Reflections

Taking Risks


Dormant Trees


Painting


Camp Carefree


Personal Art


Music


Dance


Community Service


Acropolis


3D Modeling

Coming Full Circle

Community
“Architects have become more interested in interior design, and artists are exploring the built environment as part of their creative practice…” (Massey 219) Architecture and design is a community of ideas that are put together to form structures that that reply to commodity, firmness and delight. It has not been until the past century that design, in terms of a building, has been separated into a community of architects, interior designers, and artists. This community of people work together to design the exterior and interior of a structure and have come to terms of accepting each other. Architects no longer see interior designers and “fluffers” and allow space for the designer to translate the structures interior into the exterior.


Stewardship
With the advancements in technology and the realization that iconic works of architecture need to be restored and preserved, designers and historians have put forth the effort to create sustainability amongst the old and new architecture. "Alongside new builds with sustainable elements, there is also a trend to refit and refurbish existing buildings: a sign of increased interest in sustainability and in the historic past" (Massey 225) The current design area is considers the era of sustainability. The reconstruction and preservation of older builds is done to sustain what is already there. The new architecture that is being designed is making an attempt to reverse the effects that current architecture and society has on the environment.


Authenticity
A design can say something about the designer who created it. It can tell who they are, what they have been though, and where they want to go and this is what makes a design authentic. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, Robie house, as well as others, are examples of the authenticity that he puts into his works. Bother notably have cantilevered roofs and the center point or hearth of the home is the fireplace. These aspects are trademarks of Wrights works when it comes to residential design for those who want to get away and have privacy.


Innovation
Innovations are what keeps architecture and design moving in different directions and keeps evolving. As we saw in Monticello, innovations were made within the structure by Thomas Jefferson. He at one point completely demolished the structure to recreate it in a more innovative and interesting style. His use of passive solar heating was something the very few used at the time and Jefferson successfully incorporated this idea into his home. He also has innovations in all of the inventions he created such as the revolving wall door in the dinning room, the pulley system in the dinning room, and the large clock/calendar in the foyer. These innovations have lasted thought the centuries it has been around and are still working today.


Summery
As this semester comes to an end, I take with me a better of understanding of why designers do what they do and how we have evolved from living in caves and wooden huts to the monumental sky scrapers and gravity defying structures we have today. We have revisited the idea of sustainability which was prevalent in the structures of Egypt, and Greece where the structures should stand for more than ten thousand years.

Unit Summery: Reflections

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.

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.

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.

[Re]actions

Rotation
Rotation can be defined as “regular recurring succession.” (Dictionary.com) By this definition one can see how rotation relates to architectural history in how different styles of architecture are revived but sculpted to fit the times. This week Gwen had spoken to us about the gothic revival that occurred with the use of cast-iron and glass. The Gothic style was rotated back into the spotlight of architecture but was fitting for the times by using clear glass and cast-iron instead of the stained-glass and stone of the original Gothic era.

Movement.
Movement is a term that is comparable to composition in how the eye must flow or move though a design without distraction or focus on one aspect. In perception and communication we created a space that that should allow movement though the space without any major obstacles or distractions. “The style is characterized by the asymmetrical whiplash line that gives a sense of dynamic movement wherever it is applied: to furniture, wallpapers, stained glass and metalwork.” (Massey 32) The designs on the surface of a space can influence movement by using texture and other embellishments. This makes sure that the eye has the opportunity to move and not stay in one specific place for too long.

Reflection
Many first think of reflection as something one sees in a mirror. In design reflection can be more of a contemplative action. Many designs and architects reflect on their own post works or others works to gain inspiration. In every one of the revival eras reflection was used to accumulate inspiration for designers works. In the gothic revival, as I have stated before, takes the idea of pointing up to the heavens and organic arches but accommodates them with modern materials such as cast-iron and glass.

Source
Source can be tied in with reflection in how ideas can be taken from other forms. Source is a much boarder term though. A source can be a flower that is translated into an artifact that revolves around light and shadow. Or a story that translates into a wearable artifact which then translates into another artifact and so on.

Illumination
To illuminate something is to put emphasis on one thing or the object as a while. In perception and communication we are learning how to illuminate objects and furniture to give them more detail. Also in studio we used the idea of illumination with light to show emphasis on some part of out artifacts and hide others in shadow.

Alternatives Unit Summery

The Alternatives unit covers the eras of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque. As each of these eras came about new styles of design were created to go along with the times. Throughout these periods we can see how the boundaries were being pushed and the rules were being broken through the evolution of design and architecture.

The Gothic period began with the spread of Christianity. As the spread of the religion moved further out, the cathedrals began to grow in size and elegance to accommodate the worshipers. “The Gothic cathedrals were covered virtually from top to bottom with sculptural representation of biblical stories.” (Roth) This showed the great detail and dedication the artists and the worshipers had to Christianity and how the cathedrals seemed to be reaching up into the heavens. The highly decorative windows, and lights gave the cathedrals heavenly feel.


Nita Travelling

The time of the Renaissance gave leeway to architecture that was less strict and allowed for designs to incorporate more curves and fewer straight lines. This entailed more fluidity and freedom of movement that was not seen in earlier styles of design. Also, more private residences were being sought out by the wealthy to escape the city. They wished for a place in the countryside that was secluded but close enough that they could be under the protection of the city and obtain goods from the market. The Villa emerged from this desire.

The Baroque period was a time where art and architecture showed a great amount of emotion and where the work showed rationality instead of religion. This time was all about movement of detail in art and in architecture. One of the works that most stands out in showing the difference between the Baroque style and earlier styles is Bernini’s David compared to Michelangelo’s David. Michelangelo’s version of Davis is more religious in how he seems to be contemplating the battle he had just won. Bernini’s Davis is frozen in action showing a more rational view of David. Also, the first David simply stood with nothing extra while the Baroque David allows the eye to move and not stay put on one specific spot. Another example of movement is the Alter that is in the Vatican, also designed by Bernini.


NATQ


Ned Hettinger

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.

Precedent Analysis : Deliverables

Teatre Nacional de Catalunya


Images
I. Entrance/front face of the building : Pen
II. Exterior two point perspective : Pen and color
III. Floor Plan with vellum overlay of surroundings : Pen and Marker
IV. Interior one point perspective of the Sala Petita : Watercolor or Marker with Pen
V. Detail of the exterior columns : Pen and Watercolor
VI & VII. 1 to 2 side by side comparisons of the Theatre with ancient Greek temple ( Front face and corner views) : Pen
VIII. Side by side comparison of amphitheater like interior and ancient Greek amphitheatre : Pen and Color
IX. Detail of ceiling panels : Pen with Watercolor and Color pencil
X. Interior perspective of building front showing light and shadows : Pen with Watercolor
XI. Detail of decorative doors surrounding the amphitheatre : Pen and Marker


Outline
I. Introduction
  A. Why is this building special?
  B. Thesis
II. The Architect : Ricardo Bofill
  A. Who is this guy?
  B. When and why did he become an architect?
  C. Influences?
  D. Why this particular style of design?
  E. Touch on other works
III. History of the structure
  A. Why was it built?
  B. Who sponsored it’s construction?
    1. Costs
  C. Future plans?
  D. What does the designer have to say?
IV. Function
  A. What is this structure used for?
  B. Who are the predominant users/visitors?
V. Exterior
  A. What’s it made of?
  B. Why this unique style?
    1. Classical order
    2. Glass/Curtain walls
  C. Sticking to the ancient rules while breaking the new ones - Regression leading evolution
  D. On a hill : Acropolis
VI. Interior
  A Flow of the interior spaces
  B. Furnishings
  C. Acoustics
VII. In depth comparison with ancient Greek structures
  A. Tie it to the history
  B. Similar Details
    1. Amphitheatre
    2. Exterior structure/décor
IX. Conclusion
  A. Restating of the these
  B. Why this structure should be important to society
  C. Final words


Questions?
Are my various side by side comparisons okay to use?
Writing isn’t one of my strong points. Where can I fit commodity, firmness, and delight into this essay?

P Week: Opus Week 7

Periphery
As designers we are trained to notice the details that most would ignore. In Perception and Communication we focused on the details of the assigned building. Many would not pay attention to the detail of the lettering over the departments or the patters that the bricks create on the floor and sidewalks. This is the peripheries that others see but ignore while designer focus on everything and can appreciate these small details.

Process
The design process is a complex process that generally begins with a precedent and as designers we take that idea and we abstract it. We wrote about the design process being like stories and in my article I conveyed how commodity, firmness, delight, translation, revisions, and good craft are all prevalent in design and writing. The design process is obvious in the Found in Translation series of assignments in Studio. Beginning with my fairy tale I was able to create a storyboard that helped to inspire me to create my artifact. Every design we do stands as the precedent to the design after. In the end, our portal design could not be connected to my artifact by simply looking at the two but the evolution from one to another can be seen thought all of the designs in between.











Portfolio
A portfolio is a compilation of one’s work. The purpose of a portfolio is to showcase the cumulative or the best work done by the artist. In drafting we compiled a portfolio of all of the work we had done in the first half of the semester. Within this portfolio we included thumbnails of our images, bond “sketches” that are used as the first renderings of the image and can be changed, and the final vellum that is the final polished product. We will also be creating a portfolio for our Precedent analysis. This portfolio will show the analytical research we do for our building and allow us as students, as well as, instructors to see the inner workings of the building and its history.



Perspective
The works of designers and architects “showed intense interest in employing principles of exact perspective to create optical illusions of three-dimensional spaces”. (Blakemore 96) In design perspectives are important in visualizing how a space or exterior is seen from different angles. It can be used as a drawing or as the view of a person. In a perspective drawing we can look at an object and look at it as we actually see it with all of the correct angles that come together on one or more points on the horizon line. When looking at a wall as the picture plane one is seeing a one point perspective because all of the lines that are not parallel to the picture plane are leading to one point on the horizon. In a two point perspective one can be looking at the corner of a building and all of the lines except for the verticals lead to two points on the horizon line.





Professional
Professionalism is one of the most important attributes to a person in any field. Even as design students we must show professionalism in our work and in our selves when we present out work. Although we have already touched on professionalism this year we are now working on creating a presentation that is professional without the use of a PowerPoint. We created a board to show perspectives and details of out building in a well laid out and visually appealing way.



Summery
Designers use a process that evolves precedents to create designs. This process can be viewed as a portfolio that shows compilations of the designers work. This portfolio should be professional in the work and how it is presented.

Villa Savoye : Precedent Analysis

Arth



e/qual

Made of reinforced concert Villa Savoye was designed by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier. This structure was designed to be a weekend home in Poissy, France which is just outside of Paris. I feel that Villa Savoye would be an excellent precedent analysis subject because of the unique style and how it uses the industrialness of concrete while allowing the nature around to still grow freely.

Macro : Micro Opus Week Six

Composition
In my first art class in high school I had been thrown into Art III with little knowledge of the terms or art. One of the bits first I learned and easily comprehended was Composition. Then, composition meant the arrangement of the subject matter on a page that allows the eye to follow though without major distractions. I now know that composition is more than the arrangement of “things”. In design and architecture composition is so much more and is taken to a large and more personal level in that it can be interacted with and changed. Composition is now the arrangements of parts to become a whole and in design it goes hand in hand with circulation and how one moves smoothly throughout the space.



Porch – Court – Hearth
“…tripartite arrangement that begins with the reception spaces and is followed by the great hall and a private section.” (Blakemore 6) Structures all throughout history and the modern times all have a porch, court, and hearth in a way. In Greek temples the porch was the entrance into the structure, the court was the gathering area that is first seen after walking into the building, and the hearth was an alter where a statue of a Greek god or goddess would stand for praise. In modern day homes there is also a porch, court, hearth system. Most if not all homes now have front or side porches in which someone enters into the structure from. This porch generally leads to the court are which contains the living room, kitchen, and dining room area. And finally the hearth is considered the hearth because it is special to the own and only a select few may enter into the area.



Diagram
In design diagrams help with the organization of information that can help to show the circulation of a space is or should be. In Perception and Communication we are creating diagrams of the building we were assigned to study. In my bubble diagram I showed the importance of the placement of each department in relation to each other. I found that the round desk in the middle of the room has an important connection to all locations in the building. With the desk being in the center it is the first thing people flow to in order to acquire information about which department they need to go to next. Thus, all of the departments have a strong relationship to the front desk but they do not have as much importance to each other.


domoarigato

Impression
Design is about the impression that the designer leave with the viewer. It is something that has been pressed into the person’s mind and they will remember as time goes on. Much like the ruins of Pompeii which had been imprinted into history and preserved under volcanic ash. The Egyptians, Greek, and Romans also left their impressions on architecture because the ideas they discovered, invented, and evolved lead to and can still be observed in the architecture of today.


TrekEarth

Detail
When one is asked for details they are being asked for more specific, refined and up-close ideas. In history we learned that the Roman and Greeks paid close attention to the details of their statues and columns making them exquisite and lifelike. Stone masons focused greatly on detail when designing the classical orders and, especially in the Corinthian and Composite columns, paid close detail to the extravagance that they placed on and of their structures. In Perception and Communication we focused on the specific details of out assigned buildings. In the Mossman Building, above each department, there are labels of the departments and I focused on the style of the letters.

Unit Summery: Foundations

Phranswa

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.

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.