issues concerning housing through exemplary cases from the 20th and 21st centuries. The course takes the form of a series of lectures with the active participation of students. The aim is to develop a two-way process where students will critically review the contemporary literature on modern and contemporary housing, reflect on its design and enrich their theoretical arsenal.