Reading Responses

How are they graded?

Because they do not seem to be graded by the syllabus.


I followed them for the last couple posts and i get bad grades.

Looking at past grades and past reading responses I see that some posts do not follow the rules laid by the syllabus and  I get a better grade on those than the posts where I follow the rules very closely. The grades just Do Not seem to add up that's all, and I am hard pressed to discover why. If i am being offensive I am sorry I just feel very strongly that my work is not being taken seriously, and not being graded fairly at all as compared to the effort put into making them.


Best,

Alex

Sayre BP14 IARC 221

OBJECT: The DAR Molded Plastic Chair, by Charles and Ray Eames.

I love this chair and plan to purchase a few as soon as I start making more than minimum wage ha-ha. Its great design and the bold and complete uniform shapes and colors offer a simplicity yet complexity with the R-wire bottoms. They also look extremely comfortable. The modern look these chairs exume offers a playful yet professional idea of design.

SPACE: National Mall

Last summer i got to finally visit DC and see what i would think is sort of an equivalent to the Forum Romanum and since i haven't been there i'd say this is a pretty cool space.

The idea is that these buildings were all created in order to show the greatness of the capitol, the triumps and failures, the history and the honoring of those who passed in order for us to live the way we do. It's one of the few places that are obviously constructed in representation of these ideas and thats what makes it a special place. The purpose of these buildings are like the old honorary Roman columns, Triumphant Archways or Temples that honored things which were important for the Roman people. I find that this is definitely represented in the National Mall.

Building: The Villa Savoye

It's redundant I know, but I love this building. Everything about it is jus so completely ahead of its time when looking at other buildings in the Roth textbook. The ability for an open space plan and the long distance views inside the house are just phenomonal examples of a design language that I really enjoy. The ribbon windows surrounding the house and the outdoor terrace and roof garden bring all aspects of the outdoors really within the building. The playful curve of the roof garden wall allows the building to have some assymetry to it while the rest of the outside of the building seems to be the same.

Place: Pittsburgh

Well, this was already said by Dr. Lucas, but I'm from Swissvale, P.A. which is about 15 minutes out of Pittsburgh. Generally I tell people I'm from Pitt just to simplify things but even in the surrounding suburbs of the area you can see the effect the hills have on buildings. Many of them allow for basements to be dug in the side of hills (which is something that I don't see very much of in North Carolina) which adds to the floors, because in pittsburgh many buildings have 4 floors due to the high urban population. The three rivers that run through downtown really set the stage for great lighting to occur (and great fireworks) at nighttime as its reflected. The valley of buildings stretch out for as far as you can see when you ride the Incline up some of the hills. For me, this is my San Diego, with less history for the rest of the world, but a world of history for me.

Sayre Unit Summary 3 IAR 221

Explore

The connected world, globalization, the ability for a design region to be transported across the oceans to new worlds: These are all the realities of the 3^rd unit which have a direct relationship to Architecture.

Exploration is the perfect title for this unit as the overarching theme of architecture as countless numbers of designers strive to create the design language of the time, which would be used to base later designs. The arguments made between these architects indeed find some basing in previous design types with some resurgences of Gothic and Classical design, yet move very far past these basic ideas to the point where their themes are hardly recognized.

Art Nouveau | Bauhaus | Post Modernism

Recalling past design through the ideals and basic “phonetics” come Art Nouveau which was mentioned in class as not having past designs. I agree with this idea in the light of the great metal works created during the hay-day of the world fairs in the rapid construction (and subsequent rapid deconstruction) of the mega steel framed structures. I also think in some cases that Baroque found its way into influencing some aspects especially in the work of Antonio Gaudi and his Casa Mila. Almost every aspect of this building represents a material that it (Atomically) is not. Concrete blocks and steel frame transform into a apartment complex carved into a Cliffside in Barcelona (Roth 511). Other aspects which also represent the high and extreme decorative aspect of Baroque appear in the Tassel House, by Victor Horta in Belgium. The motif of Horta’s staircase begins on the floor with flowing tile work, continues on the railing, and flows to the columns and flairs out, in a continuing cycle which climaxes on a hanging light fixture also of a curvilinear design. Over the top and impressive, I feel Art Nouveau has heavy insight into the Baroque era.

Art Nouveau | Bauhaus | Post Modernism

The expansion of Scandinavian designs find its headquarters in the Bauhaus, the institute of design Dessau, Germany. Founded by Walter Gropius and later building reconstruction and design accompanied by Richard Meier, this institute was the lamp which shed its design light upon the globe. Due to the Second World War, designers who studied and taught design defused across the landscape resulting in their talents influencing buildings in the regions they eventually ended up in. Industrialized architecture was an idea shared by many great designers including Ludwig Van Der Rohe, and Le Corbusier who designed buildings such as, respectively, the German Pavilion, Barcelona, Spain, and the Villa Savoye in France. These influential buildings represented some of the highest ideals of the Bauhaus of industrial design, dematerialization and a quote from Le Corbusier “a machine for living.” These ideals grappled with the hand crafted designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, but later found solace as years went on and design language changed.

Art Nouveau | Bauhaus | Post Modernism

Post Modernism. The conglomeration of many design languages which became understood by some, confused others, and in the hands of masters became arguably the top in expression of design. An important aspect of this age is the realization that function plays a most important role in the design of buildings. Good design for all. Not for people to conform to the wishes of a high browed designers view of perfection in structure, but the ability to provide and serve the public in ways which fulfill commodity, firmness and delight. I think this era offers very important aspects of all the previous design languages in order to produce something entirely new. The image I think, although it is certainly not from one of the most world renowned designers of this period such as Richard Meier, to some extent Le Corbusier or Frank Gehry, represents the idea and purpose of Post Modernism and combining aspects to delve into the unknown. 

Gunter Domenig, Volkermarkt, Austria. Example of steel frame.

Gunter Deomenig’s industrial office building Volkermarkt, Austria is a representation of the idea’s which grew out of the Bauhaus comingled with the steel frame and stunning buildings of Art Nouveau. “While this seemingly unfinished structure appears deliberately provocative, the similarly evocative structural expression […] results primarily from pushing the engineering implications of structural systems to their logical artistic and poetic limits” (Roth 598). These ideas were used by the designer to produce an extreme statement while not sacrificing the ability of this building to succeed functionally.

Gunter Domenig, Volkermarkt Austria. Stretching of structural
design

Explorations found voices for the spread of architecture to places which it would have never grown on its own. Expressions in Art Nouveau found their basis in Baroque while striking out on their own to the point where these bases were hardly defined. Bauhaus spread a tradition of modernism stressing the dematerialization which would later appear in many buildings found in Post-Modernism.  The aggregation of these ideas became Post Modern design which continues to this day in many forms. In all the units, I found this one very important to my understanding of design as it has shown where the aspects of previous design have seeped into the language of today. The bone structure which was Unit 1 was added to by the Muscle of Unit 2 in order to reveal the skin and features I am able to discern in Unit 3. The main idea remains the same: in finding that which fulfills the status of modernity.

Sayre RR13 IAR 221

                                                                                         

Rules seem to be in an ever changing flow between construction and deconstruction.

This change seems to be the only constant.

Inspiration is an over arching aspect of many types of architecture. The work of one designer can be reflected in another in particular aspects of many buildings. In the case of Richard Meier, and the Getty Center II in Los Angeles(1984), Roth has determined that its inspiration was from Le Corbusier.

Getty Center II, Meier: Circular Geometric              Villa Savoye, Le Corbusier: Geometric

                         

credit                                      creditsavoye 

These two views depict architecture which in some ways is related, and in some ways have been expounded upon. The basic ideas in which parts of the Getty Center were based upon are found in buildings like the Villa Savoye. Some of Le Corbusier's rules are followed by this conglomeration of 5 buildings which make up the Getty Center. 

• In this particular aspect, the curving rooftop wall of the Villa Savoye has been dropped below.
• The ribbon windows which were a defined detail of the Villa Savoye have been draped upon this curving wall which has become a repeated motif of the Getty building.
• The columns on the outside, or piloiti's as Le Corbusier called them, remain as they were.
• The geometries of the two buildings find that the Getty building has made this form the essence of the building were as the Villa Savoye may have just discovered how it could look.

While the inspiration has a extreme hold on how the buildings look, the essence of change remains a part of architectures future. Understanding today's architecture takes into account what has gone before, and envisioning what can "go" in the future. While change is a very important aspect, the designer Richard Meier "remained consistent in [his] refinement of canonical modernist minimalism and reduction of materials." Essentially, the use of white and the smoothness of the buildings remained a major point in Meiers work, and the Getty Center II is an excellent conglomeration of these ideas placed onto the varied facades of the buildings.

A closer view of the Getty Center. Notice that many aspects that are circular, if flattened, look like some works of Le Corbusier. The importance of minimalism is evident here, yet Meier changes somewhat by using the travertine stone on the outsides of the buildings.

Getty Center II, Los Angeles Richard Meier Over head view. Scale of this center is explained by Roth to be one of the most expensive buildings of the times at $1,000 per square foot, rounding off at around $1 billion dollars.

Sayre BP13 IARC 221

Scandinavian:Legacy

Legacy. A word which demands attention. Also a word used to describe something not just of importance but also of influence.

The spread of Scandinavian design throughout the world brought modernism to many shores. A shore in particular can be observed from the building designed by Alvar Aalto, a Finnish architect who during World War II taught at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Out of the many architects of this age i feel Aalto's work is imperative to the movement of design through the times because of all the modernist architects Aalto embraced functionality.

THE BUILDING: "Baker House"

Alvar Aalto's Baker House, Massachusetts

A students dormitory, this building was constructed to fit the uses of a humans point of view. Very much unlike other architects of this time who were convinced that the design of the building was static and it was the people who had to dynamically shape themselves around the architecture. Very different from other buildings of the time the Baker house also curved to fit in to its appropriated space unlike other modernists buildings which were very cube-like. This building offered views of the river  in the bedrooms and the city from the other sides. Scandinavian design in the purpose to achieve functionality is the essence of what I think is an important legacy to pass to other designers. With embracing the needs of people a building succeeds in its most essential, and carnal, purpose. Alvar Aalto's scandinavian design lies in importance with "accomidating utilitarian function."

Sayre RR 12 IARC 221

Embedded Purpose

A building is always created for a more or less specific purpose; an apartment for living, a library for reading and research, a factory to create. Embedded in the design of the Philarmonie, Berling by Hans Scharoun is the purpose of music.

 Embedded purpose and functionality

The exterior of The Philharmonie, shaped by its interior
photo credit



 It is embedded so deep in the idea of the building that its influence is shown in its very uncommon design. The exterior is shaped in order to agree with the demands which are placed upon the interior in its function as well as its characteristics of commodity and delight. Delight more specifically concerned with the feeling meant to be conveyed by Hans Scharoun.


Designed with Purpose

The Philharmonie, Berlin. Embedded with the idea of music
photo credit



• The building form is shaped by music not only to be acoustically sound but to surround the musicians with the audience at every angle
• Hans Scharoun: "Music is the focal point. This was the keynote from the very beginning. The orchestra and conductor stand spatiall and optically in the very middle of things; if not in the mathmatical center, then certainly they are completely enveloped by the audience." (Roth 554)
• Scharoun describes the building as allowing the audience and the performers to be a single community  in a very natural setting

Philharmonie Community

A Community of Music. The central stage surround creates a more intimate feel than a stage in front of seating. Intimacy comes through the availability of looking in at any angle.
photo credit

The Philharmonie by Hans Scharoun displays a perfect example of embedded purpose in the form of Music being the keynote. Coupled with this idea plus the structural changes observed by Roth: "the many angleed surfaces and the convex curves of the ceiling (mirrored by the angles and curves of the exterior) disperse the sound well." Exceptionally executed functionality fills commodity and delight in one fell stroke, and firmness follows after in this music hall.

 The following link is just a small example of the community created by Hans Scharoun's design

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67UwwIer04U

Sayre BP12 IAR 221

The 111 Chair
Inspired by colors found in nature
Designed by those who care about it.

EMECO: Good Design 4 All


Taking an excerpt from the Chair Cards come's the 111 Navy chair. What better way to accentuate good design for all but to do so in a manner that is better for everyone; even those who aren't sitting in it.


The 111 Navy Chair gets its name from being made out of 111 plastic Coke a Cola bottles, sort of partnership the two have created together (the Coke trademark is coupled with the emeco one on the underside of the seat) to develop a more sustainable world. This not only reuses old plastic but has been claimed by Emeco to last up to and possibly surpass 150 years. So these chairs will be something you could definitely pass down to future generations. 


A sustainable word from the Pennsylvania housed company owner Gregg Buchbinder


"When Coke came to me with this project I jumped on it. It’s a huge investment for a small company, but we have the potential of reusing the PET from about 3 million plastic bottles a year. That’s a lot of bottles and a lot of chairs too. The new chair is the strongest, and most beautiful we can make. We’ve turned something you throw away into something you want and can keep for a long, long time.” 


I also want to highlight that it was indeed Coke that wanted to do this, which in the end may only be a PR stunt, but is still a definite move in the direction many things in this world should take.