Point Explorations

What is the ideal city? Man has been reinventing this idea even before the first temples went up in Egypt and ever since. In the Painting 'Ideal City', the artist has included in his view of the ideal city, an open courtyard, ships for commerce, three story buildings, columns and arches, all of which are still fundamental to building practices today. However this version of the ideal city is missing people, leaving it empty and cold. Ideas and labor come from man, everything must be done with people in mind.

During the machine age, art and industry collided to create the Bauhaus. The main goal behind the Bauhaus was to combine crafts and the fine arts. Several disciplines were combined to be taught under one roof. Not only was the Bauhaus a place for learning, it was also a way of building. This way of building took into account all aspects of a buildings use and comfort for those occupying it. It was a school of building to include a total work of art. It too had an ideal for perfect building. The Bauhaus style was void of ornament and instead preferred to allow the materials to speak for themselves. The function comes first and the form follows.The style of Bauhaus has been influential throughout the century. The idea of building is putting elements together to make a whole and setting standards. Shortly after, the modern movement began. In our quest for the perfect artistic expression, some fundamental considerations were missed.

Although Mies van der Rohe had many successes, some of his failures were due to the fact that he didn't consider people in his some of his designs. Just like the 'Ideal City' painting is free of people, Mies van der Rohe forgot to consider them in some of his projects. Two of these designs include the Farnsworth house and the Lake Shore Apartments in Chicago. Both of these residential places were ideal, however one very important aspect not taken into account was the indoor climate. The Farnsworth house is a minimalist construction made with glass walls that don't offer much insulation from the heat of the sun. The same on all four sides, the Lake Shore apartments does not consider that one side is exposed to the sun more throughout the day and may need different treatment.

In the explorations unit, we looked at some new styles, some with the same basic ideas from years ago. In modern society, commerce and transportation are two of the main factors dictating the way and what we build, from skyscrapers to massive winding freeways. Another reason we build is self-expression in the form of art. Even though society has changed, some of the same principles still apply today. As a consumer society, commerce and the flow of goods is an important consideration in any city today.

Today we still build with some of the same main ideas from the painting. Every major city has ports for shipping, three story buildings have turned into skyscrapers, and city parks for gathering. But the ideal city is always changing because our ideas and way of life is always changing. This is also the reason way no single style period lasts forever. There is no perfect ideal and there is always room for growth.

Assignment 8.0

The students at UNCG put together a gala to raise money for the primary school being built in Ghana. Here are some pictures of students hard at work and some of the items up for bid.

Here is final counterpoint for iar222. The final unit was about the machine, my chosen scale was artifact. The form was paragraph. I chose to write about the Postal Savings bank of Vienna, and the heating system there.

Reading Comprehension 7

At the Weatherspoon Museum, I analyed an abstract work of art by Al Held. He, along with George K. Morris, use tight compositions to balance curvelinear and rectaliner forms. The word abstract also means to take away from, this is true of architecture taking elements of art during the modern movement.

In the painting ‘Giza Gate’ by Al Held, there is a relationship in contrasts similar to that comparing the past to the present in design. The dramatic contrast of black and white was the first thing that caught my eye. The severity of this contrast works equally well with the contrasting shapes. The circles and squares are opposites but they compliment each other. The sharp contrasts cause your attention to go back and forth between them. The shapes in this painting also take the form of architectural lines and space.

In the same collection was the piece Steinway Ghosts by Claribel Cone. This piece has a much less rigid composition than Giza Gate and most off the elements of the painting are free form. It is about as opposite of Giza Gate as it can get. It is full of color compared to Giza Gate, which is black and white. Steinway Ghosts was inspired from a piece of music and has many levels.

In the explorations unit we covered the arts and crafts, and art deco movements. Both of these design styles relate to and draw inspiration from art and hand craft techniques. We explored the intersection of art and architecture. We have always thought of architecture as art, now we see a direct influence in modern times. During the modern movement, many buildings are made in an artistic style as sculpture. Architects and designers incorporate new methods and experiment with new techniques. The modern movement not only incorporated new styles, it also drew upon inspiration from the past. As the modern movement took off, many women found careers as interior decorators. A prominent woman in the field at this time was Betty Joel, “her interiors reflect the geometrical inspiration of Art Deco mingled with the smoothness and glamour of the moderne” (Massey pg. 130). Many buildings have elements to them that are proportional as a work of art meaning they are small enough to fit into the overall composition while adding visual interest.

Reading Comprehension 6

Interior Design Since 1900, Massey (pg. 35)

1] The Art Nouveau style of design incorporates motifs, undulating curves and high style to create a new way of design that is beautiful and full of nature. Art Nouveau was the first style catered not toward the very wealthy, but toward the middle class. It was a style that aimed to create architecture and interiors as a whole, placing as much emphasis on interiors as exteriors. The iron age and new advances made the style period possible. It was the designers who fully embraced the movement and brought it to life in interiors all over the world. " Art Nouveau was indebted to the Arts and Crafts for its flowing line, simplicity in furniture design and rejection of academic models." (Massey pg. 33)

In Belgium, the designer Victor Horta brought to life and epitomized the style through his use of a vine motif on the walls, floors and the winding tendrils in his first Art Nouveau residence, Tassel House. He went on to design several more domestic residences. The Tassel House is the most remembered, because it pioneered the interior style in Belgium. The wall paper clearly shows a tie back to England with Hortas use of an English wall-paper. Even though Horta mostly designs interiors, he got his start designing a government building for one of the socialist parties, making the style associated with socialism in Belgium.













Interior Design Since 1900 (pg.43)

Horta had severall contemporaries, one of which was the Parisian designer Hector Guimard. Guimard was inspired by the Art Nouveau style upon meeting Horta and viewing the Tassel House in Belgium. He immediately applied the style to the interior of an apartment complex he was working on in France. Another important figure who contributed to the style catching on in France was Van de Velde. He was close to artists and art critics. Being close to the art world influenced his design, and allowed him an outlet to display the style.


2] The major theme of the modern movement was "less is more". This attitude can clearly be seen with the de-materialization of the Bauhaus through the use of a glass curtain wall. The architects and designers during this time aimed for "truth in materials". The goal of the style was to strip away all unnecessary elements of a building or home. This led to interiors that some critics considered cold and de-humanized. The use of the curtain wall and exposure of metal beams is still popular in many commercial buildings today.




















Understanding Architecture, Roth (pg. 518)


3]

Point summary

http://www.taracronica.com/bonnie/rule-breaker

I chose this image because it is a graphical and literal representation of what the alternatives unit was about, and how my classmates viewed it.

For my summary I read point essays by, Katherine Mccain, Kayla McDonagh, and Kacie Leisure. All of my classmates had excellent point of view.

For the alternatives unit I loved Katherine Mccains view of breaking the rules. In her point of view she states "The people who help guide our lives do this to keep us on the right path until we can make a good decision ourselves." This quote is directly related to the statement 'know the rules before you break the rules'. All three of my classmates related well to the fact that rules were being bent and broken. Kacie Leisure reminded me that styles were being combined. I think this mixing of styles allowed new styles to emerge by looking at design from a new perspective. By reading these different points, I realize this unit was all about rules being

broken.

http://www.sarahsensei.net/dmz.html

I chose this image because it's about coming together just like the reflections unit is about style from all over the world coming together.

By reading other points of view on the reflections unit, I concluded that the same thing can be said in many different ways. The reflections unit was all about change. Many different design voices could be heard at once. It was about bringing these different perspectives together. From revolution to thinking outside the box, something new and exciting was about to happen. And design was influenced by many different parts of the world.

I enjoyed my classmates way of writing on the unit purely from their own perspectives aand understanding rather than using a lot of examples of architecture. After reading these points, I will make my final point essay more from my own perspective.

Point: Reflections

http://www.abcgallery.com/W/whistler/whistler44.html

In this unit we explored how the boundaries of classical design were tested. Lots of different ideas about design were being discussed and utilized by many different people. Beginning with the Crystal Palace a design revolution using glass and steel kicked off the industrial age. With these new materials, design revolutionized and many more possibilities opened up. This period was a time of exploration where designers broke the rules and looked at new ways to design. The new expanding middle class demanded a wider ranch of thinking about architecture. Buildings like Place de vosges are made to house middle class families. The buildings are made to look like grand palaces but are actually many units in one.

Many new building designs were employed thanks to the new cheap production of iron and glass. Crystal palace was built to house items from all over the world for sale. It was a new utilitarian design, made more for function than for beauty. There was a debate about what was the true style, Crystal Palace or the items inside. Iron and glass together were also utilized for many other building needs including libraries, train depots and shopping centers. The use of these materials eventually led to the rising of skyscrapers.

Up until now buildings have been made based on classical design, so there wasn't any other language being spoken. Theory making becomes as important as actual practice. Alot of ideas are worked out on paper, but never actualy realized. During this time, science is also on the rise, this contributes to the new and exciting architecture being realized. There is also a mixing of styles which leads to new design.

Britain had many colonies across the world and some of the architecture reflected the gains they made from foreign lands. One of Britains colonies was America. She was a new country and needed to prove to the world she could be taken seriously. Southern states had a strong sense of classical styles, and employed this in the architecture and artifact design. Even after the revolution of 1776, America still employed styles from across the pond.


One of the many voices being heard about design was from our neighbors in the East. These neighbors had a large influence on the design of architecture and artifacts. All the way from the simple integration of shelves into the structure as in the Peacock room (London ca. 1876), all the way to the opulent over worked Royal Pavilion (Brighton England ca. 1815).
This influence could also be seen in clothing design and furniture through the simple use of lines and geometry.






http://www.hevac-heritage.org/landmark_buildings/residential/residential.htm
Overall this unit was about freedom from the rules. It was about exploring new ideas in design, breaking away from the classical. It was about finding a new language and fluid rules. There was a dialog being held about the unexplored and how to realize it. Many voices were being heard and styles were commingled to create new imagined and sometimes utilitarian design.

While looking up spaces online I came across this living room with a rococo influence. The designer used shells, cherubs and curvy lines around the window and fireplace. I normally wouldn't lean toward liking rococo, however this space has just the right touch without being too literal.

Reading Comprehension 5

Harwood, page 14

[1] To me the clay pot represents a revolution in design. The clay pot allowed many civilizations to store grain to get them through the colder months when there was no harvest. This storing of grain also allowed these cultures to have a more leisurely lifestyle. The pots were also another me

ans of artistic expression. The clay pot to me represents a revolution in freedom. The freedom to pursue other activities in place of gathering. The freedom to develop a skill creating the pots and the freedom of the artist to imprint his 'label' on individual pots.

[2]

eastern-influence-buddha.jpg

Artifact

Images of Buddha have become quit popular in American decor lately. One such item is the Buddha statue used to decorate interior spaces and gardens in American houses. Besides referring to the Chinese religion of Buddhism, these statues also incorporate natural materials such as wood and stone. The use of Buddha also points to a new movement in the East. More people are trying to take a holistic approach by integrating more spiritual practices into their lives. These practices include meditation yoga and Zen just to name a few.

apartment_181_1.jpg

Space

The Eastern influence in this space can be seen in the use of plants representing nature being brought indoors.The use of partitions is also common in Japanese design allowing space to be easily changeable. The overall floor plan of this space is very open which is common in Japanese planning. The integration of the plants as decor is reminiscent of the Chinese style. The use of repeated geometric shapes is als

o a well defined Eastern style. It can be seen in the repeated use of rectangles. Rectangles are repeated in the glass partition, on the two bottom stairs, the painting above the bed, and the windows. The space is also free of clutter and minimalist. Also the use of natural materials, stone, and wood, goes with the Eastern philosophy of man being of nature and its essential

importance of being integrated into living spaces.

eastern07.jpg

Building

This Ranch style New England home was renovated to include some Eastern features. It has many Asi

an inspired influences including bamboo flooring and maple cabinetry on the interior. On the exterior there are plants near the home As you walk outside there are trees only feet away from the home. The cantilevered roofs show the asymmetry used in Asian styling and sliding glass doors help integrate exterior and interior spaces seamlessly when used. The courtyard area is balanced on either side by the previously existing home on one side and the addition on the other. Rooms overlook the

courtyard making them feel open to the outdoors.

jardin-Albert-Kahn-presentation.jpg

Place

Albert Kahn is a garden

designer. He designs gardens in France influenced by the East. This garden on the outskirts of Paris, balances several elements of nature. The elements together are water, rocks, earth, and plants, all of which are necessary to create a balance in the natural world.

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/494842

In the alternatives unit, we discussed reaching heavenward, community, the renaissance, and breaking the rules. In between the Classical period and the Renaissance there were the Middle Ages. During this time important building innovations took place. With the use of flying buttresses, buildings were dematerialized by adding large glass windows. The golden mean was still applied in the length and height. After the fall of the Roman empire, there was an emphasis on community and providing for the poor. But before that Christianity becomes a predominate western religion and a new building form takes place. At first followers had to meet in private. These meetings of course required space and eventually the cruciform shape came to be. At first the religion was practiced in Italy in the catacombs, after the fall of the empire it was able to flourish. It made its mark all over the European land scape in the form of cathedrals. This building form didn't happen over night. It took many years and failed attempts. There can also be seen Eastern influences in the building form of some cathedrals. With this blending comes a theatricality that the church uses to attract new converts. With the use of dramatic statuary and ornamentation, stories can be told in the architecture. This led to the Baroque styling of churches.

During the Renaissance the power of the church was given to the individual in the form of villas. The connection to heaven was now de-institutionalized. Building shifts from a grandeur practice to a practical one. During this period no building is one style. Architects and designers reinterpret classical style by using all the rules. These include man as the measure of all things, single decorative facade, separation of spaces, repetition and geometry. Patronage is also important as a lot of buildings and furniture items are commissioned by wealthy patrons.

During the Baroque period, boundaries were tested and rules were broken. One example of this is the use of dramatic angles. During this style period there was an opening up of civic spaces. An example would be the Piazza Campidoglio, which was built wider at one end to open up to and emphasis the house of representatives. There was also theatricality used to attract people and tell a dramatic story. Some structural elements were exaggerated to add strength or size to buildings.

With a switch to building for practicality there were a few unnecessary elements, like too many corner columns. At the begining of the Renassaince there was no one with an official title in charge of Florence. However the Medici family, through skillful diplomacy took on the role. They made it the duty of wealthy citizens to provied public and religous buildings for the citizens. There was a renewed interest in antiquity, scholars were no longer interested in scripture and church dogma. The Renaissance marked the reemergence as man as the measure. A numerous amount of Greek scholars arrived in Florence and this reinforced a return to antiquity. Once again man was the measurer of all things. This believe was best quoted by Giovanni Pico "it is granted to have whatever he chooses, to be whatever he wills."

Reading Comprehension 4

[1]
artifact:

~neo-palladian/georgian

desk/bookcase

~american/georgian

windsor chair

~louis xvi/french provincial

tall clock

~late english georgian

state bed (osterly park)

~american federal

sheraton side chair

Even though each ppiece is from a different time or place, they all speak a classical design language. The motifs are light with classical reference depicting urns and garlands on some pieces and images of love (flowers, cherubs) on others. They all have straight legs which was more popular during the late Georgian period in England. Each area uses mahogany as one of the primary woods for constructing furniture. Each piece is symmetrical. The cabinet, which is from the Rococo period, has a symmetry in the design on both sides and it is proportioned on top and bottom. Most pieces have repetition throughout the motifs. Each piece has emphasis at the highest point, the eagle on the desk, the cherubs on the clock, the crown on the state bed. Also the designers of each piece broke the rules in some way to design each piece to work for the client or setting.

space:

~neo-palladian/georgian

holkam hall, saloon

~american georgian

gunston hall, stair hall

~louis xvi/french provincial

marie antoinette's bedroom

~late english georgian

nathaniel russell house

~american federal

monticello

Throughout these interiors, Classical proportions are typically used during these time periods. The only deviation from this is during the Neo-Palladian period in England during which time monumental proportions are used and furniture is massive. Classical ornamentation is used around doors and chimney pieces. Walls all contain a dado and dado rail with an upper wall being richly decorated with a special treatment of paper, paint or fabric. The walls have repetitive patterns.The rooms were all formal with emphasis on gathering places being richly decorated, stairways and halls are still formal, but not as extravagant as more important areas.

building:

~neo-palladian/georgian

chiswick house

~american georgian

drayton hall

~louis xvi/french provincial

pantheon (st. genevieve)

~late english georgian

nathaniel russell house

~american federal

monticello

The common theme among these buildings is the use of simple geometric shapes and classical design and proportion. Rules from antiquity are closely followed. The buildings are symmetrical and relatively plan and simpleSome of the classical themes used are porticoes, tripartite windows or the use of blocky quoins and balustrades. Each building has a plain facade.

place:
~neo-palladian

The design language that all these places have in common is one of a return to antiquity. Just as the buildings and interiors demonstrate, there is a use of symmetry, geometry and Classical design and motifs. There are also some natural elements pointing toward the Baroque style. Just like in the interiors there is a sense of formality.

[2] A common design theme among English colonies in Boston is the use of proportion and geometric layout. Because of the abundance of wood, it was use extensively in construction and furniture design. There is monumental scale, but everything is not as grandiose. When the English colonized America, there was a land grab and people were eager to take advantage of the fertile soil to grow cash crops. Most colonists developed mostly rural homes and plantations with few urban centers. Furnishings, ornament and interiors all follow a medieval English style. There is a use of boundary setting in the design. Designs are very simple and symmetric.

In the Spanish colonies of modern day Florida, the design aspects took a totally different direction. It is obvious in St. Augustine of the French Renaissance in the architecture. The design can be seen in the simple exteriors and use of straight lines.

The French influence is still evident in New Orleans with the use of straight lines and wood in furniture. It is obvious in architecture because of the steeply pitched roofs. The verticality of buildings and furniture shows medieval influence. There is also the use of cubes in the furniture and floor plans of structures. And the use of diamond motifs is also a French characteristic.

German settlers brought with them medieval influence. The design asthetic is by far the most medieval of the four discussed thus far. This is much verticality and horizontal banding in the architecture and furniture, such as the shank. There is also steeply pitched roofs and wood used throughout the interiors.

[3][4] "The world is a stage" is a common design theme during the Baroque period, especially in the church. Church leaders knew the importance in telling a story to keep parishioners and win converts. Everything was done in a grandiose scale with high intensity. It was all about drama theatre and inspiring awe. Even though the church believed actors to be immoral, during the Counter-reformation, it was the best idea to keep parishioners from converting to protestantism.
Baroque was also a break from the symmetry of the renaissance. it was a style that employed gilding, bronze, marble and curves to give a more organic feel. It was a more humanistic approach to design and was able to better convey a sense of emotion. Baroque used theatricality to relate to the more humanistic side of man.

Point Foundations

http://www.discusmedia.com/catalog.php?id=24432

Two of the most important design ideas covered in the foundations unit were stacking and linear axis. Some of the most fundamental ideas in early design also included making protective walls or barriers. Outside attackers who wanted to steal their resources threatened many early societies. We also see this sort of protection in the serpent mound in modern day Ohio. It was also a sort of barrier protecting the dead. The first style of stacking we see is at the Ziggurat of Ur-Nammu in Sumer. It was a fortified building complex it served as the administrative center for the city. Built as a display of power it was also used to survey the surrounding landscape.

Near Sumer, further north In Mesopotamia, the site of the first civilization, pharaohs also used stacking as a way to show power. It was also used as a way to point heavenward. Each Pharaohs duty in life was to make the best possible pyramid so that Egyptian culture would continue to thrive. Egyptian society thrived due in large part to the Nile River. It was a mode of transportation and made control of the region much easier. Every year the Nile would flood its banks along Egypt depositing minerals in the soil producing mineral rich farmland for crops and vegetation. The Egyptians used the papyrus plant as a capital on temple columns to symbolize how the Nile has made their society flourish. The Nile was also used as a trade route; it was the primary means of transportation in and out of Egypt. Trade would be conducted above and below with neighboring civilizations. Egyptians believed that they lived at the center of the earth, just as Grecians thought that their society was at the center of the earth. Greece borrowed the use of columns from Egypt. Just as Egyptians used columns in building their temples, so did the Grecians. However, they added a linear plan and placed columns differently. The megaron was started in Mycenaean and evolved over time. Walking into the city, the importance of the column is displayed proudly between two protective and powerful lions. The column was used in all temple forms. Designed crudely at first, the original Grecian style column evolved over time from Doric to Corinthian styles. The city layout was also very important. On the Acropolis in Athens the entire layout is based on a battle between two mythical gods, with Athena being the victor, a temple devoted to her is placed on one side of a central court for people to gather. The Parthenon is the pinnacle of the megaron temple design. It uses for rows of columns, two on the exterior, and two rows on the interior with the statue of Athena in the center. As you move further away from the center of the Grecian empire, styles vary and local flavor is seen added to the basic design central in Athens. Athens is where rules are made. Athens is made up of temple structures and civic complexes, with the city laid out for gathering, discussion and celebration. On the other hand Rome has all the trappings of an empire. The structures in Rome are laid out to distract the people and keep them busy while politics are discussed behind closed doors. The coliseum was the center of entertainment. There, barbaric battles were carried out. The design of the coliseum is still used today. It is the best way to carry sound over a large crowd and it is visually advantageous. Romans also introduced the aqueduct. Through the use of arches, a system for supplying water to the city was built. The baths made use of this water for people to bathe. The Romans used columns for a number of structures even to line roads. The foundations unit makes clear a couple of things. One is that the use of building was used to express spiritual believes and convey a sense of awe of a societies deities and to secure a comfortable afterlife. Another theme that sticks out to me is the idea of building upward to depart from the earth.