Wednesday, April 29, 2009

[PAIR]ING DOWN



Meditation. Celebration. The time of modernism and postmodernism is a time of unique pairings which ironically are in a sense idioms to which modernism was in accordance with. Meditation is the polar opposite of celebration, yet the times of modern design managed to join the two to create a somewhat sense of harmony. Meditation makes me think of alone time, in a relaxing or serene state of pondering or thought. The modern designers meditated on the classical design forms and the blossoming technological advances of the time and attempted to develop a design form either combining the two or disheveling one or the other. The products of the meditation on design forms brought about a celebration of the industrial aesthetic of a structure. The contemporary design of the Joseph Shops used the celebration of the industrial aesthetic to create the sense of a somewhat serene, controlled state. These shops “incorporated industrial materials…to produce a mood of control and understatement which has now been widely emulated” (Massey 201). When one is in meditation, they are in control of their body and are aware of their thoughts while also becoming relaxed. The contemporary form of design used the simplicity of industrial materials to portray a sense of relaxed control, which in essence to me created a meditating-worthy environment, or an essence of comfort. Also, as mentioned before, the modern design was a celebration of the twentieth century advancements. The booming technological advances and the emphasis on economy through industry and manufacturing brought about a celebration of such establishments. The nineteenth century also sought for celebrating advances, an idea which carried out the more progress that was made internationally. I feel the hi-tech branch of modernism is a strong example for the celebration of technology. “The ‘Hi-Tech’ movement celebrated the aesthetic of industrial production” (Massey 195). The hi-tech design form led to the services of the building becoming the ornament of the exterior and the interior becoming flexible. The use of industrial materials brought about the industrial aesthetic and was a blatant display of celebration. Celebration and meditation worked together in the design world of the twentieth centuries, which also aids in the mystery of the indefinite line of what is modern design and what isn’t. The connection between ironic pairs blurs the vision of spectators and even further blurs the line of the term modern.




Light. Shadow. In art, light and shadow are parallel to the terms tints and shades. The terms refer to the intensity of the presence of black or darkness in an area. Light and shadow create a contrast (or lack of) to which the viewer is able to see definite shapes and decipher one piece from another. Twentieth century design experienced a time in which light was extremely important; the amount of light led to the amount of shadow in a space. The attempt at integrating “inside and outside” or “interior and exterior” has been a several century obstacle. The modernist design period brought about an essence of mastering the integration of the two. Philip Johnson’s ‘Glass House’ was seen as mastering the obstacle where he created “a simple cube with four glass curtain walls” (Massey 150). I would argue however that the Crystal Palace was a very well crafted integration of interior and exterior in terms of nature. The effect created from the glass walls was the immense amount of natural light which could captivate the interior of the structure paired with the ability to see the outside would around the viewer. After Johnson’s development, the value of natural light in a space became important. During the green design of the 1970’s, the interior of the structure became very environmentally friendly. There was an intent to make sufficient use of natural light and therefore the “main living area features a south-facing, curved window to exploit the available solar energy” (Massey 188). Natural light was a source of saving energy while lighting the interior and exposing the furniture to the viewer. Before the incorporation of color into modern design, it was seen as being mostly black and white design, which would result from the use of shadow and light in the design process. The international Modern interior placed emphasis on electric lighting sources during the mid-twentieth century; the interiors had a “scattering of free standing lamps superseded wall-brackets or the single source of light fixed to the ceiling. (Massey 161). When I picture the modern designed living room and the electrical lighting sources, I think of the old shows on TV Land which show the interior of homes with electric lighting. I can picture the black and white shows displaying the artificial light and the way it effected the space; I feel artificial light brings a sense of darker hues and a seemingly plastic environment.




Transpose. Juxtapose. These two terms are again used in accordance during the modern design world ironically. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines the two terms as:
“Transpose- to change in form or nature; to render into another language, style, or manner of expression”
“Juxtapose- to place side by side”
Transpose, in the big picture can be seen as the modern design form itself. The modern design was a challenge to the previous century of revival and imitation of classical forms of design. Transpose also consumes transition experienced in the interior space of a structure; the language of the interior changed becoming the identity or reflection of the owner. The style of the interior during the modern design went through many ‘transpositions’ in which simplicity outweighed fluidity, and organic forms overshadowed exotic forms. The interior also experienced transpositions through the surface treatment of the interior; texture, hue, shape changed throughout the many branches of modern design. The interior of the Corbusier modern form differed from that of the Pop design form or the contemporary design. Each transposition created a different form which could be seen as juxtaposed forms of modern design. Each of these varying forms when laid out can be taken apart to reveal the basics of modern design. The fluidity of change in the transpositions brought about an essence of juxtaposition meaning that each design form connected to the other, where it was additive or subtractive to the initial modern aesthetic developed by Corbusier. Juxtaposition was also taken literally in modern interior design forms. The American Modern interior incorporated organic forms with varying surface treatments. The varying objects with certain surface treatments had a “tendency to juxtapose textures and patterns” (Massey 161). The juxtaposition of surface treatments brought about a lesser sense of order and an increase in the relation to the viewer’s appeal to the eye. During the Psychedelic Movement (another transposition of modern design), the Pop and Surreal art forms became the ornament of the interior. The interior saw “bizarre juxtaposition of incongruous objects in deliberate ‘bad taste’ in strangely fit, bright colored interiors” (Massey 185). In essence, during the different transpositions of modern design, juxtaposed objects were used in the interior to create movement for the viewer and a superimposed sense of order in unexpected manors.



Once again, I misspell another word in a sketch. Snaps for Riley!

Literal. Abstract. These polar opposites, once again compose the broad twentieth century design form called modern. Literal is a somewhat self explanatory word; what you see is what you get. What is brought in front of the eye is clear, harmonious, and direct. Abstract is somewhat unclear or not necessarily a tangible being brought to the eye. Abstract is pretty much anything it wants to be. As an art form, abstract is often very thought provoking and is self expression of the owner, it doesn’t have to be clear or easily perceived by the audience. During the time in modern design in which the industrial aesthetic was a fervent design idea, the interior as well as exterior of the structures were very literal in essence. The material used for creating the interior or exterior weren’t fashioned in any way in which the viewer was uncertain of what the material was, there was no thought process in analyzing the space because what was seen was the reality of the space. In the interior, “items in which the design was simple, of good proportions, and without dust-collecting features” (Massey 159) were seen as good design. Simplicity was seen as key, ornament and bedazzlement of the interior or exterior wasn’t seen as ‘good design’ in the early modern time. Roth speaks on modernism on page 539 and states, “Their ascetic architecture was to make no statement other that to reveal itself.” This statement shows the intent of early modern design, which was to emphasis simplicity and literal expression. Later, in the modern design period, heavily during the Psychedelic Movement, the use of Pop and Surreal art forms were used to “deliberately disorient” the viewer (Massey 185). This was heavily brought about by drug use and Op art. The Pop, Op, and Surreal art forms were seen as abstract, they brought about visual illusions and, like mentioned before, disoriented the viewer. The juxtaposition in the interior of surface treatment, I feel, is another form of abstraction in the later modern design world; the viewer doesn’t necessarily comprehend immediately what is before their eyes, they must look at each piece individually to be able to view the space as a whole. Abstract and literal where two ideas that were played with and tweaked during the modern design period; many view literal as the stronger of the two because it was more like the intention of Le Corbusier when her first envisioned a ‘New Architecture.’




Monologue. Dialogue. The terms themselves are pretty apparent as to what they mean; monologue being a ‘conversation’ between one being and dialogue a ‘conversation’ between several beings. The relation of the two in modern design connect to one another, just as all the other previous prompts have. The initial intent of modern design, I feel was somewhat a monologue. Corbusier expressed his ideas for a ‘New Architecture’ in which ornament was stripped and the rules of architecture were challenged and seen in a new light. His structures he composed were very simple, and literal in essence. His monologue can be seen in two lights. First, I feel he expressed that he wanted the development of architecture to be thought through deeper than appearance, he wanted to see architecture with a purpose, having been laid out based around an inspiration. Secondly, I feel he wanted the architecture form to “make no statement other than to reveal itself…” or “if the architecture did speak, it was only about current building technology and structural science” (Roth 539). The structures communicated in the essence of the building itself, or exemplified a monologue to the onlookers. Dialogues came later as the modern design world took flight. The incorporation of varying surface treatment brought about a dialogue between the objects and textures and hues themselves. Later, dialogue formed through the incorporation of “antique and contemporary” (Massey 208). The classical forms became drawn back into design, yet altered to become more modern. The expression of classical forms revealed the designer’s intelligence of the design world, yet the integration of the modern forms brought about credibility for designing in their specific time period, appealing to the consumer demands, as well as adding to what’s previously seen as ‘modern.’ Modern and classical forms then also shared a dialogue. With the increase in modern design, and the beginning of interior design as a profession, modern design brought about a literal dialogue as well. This would be the dialogue between the designer and the homeowner, as well as the homeowner and the interior. The interior became the spokesman of the individual owner, and therefore interior designers aided in the communication to which the homeowner desired. Modern design brought about a transformation as an initial monologue to incorporating many voices and becoming a dialogue.



I am somewhat glad that we have started having the quizzes on the reading, of course I don’t do well because I never remember what I am supposed to when I am supposed to, but I feel the reading has helped me in my prompts for the opus project. I feel that this week’s opus was very intriguing, I like modern design and I have enjoyed seeing the [pair]ing down of antonyms to create one form of design. I like the freedom in the design, yet it does concern me the lack of awareness of the environment and what is structurally needed and the emphasis on creating architecture as almost solely art forms. I am excited to see where technology takes our modern design next. It seems that there’s a cycle from renovation to design and reverting back to classical roots, so perhaps in the near future we will see Roman and Grecian forms prevail again…

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

OPUS WEEK 12: action verbs
















Speculate. To speculate is to look back upon, to reflect on. The Miriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines speculate as “to review something idly or casually and often inconclusively.” During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, designers expressed a time of speculation. The Modern movement brought about the deciphering of designers as to what constitutes modern design; even today, what is seen as modern design is not a clear cut definition, the speculation on what modern design was continues to be inconclusive. Modern design reflected on the art forms of the time and attempted to reinvent those concepts into architectural forms. “Modernism is the umbrella name for a bewildering number of movements- Cubism, Expressionism, Futurism, Dadaism, Serialism, Surrealism… (Weston)” Designers reflected and pondered, or speculated on these movements and in turn introduced them into the design world architecturally as well. I chose to draw spectacles because you use them in the aid of viewing something to review on and dwell on, much like the term speculate.


Compose. To compose is to create a whole by putting together smaller parts. Because of the inspirations from art in design, the buildings of the modern time were composed in a new way. “The Modern movement stripped away unnecessary ornament from the interior (Massey 63).” The interior of the structures were composed of the basics, simplicity was valued during modern design. Structures were composed of manufactured consumer goods, the ideas of rationalization and standardization, and democratic forms of design. (Massey 63). Also, during the time of modern design, the idea of compose was taken literally; there were consumer goods which were to be composed, or put together after the purchase. This brought about the idea of parts creating a whole. The whole idea of composing is creating a whole out of certain parts. The Modern movement and modern design were composed differently, yet they both were created from the Industrial movement and expressed the value of flattening art and surface treatment.

Energize. The twentieth century was an energized time period in the design world. The modern design brought radical design changes and challenges to known rules of design. Le Corbusier was a strong example of a designer who energized, or fed to the power of the design world. Le Corbusier, through his Five Points of New Architecture, declared “a new beginning through a re-formulation of the roots of architecture (Weston 94).” Weston declares that “Le Corbusier offers a machine-age structure and the promise of new freedoms in arranging both plans and facades…” Such declarations and ideas geared towards new designs brought a new jolt into the design world. Modernism energized the design world and became a form of design of its own; a development from the claimed rut that the previous century had been in, imitating ancient forms.

Shape. Modern design took on the idea of shape in a new way; the design took shape on more literally. Post-impressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism brought about the flattening of space to the surface, changing from attempts of creating 3-D to creating 2-D. Designers were intrigued by these art forms and began incorporating them into design. Destijl expressed his designs by creating them to be abstract down to the basics. This reinforces the idea that in interior became simplified, with less ornament. Machine age and technology brought about the desire to emulate those successes in the design world; in turn came the structures with industrial aesthetic. These structures emphasized line, geometric patterns, dramatic angles, fluidity… Le Corbusier began using pilotis to create the sense of the building being raised off of the ground in order to “emphasized the cubic nature of the building (Weston 9).” This reinforces his values placed on the shape of the structure coming forth as strong and important. Le Corbusier shows that shape is important when revealing space. When looking at structures from modern design, the first thing that occurs in my mind is the simplicity and the presence of shape in the space. Space is valued and that is expressed through simplicity, space is then emphasized through the use of shape. The idea of incorporating shape into the structure relates to the art nouveau form as well with the use of continuous line throughout the space.

Stretch. The concept of stretching was expressed from the eighteenth century into the nineteenth and twentieth. Vertically, the design world stretched as a result of the incorporation of the skyscraper. What once may have been a horizontally elongated structure has now become a roughly small horizontal stretched to an extreme vertical. Looking at the New York skyscrapers it looks as though a small, roughly square structure was pinched and pulled vertically stretching the structure to new heights. Soon after the physical stretching of structures, the stretching of design ideals developed. The ideas to which designs were based around became reflective of the society; designers stretched their design concepts to reveal certain aspects in society. The machine brought about designs, the car brought about designs, and the human body as well brought about designs in Gaudi’s case. Designers were stretching their thinking caps, stretching the design world and what was seen as acceptable and ideal forms of inspiration. The idea of space was also taken to new lengths. Le Corbusier inspired the stretch of the design world, like mentioned before. Roth, on page 530 says Le Corbusier expressed “urgency of completely reshaping modern architecture.” Roth is providing to the audience the realities of ways in which the designer stretched the rules of design to form a new modern form of architecture. One of his 5 points of architecture was the use of pilotis, or columns to “raise the house of the ground, freeing the site for the circulation of people and cars (Weston 9).” This radical stretch of what was known later brought about the literal stretching of metal when constructing chairs that appear to be weightless or floating: like the potato chip chair.

The week of action verbs was interesting for me; I love looking at modern architecture, often more so than classical forms. I find the structures so pleasing to my eye and I admire the way in which they do incorporate space and place emphasis on space in the structure. I found it interesting that designers began to think deeper than delight of the structure and put more thought into the details of the building in other aspects. The delight of the space came out of the evidence of thorough thought in creating the space; the space itself becomes the ornament. I enjoyed reading Weston’s introduction, I felt that he was easier to read and kept my attention more so than the other books in the class. I also appreciated seeing how art was even further incorporated into design, to the point that it was basically it’s entire inspiration.

Le Corbusier’s Five Points of New Architecture: (Weston)
1. Use of Columns or Pilotis
2. Flat roof as a roof-garden.
3. Free plan- exploiting freedom created by structural frame
4. Free façade- glazing, infilling, or omitting non-load-bearing external walls
5. Long horizontal window

Peer-to-peer: Connection Building

I found that Elizabeth Green was doing her analysis on the Sports Stadia. I am doing my analysis on the Georgia Dome. Our two structures relate because they are both used for recreational purpses and are dome structures. I also felt they shared the concept of unity; the dome provides a sense of unity in the space, and athletics bring people together. I left a comment on her blog in regards to her draft as well as acknowledging the connection between the two structures.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Reflections Unit Summary

The reflections unit picks up at the end of the Baroque design period. After the rejection of the idea of breaking the rules and testing boundaries came the desire to revert back to the traditional forms of design and to the Renaissance. In other words, after the Baroque design period, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the design world became a reflection of the traditional and ancient design world. The turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries brought about conflict, exploration, industrial revolution, media, and communication. This time period also brought about a definite middle class which attempted to mock the high class forms of design. Classical and traditional forms were incorporated into architectural design. As a result of exploration, colonies were established in North America under British rule. The colonial style structures were similar to that of England. There was the incorporation of the “hall and parlor” plan within the design of the home, similar to that of the palazzos in Italy. There were separate quarters for sleeping and entertaining, which still is in residential design forms today. During this time there were also worldwide revolutions taking place. A revolution is a drastic and far thinking ways of change, thus causing motion and turning the world “upside down.” Revolutions are a cycle to which change is brought, comprised of revival, rotation, cycle, reform, and Renaissance. Effects of the revolutions were prevalent and incorporated into designs. Colonial America showed their desire for separation from Britain through design; they returned to “inside the box” design forms, rebelling against heavy Baroque styles, and returned to classical, clean-cut forms. The interior of homes became the defining point of the individual, and therefore a concentration on the interior began developing. Colonial America would imitate ancient Grecian style as opposed to Roman because England was more inclined to imitate the Roman form of design; this is displayed in the American capital city, D.C. This time period also brought about the crossing of east and west in designs. The west developed a desire for an exotic appeal in the interior of structures which were represented through eastern art forms as well as eastern goods. The Silk Road and other trade routes brought the ideas of eastern design to the west. Westerners imitated Egyptian, Chinese, and Japanese design forms by including symbols on the surface of goods while creating a “new” form from eastern ideas. During the time of eastern and western design mingling, the aesthetic movement presented itself. There was a desire that art touched every wall of the interior space. Exotic design forms often consumed a space, like in the Peacock Room. The industrial revolution heavily affected Europe and America. The introduction of machine capability brought about easier manufacturing, as well as quicker. The machine also allowed a sense of mass production of goods. The machine brought controversy because many designers like William Morris favored the originality of a hand-crafted piece as opposed to the conventional machine crafted piece. Glass and iron also brought about a change in the design world. Structures were build out of glass and metal, which could be easily produced in mass forms and brought about easy construction. These materials gave structures a more delicate appeal. Greenhouses and train stations were created through the use of glass and iron. Iron was lightweight, had more tensile strength, and was thought to be fireproof. Structures such as the Crystal Palace, created out of glass, brought a delusion of interior and exterior. In America, the industrial revolution and the introduction of iron and metal into construction brought about the development of the skyscraper which had a vertical emphasis as opposed to horizontal. Jenney’s development of the iron skeletal system in a structure while building in Chicago made the vertical expansion possible. The nineteenth century design world brought about new building types and significance of art forms in design; yet the central essence of these centuries were to stay away from breaking boundaries, and to be a reflection of the ancient traditional design rules.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Opus: Road Trip



Roots. Roots are the source or provider of growth for a particular being. Plant life grows and remains thriving due to the roots which hold them into the ground. Plant’s roots provide the plant with nutrients, the necessities to keep maturing and thriving. The plant differs in appearance than the root itself, while also maintaining the branch-like structure similar to that of its roots. The nineteenth century architecture developed based on the structural and ornamental appeals of architecture’s roots. The nineteenth century designers referred back to times in history and were inspired by historical forms to create a more modern design while still appealing to the historical aesthetics. The main historical forms that composed the roots of the nineteenth century plant were the Greek and Roman Classicism, Gothic, and Egyptian designs as well as art forms. These designs inspired the nineteenth century designers, yet the pieces of the nineteenth century were slightly more modern. Like the plant looking different in appearance from its roots, so did architecture of the nineteenth century. This “informed and selective borrowing of historical building forms and details rooted in associationalism (Roth 470)” was known as eclecticism. Eclecticism was the plant/ tree which thrived from the roots of historical design. Roth mentions that the idea of eclecticism was rooted in associationalism as well, in other words, the designers of the nineteenth century chose their historical form to pull from in relation to the building type. Roth explains that classicism was associated with “governmental and commercial buildings (481)” while Gothic was associated with “religious and educational (481)” forms. Greek and Roman structure gives the audience a sense of authority and power, which would explain why they used the style for political and economic sources; the two which depict a nation’s power. Roth also says that the Egyptian style was associated with “funerary buildings, gates to cemeteries, medical schools, jails and prisons because of the massiveness of construction (482).” Eclecticism itself also branches out, much like that of a tree. Synthetic, creative, academic, and romantic national eclecticism were the branches of this form of design to modernize the root, historical designs.
I also found that the late 18th century and early 19th century forms, which entailed the Art Nouveau form, brought about a form of design which encompassed the significance of line. Through the use of line, I feel that in many of the designs of this time, an essence of organic forms is created, often looking like roots to me. I was looking at the picture on page 513 in Roth and observed that the room in Casa Mila with the curving lines in the iron and the walls, ceilings, and floors, and I felt an essence of roots. The column to me visually gave me a sensation of organic, root-like feel.



Congruence. When I first hear the term congruence, I think of geometry and triangles. In geometry shapes are congruent if they are the same shape and same size. Dictionary.com also said that congruence is “agreement, harmony, conformity, or correspondence.” I found that definition intriguing personally, I hadn’t realized congruence could also mean that. During the time of eclecticism, there was a desire to refer to historical forms and design. Eclecticism at one point focused on “archaeological accuracy (Roth 472).” Much like the definition of being the same shape and size, the goal of this point in eclectic design was to make everything accurately like its prototype. Roth continues on this on page 472 when he says designers made “sure the entasis of a column was exactly like that of its prototype, the curve of a capital was correct, the number of cusps on a Gothic finial was faithful, the arrangement of tracery of a Perpendicular Gothic window was authentic, or the inclination of the battered wall of an Egyptian pylon was right.” During the time of revivalism, congruence was extremely significant. I feel that the the nineteenth century in general was a time of congruence; I feel the goal was to create designs that were similar to historic designs, but mostly to create a sense of harmony in design. Through association, it seemed as though there were agreements as to which form of design suited which structure.



Concept. Referring back to the plant and roots, I feel that the plant or tree itself would be the concept. To me, a concept is a central idea or form to which certain sources created the idea. The roots created the tree. History created the nineteenth century concept of design. I feel the concept of design for the nineteenth century was eclecticism. The desire to go back to historic references in the design world brought about the growth of the eclectic idea. There were different branches of eclecticism, yet the concept or the central idea was the same. Thefreeonlinedictionary.com defined concept as “a general idea derived or inferred from specific instances or occurrences.” That definition clearly describes the eclectic form of design. Revivalism also was a concept, a concept to which congruence was key. On page 469, Roth quotes Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc “’Must the nineteenth century, then, come to a close without ever possessing an architecture of its own?’” The concept of referring to the past and using historic sources appeared as though the nineteenth century lacked in progression as far as its own forms of design, yet out of this century came eclecticism. I feel eclecticism embodies the nineteenth century concept of design, which then would be a form of its own.



Materiality. Materials for building were changing during the nineteenth century. Construction was becoming more of an ease, mass production sped up construction time, and concrete, metal, and glass helped take architectural forms to new heights.
Metal + Glass + Concrete = Vertical
With the introduction of iron and steel, the constructions of massive buildings were possible. Mass production of glass brought about the ability to change the aesthetic of a building. The Crystal Palace, a structure of mass scale which was possible through iron, was made of glass. This brought about an organic feel, a relation to nature which hadn’t been known. These new materials also brought with them the train system, large public buildings, and greenhouses.
Materials also brought about the development of the high rise office buildings in the United States. Through the discovery found by William Jenney, these materials allowed construction to go vertical. Jenney was constructing the Home Insurance Office Building in Chicago where he “decided to use and iron skeletal frame, not only on the inside but in the exterior walls as well (Roth 506).” The use of iron framework acting as the skeletal system of a building reduced the weight of the building, which allowed construction to reach new heights, literally. The ease to which the materials of the nineteenth century brought construction led to the growth of the design world to verticals and no longer only horizontal.


Compression: Release. Compression is created through the addition of outside pressure pushing inward. Release is to free something from confinement, to give leeway. Since the form of the dome, compression and release have been used in architecture as a mode to sustain the firmness of a building. During the late nineteenth century and the development of the skyscraper, Jenney created the method of construction involving the iron skeletal system. Through the use of the skeletal system, “iron and steel frames reduced the total weight of these office blocks by half or more (Roth 507).” The iron skeletal system consisted of the compression of the exterior and interior forms against iron and steel structures throughout the building, which in turn releases as Roth mentioned about half of the pressure on the structure itself which would be inflicted by weight. Compression and release work together to make building vertically possible without concerns of how much weight the structure can withstand. For my P.A. project, I am doing the Georgia Dome, which also uses such Compression and Release principles to enable firmness. The dome was created based on a tensegrity cable system to which through compression, or pressure on some areas and releasing pressure in other areas enables the dome to remain stable without having large columns throughout the structure holding the dome up. The four round corners of the structure are the most crucial areas to which compression and release are used to provide stability.



The road trip unit was fairly easy for me to understand, I felt like I got slightly more than the gist of this unit. I was interested in the development and construction of the skyscraper. I liked how much of the prompts this week related to each other, it helped me to make connections. I am a visual learner, so it helped me to comprise the terms into a picture of a tree in order to describe the nineteenth century designs. The nineteenth century’s effect on the design world was the development of eclecticism, skyscrapers, new building forms, massive scales.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Between Silence + Light

Craft. With the turn of the 19th century, the design process began to change into fields or sectors. The idea of an individual having a certain aspect of design to work on became their task, job, or craft. There were those who focused on the interior of a structure as opposed to the exterior and vice versa. There were also those who were skilled in designing furniture as opposed to wall hangings. In other words, sectors of design were developing in the 18th and 19th centuries; individuals began to focus on their craft, what they were skilled at. When I saw that the word craft was a prompt for this week I first thought of the saying “I am focusing on my craft” or “I am dedicated to my craft.” I then assumed that in order for one to have a craft, they must receive some sort of delight from it; whether it was the outcome or the pleasure from enjoying the activity itself. I hope that one day I will be able to say that I enjoy my craft, or that I am good at my craft. Judging by the way this class is going for me, interior architecture may not be my craft… Also, the term craft makes me think of doing a little artsy piece to which is not necessary but brings pleasure and is delightful and is physical, or able to be presented. My mother and I did crafts as I was growing up; I made picture frames from Popsicle sticks like nobodies business. The 19th century brought about the Arts and Crafts Movement which was “the most important design reform movement to affect the interior in the nineteenth century (Massey 7).” This movement brought about a sense of east meeting west in the interior of many structures; Japanese designs became incorporated in pieces of ornament in the interior of homes. Also, during the arts and crafts movement, little physical pieces were presented to show exotic tastes as well as wealth.

Public/private. With the turn of the 19th century, the concept of what should be public and what should be private had a fuzzy line. It seemed as though the interior of homes, which at one point were considered to be very private; the palazzo style homes had the living quarters on the third floor because it was most private, and even the entertainment quarters a floor above industrial quarters. The 19th century seemed to change the thought of the interior as being private into making the appearance of the interior so important, almost as if it were to be open to the public. There was an increase on the significance on the interior of structures. Massey says that the “Victorian middle-class desire to express comfort and wealth (9).” Who was going to see the interior? Why was it so important for the homes of the middle class to display such things if the home was considered private? On page 10, Massey quotes John Ruskin “things which cause half the expense of life, and destroy more than half of its comfort, manliness, respectability, freshness, and facility.” I interpreted this quote as to saying that the attempt and impression others through immaculacy in the home is a waste. I feel that this shows that traditionally, the home was a place of comfort for the family; it was not a concern to appeal to others that the home was comforting through ornament. The line between public and private became less visible after the Arts and Crafts Movement.

Technique. Along with the Arts and Crafts Movement came new technology. This new technology brought new materials, new ways of construction, new controversies. There was the introduction of wrought iron, steel, and glass into the production process. This allowed quicker construction, stability, new methods of construction, strength outside of concrete’s porous tendencies. There was also the development of machinery which was able to mass produce items. This brought controversy. The question of hand crafted versus machine made became a burning question for many designers. It was said that “the more clearly expressed the construction the more honest the piece, and the greater the contrast with the machine-carved, highly polished veneers of mainstream taste (Massey 15).” This view was supported by Morris, who aided in developing the ‘Antiques Movement’ which supported the hand crafted pieces as opposed to the standard, machine made pieces which seemed to have a cookie-cutter quality about them. As an artist, I use different techniques with different mediums in order to create the look that I am going for. Technique is the way in which one goes about designing something.

Language. Art became the language of architecture during the aesthetic movement. All surfaces of a room were touched by art, and the more exotic, the more was said about the individual. There was an appreciation of eastern style art, like the block print pieces, which expressed to the audience a sense of power. Also, the interior of a building became the language of the building; the interior is what spoke to the viewer. At earlier times, the exterior of a building was what spoke to the viewer, it communicated power or nobility, that role entered the interior in the 19th century. Also, images at one point were the literal language for societies; images depicted stories; stories of war, biblical stories, and stories predicting the future. Visuals were a language which told stories themselves; visuals became the language which told stories of the owner, expressing their power. Language could be expressed through the Art Noveau form. In Spain and Italy, it spoke of political aspirations and for individuals like Antoni Gaudi, it spoke for religious beliefs (Massey 46).

Virtual. Virtual is the state of being or containing. The Art Noveau time brought about a sense of virtual experience through the asymmetrical line which was incorporated throughout the design (Massey 40). There was a sense of becoming contained or caught in the design during the time of Art Noveau; there were smooth curves, organic forms, and a repeated whiplash line (Massey 40).

This unit was very hard for me to address the prompts. I must not have understood the reading and the lectures in order to connect it all together. That is nobody other than my own fault, and I attempted to do the best that I could. I enjoyed reading about the Arts and Crafts Movement in Massey’s book; the incorporation of art into the class has helped me maintain my focus somewhat. I made the best connections as I could, given the prompts, yet I am not confident at all in what I connected (it still connected in my mind though). I also enjoyed hearing about the east meeting west in art; over spring break this year I was able to travel to China and see the eastern style architecture and art. It was exciting to hear about the east’s influences on the west.

Precedent Analysis Georgia Dome Draft

Georgia Dome

Early March of 1992, the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia was completed by Scott W. Braley and his structural engineers, Matthys Levy and Antranig Ouzonnian (Janberg). During a time in which the city of Atlanta was facing threats by for the franchise to leave for a city with more profit, the arena slash stadium was built, mostly for the Atlanta Falcons football team. The Dome is 227 meters in length, 185 meters in width, and 82.5 meters in height. The materials used in creating the facility was PTFE-coated glass-fiber fabric, precast and reinforced concrete (Janberg). The Georgia Dome was constructed based on a tensegrity skeletal structure; it “employs continuous tension members and discontinuous compression members in such a way that each member operates with the maximum efficiency (“tensegrity”).” The Dome is credited with having the largest tensegrity roof in the world. The architect Scott Braley stated that "Everything about this job is plain Jane - everything except the roof, that is (Coomber).” The base of the structure is composed of seven levels and two atriums made of glass. From an aerial perspective, the structure appears to have an elongated octagonal shape, yet the interior is oval shape, in order to serve as an arena. The current seating capacity for the arena is 71,250 (About the Dome). The initial structure is massive in size which brings awe to the viewer, yet it is the dome structure which has made the Georgia Dome noteworthy.
The idea behind the dome structure was brought about by R. Buckminster Fuller’s visions of a tensegrity dome consisted of cables. The central idea of the dome is “an oval defined by two radii (Goodno).” There are 52 vertical columns coming from the seating area of the arena which support the initial circular beam to which the dome construction branches from. There then are 26 points spaced roughly every 25 meters which act as attachment point for the cable infrastructure. Throughout the provided base structures for the dome, cables are created based around a triangle system which are placed 20, 46, and 75 meters from the 26 attachment points on the circular beam (Goodno). The roof is then covered by the PTFE-coated glass-fiber fabric which is able to sustain heavy amounts of weight, yet provides a more spacious, airy feel to the interior of the dome. The initial cable dome was then LARSA tested for temperature changes causing compression and prestress issues. The tests resulted in finding that there was a need of 30% prestress in order for the dome to be rigid; the structure already fit that criteria and therefore didn’t need to alter it’s prestress (Goodno). The dome structure only needed to be supported at its edge in order for the structure to be stable because of the tensegrity structural design; therefore, there is no need for there to be large columns in the center and throughout the dome in order for the structure to be able to stand.
The intricacy and massive scale of the structure is just the beginning to it’s significance in the design world of the 21st century. The ability for the tensegrity skeletal structure to be designed in such a massive size was only capable through tests and runs through computers, meaning that technology has played an extremely large role both in making the dome construction possible and expanding the possibilities of design further than the domes of the Romans. Goodno says that the dome structure “could not have been realized without the availability of computers and nonlinear programs.” Technology has expanded the horizons of the design world to places which most would never dreamed to have achieved. The Georgia Dome is a prime example of the 21st century design world; experimentation, testing boundaries, expansion of mathematical capabilities in architecture. The Georgia Dome reiterates the importance of geometry in design, much like the Romans, and the Renaissance in Florence; the symmetrical appeal and the use of triangles displays the complexity yet is pleasing and delightful to the eye. The importance of light is still valued in the design world today, as displayed in the Georgia Dome. The dome itself allows light to travel and give the structure a sense of immense spatial freedom. The atriums in the base structure provide natural light to enter into the structure while allowing individuals to look out into the downtown area of Atlanta. The Georgia Dome shows that the design world of today has not changed much from the earlier centuries other than the benefits technology reaps.


Works Cited:

“About the Dome.” Georgia Dome. 07 April 2009.

Coomber, Matthew. "Cable Top Football ." Building Oct. 1991. 6 Apr. 2009 .

Goodno, Barry J., and Jeff R. Wright . "Analysis of the Georgia Dome Cable Roof ." Proceedings of the Eighth Conference of Computing in Civil Engineering and Georgraphic Information Systems Symposium (June 7 1992): 6 Apr. 2009 .

Janberg, Nicolas. Nicolas Janberg's Structurae [en]: Georgia Dome. 14 Nov. 2006. 6 Apr. 2009 http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?id=s0000372

Setzer, Steven W. "Raise the High Record Roof ." Engineering News Record 16 Mar. 1992. 6 Apr. 2009 .

. "tensegrity." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 07 Apr. 2009. .

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

I saw this diamond paper weight on my desk and was inspired by what I saw. By observing the gem, I found 4 of the 5 prompts this week and altered the image to represent all 5 prompts.

1. Reflection. The image of the gem that I was looking at and observed from was underneath my desk lamp, which was on at the time. The paper weight was reflecting this light, giving the paperweight depth and value; the lightest spots on the gem being the reflected light. Reflection is the reverberation of light, creating a certain effect; it is also the recurrence (reverberation) of X from a source Y. In the image, the light was what was reflected, or X. My desk lamp was the source creating the reflection, or Y.
During the times of the 17th and 18th centuries, the interior of pieces of architecture became extremely ornate. In England, the walls in a piece of architecture was treated with "stucco, wainscot, and wall hangings such as wallpaper, tapestry and fabrics (Blakemore 255)." Chimneys and Chimney pieces were looked upon with high regards, being considered the central point in a Georgian style home and therefore were elaborately created with "wood, stucco, or marble (Blakemore 261)." Because of the intricacies and ornament of these Georgian style homes, light became crucial in order to portray what the homeowner wanted to portray, to reveal the details of the ornament, to create a mood in various parts of the home. These intricacies may only be revealed through light, and how the objects reflect the given light, and the location to which the light source is provided.
At the time of the decline of the Baroque design, the desire to go back to the rules of the Renaissance was the essence to which the Enlightenment came from. The Enlightenment could be said to be a reflection of the Renaissance time period, with it's own additions with respect to the revolutions at the time. In other words, the Enlightenment, or X, was a result from the recurrence of the Renaissance ideals, or Y. This involved a recurrence...or a [re]action.
The English Gardens had designed landscapes which were intended to look natural which were "representatives of historic or exoctic buildings intended to induce reflection (Roth 454)." Hagley Park in Worcestershire had a recreation of a Parthenon-like facade to which the "intent might be to induce reflections on local history by showing medieval architecture, an idea that first emerged thirty or so years earlier (Roth 454)." The reflection of ancient ideals was expressed in the Renaissance and again in the Enlightenment.

2. Illumination. Because of the light source being directly above my paper weight and slightly to the right, the gem portrays a sense of illumination. The evidence of light is provided by the feeling of illumination felt around the paper weight; no other object on my desk was as illuminated as that gem; this caught my eye because of the emphasis on it created by the light, which then inspired me to sketch the image. Illumination is the effect of light upon a surface.
In the interior of a piece of architecture, light is constrained and is to be captivated within 6 outlying surfaces and endless surfaces within the outlying boundaries. Without light in the space, there is no feeling of illumination, and therefore no visual delight as to the elaborate ornament created. I feel that the picture of the Salon des Saisons of the Hotel de Beauharnais in Blakemore page 341 depicts what illumination is to me. The image shows high contrast from light to dark, and every surface of the room seems to be touched by light. The use of tall mirrors reflected the light source, illuminating the room even more. The gold accents of the ceiling leave specs of intense light, and the furniture shows high contrast as to where the light source is coming from. The picture shows the chandelier and wall hangings having lit candles, portraying a deeper sense of illumination of the room.

3. Movement. The paper weight was cut as a diamond, because of that, my eye travelled across every line and geometric shape which was compiled to created the essense of a diamond. My image was an attempt at portraying movement, or the travelling of the viewer's eye across the piece. In history, a movement was also a time of reform.
Movements were created from advances, changing in thinking, or political changes. Revolutions brought about movements. The financial revolution was a movement developed from the "creation of modern banking (Roth 440)" as well as bank notes, expansions in stocks and stock exchanges (Roth 440). The industrial revolution resulted from the movement to the "mechanized production of goods (Roth 440)."
Also during the Enlightenment the movement of ideas from east to west was influential to architecture and design. Much of the products and art forms of the east moved to the west in order to show an exotic appeal to others.
During the time of the Baroque designs, movement was a crucial artform. Movement was creating a piece in which the eye never rested. In art, movement in a piece is important to keep the viewer's attention, to create a sense of balance and unity, and to give depth into a two dimentional piece. Movement is created by line and form. In my art portfolio, I incorporated text into my pieces to aid in creating a sense of movement; I wanted my viewer to become caught in a moment, being forced to have their eye travel across the entirety of my piece. Emphasis was not my crucial principle of art to which I desired to portray to my audience.
During the time of humanist thinking, there was freedom to create what one wanted to created in architectural form. Michelangelo, like mentioned last week, created movement in the Laurentian Library staircase. Fluidity was a way in which movement was created during the baroque time.
During the Art Noveau, asymmetrical lines created movement. Movement is a crucial part in creating delight and grasping the attention of a viewer.

4. Source. The paper weight on my desk gave a sense of illumination because of the reflection it gave off as a result of the source as to which the light came: my desk lamp. Source is the site as to which a happening comes from. Greece and Roman architecture was the source to the rules created in the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. Wrought iron and factories, I feel were the source of easier consturction for the 19th century.

5. Rotation. By repeating the images, I attempted to represent the fifth prompt, rotation. Rotation is the recurrence or repetition of a certain event or design. On page 439, Roth spoke on revolutions. He said that "revolutions are so interconnected that they can be thought of as operating in a circle, each feeding into the next." This makes me think of a cycle, or a repeating event or happening; the rotation of ideas led to revolutions. The word revolution involves a circular movement.

This week was [re]actions. These prompts displayed the evidence of recurring ideals in the 17th and 18th centuries of ancient times as well as Renaissance times. I felt this unit helped me to see the connections from the change of time and the causes of revolutions. I noticed the repetition of the prompts from earlier, indicating the importance of the recurrance of the ideals from previous times. I feel that all of these terms relate, and I chose to show that in my image; to help me remember, and hopefully to appeal to others. I felt that I put thought into what I saw around me and relation of the terms to things as simple as a paper weight.