Week 3 Opus Entry

Scale can be described by the following words:

Individual

Room

Building

Community

Region

Nation

A structure tells one about the above words based on cultural influences as well as time in which the structure was built. The scale travels from the little picture, the individual, to the big picture, the nation. Each of these factors is represented in a single piece of architecture.

Unity is brought about by balance. Concentric circles, as in early Stonehenge brought about a sense of unity because of the balance created in the shape of a circle. It also creates a sense of completeness; a circle is a shape of perfection and despite the lack of concrete known intentions of Stonehenge, its apparent that it was intended to create unity whether it was for a sun dial, ceremonial place, or a symbol to a higher power.

The earliest cities first began the creation of landscape boundaries. The earliest structures were markers on the landscape explaining that one side is different than the other. These structures provided a boundary for the civilizations; it provided protection and defined the curves along the earth’s surface. Boundaries were important for the early peoples because there had been no marks of guidance on the land, and by creating their own; a sense of home was created, stating that this area was known while the outlying areas are unfamiliar. An example of the creation of boundaries was the Great Wall of China.

(Roth pages 164 and 172)

The three basic ideals to structures in the earliest cities were structures with skins like teepees, taking stones to form patterns like Stonehenge, and caves.

Avebury/Stonehenge: circular pattern, centralized formation, emphasis on center, most important part.
Earliest civilizations weren't necessarily the most primitive, they established the building blocks to successful structures and established a purpose to building from and of the earth.
Possibilities of reason for Stonehenge:
1. a clock or sun dial/ eclipse of the moon (Roth, 173)
2. burial place or ceremonial haven for the dead
3. a pattern created for a higher power to see

Earliest structures... Marked the landscape, provided a boundary, showed the technology of the time.

Are first efforts of making buildings repeated across regions?
Two repeated general ideas:
1. artificial mountains
2. curves on earths surface

Ziggurat: stepped pyramid, artificial mountain; marker in landscape, indicates importance of location, built high... able to reach the heavens.
Prototype for Egyptian pyramid?


I found the video on Stonehenge and moving the blocks very interesting. It boggles my mind to think of how a human would be able to move such massive amount of weight without the technology we have today. How intelligent and determined these peoples must have been to create such predominate structures. Despite the controversy in possibilities for the reason as to which it was built, the craftsmanship and the ideals behind it paired with the man power that had to have been involved, early structures must be respected and observed... After all, such structures have withstood the test of time to the fullest.

I found the concept of bringing light into darkness by the eastern civilizations very moving. It's beautiful how in the wedding rocks this is depicted by them being simultaneously separated and united. I look at the early easter civilizations with high regards.