The reflections unit focused on the design styles and practices of the 18th and 19th centuries. During this time the industrial revolution had begun and this greatly changed the way the design world was advancing. Styles from other countries were coming together with the trade with china opening up and with faster means of acquiring imports. Exotic imports began to flow across the world and create new styles among Europe. The movement of style across the world can be experience at the Royal Pavilion which was turned into a resort in Europe. The pavilion is in an Islamic style of architecture an the Royal Palace’s interiors were done in a Chinese style creating a multi cultural work.
The battle between depth and surface soon began. This dispute was between depth, such as the placement of items within a space for its natural appearance, and surface, the “decoration” of the space with wall paper and paint. This led the way into the Aesthetic and Arts and Crafts movements.
The Aesthetic movement began and in this movement it was thought that every surface within a structure should be covered by art. There were some who thought that machines should not be used to create multiples versions of a piece and that everything should be hand crafted. This was the view of William Morris who, during the Arts and Crafts movement, became the predominant voice against machinery.
The 19th century began the development of newer and less traditional structures and spaces. The introduction of new materials, technological advancement, and meaning behind design helped to advance the design world in ways that no one could have predicted.
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
PA : National Theatre of Catalonia - Draft
The National Theatre of Catalonia, built in 1996, is an appealing and intriguing structure that resides in Barcelona, Spain. What makes this building so interesting is that it looks like an enclosed Greek Temple With a front wall made completely of glass. Ricardo Bofill, a native Barcelonan and the designer of other works such as Walden 7, designed his projects to demonstrate his ability to act in harmony with varying cultures and combining it with global knowledge. The National Theatre was designed to trace back through theatre’s roots and embody the forms that were predominant in the Ancient Greek cities and theatrical structures.
It was learned form history that using older forms of architecture and “following the rules” left most architecture looking the same and the structural integrity not up to what it was needed to be following the 19th century. The National Theatre could be classified as a structure that took inspiration from older forms of design but the inspiration was channeled in such a way to make this structure unique. The combination of Doric style columns and glass were used in an effective and evolved way which makes this building successful.
The National Theatre was designed with 26 commons, 13 on each side, that support the double-slop metallic roof. The structure has monumental dimensions of 315 by 184 feet which is much greater in size than any temple in the ancient world. The use of modern materials is what makes this structure stand out from traditional architecture inspired by the Greek style. The columns and roof are made of concert and the front and side walls are made of glazed glass curtain walls to allow the interior to be seen from the street. There are three different theatres which has seating for 900, 400, and 300 people. There is also an outdoor space, known as the Plaça de les Arts, which is sometimes used as an open air performance space.
The main foyer was a conceived as a large public gathering space with internal vegetation to give the illusion of still being outside but without the heat and elements. Within this space resides the ticket office, cloakroom, information center, and restaurant. This is the area that is surrounded by glass and can be seen from the street.
The main focus of the interior of the National Theater is the main auditorium. It was designed to embody the inspiration of the Ancient Greek amphitheaters. The interior was made of wood to allow for better acoustics and to give a more welcoming appearance to those who enter. This theatre was designed in a way much like the classical amphitheatres because it allows for maximum visibility from every point amongst the seated audience. In this theatre there are performances of Catalan and Spanish play, world classics, and contemporary dance and drama.
Ricardo Bofill designed the National Theatre of Catalonia in such a way that the entire given space was purposeful. It stands out due to the mixture of the Ancient Greek Templar style and high-tech glass curtain walls.
It was learned form history that using older forms of architecture and “following the rules” left most architecture looking the same and the structural integrity not up to what it was needed to be following the 19th century. The National Theatre could be classified as a structure that took inspiration from older forms of design but the inspiration was channeled in such a way to make this structure unique. The combination of Doric style columns and glass were used in an effective and evolved way which makes this building successful.
The National Theatre was designed with 26 commons, 13 on each side, that support the double-slop metallic roof. The structure has monumental dimensions of 315 by 184 feet which is much greater in size than any temple in the ancient world. The use of modern materials is what makes this structure stand out from traditional architecture inspired by the Greek style. The columns and roof are made of concert and the front and side walls are made of glazed glass curtain walls to allow the interior to be seen from the street. There are three different theatres which has seating for 900, 400, and 300 people. There is also an outdoor space, known as the Plaça de les Arts, which is sometimes used as an open air performance space.
The main foyer was a conceived as a large public gathering space with internal vegetation to give the illusion of still being outside but without the heat and elements. Within this space resides the ticket office, cloakroom, information center, and restaurant. This is the area that is surrounded by glass and can be seen from the street.
The main focus of the interior of the National Theater is the main auditorium. It was designed to embody the inspiration of the Ancient Greek amphitheaters. The interior was made of wood to allow for better acoustics and to give a more welcoming appearance to those who enter. This theatre was designed in a way much like the classical amphitheatres because it allows for maximum visibility from every point amongst the seated audience. In this theatre there are performances of Catalan and Spanish play, world classics, and contemporary dance and drama.
Ricardo Bofill designed the National Theatre of Catalonia in such a way that the entire given space was purposeful. It stands out due to the mixture of the Ancient Greek Templar style and high-tech glass curtain walls.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Between Silence and Light
Craft
The craft of Monticello and Fallingwater were both forms of exceptional architecture for their times. Monticello, as said by Young in studio, was the root of American architecture. It was the representation and illumination of American architecture at the time. The craft is also exceptional in how Thomas Jefferson invented and revolutionized some of the techniques he used. He invented some of the items in his house so well that some, such as the door hinges, are still intact and functional.
Fallingwater, being a more modern structure, is an excellent piece that can be focused on and studied in terms of craft. Frank Lloyd Wright was a highly respected designer in the Arts and Craft era. He differed from the main followers of this era in how he believed that all pieces should be handcrafted and that machines should not be used for mass production of items. He believed in handcrafted work which can be seen in Fallingwater. His craft was impeccable in this structure despite the mishaps that occurred while using the little studied materials of steel and concrete. Excellent craft can be seen in the patterning of the cantilevered stones in all of the exterior walls. Also in how all of the windows were designed to function in ways to influecen light as well as sound as demonstrated in one of the bedrooms.
Technique
Techniques used in Monticello and Fallingwater differed greatly due to the large gap in time between their contraction, as well as, the advancements of technology. Jefferson was he head of architectural technology of his time. He invented and improved upon techniques of architecture and incorporated them into Monticello. Jefferson used the materials that were given to them form the natural surroundings that were removed to create the space for his home. He uses different techniques to light his home because electricity did not exist at the time. He used skylights in the ceilings to give a greater amount of light. He also used mirror that were across the room to the windows to create reflections, extra lighting, and give the illusion that the room was larger than it really was.
Wright’s technique was different when designing and constructing Fallingwater. He incorporated the structure into the surrounding mountain and rock. He even had parts of the natural mountain inside of the structure. Wright’s technique of cantilevered roofing and balconies was new and interesting concept but still needed work. With little knowledge of the steel and concrete, the concrete sunk 10% when the supports were removed from under the roof and balconies. But, despite the mishaps, the techniques of Wright’s designs in Fallingwater were exclusive and innovated. Utilizing and conserving all of the given space.
Virtual
Virtual, the being able to experience something without being there, is a complicated word to apply to the opus in a few aspects we have focused on. Fallingwater has a few characteristics that can be viewed as virtual. Fallingwater, as a whole, is a structure that is of the mountain. This opens up the opportunities to allow the resident to fell as if they are living amongst nature even though they are inside. When going though the structure our guide told us that when opening the windows in one of the bedrooms it was as if one resident was sleeping right under the stars, this was a virtual experience. Another virtual aspect is the optical illusion in the guest house where the doorway acts as a mirror between the bedroom and living room.
Public/Private
Public and private can define a building and can give the resident peace of mind. In Monticello Jefferson paid close attention to the ways in which to hide the fact that he had slaves. He designed underground tunnels that connected the kitchen, which was not connected to the house, and the dining room inside of the house. He also had a revolving shelf area where the slaves the place food on one side, then spin the door, and the food would appear on the other side of the wall in the dining room where the Butler would then serve to guests. Jefferson also designed a way to receive wine from the celler though the use of a pulley system.
Jefferson's house was sectioned off into spaces where some were more public than others. He wanted the front room to be like a museum of sorts to exhibit the various Native American artifacts that were given to him. The room behind that was also a public space now it had many seating arrangements, games, a piano, paintings to be viewed, and an exit into the backyard.
The main idea of Fallingwater was the ideology of privacy. Wright designed to house because the family wanted a house that would allow them to escape the city of Pittsburgh. Wright uses techniques such as creating dark hallways to prevent guests from going into private areas and cantilevered roofing to create privacy. The idea of compression and release was a huge aspect of the house which goes along with private and public respectively.
Language
Monticello's language with its surroundings was defined by the use of the area round to create the structure. The clay was used to create the bricks and the trees that removed from the area are used to create the furnishings and other wooden products in the home.
Fallingwater’s language is a very strong one and considering how the structure was built into the mountain itself and the excavated standards used in the design of the outer walls and hallways.
The craft of Monticello and Fallingwater were both forms of exceptional architecture for their times. Monticello, as said by Young in studio, was the root of American architecture. It was the representation and illumination of American architecture at the time. The craft is also exceptional in how Thomas Jefferson invented and revolutionized some of the techniques he used. He invented some of the items in his house so well that some, such as the door hinges, are still intact and functional.
Fallingwater, being a more modern structure, is an excellent piece that can be focused on and studied in terms of craft. Frank Lloyd Wright was a highly respected designer in the Arts and Craft era. He differed from the main followers of this era in how he believed that all pieces should be handcrafted and that machines should not be used for mass production of items. He believed in handcrafted work which can be seen in Fallingwater. His craft was impeccable in this structure despite the mishaps that occurred while using the little studied materials of steel and concrete. Excellent craft can be seen in the patterning of the cantilevered stones in all of the exterior walls. Also in how all of the windows were designed to function in ways to influecen light as well as sound as demonstrated in one of the bedrooms.
Technique
Techniques used in Monticello and Fallingwater differed greatly due to the large gap in time between their contraction, as well as, the advancements of technology. Jefferson was he head of architectural technology of his time. He invented and improved upon techniques of architecture and incorporated them into Monticello. Jefferson used the materials that were given to them form the natural surroundings that were removed to create the space for his home. He uses different techniques to light his home because electricity did not exist at the time. He used skylights in the ceilings to give a greater amount of light. He also used mirror that were across the room to the windows to create reflections, extra lighting, and give the illusion that the room was larger than it really was.
Wright’s technique was different when designing and constructing Fallingwater. He incorporated the structure into the surrounding mountain and rock. He even had parts of the natural mountain inside of the structure. Wright’s technique of cantilevered roofing and balconies was new and interesting concept but still needed work. With little knowledge of the steel and concrete, the concrete sunk 10% when the supports were removed from under the roof and balconies. But, despite the mishaps, the techniques of Wright’s designs in Fallingwater were exclusive and innovated. Utilizing and conserving all of the given space.
Virtual
Virtual, the being able to experience something without being there, is a complicated word to apply to the opus in a few aspects we have focused on. Fallingwater has a few characteristics that can be viewed as virtual. Fallingwater, as a whole, is a structure that is of the mountain. This opens up the opportunities to allow the resident to fell as if they are living amongst nature even though they are inside. When going though the structure our guide told us that when opening the windows in one of the bedrooms it was as if one resident was sleeping right under the stars, this was a virtual experience. Another virtual aspect is the optical illusion in the guest house where the doorway acts as a mirror between the bedroom and living room.
Public/Private
Public and private can define a building and can give the resident peace of mind. In Monticello Jefferson paid close attention to the ways in which to hide the fact that he had slaves. He designed underground tunnels that connected the kitchen, which was not connected to the house, and the dining room inside of the house. He also had a revolving shelf area where the slaves the place food on one side, then spin the door, and the food would appear on the other side of the wall in the dining room where the Butler would then serve to guests. Jefferson also designed a way to receive wine from the celler though the use of a pulley system.
Jefferson's house was sectioned off into spaces where some were more public than others. He wanted the front room to be like a museum of sorts to exhibit the various Native American artifacts that were given to him. The room behind that was also a public space now it had many seating arrangements, games, a piano, paintings to be viewed, and an exit into the backyard.
The main idea of Fallingwater was the ideology of privacy. Wright designed to house because the family wanted a house that would allow them to escape the city of Pittsburgh. Wright uses techniques such as creating dark hallways to prevent guests from going into private areas and cantilevered roofing to create privacy. The idea of compression and release was a huge aspect of the house which goes along with private and public respectively.
Language
Monticello's language with its surroundings was defined by the use of the area round to create the structure. The clay was used to create the bricks and the trees that removed from the area are used to create the furnishings and other wooden products in the home.
Fallingwater’s language is a very strong one and considering how the structure was built into the mountain itself and the excavated standards used in the design of the outer walls and hallways.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Grammar : Syntax Opus Week 8
[Re]vsions
In interior architecture it is necessary to use revision in order to create the best design possible. Revision is broken into two pars. Vision means looking at something and visualizing it. Re is to do something again. Thus, revision is the relooking or reevaluation of, in this case, a design or drawing. Without revisions designs would be very plain or over complicated. Ideas would need to be added or subtracted to acquire the best design possible. “After a millennium, man was once more the measure of all things. Everything was possible for humankind, believed Pico, for to man ‘it is granted to have whatever he chooses, to be whatever he wills’” (Roth 2007). The Baroque style was a revision to the styles used in the Renaissance. As artists and architects began to break the rules and work more with rationality instead of strictly religious thoughts, designs began to evolve and become much more interesting.
First sketch of desk lamp
Refined and polished version of desk lamp
Audience
The audience of a design are the viewers who will be interacting with the said design. Others may view the design as “something” where at the target audience sees it as something so much more and will appreciate it in ways that others may not. A uniquely designed playground would be viewed much more appreciatively by the children and parents playing than by the businesswoman going on her afternoon jog in the park. A design for a single person as the audience could be more narrow and personalized than a design that is to sit in a large public space for all to view.
Character
To give something character is to give it personality and a way for it to speak for itself. Giving a design character allows it to show the observer what it is about and what it is used for without being prompted. The designs that I view as having the most character are the ones that end up making me smile. Not because they are funny but because they intrigue me too look at longer and begin to understand what their points are. They are the designs that are the most successful in canting my attention and keeping ii there long enough to analyze and know its purpose.
A table that I feel has a large amount of character in its connection to nature and what it once was
Transition
In design, transition can be the movement or evolution between one style to another. This is apparent when observing the sculptures of David by Michelangelo and Bernini. Michelangelo’s David is showing the physical perfection of man and is contemplative and thinking about what he has just accomplished. This followed the rules of the time but Bernini broke the rule of contemplative sculpture in the Baroque era. Bernini’s David is in action and shows a different and new view on a figure in movement. I feel that Bernini’s David has much more movement and rhythm which is the ideal principal of the Baroque style.
Datum
In drafting and in perception and communication we have been working with perspective drawings and how to accommodate everything within a space to follow the horizon line and vanishing point. The horizon line is essentially a datum although is it not physically seen in an actual space. The horizon line and the vanishing point upon the horizon line act as a reference that allows one to measure the height and length of surfaces in certain perspectives. We have been using these references to locate the position in which we are to place the furniture and other amenities in our spaces.
Summery
This week had been all about transitions, evolutions, and revisions. Allowing transition and creating revisions allows a design to transform into a work that has character and appeal greatly to the target audience as well as the audience that it is not directly aimed towards.
In interior architecture it is necessary to use revision in order to create the best design possible. Revision is broken into two pars. Vision means looking at something and visualizing it. Re is to do something again. Thus, revision is the relooking or reevaluation of, in this case, a design or drawing. Without revisions designs would be very plain or over complicated. Ideas would need to be added or subtracted to acquire the best design possible. “After a millennium, man was once more the measure of all things. Everything was possible for humankind, believed Pico, for to man ‘it is granted to have whatever he chooses, to be whatever he wills’” (Roth 2007). The Baroque style was a revision to the styles used in the Renaissance. As artists and architects began to break the rules and work more with rationality instead of strictly religious thoughts, designs began to evolve and become much more interesting.
First sketch of desk lamp
Refined and polished version of desk lamp
Audience
The audience of a design are the viewers who will be interacting with the said design. Others may view the design as “something” where at the target audience sees it as something so much more and will appreciate it in ways that others may not. A uniquely designed playground would be viewed much more appreciatively by the children and parents playing than by the businesswoman going on her afternoon jog in the park. A design for a single person as the audience could be more narrow and personalized than a design that is to sit in a large public space for all to view.
Character
To give something character is to give it personality and a way for it to speak for itself. Giving a design character allows it to show the observer what it is about and what it is used for without being prompted. The designs that I view as having the most character are the ones that end up making me smile. Not because they are funny but because they intrigue me too look at longer and begin to understand what their points are. They are the designs that are the most successful in canting my attention and keeping ii there long enough to analyze and know its purpose.
A table that I feel has a large amount of character in its connection to nature and what it once was
Transition
In design, transition can be the movement or evolution between one style to another. This is apparent when observing the sculptures of David by Michelangelo and Bernini. Michelangelo’s David is showing the physical perfection of man and is contemplative and thinking about what he has just accomplished. This followed the rules of the time but Bernini broke the rule of contemplative sculpture in the Baroque era. Bernini’s David is in action and shows a different and new view on a figure in movement. I feel that Bernini’s David has much more movement and rhythm which is the ideal principal of the Baroque style.
Datum
In drafting and in perception and communication we have been working with perspective drawings and how to accommodate everything within a space to follow the horizon line and vanishing point. The horizon line is essentially a datum although is it not physically seen in an actual space. The horizon line and the vanishing point upon the horizon line act as a reference that allows one to measure the height and length of surfaces in certain perspectives. We have been using these references to locate the position in which we are to place the furniture and other amenities in our spaces.
Summery
This week had been all about transitions, evolutions, and revisions. Allowing transition and creating revisions allows a design to transform into a work that has character and appeal greatly to the target audience as well as the audience that it is not directly aimed towards.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Unit Summery: Foundations
The Coliseum in Rome is a prime example of a structure that represents the Foundations Unit in how Commodity, Firmness, and Delight can be easily observed.
The Foundations Unit is about the basics of Architecture and where it all began. It covers the beginnings of architecture with the Mesopotamian to the much more advanced and civil Romans with the Egyptians and Greeks in-between. Each one of these civilizations perfected each other’s methods creating a structure and then evolved it further to create something unique to their own culture. All of these cultures focus on a phrase, whether consciously or not, that we still follow today to make architecture the most it can be. Commodity, Firmness, and Delight.
Someone once said that “Good things come in threes” and the Foundations unit has various examples of three ideas coming together in History and Architecture. The most predominant one is Commodity, Firmness, and Delight. All of these words have their own meanings that pertain to architecture. Commodity: being the utility of the structure such as a stable to house horses or the Baths of Diocletian to keep cleanliness and civility amongst the citizens of Rome. Firmness: standing for the strength and stability of the structure and how well it will hold up through the elements and over time much like the Pyramids at Gaza have. Delight: how the building is not ugly and appeals to the viewers like the Parthenon which is still beautiful but we know it to have once been even more extravagant. All come together to represent the idea of making a useful, non-ugly, structure that will stand for as long as needed.
Another set of three that is undoubtedly prominent thought out history and architecture is “Archetype, Prototype, and Hybrid.” Archetype being the first design, prototype being the final, and hybrid being the designs in between. The Classical Orders is the prime example because one can see how each column evolved from the one before it and had become more complicated. The Tuscan order was the most simple and plain (archetype) of the five while the Composite is the most complicated and elaborate (prototype). The three in between (hybrids) were the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian which are the most commonly seen columns in Greek and Roman architecture.
“…tripartite arrangement that begins with the reception spaces and is followed by the great hall and a private section.” (Blakemore 6) “Porch, Court, and Hearth is the final of the ideas of three that particularly stand out. This idea can be observed all throughout history, architecture, and city design when looking at how the building or city was laid out. Porch, court, and hearth each represent a different part of a structure where different events happen. The Porch is a place of welcoming, greeting, and entering into the structure. The court is an open area that allows for conversation and gathering. And the hearth is the most important part of the structure where only a select few may go and worship or partake in special ceremonies. In Greece and Rome temples had a porch, a court, and a hearth in which people worshiped a god or a goddess. In the city of Acropolis the porch was the entrance to the city, the court was the large greeting area that was seen upon entering and the hearth was the Temple of Athena.
The Foundations Unit has set the basics and the foundation for the history of architecture. From the foundation we will continue to build upon with the history of the structures and the civilizations that advance the methods and evolved with the styles of these structures.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Voices: Opus Week 5
Presence
“The keep at Dover Castle came to be surrounded by two such fortified concentric walls, resulting in an inner bailey and an outer bailey.” (Roth 307) Roth gives the detail of a structure with a “strong presence.” While drawing for Perception and Communication I felt that the plants in the Mossman building gave a very welcoming and home like presence. A presence of a structure or space makes the view feel a certain way. Like with the Dover Castle the view feels safe because of the strength of the fortified walls and in the Mossman building the plants give the space a more earthly and welcoming feel instead of a cold lifeless feel that can push the viewer away.
Precedent
A precedent is something one looks at and experiences to compile ideas for their own design. In Perception and Communication we took inspiration from other artists and applied their styles to our own techniques and images. Also, with every design we create in Studio we refer back to the design preceding it to take inspiration and mix it with a new concept to create a new design. The current portal project is taking the precedent of each of our models, words and assigned structure to create a portal around a door on the first floor of the Gatewood.
Elizabeth Perry
Moments
In design moments are meaningful spaces or areas that represent something or emphasize a specific detail. This semester we have focused on moments on many occasions. We focused on moments in a space as well as moments in a design. In the Mossman building there were many moments where people were interacting with the building. There were people on the public computers, doing paperwork behind desks, talking with friends amongst the array of pants, and people drawing the moments that they observe. Moments can be emphasized in drawing by using color, brining attention to the negative space, and having places with no detail and others with high detail.
Duality
An artifact can be seen in different ways by each person. Having more than one side or purpose to a design paves the way for the viewers to have varying opinions, interpretation, and uses for the design. “Utility and to denote hierarchal positions” (Blakemore 84) is Blakemore’s interpretation of duality. There have been a few instances where duality really has stood out this semester even though all of our projects should have more than one view. First, there was Pat’s Chair which we designed a multifunctional single piece of furniture that served the purpose of a table, chair, workstation, and server. Another more recent project was the scale models created to represent a design word. My focus was on the word “boundaries” but there was duality where one can interpret it as “boundaries” and another can view it as “balance.”
Metric
Medic is a most commonly associated with a universal measurement used in all countries except the United States. But, metric is more than simply a measurement. The Baths of Diocletian is metric in the way it is divided amongst the 32 acres of which it stands. Where each area resides, the time of day, and the different classes of people who use the Baths during the differing times of day all relate to the metric system of this specific structure.
Baths of Diocletian
Summery
All throughout design and history precedents can be found that lead to the next generation of design. With these designs comes duality as well as everything moments depending on the interpretations. These interpretations can give different presences to the space and design depending on the metric system of it all.
“The keep at Dover Castle came to be surrounded by two such fortified concentric walls, resulting in an inner bailey and an outer bailey.” (Roth 307) Roth gives the detail of a structure with a “strong presence.” While drawing for Perception and Communication I felt that the plants in the Mossman building gave a very welcoming and home like presence. A presence of a structure or space makes the view feel a certain way. Like with the Dover Castle the view feels safe because of the strength of the fortified walls and in the Mossman building the plants give the space a more earthly and welcoming feel instead of a cold lifeless feel that can push the viewer away.
Precedent
A precedent is something one looks at and experiences to compile ideas for their own design. In Perception and Communication we took inspiration from other artists and applied their styles to our own techniques and images. Also, with every design we create in Studio we refer back to the design preceding it to take inspiration and mix it with a new concept to create a new design. The current portal project is taking the precedent of each of our models, words and assigned structure to create a portal around a door on the first floor of the Gatewood.
Elizabeth Perry
Moments
In design moments are meaningful spaces or areas that represent something or emphasize a specific detail. This semester we have focused on moments on many occasions. We focused on moments in a space as well as moments in a design. In the Mossman building there were many moments where people were interacting with the building. There were people on the public computers, doing paperwork behind desks, talking with friends amongst the array of pants, and people drawing the moments that they observe. Moments can be emphasized in drawing by using color, brining attention to the negative space, and having places with no detail and others with high detail.
Duality
An artifact can be seen in different ways by each person. Having more than one side or purpose to a design paves the way for the viewers to have varying opinions, interpretation, and uses for the design. “Utility and to denote hierarchal positions” (Blakemore 84) is Blakemore’s interpretation of duality. There have been a few instances where duality really has stood out this semester even though all of our projects should have more than one view. First, there was Pat’s Chair which we designed a multifunctional single piece of furniture that served the purpose of a table, chair, workstation, and server. Another more recent project was the scale models created to represent a design word. My focus was on the word “boundaries” but there was duality where one can interpret it as “boundaries” and another can view it as “balance.”
Metric
Medic is a most commonly associated with a universal measurement used in all countries except the United States. But, metric is more than simply a measurement. The Baths of Diocletian is metric in the way it is divided amongst the 32 acres of which it stands. Where each area resides, the time of day, and the different classes of people who use the Baths during the differing times of day all relate to the metric system of this specific structure.
Baths of Diocletian
Summery
All throughout design and history precedents can be found that lead to the next generation of design. With these designs comes duality as well as everything moments depending on the interpretations. These interpretations can give different presences to the space and design depending on the metric system of it all.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Parts:Whole Opus Week 4
Source
“What was your source of inspiration?” This is a question asked of many design students. The source of the Roman style of architecture was from the Greek but instead of using the designs to do the identical they improved upon and created their own style with the architecture. “Greek prototypes of the Hellenistic period for their inspiration.” (Blakemore 61) The Greek used the classical orders as structural supports while the Romans used them for some support but mostly decoration. They thought that it was only necessary to have the “porch” of buildings to be attractive while the rest of the building is there to simply serve its purpose. The Coliseum in Rome shows how the orders were used as decoration. Each level of the Coliseum has a different style of column; Doric on the first levels, Ionic on the second, and Corinthian on the third and forth levels. I have personally used source in my own design process though the beginning assignment of reading a fairytale and using that inspirational source to create artifacts, thumbnails, and scale models that are all intertwined and all build off of one another. All together they create archetype, prototype, and hybrids.
Archetype, Prototype, and Hybrid
Archetype, prototype, and hybrid refer so to the evolution of design involving the original design, the final product, and the designs in between. The classical orders and basilicas are examples that show the transition between the beginning of the design process to the end product. The archetype of the orders is the Tuscan followed by Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian as the hybrids and Composite as the prototype. The progression is obvious when looking at the columns and is very apparent in the Composite (made of separate parts) which looks like a combination of the Ionic and Corinthian columns. Basilicas are also examples of this by looking at the Basilica at Pompeii as the archetype and St. Peter’s Basilica as the hybrid or prototype. Over time the designs have allowed for the evolution of structural integrity and the commodity of the building. This Is also apparent when we create sketch models and redo iterations to come out with the prototype.
Theology and Spacial Arts
Entourage
Entourage in architecture is the landscape and other nearby features around a building. This definition brings to mind the Greek and Roman cities but most noticeably the Acropolis. All of the buildings were places strategically to give the most visually appealing and civil structure. When first entering the city you enter though the porch and come out into the court where you see the Maidens and follow their gaze to look at the Temple which represents the hearth. The portion of the city inside the gates is built on the land while the part that is outside of the gates is built into the sides of the hill that the city stands on.
Hierarchy
A strong example of hierarchy is the main pyramid surrounded by the smaller pyramids at Giza. All of the pyramids together show hierarchy by pointing up to the sky showing the importance of the heavens and gods to the people. “A range of social and economic classes were inhabitants of Pompeii; its houses represented largely middle to upper-class residents.” (Blakemore 47) Hierarchy is apparent in many more places than just architecture and the two can go hand in hand. The grander the building can show the higher social class of a person. The upper and middle class citizens of a city would have larger buildings and the furnishing would be more lavish while the lower class would have smaller home and fewer things.
Order
"...columnar types, or orders were adapted by the Romans, who added more ornate variations of their own, and the orders became part of the basic architectural language..." (Roth30) Order is the deposition of things following one another. Again, the Classical Orders are an obvious example of this and is probably why they are called the “Orders.” The repetition of the columns thought a structure show order as well as how they came along chronologically.
Summery
This week has been filled with archetypes, prototypes, and hybrids. We have created many different designs and used the design and thumbnails beforehand to use as sources for our next designs. We incorporated hierarchy with these models and considered hot these models would be the entourage around the people using it. Order can be seen though the progression of these models.
“What was your source of inspiration?” This is a question asked of many design students. The source of the Roman style of architecture was from the Greek but instead of using the designs to do the identical they improved upon and created their own style with the architecture. “Greek prototypes of the Hellenistic period for their inspiration.” (Blakemore 61) The Greek used the classical orders as structural supports while the Romans used them for some support but mostly decoration. They thought that it was only necessary to have the “porch” of buildings to be attractive while the rest of the building is there to simply serve its purpose. The Coliseum in Rome shows how the orders were used as decoration. Each level of the Coliseum has a different style of column; Doric on the first levels, Ionic on the second, and Corinthian on the third and forth levels. I have personally used source in my own design process though the beginning assignment of reading a fairytale and using that inspirational source to create artifacts, thumbnails, and scale models that are all intertwined and all build off of one another. All together they create archetype, prototype, and hybrids.
Archetype, Prototype, and Hybrid
Archetype, prototype, and hybrid refer so to the evolution of design involving the original design, the final product, and the designs in between. The classical orders and basilicas are examples that show the transition between the beginning of the design process to the end product. The archetype of the orders is the Tuscan followed by Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian as the hybrids and Composite as the prototype. The progression is obvious when looking at the columns and is very apparent in the Composite (made of separate parts) which looks like a combination of the Ionic and Corinthian columns. Basilicas are also examples of this by looking at the Basilica at Pompeii as the archetype and St. Peter’s Basilica as the hybrid or prototype. Over time the designs have allowed for the evolution of structural integrity and the commodity of the building. This Is also apparent when we create sketch models and redo iterations to come out with the prototype.
Theology and Spacial Arts
Entourage
Entourage in architecture is the landscape and other nearby features around a building. This definition brings to mind the Greek and Roman cities but most noticeably the Acropolis. All of the buildings were places strategically to give the most visually appealing and civil structure. When first entering the city you enter though the porch and come out into the court where you see the Maidens and follow their gaze to look at the Temple which represents the hearth. The portion of the city inside the gates is built on the land while the part that is outside of the gates is built into the sides of the hill that the city stands on.
Hierarchy
A strong example of hierarchy is the main pyramid surrounded by the smaller pyramids at Giza. All of the pyramids together show hierarchy by pointing up to the sky showing the importance of the heavens and gods to the people. “A range of social and economic classes were inhabitants of Pompeii; its houses represented largely middle to upper-class residents.” (Blakemore 47) Hierarchy is apparent in many more places than just architecture and the two can go hand in hand. The grander the building can show the higher social class of a person. The upper and middle class citizens of a city would have larger buildings and the furnishing would be more lavish while the lower class would have smaller home and fewer things.
Order
"...columnar types, or orders were adapted by the Romans, who added more ornate variations of their own, and the orders became part of the basic architectural language..." (Roth30) Order is the deposition of things following one another. Again, the Classical Orders are an obvious example of this and is probably why they are called the “Orders.” The repetition of the columns thought a structure show order as well as how they came along chronologically.
Summery
This week has been filled with archetypes, prototypes, and hybrids. We have created many different designs and used the design and thumbnails beforehand to use as sources for our next designs. We incorporated hierarchy with these models and considered hot these models would be the entourage around the people using it. Order can be seen though the progression of these models.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Opus Week 3
Scale
Scale is an essential part of architecture and design. In all of my classes we are talking about scale in one way or another. In Studio we have build walls that are scaled down to one inch to a foot. In perception and communication we have drawn people to scale. We have also built and drafted scale models of Pat's chair in Design Graphics. And finally we have spoken about scale of the columns in History. Throughout history scale has followed alongside of social hierarchy and religion. In ancient Egypt the Gods were generally represented by a large scale sculpture of the human form. The figures are larger in scale to show how much of importance religion should be to the people and how the should be respected due to how much greater in scale they are to the people. “On the highest ground the principal palace was built…” (Roth 219) This quote relates to how scale is related to hierarchy. The Parthenon is one of the largest buildings in Acropolis and can be seen form almost anywhere in the city. This is because of the importance of the building to religion and the people.
Unity
Is the combination of several parts into one unit. In perception and communication we are learning to use different materials to combine into one piece of work. We want to create unity among the materials so that we can create the beast drawings and vignettes possible. Also, we are looking at our surroundings and connecting the environment to the people that are residing within it. The city of Acropolis shows unity by being a city with a government and law. Physically the city is tied into a unit my the buildings and how each one has been strategically placed so that the people are lead in a certain way.
Boundaries
In Acropolis boundaries were set to show other regions that this was their land and belonged to no one else. They did this to protect their wealth, government, and people form the outside. They were weary of allowing in outsiders and did with great caution. The Chinese had the same thoughts when constructing the Great Wall. Its primary use was as a defense from outsiders as well as a communication system. In vignettes the boundaries of which we draw are burred. We do not know where or when to stop but we do when we see fit or that there is enough information in the image.
Section
"If the corners of these nested rectangles are then connected by a curved line, the result is a logarithmic spiral or volute, very much like that found in the pattern of seeds in a sunflower or in the section of a chambered nautilus. (Roth 74) Sections are areas that cannot be seen without dissection of the item being looked at. We have been learning about sections the past two semesters and use it most often in drafting. When looking at a section you are looking at the interior of an object or building and seeing what is going on thought the interior.
Vignette
A vignette is "a picture (as an engraving or photograph) that shades off gradually into the surrounding paper." (Webster Dictionary) We have been focusing on vignettes for the past couple of weeks and they are extremely useful for illuminating certain aspects of a scene or space. While focusing on people you notice things that you may not have noticed before if you were simply people watching. You notice how they interact with their environment as well as little movements or positions they most commonly use. Drawing vignettes are enlightening and show the drawer a different side of the world around them.
Scale is an essential part of architecture and design. In all of my classes we are talking about scale in one way or another. In Studio we have build walls that are scaled down to one inch to a foot. In perception and communication we have drawn people to scale. We have also built and drafted scale models of Pat's chair in Design Graphics. And finally we have spoken about scale of the columns in History. Throughout history scale has followed alongside of social hierarchy and religion. In ancient Egypt the Gods were generally represented by a large scale sculpture of the human form. The figures are larger in scale to show how much of importance religion should be to the people and how the should be respected due to how much greater in scale they are to the people. “On the highest ground the principal palace was built…” (Roth 219) This quote relates to how scale is related to hierarchy. The Parthenon is one of the largest buildings in Acropolis and can be seen form almost anywhere in the city. This is because of the importance of the building to religion and the people.
Unity
Is the combination of several parts into one unit. In perception and communication we are learning to use different materials to combine into one piece of work. We want to create unity among the materials so that we can create the beast drawings and vignettes possible. Also, we are looking at our surroundings and connecting the environment to the people that are residing within it. The city of Acropolis shows unity by being a city with a government and law. Physically the city is tied into a unit my the buildings and how each one has been strategically placed so that the people are lead in a certain way.
Boundaries
In Acropolis boundaries were set to show other regions that this was their land and belonged to no one else. They did this to protect their wealth, government, and people form the outside. They were weary of allowing in outsiders and did with great caution. The Chinese had the same thoughts when constructing the Great Wall. Its primary use was as a defense from outsiders as well as a communication system. In vignettes the boundaries of which we draw are burred. We do not know where or when to stop but we do when we see fit or that there is enough information in the image.
Section
"If the corners of these nested rectangles are then connected by a curved line, the result is a logarithmic spiral or volute, very much like that found in the pattern of seeds in a sunflower or in the section of a chambered nautilus. (Roth 74) Sections are areas that cannot be seen without dissection of the item being looked at. We have been learning about sections the past two semesters and use it most often in drafting. When looking at a section you are looking at the interior of an object or building and seeing what is going on thought the interior.
Vignette
A vignette is "a picture (as an engraving or photograph) that shades off gradually into the surrounding paper." (Webster Dictionary) We have been focusing on vignettes for the past couple of weeks and they are extremely useful for illuminating certain aspects of a scene or space. While focusing on people you notice things that you may not have noticed before if you were simply people watching. You notice how they interact with their environment as well as little movements or positions they most commonly use. Drawing vignettes are enlightening and show the drawer a different side of the world around them.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Opus Week 2
Illuminate
Webster's online dictionary defines illuminate as being intellectually or spiritually enlightened. This is apparent in our opus and in our drawing class. We are learning to illuminate objects and spaces by using vignettes to show them in their natural environments. But, by using color, texture, material, as well as, fading out we are able to put emphasis on the main focus. The Egyptians also used the idea of illumination t put emphasis on the points of the pyramids. “ In other words, the pyramid was the King’s launching place, the mountain whose gilded summit would catch the first rays of the sun, from which the soul of the pharaoh would rise to greet Ra in his eternal endeavor to ensure ma’at, the never-ending rightness of all things for his living subjects below.” (Roth 201) They accomplished this by placing limestone on the summits so that the sun would shine on them and bring attention to the importance of the afterlife.
Viking Tours
Idiom
When searching the Internet for "idiom" the first results that come up are common English sayings that we understand but when translated into other languages and cultures would make little since. For example, in English "apple of my eye" is a saying that steamed from Eve being tempted to eat the apple. thus, this saying is interpreted to mean that something or someone is fancied by another and is wanted. But this may not be interpreted the same in another culture or religion because they do not understand the meaning behind the saying. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics are another example of idioms but we are on the other end of the interpretation and do not understand. The hieroglyphic below illustrates a headless bird and it would be easy to assume that the image is literal in its meaning. This assumption would be wrong and thanks to the Rosetta Stone we know that it actually means "knife." Without the Rosetta Stone would would be close to clueless about the true meaning of most hieroglyphics.
Hieroglyphics Dictionary
Commodity Firmness Delight
Commodity is when an object or space accomplishes the task it was designed for. In drafting we were given the assignment of creaking a workspace/table/chair/server. We were asked to incorporate as many uses for the object as possible. In my model I was able to give commodity to three of the four aspects.
From what we have learned from History of Design we know the Stonehenge is an example of firmness. Although the structures have been altered in past history it is apparent that firmness has existed within the structure for the past 4,500 years.
Stonehenge
Today many designers see delight as being aesthetically pleasing along with the utility and durability. But earlier designers thought "delight in architecture had no independent existence, that beauty resulted automatically through maximizing functionality and the expression of structure" (Roth 67)
The pyramids relate to commodity, firmness and delight together. They have commodity through their use as tombs which hold mummified remains and the riches of the pharaoh that built them. They have firmness because they have lasted for over 4,000 years without too much structural damage or damage to the artifacts on the interior. Finally, they are delightful in their appearance and in their utility and durability.
Material
Material's roll in design began in the isolated communities that had limited amounts of resources at hand. Depending on the materials, the people of the community adapted and evolved their tools to accomplish their design goals. We practiced with this when we had to design Pat's Chair. Being limited to only one sheet of MDF and only the basic of tools forced us to make the design simple but function in more than one way as well as studty. This sdhowed us furst hand what it was like working with limited resorses and still creating something that had utility and firmess.
Webster's online dictionary defines illuminate as being intellectually or spiritually enlightened. This is apparent in our opus and in our drawing class. We are learning to illuminate objects and spaces by using vignettes to show them in their natural environments. But, by using color, texture, material, as well as, fading out we are able to put emphasis on the main focus. The Egyptians also used the idea of illumination t put emphasis on the points of the pyramids. “ In other words, the pyramid was the King’s launching place, the mountain whose gilded summit would catch the first rays of the sun, from which the soul of the pharaoh would rise to greet Ra in his eternal endeavor to ensure ma’at, the never-ending rightness of all things for his living subjects below.” (Roth 201) They accomplished this by placing limestone on the summits so that the sun would shine on them and bring attention to the importance of the afterlife.
Viking Tours
Idiom
When searching the Internet for "idiom" the first results that come up are common English sayings that we understand but when translated into other languages and cultures would make little since. For example, in English "apple of my eye" is a saying that steamed from Eve being tempted to eat the apple. thus, this saying is interpreted to mean that something or someone is fancied by another and is wanted. But this may not be interpreted the same in another culture or religion because they do not understand the meaning behind the saying. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics are another example of idioms but we are on the other end of the interpretation and do not understand. The hieroglyphic below illustrates a headless bird and it would be easy to assume that the image is literal in its meaning. This assumption would be wrong and thanks to the Rosetta Stone we know that it actually means "knife." Without the Rosetta Stone would would be close to clueless about the true meaning of most hieroglyphics.
Hieroglyphics Dictionary
Commodity Firmness Delight
Commodity is when an object or space accomplishes the task it was designed for. In drafting we were given the assignment of creaking a workspace/table/chair/server. We were asked to incorporate as many uses for the object as possible. In my model I was able to give commodity to three of the four aspects.
From what we have learned from History of Design we know the Stonehenge is an example of firmness. Although the structures have been altered in past history it is apparent that firmness has existed within the structure for the past 4,500 years.
Stonehenge
Today many designers see delight as being aesthetically pleasing along with the utility and durability. But earlier designers thought "delight in architecture had no independent existence, that beauty resulted automatically through maximizing functionality and the expression of structure" (Roth 67)
The pyramids relate to commodity, firmness and delight together. They have commodity through their use as tombs which hold mummified remains and the riches of the pharaoh that built them. They have firmness because they have lasted for over 4,000 years without too much structural damage or damage to the artifacts on the interior. Finally, they are delightful in their appearance and in their utility and durability.
Material
Material's roll in design began in the isolated communities that had limited amounts of resources at hand. Depending on the materials, the people of the community adapted and evolved their tools to accomplish their design goals. We practiced with this when we had to design Pat's Chair. Being limited to only one sheet of MDF and only the basic of tools forced us to make the design simple but function in more than one way as well as studty. This sdhowed us furst hand what it was like working with limited resorses and still creating something that had utility and firmess.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Timeline 1950 BC to 1950 AD
1950 BC
Institutions
Governance
Commerce
Technology
http://www.uncp.edu/home/rwb/lecture_ancient_civ.htm
1950 AD
Institutions
Commerce
Technology
Other Facts
http://www.babyboomers.com/years/1950.htm
http://www.historycentral.com/dates/1950.html#Anchor-announced-49575
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0005250.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950
http://history1900s.about.com/library/time/bltime1950.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/1950
Institutions
- Hebrew Civilization began with their migration under the leadership of Abraham to Palestine
Governance
- Sumer was overrun by two new groups of Semitic nomads, the Amorites and Elamites
- Age of the Patriarchs
- The Amorite or Old Babylonian Era
- A sudden urbanization of Crete
Commerce
- Heqanakht papyri
Technology
- Babylonians solve quadratic equations.
- Bronze Age
- Akhmim Wooden Tablet
http://www.uncp.edu/home/rwb/lecture_ancient_civ.htm
1950 AD
Institutions
- National Council of Churches formed
- European Economic Community (Common Market) formed
- First Dunkin' Donuts was opened
- Independent Workers' Party of Germany and Deutsche Reichspartei founded
- Institute of Biology founded
- NASA Founded
- Korean War begins when Communist North Korea invades the South
- Congress passes laws that restrict communists and communist parties in the U.S.
- Communist Chinese forces occupy Tibet
- USSR and China sign a Thirty Year Pact
- Peace Treaty between Japan and Allies
- U.S. Supreme Court unanimously bans racial segregation in public schools
- Soviet Union grants sovereignty to East Germany
- Senator Joseph McCarthy Begins Communist Witch Hunt
- Castro Becomes Dictator of Cuba
Commerce
- Truman announces national emergency due to economic strain from Korean War
- The Schuman Plan proposed
- The Korean War brings a boom to the Japanese economy, lifting it out of recession
- The Revenue Act passed by Congress increases income and corporation taxes
Technology
- Antihistamines become popular as cold relief medications
- New York's Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel opens
- Color TV Introduced
- US Airforce Orders B- 52 Bomber
- First Electronic Computer
- Hydrogen bomb invented
- First atomic submarine Nautilus launched
- Dr. Jonas Salk starts inoculating children against polio
- James Watson and Francis Crick publish their discovery of the molecular model of DNA and its structure
- First Organ Transplant
- First Atomic Submarine Launched
Other Facts
- Assassination attempt on President Truman by Puerto Rican nationalists
- Flying Saucer Working Party was founded
- Hillary and Norgay Climb Mt. Everest
- Disneyland Opens
http://www.babyboomers.com/years/1950.htm
http://www.historycentral.com/dates/1950.html#Anchor-announced-49575
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0005250.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950
http://history1900s.about.com/library/time/bltime1950.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/1950
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