In this class, we will read contemporary essays with an eye on the structure. How do these essayists visualize and construct their work? Do conventional essays relate in any way to traditional architectural styles? How might we close read, dissect, and diagram a variety of nonfiction pieces in order to better appreciate how they were conceived? What is the effect of a dynamic structural decision on the experience of the reader? We will briefly delve into the way that architects describe their creative process, borrow tactics where possible, and use the concept of a blueprint to engineer essays of our own.